Apple products are often reliable. The company also has excellent customer support. An old, used Mac likely won’t have a warranty remaining, but you can visit an Apple store for help and pay for repairs if necessary. Still, you should be cautious. This list will help you avoid common problems. You’ll want at least 4GB of RAM. It’s enough for everyday tasks like web browsing, document editing, basic games, and streaming video. If you have more demanding things in mind, like photo editing or complex games, look for a used Mac with 8GB or 16GB of RAM. If you can, aim for having at least 8GB, Some older Macs have user-serviceable RAM so that you can replace or upgrade it yourself. Check the Mac’s specifications to see if this is the case. Look for a used Mac with at least a 128GB hard drive if you rely heavily on cloud storage. If not, you’ll want at least 250GB. Also, check the type of hard drive installed. It will be a hard disk drive or a solid-state drive. Solid-state drives are quicker and recommended. Some older Macs have a user-serviceable hard drive you can replace or upgrade. Check the Mac’s specifications to confirm this. A dual-core processor is fine for basic, day-to-day tasks. A quad-core processor can handle most tasks, though the most demanding may still run poorly. A six-core or eight-core processor is best for users with demanding needs. The processor usually isn’t user-serviceable, so buy what you need. You probably won’t be able to upgrade it. Used Macs with integrated graphics (often from Intel) are acceptable for basic use but will struggle in 3D games and content. Used Mac with dedicated graphics (often from AMD or Nvidia) will handle some 3D games and content. Be warned, however, even dedicated graphics in Macs more than five years old may not be able to handle modern apps. Over time, Apple drops support for older Macs. Those lacking support can’t upgrade to the new OS. Here’s the official list of supported Macs for the latest version of macOS, macOS Monterey. Older, unsupported Macs continue to function but won’t receive the latest feature updates. Apple Service Programs often address widespread defects. It’s wise to avoid Macs that are not part of a Service Program. A Service Program will provide a free repair even if you are not the device’s original owner. However, most Service Programs eventually expire (typically after five years). The Eizo Monitor Test, available online, is an easy way to check. Open it and select the Defective Pixels and Uniformity tests. They will help you spot significant issues like stuck pixels or a failed backlight. Please read our guide on checking your MacBook’s Battery health for more information. Also, visually inspect the MacBook’s bottom and rear for any signs of a bulge or lump. It’s a sign the battery is expanding and needs replacing. An expanding battery can damage a MacBook and, in the worst case, burst free of its casing. That’s a problem you’ll want to avoid. Look for signs of damage and wear. A port should never be bent, jagged, or out of square. If possible, shine a light inside the port to look for excessive dirt or the remains of broken peripherals.
