u/Intrepid-Routine-875

MacBook Pro 2011 i5 16GB RAM, to make it truly usable, would it be better to go with Linux (Mint) or Sonoma with OpenCore?

I had this instinct that kept telling me to experience the thrill of an old MacBook before Apple became "the Apple" before Apple Silicon, before all of that.

I wanted to experience firsthand what it meant for those who discovered Macs before me to actually have a Mac.
And besides, I needed another "expendable" laptop to use like a TV, so I killed two birds with one stone.

I bought a fully refurbished 2011 MacBook Pro 13", with a new battery, SSD, 16GB of RAM, a new charger, in perfect cosmetic condition, for €60, updated to Sonoma via OpenCore.

Am I crazy, in your opinion?

To me it still seemed like a good deal, old ThinkPads go for around €150–200 anyway, the new Intel Celeron ones on Amazon cost €300, so it seemed like a bargain.

What do you think? Could I have skipped it? 🤭

Why in Europe can you get AppleCare+ for your Mac only by paying annually or even for 3 years? If the classic method had been available, monthly forever, I would have definitely gotten it, but this way I didn't feel like it. Why is it like this? And then what happens when those 3 years expire?

The seller says new battery and perfect conditions. Thermal paste has not been changed but he cleaned the fans.

Would you buy it?

I am tempted between this and a thinkpad, more or less for the same price.

I never would have thought that once I discovered the MacBook, I'd want to use only the MacBook. And so I eventually gave in to the iPad, and soon after to the iPhone. My work and creativity have exploded since I made the switch, and I couldn't be happier.

I've also learned to appreciate the build quality and the display, not to mention the lightness, the thermal efficiency, the smoothness of the system, and the lack of tracking. You already know all this.

My problem is that I came from a lifetime with Windows, the usual plastic boxes that overheat but more or less get things done (poorly). In theory, Apple devices are now my work tools. I've always had a gaming PC and an office PC for writing.

So now what do I do? Any amount of money spent on a non-Apple PC feels wasted. I had my eye on some gaming PCs, but then I thought: going back to heavy, scorching machines with terrible screens just isn't for me. So I told myself: fine, I'll give up gaming for now, since I move frequently and a desktop would be both impractical and at risk of getting damaged. For now, laptops only.

But I'm still left with the problem of using a PC as a TV. I always have a PC running constantly that I use for browsing and consuming TV content, radio, and so on, all streaming. Let's call it a sacrificial PC that I don't mind leaving plugged in 24/7.

What options do I have now? What can I buy that can serve as a TV and browsing machine, is portable, can run Windows (sadly), and doesn't also happen to be terrible, without making me regret spending money on it?

My issue is that I've now reached the mindset that if I'm spending more than €500, I'll only spend it on an Apple device, because they're the only ones that deserve that money. But I need to buy a non-Apple device, so I'm scaling my budget way down. I started with a €1,500 budget but I know that's money thrown away, so I've brought it down to under €300.

But what is there in the Windows world that's actually decent at that price?

No, not the fake-refurbished 10-year-old ThinkPads they sell on Amazon and eBay, where "refurbishing" just means reinstalling Windows without even replacing the battery or SSD. Not interested.

What would you suggest? Or, though I doubt it, are there Windows laptops around €1,500 that can actually be thermally efficient for gaming? Because my point is: if I'm only using it as a TV, I want to spend as little as possible, but if gaming becomes viable I'd go for it. I just don't think that's really possible yet.

I never would have thought that once I discovered the MacBook, I'd want to use only the MacBook. And so I eventually gave in to the iPad, and soon after to the iPhone. My work and creativity have exploded since I made the switch, and I couldn't be happier.

I've also learned to appreciate the build quality and the display, not to mention the lightness, the thermal efficiency, the smoothness of the system, and the lack of tracking. You already know all this.

My problem is that I came from a lifetime with Windows, the usual plastic boxes that overheat but more or less get things done (poorly). In theory, Apple devices are now my work tools. I've always had a gaming PC and an office PC for writing.

So now what do I do? Any amount of money spent on a non-Apple PC feels wasted. I had my eye on some gaming PCs, but then I thought: going back to heavy, scorching machines with terrible screens just isn't for me. So I told myself: fine, I'll give up gaming for now, since I move frequently and a desktop would be both impractical and at risk of getting damaged. For now, laptops only.

But I'm still left with the problem of using a PC as a TV. I always have a PC running constantly that I use for browsing and consuming TV content, radio, and so on, all streaming. Let's call it a sacrificial PC that I don't mind leaving plugged in 24/7.

What options do I have now? What can I buy that can serve as a TV and browsing machine, is portable, can run Windows (sadly), and doesn't also happen to be terrible, without making me regret spending money on it?

My issue is that I've now reached the mindset that if I'm spending more than €500, I'll only spend it on an Apple device, because they're the only ones that deserve that money. But I need to buy a non-Apple device, so I'm scaling my budget way down. I started with a €1,500 budget but I know that's money thrown away, so I've brought it down to under €300.

But what is there in the Windows world that's actually decent at that price?

No, not the fake-refurbished 10-year-old ThinkPads they sell on Amazon and eBay, where "refurbishing" just means reinstalling Windows without even replacing the battery or SSD. Not interested.

What would you suggest? Or, though I doubt it, are there Windows laptops around €1,500 that can actually be thermally efficient for gaming? Because my point is: if I'm only using it as a TV, I want to spend as little as possible, but if gaming becomes viable I'd go for it. I just don't think that's really possible yet.