The recipient doesn’t do any video editing or other process intensive workflows, just online banking, facebook, email, etc.

I’m trying to decide whether to buy new on Black Friday or shop the second hand market. I want something that’ll keep getting OS updates for at least a couple years.

Can anyone advise me on how to get the best value for my dollar—should I shop Black Friday deals for something new or stick to the used marketplaces like Facebook, eBay, etc? We’re in the US in case that affects the answer. Thank you!

ETA budget info: I’d like to spend around $500 or so, which I believe would mean going used, but I can probably stretch my budget to a grand if buying something new is actually the best value play. But if I go used, can someone recommend what years I should look for or avoid? thx

  • @accideath
    9•13 days ago

    The most important thing is getting one with apple silicon aka M1 chip or newer. Intel macs are definitely on their way out and won’t get updated for too much longer. And from there, get the newest MacBook Air that fits in your budget. An M1 will definitely be fine, spec wise, but it’ll also be the first to lose support. M2 to M4 will probably break your budget by quite a bit though, even used, but if you find a deal on any of those that fit your budget, go for it. In any case, the base model will do. While I would generally recommend a RAM upgrade (and if you find a model with 16GB for a similar price as an 8GB model, go for it), it’s not necessary for the workload you‘ve described.

    Edit: Also, try to take a look at refurbished models, both directly from apple as well as third party refurbishers. The Apple ones are as good as new, including warranty and even third party refurbished models oftentimes come with a year of warranty and you still might save a bit, if you can live with a few small blemishes.

    • @[email protected]OPEnglish
      3•13 days ago

      Thanks for the tip about Apple silicon vs the older Intel chips. That was pretty much exactly the kind of advice I was looking for—i.e., if I go used, what should I avoid, so thanks for that, this really helps.