Which secondhand Macbook/Macbook Pro
in [UK Mac]
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From: pfgpowell on 25 Jul 2010 12:26 I am considering getting an Intel Macbook/Macbook Pro and for money reasons it will have to be secondhand. Can anyone advise me known issues which sometimes crop up with particular models, and which model might be the one to go for? Also, I understand most recent models have a battery which cannot be replaced by the owner but have to be returned for a new battery to be fitted. With which models did this start?
From: Huge on 25 Jul 2010 13:12 On 25/07/2010 17:26, pfgpowell wrote: > I am considering getting an Intel Macbook/Macbook Pro and for money > reasons it will have to be secondhand. Can anyone advise me known > issues which sometimes crop up with particular models, and which model > might be the one to go for? Also, I understand most recent models have > a battery which cannot be replaced by the owner but have to be > returned for a new battery to be fitted. With which models did this > start? macbook pro unibody brought built in batterys.... good machines but run time is around 5 hours or slightly more not like 7 hours....
From: David Empson on 26 Jul 2010 11:03 pfgpowell <pfg.powell(a)virgin.net> wrote: > I am considering getting an Intel Macbook/Macbook Pro and for money > reasons it will have to be secondhand. Can anyone advise me known > issues which sometimes crop up with particular models, and which model > might be the one to go for? All of the earlier models have issues which need to be considered. Unless otherwise noted, everything is 15" or 17" models. 1. MacBook Pro (Early 2006): 1.83, 2.0 or 2.16 GHz Core Duo I'd avoid these for four reasons: Core Duo processor is 32-bit only, maximum RAM is 2 GB, no Firewire 800, and they are known to get very hot and have a lot more fan noise than later models as a result. 2. MacBook Pro (Late 2006): 2.16 or 2.33 GHz Core 2 Duo These ones are reasonably good, apart from maximum memory capacity (3 GB). The Core 2 Duo processor gives 64-bit support. 3. MacBook Pro (Mid/Late 2007): 2.2, 2.4 or 2.6 GHz Core 2 Duo Better than the previous model for memory (official limit is 4 GB, actually supports 6 GB), but there is one significant issue with this series: the NVIDIA 8600M GT graphics controller had a design fault and could fail if the computer gets too hot. There is a warranty extension covering this for three years after the computer was manufactured, but buying one is risky if it hasn't already failed and been repaired. I had one of these, and my graphics controller died two years and ten months after I bought it. Fixed for free by Apple, but the timing was lucky. 4. MacBook Pro (Early 2008): 2.2, 2.5 or 2.6 GHz Core 2 Duo Similar to the previous model, but less likely to have a faulty NVIDIA chip, and more likely to be within the repair window if the problem does occur. One known improvement in this series: first MacBook Pro to support more power output on the USB ports for battery charging, which is very helpful if you have an iPad. 5. MacBook Pro (15" Late 2008): 2.4, 2.53, 2.66, 2.8 or 2.93 GHz Core 2 Duo First models with the new "Unibody" design. This series still has a removable battery. New graphics controller supports additional features such as hardware decoding of H.264 video. 6. MacBook Pro (17" Late 2008): 2.5 or 2.6 GHz Core 2 Duo Similar to the 17" model from series #4 above. Only lasted three months. 7. MacBook Pro (17" Early 2009): 2.5 or 2.6 GHz Core 2 Duo "Unibody" redesign similar to #5 above. 8. MacBook Pro (13" Mid 2009): 2.26 or 2.53 GHz Core 2 Duo Introduction of the 13" MacBook Pro. No known issues. Integrated battery. 9. MacBook Pro (15" or 17" Mid 2009): 2.53, 2.66, 2.8 or 3.06 GHz Core 2 Duo These models got integrated batteries. Note that the 2.53 GHz 15" model of this series has limited graphics capability (only has NVIDIA 9400M, not the additional dedicated graphics 9600M of the faster models). 10. MacBook Pro (13" Mid 2010): 2.4 or 2.66 GHz Core 2 Duo Current model. 11. MacBook Pro (15" or 17" Mid 2010): 2.4, 2.53 or 2.66 GHz Core i5/i7 Current model. > Also, I understand most recent models have a battery which cannot be > replaced by the owner but have to be returned for a new battery to be > fitted. With which models did this start? The Mid 2009 series (second generation Unibody) is when the integrated battery arrived. The integrated battery almost doubles the operating time compared to the previous models with removable batteries. They also have a theoretically better lifetime, in the order of 1000 charge cycles instead of 300, so in principle they could last for 5 years or more instead of 2 to 3 years. My current MacBook Pro has an integrated battery and I'm very happy with it so far (three months and counting). -- David Empson dempson(a)actrix.gen.nz
From: David Empson on 26 Jul 2010 11:08 David Empson <dempson(a)actrix.gen.nz> wrote: > pfgpowell <pfg.powell(a)virgin.net> wrote: > > > I am considering getting an Intel Macbook/Macbook Pro and for money > > reasons it will have to be secondhand. Can anyone advise me known > > issues which sometimes crop up with particular models, and which model > > might be the one to go for? > > All of the earlier models have issues which need to be considered. > Unless otherwise noted, everything is 15" or 17" models. > > 1. MacBook Pro (Early 2006): 1.83, 2.0 or 2.16 GHz Core Duo > > I'd avoid these for four reasons: Core Duo processor is 32-bit only, > maximum RAM is 2 GB, no Firewire 800, and they are known to get very hot > and have a lot more fan noise than later models as a result. > > 2. MacBook Pro (Late 2006): 2.16 or 2.33 GHz Core 2 Duo > > These ones are reasonably good, apart from maximum memory capacity (3 > GB). The Core 2 Duo processor gives 64-bit support. > > 3. MacBook Pro (Mid/Late 2007): 2.2, 2.4 or 2.6 GHz Core 2 Duo > > Better than the previous model for memory (official limit is 4 GB, > actually supports 6 GB), but there is one significant issue with this > series: the NVIDIA 8600M GT graphics controller had a design fault and > could fail if the computer gets too hot. There is a warranty extension > covering this for three years after the computer was manufactured, but > buying one is risky if it hasn't already failed and been repaired. > > I had one of these, and my graphics controller died two years and ten > months after I bought it. Fixed for free by Apple, but the timing was > lucky. > > 4. MacBook Pro (Early 2008): 2.2, 2.5 or 2.6 GHz Core 2 Duo > > Similar to the previous model, but less likely to have a faulty NVIDIA > chip, and more likely to be within the repair window if the problem does > occur. One known improvement in this series: first MacBook Pro to > support more power output on the USB ports for battery charging, which > is very helpful if you have an iPad. > > 5. MacBook Pro (15" Late 2008): 2.4, 2.53, 2.66, 2.8 or 2.93 GHz Core 2 > Duo > > First models with the new "Unibody" design. This series still has a > removable battery. New graphics controller supports additional features > such as hardware decoding of H.264 video. > > 6. MacBook Pro (17" Late 2008): 2.5 or 2.6 GHz Core 2 Duo > > Similar to the 17" model from series #4 above. Only lasted three months. > > 7. MacBook Pro (17" Early 2009): 2.5 or 2.6 GHz Core 2 Duo > > "Unibody" redesign similar to #5 above. Correction: the early 2009 17" model was the first one with an integrated battery. > 8. MacBook Pro (13" Mid 2009): 2.26 or 2.53 GHz Core 2 Duo > > Introduction of the 13" MacBook Pro. No known issues. Integrated > battery. > > 9. MacBook Pro (15" or 17" Mid 2009): 2.53, 2.66, 2.8 or 3.06 GHz Core 2 > Duo > > These models got integrated batteries. Note that the 2.53 GHz 15" model > of this series has limited graphics capability (only has NVIDIA 9400M, > not the additional dedicated graphics 9600M of the faster models). > > 10. MacBook Pro (13" Mid 2010): 2.4 or 2.66 GHz Core 2 Duo > > Current model. > > 11. MacBook Pro (15" or 17" Mid 2010): 2.4, 2.53 or 2.66 GHz Core i5/i7 > > Current model. > > > Also, I understand most recent models have a battery which cannot be > > replaced by the owner but have to be returned for a new battery to be > > fitted. With which models did this start? > > The Mid 2009 series (second generation Unibody) is when the integrated > battery arrived. Make that second generation 15" Unibody. The 13" and 17" Unibody all have integrated batteries. > The integrated battery almost doubles the operating time compared to the > previous models with removable batteries. They also have a theoretically > better lifetime, in the order of 1000 charge cycles instead of 300, so in > principle they could last for 5 years or more instead of 2 to 3 years. > > My current MacBook Pro has an integrated battery and I'm very happy with > it so far (three months and counting). -- David Empson dempson(a)actrix.gen.nz
From: David Empson on 26 Jul 2010 17:30
David Empson <dempson(a)actrix.gen.nz> wrote: > David Empson <dempson(a)actrix.gen.nz> wrote: > > > pfgpowell <pfg.powell(a)virgin.net> wrote: > > > > > I am considering getting an Intel Macbook/Macbook Pro and for money > > > reasons it will have to be secondhand. Can anyone advise me known > > > issues which sometimes crop up with particular models, and which model > > > might be the one to go for? [...] > > 3. MacBook Pro (Mid/Late 2007): 2.2, 2.4 or 2.6 GHz Core 2 Duo > > > > Better than the previous model for memory (official limit is 4 GB, > > actually supports 6 GB), but there is one significant issue with this > > series: the NVIDIA 8600M GT graphics controller had a design fault and > > could fail if the computer gets too hot. There is a warranty extension > > covering this for three years after the computer was manufactured, but > > buying one is risky if it hasn't already failed and been repaired. > > > > I had one of these, and my graphics controller died two years and ten > > months after I bought it. Fixed for free by Apple, but the timing was > > lucky. Another update: I see Apple has extended the repair period for this fault to four years, so that reduces the risk of buying one of these. http://support.apple.com/kb/ts2377 > > 4. MacBook Pro (Early 2008): 2.2, 2.5 or 2.6 GHz Core 2 Duo > > > > Similar to the previous model, but less likely to have a faulty NVIDIA > > chip, and more likely to be within the repair window if the problem does > > occur. One known improvement in this series: first MacBook Pro to > > support more power output on the USB ports for battery charging, which > > is very helpful if you have an iPad. This series CAN be affected by the NVIDIA fault, as it wasn't known until July 2008, well into the lifetime of this series. > > 5. MacBook Pro (15" Late 2008): 2.4, 2.53, 2.66, 2.8 or 2.93 GHz Core 2 > > Duo > > > > First models with the new "Unibody" design. This series still has a > > removable battery. New graphics controller supports additional features > > such as hardware decoding of H.264 video. This series does NOT have an NVIDIA 8600M GT, so it is safe. > > 6. MacBook Pro (17" Late 2008): 2.5 or 2.6 GHz Core 2 Duo > > > > Similar to the 17" model from series #4 above. Only lasted three months. This model has an NVIDIA 8600M GT but is less likely to be affected as it was introduced well after the fault had been fixed. -- David Empson dempson(a)actrix.gen.nz |