Here's why I always buy base model Macs, and why you should too!

Thanks to TotalAV for sponsoring today's video! Check out www.totalav.co... to save 80% and get their antivirus suite for $19 per year!
Buying a new Mac or iPad can be a very exciting, but very expensive purchase! When shopping for a new Mac it's commonplace to look at the cost of upgrading components, but very rarely do people factor in the residual value of a computer when going through this process. Today we're going to look at owning Apple products in the long term and explain why you might just want to skip out on those upgrades...
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[@lukemiani]

What Mac upgrades can't you do without? Also, check out www.totalav.com/lukemiani to save 80% and get their antivirus suite for $19 per year!

[@deepestfried]

hi Luke! I couldn't do without 16gb of ram haha edit: oh yeah the 1tb ssd aswell

[@communismisawin]

Sup

[@nellwackwitz]

I always get 16 gigabytes of memory.

[@guan01gmailcom]

Same, cannot do without 16GB, but can do without 512 GB NVME. will use USB3 nano drive as mass storage if needed

[@tyrek78]

do i buy $19 fortnite card or this

[@Martin_from_SC]

Buying base models used to make sense, oh back in the stoneage when you can actually upgrade the storage & RAM.

[@tankdathomie]

Right. Now they are making them so you cant upgrade Ram and internal storage. So we are really forced to spend more money now.

[@siloPIRATE]

I spec them out as far as I can go/need to go and hold on to them forever before eventually repeating the process. Only bought one Mac and am upgrading it 6 and half years later (still works great)

[@Gamer1928]

I bought a base model MacBook Pro ten years ago and I’m still using it an a daily driver. The M1 Macs made me consider buying a new one.

[@ACsPianoCorner]

I purchased my MacBook Pro 11yrs ago. I spec'd it out and I've used as my daily driver until last week when it finally gave up. I'm now gonna get a new MacBook but I'll spec it out again and hopefully not need another one for at least the next 5-6yrs again.

[@cemops8660]

I've had the late 2012 retina macbook pro base model for 11 years. Only now thinking about 16 inch silicone as it lost update support & speakers degraded. But for the price (£1800) the fact it's lasted 11 years is crazy

[@guido1053]

@@cemops8660 2012 is 9 years ago, not 11.

[@eleos11]

@@guido1053 He bought it used at 2010! 😂

[@Bropes]

Still running my mid 2015 with no plans to upgrade anytime soon

[@suhrabrashidi296]

I am going to sub to you!!!!

[@computerschreck]

I thought that about my 2013 aswell (they're not that far apart in performance) until I got to use an M1 machine for a weekend. If your apps and drivers are compatible, give it a try. The speed will blow your pants off. Seriously.

[@jacobbrown6086]

same unless it becomes unsupported, then ill buy a new one

[@FORNICATOR1981]

Watching this on a 2010 17inch MBP

[@dan537]

@@computerschreck To be fair, an i7 16" would also blow your pants off. Also literally, the fans are monsters on those.

[@lancer1993]

Late 2012 I bought the top 27" iMac, added most of the options and I'm still using it to type this post over 8 years later!

[@XDMIIIIIIIII]

What os are you running?

[@lancer1993]

@@XDMIIIIIIIII Mojave, I've got some older software that won't run on anything newer. Yes I'll have to do something about that one day but I'll probably get a new big iMac for that!

[@mikaelbiilmann6826]

I run Catalina on my 2012 21,5" iMac.

[@littlebottleofink]

Yeah I have a 2011 iMac running high Sierra so I can keep my Adobe graphics suite without paying for the monthly service

[@chrisrodney79]

2009 27" iMac still going strong!

[@daviddenoncourt757]

I'm using a base mid-2013 MB Air. It's now begining to show it's age but at 999$ for 8 years of usage it's not a bad cost per use. That's what I'm trying to tell my friends with 400$ Windows laptops that are unusable after a year and a half 😂

[@siddharthagupta8528]

ikr and they call apple products bad value longevity is where apple wins

[@capmidnite]

I remember the Wintel machines in the 1990s would get all buggy and slow after a year and half. Are they still like that? I've been using Macs for two decades now . . . .

[@ProblemanMx]

Well I'm still using an HP envy from 2012. The only thing I did was upgrade to an SSD when they became kind of cheaper. Of course if you buy the all-plastic cheap laptops, you're gone have a hard time.

[@jaykrishnak3268]

It comes down to which specific model of windows laptop you buy and from what brand when it comes to longevity. My sorta high-ish end now 10 year old lenovo IdeaPad has lasted till date and I still daily drive it since it still performs really well and I'm not very interested in playing the latest games. It's already outlived MacBooks released in the same year since it still gets windows 10 updates and will continue to do so probably until something breaks while MacBooks from the same year don't get MacOS updates anymore and probably doesn't have the same level of performance since my laptop has pretty a beefy cooling system and MacBooks have pretty bad cooling in general.

[@roshenramnarine9970]

I had a dell that was like $400 in like 2016, just put in an ssd and it runs just a bit slower than my mac. It really depends more on ram and the processor.

[@creamysmoothpopicongod]

Me sitting here on my 2012 MacBook Pro like I’m gonna upgrade anytime soon: “wait people upgrade their computers every 3-5 years?!” 😭🤣

[@DVDACVDGTZ]

Lol same here macbook pro 2012 pro is best Apple machine ever. Still rocking

[@revmolter]

I still have my MacBook Pro 2009. I hacked it to At least Run Mojave.

[@fatwreck21]

2012 iMac reporting in. It randomly sleeps. Cute right?

[@kenjoseph9416]

@@revmolter oh man, could you possibly show me how to do this on a 2011?

[@callmejacki]

2012 MacBook Pro still rocking it out. Works quite well on El Capitan. Needs some upgrades but I'm good for now.

[@elck3]

This guy has nailed speaking slowly enough to fill out the minimum video time

[@satyriasik4650]

Lol. Popped up in recs and while I like his speed of speech, everything else is cringe.

[@DJ-Coma]

@@satyriasik4650 especially selling out for antivirus software on Macs.

[@bixbox3202]

@@satyriasik4650 frfr this guy has no charm lmao

[@JeremyGreysmark]

@@bixbox3202 why are you watching those videos if you don't like him? The Antivirus chat at the beginning was annyoing though :D

[@pedrofelck]

What minimal video time? If you're talking about the 10 minute mark that KZbin used to have to allow mid-video ads, that's long gone, you can now put as many ads as you'd like independent of the time of the video.

[@RichardHorpe]

nah getting max ram and bigger storage is always advised unless you don't wanna wait for the shipping time. Constantly buying a laptop every year is just not a good habit. Now that the computers are not user upgradable, if I buy a laptop, I wanna use it for 3 years minimum.

[@Catsincages]

Well this is certain a more logical approach. But then again if you have such concerns then you should be buying the larger size of iMac or the iMacPro when they are released and not wasting you money on a 'home computer'.

[@houghwhite411]

3? Should be at least 5

[@flamencoMensch]

Yeah, but Apple really soaks you on the upgrade options. Better to upgrade by yourself whatever you can, after you buy a base unit. Of course, Apple gradually narrows your options with some models as time goes on. One of the reasons they won't get much more of my money ever again.

[@Acrum99]

@@flamencoMensch well at least with Macs, they tend to go on for 5-10 years without struggling. My 2012 13” MacBook Pro is still a decent computer. I recently installed Ubuntu Linux on it and gave it new life. And my grandpa had a 2009 iMac for over 10 years without any issues. You don’t really need to able to upgrade the specs, unless you’re a high end user in which case you should go for the Mac Pro, which is user replaceable. In contrast, Windows laptops tend to die or become unusable within 5 years and they usually aren’t user replaceable either except for gaming laptops.

[@flamencoMensch]

@@Acrum99 Quite right! 😀 The Apple desktops do have a long lifespan. I still have a Fall-2009 iMac (21.5") which is still limping along pretty well. Will definitely upgrade eventually and maybe switch it to a Linux OS. As for Mac Pro, I'm a semi-hi-end guy who will likely never be able to afford one. As a longtime & loyal Apple user, I've been sickened by Apple Inc's increasing greed and cynicism towards their customers, but that's a broader speech for another occasion. 😀 We DO have an old G4 or G5 Mac Pro gathering dust at work, inherited from the purchase of a retiring owner's business. I might convince the boss to let me adopt it and unconventionally upgrade it into the 21st century.

[@firesidd800]

My experience has been that most people run their computers into the ground and then just keep it stored the house when the buy another one.

[@stanleyomar]

I was thinking the same thing. I don't think I agree with the premiss of this video, and I doubt most people think about their computers the way they do their cars, even if you could argue that they should.

[@BriteTap]

Guilty as charged. I finally parted with 3 mac desktops and 2 laptops that had been collecting dust in the closet. They all worked but I just upgrade our stuff every 5 years, so it builds up.

[@ordinaryroblox2837]

They are also the most Popular one with more demand, So if you sell it you'll get more offers.

[@frederikschannel]

No front but this is such a dumb statement

[@beatleszilla]

@@frederikschannel yeah what, if there’s more of them it will make them worth less

[@alr1577]

@@frederikschannel lol no he's right. macbook M1 will sell faster than a Macbook Pro M1. It cheaper and thats a big factor for most.

[@risley.ogembo]

@@frederikschannel He is right. People go for the cheaper ,models, thus making them more popular. So, theoretically, if you put a base model MacBook Pro and a specced out MacBook Pro, people will go for the base because of the price point. Common logic.

[@risley.ogembo]

@@alr1577 Agreed.

[@mikaxms]

The video starts at 2:09

[@adrianoroberto5713]

me watching from my base model late 2012 MBP: 👁👄👁

[@arricammarques1955]

Mid 2015 15' MBP Retina Dongle free! LOL

[@mrmaddoxp]

Me watching from my “loaded” late 2008 MacBook: 👁👄👁

[@bngr_bngr]

I still use my MacIntosh ;)

[@EzrelZaBu]

Mid 2012 MacBook pro here! I need to upgrade ASAP!

[@kasperleusink2318]

@@mrmaddoxp Me too :)

[@Olli-Tech]

For the m1, just go with 16 gigs of ram, it’s totally worth it 🙂

[@MK-np3sd]

No money

[@mustasheolll2020]

I have an 8gb m1, fine for a school computer

[@Olli-Tech]

@@mustasheolll2020true

[@computerschreck]

I usually buy good-condition used Macs specced as high as my budget would allow, have done so for the past decade. Now I bought a new base model Mac Mini and hope to use it for at least five years, which is why opted for 16GB of RAM as the only upgrade. Very impressed by its performance so far.

[@Eweyhen]

"wOooAaH sHoCkInG hE's NevER dOnE THat bEfoRE!!" Dead

[@dohaihoangnam]

I keep rewinding to watch it again and I never get ahead to the rest of the video

[@Alexg4691]

I really do agree with this video. It's also the reason I update my iPhone every year as well and then sell my previous years phone online through eBay. I might spend $1200 on a new iPhone 12 Pro Max but when I sell it for $900-$1000 a year or so later, I've only really spent $200 - $300 on that phone for that year, as I do every year. I also, get the benefit of always having the latest tech in the phone as well. Whereas if I bought the same phone and held onto it for 4-5 years before absolutely needing to upgrade, I would have roughly spent the same amount of money per/year but when I upgraded every year, I got all the new tech each year with still paying the same price as someone who held onto their phone for many years.

[@Alexg4691]

Therefore, it's almost a better deal upgrading your tech devices every 1-2 years instead of holding onto them until they are worthless.

[@ConorORegan]

I’m confident that people probably don’t need a speced out Mac anymore because of apple silicon

[@abelbenoie]

Storage? What about people who need the higher RAM capacity for extra headroom?

[@ConorORegan]

@@abelbenoie don’t get me wrong there’ll definitely be people whole need the extra ram especially if you do a lot of work in Logic but the average consumer definitely doesn’t need more than 8gbs in an Apple Silicon machine

[@SKI79]

@Conor O ‘Regan yeah I agree. If you need more storage then get a external drive. If you want it built into the system, install macOS on it and run it separately.

[@geekbabe100]

Bought a mid 2014 MBP in March of 2015, 8GB ram, 256GB SSD, got it on sale, under $1,100 with tax. I take good care of my things & my MBP is in great shape, the screen is beautiful & it runs beautifully with Mojave. I tend to use my iPad the most & went with an iPad Air 4, have kept my iPhone XR & am still very happy. I will probably wait to see the next release of MBP to upgrade.

[@SimplyPops]

Hey Luke make a video on how to sell a Mac? Is eBay worth selling macs or a different site?

[@joshalexie2780]

Pornhub is the best site to sell it on. Needa be a experienced Ebay seller to sell something worth over $500 or they won't let you sell it.

[@pokiblue5870]

Sell it at apple store 🤪

[@davidlarson2534]

Marketplace. Just so you don’t have to bother with shipping and insurance.

[@jazzlover10000]

TAKE MY MAC, PLEASE! Still useful for a few things, but mostly I use Linux these days.

[@MarvinTurner]

Mercari is an option too

[@mupster2]

Just sold my 27" 2010 iMac. Broke my heart.

[@blrryface]

I LIKE that Luke Miani changed his channel's video layout.

[@MixedAzian]

I'm one of those people who are using the macbook to the ground. Still using my mid 2012 MBP base model. I just changed the ram and battery. It's still working fine. I'm done with school so I haven't needed it for any heavy duty work in a long time. I expect it could last a little longer, but I'm thinking of upgrading when the new m2 chip MBP comes out.

[@sbstndltn]

It also gives people who only buy the base model, a good review so that they know if it is good or not.

[@Joel-ew1zm]

This is great advice that I don't hear anybody giving. This is similar to car trim levels. For new cars, they may ask 5 - 10k more to go up one trim level, however those same cars a few years later on the second hand market, higher trims are much closer in price to the base models provided similar condition and mileage. So you take a bigger depreciation hit with a car if you buy a higher trim level. Auto makers aren't stupid, they understand that people splurging on bells and whistles probably aren't as value minded as people opting for the base model and won't notice the depreciation as much. When you factor in that apple charges $200 more to go from a $300 CPU to a $400 dollar cpu, or charges $200 more to go up about $50 in ram chips, it starts to make sense why the higher specced models depreciate faster. Advice: If the base model unit cannot accomplish what you need it to do, buy something else, especially now that we are past the days of user upgradeability

[@RidingLimitless]

I have a 2011 mbp, just upgraded the ram and put in a ssd, still working fine.

[@Holtenstein]

A few months ago I bought a used base model 2019 27' iMac with a cracked screen. I swapped the screen out with my 2015 iMac, changed the CPU to an 8-core I9, added a 1TB SSD, and added 2x 32GB RAM. This is still my daily driver. I sold the 2015 iMac with the swapped 2019 cracked screen. I just bought an M1 MacBook Air 512GB 16GB RAM and did the thermal mod on day 1. My only new Apple purchase ever.. Today, I helped a friend who was very much in need of an upgrade, get a Mac Mini base model.

[@yssubed2]

I usually bump up memory. I find it helps longevity and resale value especially if you hold on for a while.

[@bradleylevan97]

Luke Miani I have always bought the base model for myself. I bought a MacBook Pro in 2012 and used it for 6 years.Loved it. Ive also got a 2017 and a 2020 model MacBook Air.

[@Rej-355]

I like to keep my stuff for long periods on time. I configured my M1 MacBook Air with 512gb SSD and 8 Core GPU.

[@Rej-355]

@Frank Silvers i watched a bit if reviews saying that 8gb of unified ram is the same as normal 16gb. So i kept the 8gb model. and downgrading from a late 2013 iMac with 32gb if ram i didn’t really notice much a difference.

[@Rej-355]

@Frank Silvers eh. It depends. It’s obviously not equivalent to 16gb but my old imac used 24gb while using safari and this one barely uses any in that task. So for now Im ok.

[@MrDksmall]

I bought a base model iMac in 2009 (dual core) which is still going strong. Gave it to the wife when I got a 27” I9 last year. Only upgrade was the I9 since I do a lot of CAD work. I can always add more RAM if needed since it has the door. The issue I see with older models is OS support, that 2009 is staying on El Capitan, which may not have the latest security protection on it.

[@88caraujo]

I think base models are which most users are really going to be aiming for, I mean, I am a paralegal, not going to be using too much power editing pdf files and faxing documents hehehe, but yeah, I do use some video editing for a small youtube channel, base models are very fine, and correct, my computers usually last me 4-5 years, and base models REALLY do the trick with that. Commented on an m1 mbp (these things are really nice imo) I love your channel!

[@88caraujo]

@R L yesss, to request medical records, to certain government offices, it sounds crazy, but fax is still very much alive. Crazy, right?

[@FromScratchWithLove]

Just got a base M1 Mac Mini and it’s awesome. I’ve never been a base system buyer, but when I tried it and it outperformed my 12 Core 2012 completely tricked out system, I’m amazed. It’s also faster than my 2019 Mac Pro at a lot of things. Crazy.

[@andrew1479]

Really spec'd out my 2008 27" iMac and it's still going and making music. I even managed to persuade it to recognize 6GB of RAM as opposed to the official maximum of 4GB

[@zenbum2654]

I don't think most people sell their old computer when they buy a new one. I think the old one sits on a shelf for a while and then is given to someone less fortunate who needs a computer. When I buy a new computer I always buy the best I can afford, use it until I can't stand how slow it is, and then give it away. I've never sold an old one.

[@giannijacob]

I've been doing this for about 20 years...i call it Mac-Equity. And there's definitely a sweet spot as to when to sell...

[@fgfgfgfgf2919]

Care to explain ?

[@wutangcatclan]

Yes there is my friend, a sweet sweet spot in there..

[@BochinFTW]

Explain foo

[@baconandpepperonipizza4150]

Two thing here, Luke: 1) I love watching your videos. I really do. I am deaf with cochlear implants (had them for about 5 years now). I still use subtitles for all the videos I watch. While I can understand your speech, since it is very clear and not too rushed, would you mind putting in typed subtitles? What I mean by this is that you manually type in the subtitles of what you say in the video. That would be a big help, since KZbin automated captions aren't always great. Thank you. 2) I ordered a MacBook Pro last week on Facebook Marketplace. It is a 2015 MBP, 13-in, i5, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD. I paid not even $500 for it, and it is in decent condition. Definitely usable, and the battery has never been replaced, as it is at 93% health by Coconut Battery. It was manufactured at the end of 2016, 1 1/2 years after the MBP was announced. Screen has the famous delamination issue, but I plan to solve that by removing the rest of the laminate with some water/baking soda and putting a screen protector for it. Sorry if my comment was long. Thanks again, and keep making great videos!

[@justindavidson2256]

Great advice! For me though I buy the maxed out model and keep it until it’s dead.

[@stevenedwardyoung]

I 100% believe the real “Best Buy” move is to buy a couple year old loaded mac, rather than any brand new one. Let someone else pay for the depreciation on the specs you wanted, be sure there’s no mid-long term major faults with the design, and spend MacBook Air money (or less!) on a loaded 15/16” MBP. I usually buy fully upgraded late 2013-mid 2015 15” rMBPs for $400 or so, that’s a steal! My last brand new mac was a 2012 15” rMBP I bought on clearance in 2013 when the early 2013s came out. Might break my streak for a 16” apple silicon MacBook, but I also might get a loaded 16” intel if I find a deal (want to pay under $2500 for i9, 32GB+ ram, 2tb+ SSD, and the 5600m is a MUST)

[@transitengineer]

Yes, you are correct for myself since 2005, used has been the very best way to go for all my Apple computer systems.

[@MrAsimomytis]

it makes me feel great from base model M1 Mac Mini....which actually feels like Rocky Balboa!

[@flamencoMensch]

Luke, you forgot the most important reason of all to buy a base system: Apple typically overcharges on the upgrade options. Better to shop around & upgrade what items you can on your own.

[@VdiMusicGaming]

Why am I even watching this when I can’t even afford the base model 😂

[@efstratios]

very well said. its also worth mentioning that now with the M1 the performance disparity has been greatly reduced so now even a base model can handle the needs for the vast majority of users including those that used to need more power than a base model would offer

[@Stephen_Lafferty]

I try to buy the best MBP I can, then keep it for as long as possible before upgrading. Currently on a mid-2015 16" MBP, and really hoping for a good announcement at WWDC on June 7th!

[@StorytellingHeadshots]

If you want to sell your 2015 when you get the new one, let me know!!!

[@lucaswalker1771]

i brought a 2015 MacBook air base model in 2016 and it worked perfectly for 5 years with not a single problem and only upgraded to an m1 air base model because my brother needed a computer. BASE MODEL ALL THE WAY. 5 years going strong.

[@mmMikey223]

Never gonna Give you up...... Never Gonna let you Down...... I love you Luke ❤️

[@sponge8052]

But Steve Jobs gave us Up

[@ordinaryroblox2837]

He is 100% Dead

[@rossmaxx]

I will never run around and desert you

[@sponge8052]

@@rossmaxx NEVER GONNA GIVE YOU UP

[@TheGunnyBadger03xx]

This is one of my favorite videos of yours that I've ever watched. Your reasoning here is SPOT ON! Very wise!

[@kasperleusink2318]

Still using my late 2008 macbook :)

[@benjaminfox7105]

Wow - that's impressive and here's me thinking my late 2013 MacBook pro was old!

[@kasperleusink2318]

@@benjaminfox7105 I have it running mac os Catalina with Dosdude’s patcher and I replaced the hdd for a ssd, and it still feels reasonably snappy considering it’s age.

[@benjaminfox7105]

@@kasperleusink2318 : Nice one mate! :-) I've had my screen replaced by Apple twice ( because of delamination - plus a swollen battery ( well after warranty had finished ) for free. I'm not complaining. You looking at a upgrade yourself?

[@kasperleusink2318]

@@benjaminfox7105 Yeah, probably a M2 mac, but as long as this thing keeps running and google meet and pages keep working, I don’t necessarily need a new one.

[@benjaminfox7105]

@@kasperleusink2318 : Same here bud. I'd LOVE a new computer now - The sound of the fan I hear all the time - I live in the tropics, it's always bloody warm here. hahaha. However, If I've waited all these years - I can wait another 2 - 8 months. However, the price point of the m1 mac mini is sensational. I've already got two screens ( not 4k though ) - so that would have to be an eventual upgrade. Plus, continue to use my 2013 MacBook pro as my out of home laptop.

[@ward2471]

The new base model 24inch M1 iMac being the exception as if you spend an extra £200 you get the new Touch ID keyboard, 1 extra GPU core, 2 extra USB 3.0 ports, Gigabit Ethernet connectivity and more Colour options, Worth the extra £200 in my opinion

[@TechVidGuy]

I’ll have to disagree with this based on my experience selling used Macs. I always get my investment in memory upgrades back and they always sell better than base models.

[@StorytellingHeadshots]

Yup! I am right now looking for a used retina screen 2014 macbook pro and would buy in a heartbeat if only i could find one with the high-end specs I want. The base models are everywhere.

[@mbvglider]

This honestly makes sense. One of strong points of a Mac is how much value it retains over many years. One of the weak points of a Mac is how expensive upgrades are at purchase time. Plus, no matter how fast your computer is, chances are good that in 3-4 years, even entry-level devices will support brand new technologies that just generally obliterate the older devices in performance. I don't really shop at the very base model, but I often only upgrade my devices to where the jump in price is reasonable; the first bump might make your life noticeably better, but that second and third bump, chances are you won't really notice that difference.

[@LeonZaneFigueira]

You gave me a perspective I never really thought about

[@annep2693]

Resale value is something I never really thought about before, either. I usually hang onto my devices for many years. But now people are doing all kinds of things with older computers/tablets and resell value can still be a consideration.

[@dominiccolella3778]

I owned an iMac since 2010. £1300 new.sold for £500 in 2 days. Great Value.Only updated HD to a 1gig SSD 5 years ago. Now mid model with 1tb and added 64gig ram. Always reliable with no problems.

[@TheMonsterClubCorporation]

Love your channel 👀 And now we get to watch one of your eye candies so early 🍭

[@JoeyShip]

The most sensible Mac video on the internet. Thank.

[@maxmouse3]

I usually gets the lowest end that I can use, but I've been getting 16Gbs of RAM because otherwise the software I use gets really slow :(

[@CallousCoder]

It is beyond me that manufactures still make 8GB shit! We had that in the dark ages! 16GB is already something of an under speced machine for me. My laptop as 32GB and my iMac 64GB (self upgraded, I don’t pay Apple prices) and my 9 year old 6 core i7 also has 64GB. And I had a 24GB laptop and a 16GB laptop in those last 14 years as well. And I use the memory!

[@donkamala]

In my field of work (video production and editing), computer power saves a ton of time. The amount of residual money one might get from a computer is just negligible when compared to what is made from actually using the computer. I always try to buy the best system I can afford at the moment and use it for as long as it is still practical for my needs.

[@whatznext28]

Thanks Luke for such an informative video. I'd like to see a video on how the M1 chip has affected used mac pricing. I bought a used 2015 MBP mid-last year for $500 and wonder what I could get when I upgrade to one with Apple silicon.

[@sergiopablo6555]

Your argument makes sense, but doesn't match my experience. I bought a refurbished iMac in 2012 for 1700€ and sold it to a photographer 3 years later for 1500€ just because I had upgraded the RAM to 20GB (which was a lot at the time). He especifically told me he chose my unit among all the other offers because of the additional RAM. My pictures being nicer, and having the original packaging also helped.

[@HobbyistPrinter]

Do you and the everyday dad plan out your videos together?

[@JoeTourist]

You really didn't talk about one parameter that affects resale value: upgradability. As Apple shuts down the ability of their customers to upgrade their Macs, the remaining Macs on the used market that can be user upgraded gain value. I have two examples. I bought a Mac Mini server in 2013 and sold it in 2015 for way more than the original purchase price because the purchaser knew it was upgradable. I bought a base model Mac Pro in 2016 and sold it in 2020 after upgrading the SSD, memory and CPU. It sold for a premium price because it stood out from all the base configurations when I listed it on eBay, selling for a price that exceeded the original cost and upgrades.

[@aditmagotra6914]

Nobody : Luke : * Wearing Full Sleeves in May *

[@steveh.3370]

I like his classy shirt.

[@sloppynyuszi]

I upgrade every 4 or so years, but it really depends what I need. When I was buying smaller MacBooks, I upgraded them so I can do my work, but since I do most my work on an iPad now, my computer doesn't need to be that portable I bought the entry level MacBook Pro 16". Does the job. My next iPad will be specked out though I want that 16gb of RAM. Procreate projects in 8k won't be reaching the layer ceiling anymore, and I can animate in 4K soon.

[@delia9933]

Hey Luke weird question but you’re the second person I’ve seen with this wall; could you tell us what it is and hopefully where to get it from?

[@davidtea3850]

I’ve just watched this video (1 year late) … I agree: No need to be the super equipped MacBook Pro if you don’t use all its capacity on daily basis. I use a MacBook Pro 15 retina i7 quad core 8Go ram since 2012 ! I used to do lots of photography in the past. But lately it’s only for browsing web, KZbin, listening music. It works well enough but the battery was recently changed in July 2022. After 987 cycle counts, battery was almost dead. The MacBook Pro still works while my 2 previous Sony vaio crashed. To conclude the MacBooks are reliable laptop but I would recommend to double the ram to avoid the system to slowdown if you upgrade OS system over the time.

[@ASuwan22]

You shouldn't base your decision based on depreciation. People may need a powerful machine for work and they need to spend more to get better components.

[@trey_a_12]

I’m someone who at least needs more RAM with my virtual machines and editing software, yet I still get away with 8 GB in most cases. These Macs really are great!

[@carlosaceves5946]

You still have a burnt lightbulb in the background!

[@MrDksmall]

Looks like both of the lower bulbs are off. Some of these lamps have a switch that turns on different amount of bulbs as you cycle through it.

[@carlosaceves5946]

@@MrDksmall Yeah crazy how all his videos its the same lol

[@davidlarson2534]

Let’s see... I have 2 minies from 2014, a 2013 iMac, 2007 iMac, 2005 Pro and a 2000 Grey. I wish I still had my SE. But, I still am a Power User, so having lots of RAM and storage is important. I’m just glad external storage is cheaper, more reliable and easier to connect. Keep up the fantastic work, Luke. I’m not that savvy on all the new stuff, but anytime you want to talk about System 6.04 and .08, I’m here. 😉

[@alexander-1]

I need the same 16 inch MacBook that you have for school. It is going to be super expensive. I will however wait for the refresh to come out and then buy the refreshed one

[@alexander-1]

I mainly need the ram and performance

[@patfluff]

what do you do for school? because that seems like vicious overkill for a laptop for school-

[@alexander-1]

@@patfluff I come from Austria and am 14 y.o.. I learn video and photo editing in school

[@wossaaaat]

Still using an early 2009 17" mbp. Partly held on to it coz they stopped making 17"'ers, and didn't want to go down, but also I've used it several hours a day basically every single day since I got it, barely turned it off in 12 years, carted it to and from work every day, took it on all business trips and holidays, and it's still kicking. Upgraded the RAM, switched out to SSD, and had to replace the fans and battery, but it's amazingly resilient for the amount of crap I put it through. SSD starting to fail now though, sadly. Time for an upgrade. Hopefully it'll hold up til I can get the new 16" when it comes out, but I'll be sad to see it go. It's such a beast. Greatest value purchase I've ever made.

[@gabby7391]

im watching this in my macbook pro 2013 - guess i belong to those who hold off macs for way longer than usual lol

[@marioguy119]

I bought a base model M1 MacBook Air because it was an open box deal at $920 or so after tax. I have to say that for most people I think it more than enough to satisfy them. I myself will probs upgrade next year with an M1X/M2 Air with more RAM and storage, but I'm happy I got the M1 no matter what and will have a relatively good value when I sell it for a new machine

[@stephenjuk8910]

Quick question: when do reviewers get the new iMac and iPad Pro? I’m impatient!!

[@ConorORegan]

According to Jon Prosser this is when the embargo’s for the different reviews lift: May 18th 9am EST the iMac embargo lifts May 19th 9am EST the iPad Pro embargo lifts

[@stephenjuk8910]

@@ConorORegan Awesome, cheers Conor.

[@ConorORegan]

@@stephenjuk8910 no problem

[@atwajesper9434]

@@stephenjuk8910 Just to clarify. They already have them and have been using them for some time now. The prohibition to release review info/videos lifts on the aforementioned dates/times.

[@stephenjuk8910]

@@atwajesper9434 I had assumed that they already had them because they ship pretty soon. Although mine won’t be here until June sometime. (iPad Pro) I am just very impatient and need the reviews to fill the gap in the mean time!

[@miken8150]

If you under spec your new computer you may save a few bucks but more likely will not be happy with it for as long as you own it. My advice is to buy something fast enough and specced high enough to be useful for its intended lifespan.

[@alternatereality7713]

I've been buying refurbs when possible and new when necessary. Since Apple made it impossible to upgrade their laptops lately, I would tend to buy more RAM at the start. But then I do think for a long time WHY I should buy a new machine. Right now I have 15" 2010 MacBook Pro with 8GB RAM and 2TB SSD - I can get most of my work done on it when traveling. At home I am rockin' 2018 Mac Mini that takes care of the rest. But as much as I would like to get a new gadget it is difficult to justify when the old one is still adequate.

[@dinkarfowkar999]

4:13 Me who used a 2007 PC until 2020 when I finally upgraded to new computer

[@Devo_gx]

My Macbook Air M1 is the base option and it's been an amazing machine for my needs. I do have a 1TB external nVMe drive for when I need more space, and of course my NAS for backup purposes.

[@BriteTap]

Luke, I tend to buy a new mac every 5-6 years, but what drives the purchase for me is the desire to have my equipment under Apple Care. I buy 3 years Apple Care coverage when I get the new equipment and then extend the coverage 2 years when the initial amount runs out. So after 5 years, I consider the equipment obsolete. I keep the older model as a back up or give it to Goodwill. In the past, I've tended to increase the RAM and internal storage to support photo and video editing and I've also tended to buy lots of internal storage. However, external drives and cloud storage are now so cheap, that I will probably keep my laptop internal storage to 1TB and put the less frequently used files elsewhere.

[@iantm15235]

I usually go 2-5 years between upgrades. I usually buy used 2-4 year old machines. When I decided to upgrade in the fall of 2020, a brand new base model 13" MBP made more sense as used MacBooks were fetching prices that were pretty close to a new one. I knew that the M1 Macs were coming, but decided that I'll go with that style of Mac on the next upgrade cycle. Admittedly, I don't use this MacBook the same way that I used the 15" early 2013 MBP that it replaced - I picked up a 2017 iMac for next to nothing that I use as my desk machine that drives my 27" display.

[@musicofnote1]

Just bought a late 2013 13" 2.8GHz 16GB MBP for $500, which is about $50 over the going price for the base model. I wanted to get one that was made for the Swiss market with the Swiss keyboard, so eBay was pretty much out of the picture. I bought mine on a local platform, similar to ebay, but only in Switzerland. I spent another $120 for a 1TB SSD. Beautiful screen with no staingate. Because of the 16GB ram, no beachball. In 2015 I bought a top-of-the-line 13" MacBook Air. These now are going for a full $250 more than base model with same 8GB ram. In 2012 I bought a speced up MacMini that has been going 24/7 as my data/multimedia server.

[@billiamnotbob]

My 2015 base iMac was slowing down way too much. Bought the base M1 Mac Book Air, added a monitor, external SSD, USB hub and a monitor. Now I can use it for both home and travel. Pretty sweet! Also MUCH faster!

[@GotToyota]

I think this new line of M1 products will further show that 90% of users don't need more than the base model, with the exception being possibly internal storage.

[@marcoseirik]

I tend to spec things up when I buy. My current Mac is the M1 MacBook Air, purchased in February this year. I specced it up with the 8-core gpu, 16GB ram, and 1 Tb storage. I tend to hold on to these things for very long. My previous Mac was a late 2010 MacBook Air, purchased in January 2011, which I also specced up with the most powerful CPU, the most amount of ram and the largest storage option. It's probably this that enabled me to keep it for as much as ten years, before I replaced it. That and the fact that I have probably been lucky with the battery, as that still has about 2-3 hours of useable battery life. My hope is that I can keep my M1 MacBook Air for as long (or almost as long) as it's predecessor.

[@xinaesthetic]

I think what you say makes sense, and I wouldn't normally be a person to spend way more on something only marginally better... However, the two Macs I have both have maxed out specs and I think I stand by each of them. The first is a 2011 27" iMac that was brought with a tech budget that needed to be spent at the end of a project (I'd never have dreamed to spend that much). I'd recently built myself a mid-range gaming PC, which had a random freezing issue that I could never get to the bottom of, so having a mac that was higher spec in pretty much every way did convert me somewhat. I still use this for music and as a display... Technically it doesn't belong to me, so I wasn't about to sell but no way is anyone asking for it back (and it didn't stop me upgrading RAM and adding an SSD). 2013 15" MacBook Pro. I still enjoy using this machine, main problem being fan noise. I can't think of any spec I'd be comfortable with downgrading: needed discrete GPU, RAM, don't like constantly needing to manage storage... I may upgrade later this year. The price increment on spec bumps is pretty ridiculous and now maybe I'd be more likely to get away with something closer to base. I do find it irritating when people compare the price of an iMac to mini + display, ignoring the fact that the display is much more limited in usefulness by only being usable with the machine (which most people would want to upgrade sooner).

[@thorium9190]

i bought the base model iPad Pro M1 12.9 as i could not afford any upgrades and personally upgrading from a base 10.5 iPad Pro. It is a huge upgrade

[@moderndaybeatlefan]

I still have my 13 inch MacBook Pro from 2014. It was the base model. For the 16 inch I upped the ram to 16GB. Since I’m switching to a desktop setup now, I’m trading it in on a blue iMac with 16GB memory and 1TB of storage. I wanted the 16GB just for the extra oomph, because I’ll be keeping it for a few years most likely

[@Trusteft]

I think what should be the number one priority in deciding what to buy, what you need and even want from a computer. While you might "lose" money when the time comes to sell your computer (if you sell your old ones), what we must not forget is the time you have this higher specced model and the extra performance (for whatever you use it for) you had all those years. How much not only money was worth to you having that extra power, but also all those years of extra comfort, not having to worry about RAM/storage than if you had the base model. How much money is worth to "you" to have this extra buffer of performance/space/peace of mind, for all this time. When I can afford to, I buy the best I can.

[@thesuperzfamilyvlog6607]

I used my last laptop, an acer, for about 13 years and only upgraded the RAM and to an SSD. It finally broke last year when it was dropped from a particular high height (oops), since finding this channel and the new Macs, I’m leaning towards a MacPro, which would be my first Mac. My main Computer is one I built last year as my old MOBO broke after 12 years for that one. This video is endlessly helpful.

[@Borglasa]

I've. Never felt like so much of an exception. When I bought my 13 Inch Macbook in 2011 I spec'd out everything I couldn't change. I7 processor but base ram and storage. 2 years in upgrade from 4GB Ram to 8GB, and upgrade from a 250GB HDD to a 500. 4 years in, maxed out ram and put in an SSD, redid the Thermal Paste which got me through until it stopped being supported in new versions of Mac OS. Now I'd love to do the same but Macs aren't as upgradable as they used to be so I'm thinking about a Windows Laptop as the replacement. I've gone almost tablet only the last few years but its time to think about the next PC

[@ShiggitayMediaProductions]

I actually just got an M1 Mac mini and I got it somewhat spec'd out (16 GB RAM / 512 GB SSD) because I want it to last. The base 8GB RAM model would never suffice for me. When I was putting it through its paces the other day I saw some swap (in the megabytes) and I was like whoa... already? even when physical RAM wasn't used up? If I had the 8GB model the swap usage would be through the roof, and there's also the worry of SSD wear, though I think that's only in extreme cases. Very interesting analysis, Luke. Cheers!

[@DanaTheInsane]

Recently my partner and I bought new Mac Mini desktops. She bought the last of the Intel Mac Minis, fully specced out and loaded, I got the baseline M1 Mini. We both loaded up World of Warcraft. I get twice the frame rate at a higher resolution. And mine crunches video faster. Hers was $3000 Mine was $599.

[@Raditude]

I tend to keep my Macs until they no longer do what I need. I still use my 2010 MBP and 2009 iMac for everyday browsing and tasks. I just purchased a new M1 Mac Mini for photo and video editing, graphic design, and streaming. I plan to keep that a long time as well. And since it’s SoC, and can’t be upgraded, it’s go big or go home. I went with the 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage for my software, and supplementing it with an external 5TB drive for my personal files.

[@JR-om5lr]

I bought the base Mac Mini M1, and it works great.

[@bartoszmoralewicz6107]

I love that king of video. Because if I want to stay in Apple environment, it’s good to learn such kind of knowledge- thanks fo that more videos like this one!

[@yannickLamp]

I'm the one spec'ing out fully. Had an unibody MBP 15" 2012 added an SSD and 16GB memory. Kept it until nov. 2020 around 8,5 years. ~0.85 € a day. Now have a nearly fully spec out MBP 16" and planning to hold it the same time. It will be slightly more expensive with ~1,25€ a day.

[@angrypenguin956]

For me, the only real upgrade that you should really be concerned with is the RAM since many Apple products cannot be upgrades afterward. Storage-wise, you can always have an external HHD.

[@bolindow176]

Still use my Late 2011 13" MBP, 16 GB RAM, 500 GB SSD, bought new, no plans of upgrading anytime soon. So, I guess I run it to the ground and then some, but it still works fine :)

[@mayo2001]

I was always buying base model Macbooks. They were good for resell value, but I hated the constant struggle with not enough space on SSD. With 128 GB, I was not able to backup my 256GB iPhone or update to newer macOS, without deleting lot of photos or apps in before hand. Also my external SSDs were much slower than internal and had to use dongle, because they all were USB. So with my latest Air M1 I actually went quite opposite way. Bought 1TB SSD and 16GB of RAM and so far I don't regret a single bit. Loving the fact I have lot of storage and can open more apps at once. I know that resell value would not be that great.

[@susanpratt3290]

I don't have a Mac, yet. But I did get a Dell, and it got knocked on the ground and ruined (it was backed up), because, it like all PC's and newer Macs, did not have a Mag Safe connection. Which is why I am glad that Apple is putting the Mag Safe back into the MacBook's. When I ordered my I-Pad Pro, I got a 1TB and and external drive with 4 TB's, for about what a 2 TB used to cost. The 4 TB came down in price and it has USB-C with an adapter for USB-A if you didn't have a USB-C port. It is the Western Digital Ultra that also comes in 2TB as well with the USB-C. Important to note because the Mac's don't seem to be getting the USB-A Ports, at least the new Silicon Macs, except the Mini. I am waiting for the Larger I-Mac, which I plan to get 1-2 TB and use my external drive. I will just put the files that I use more often and my Music and photos. I have a lot of files and a 1 TB drive on my HP, and only have used up 365 GB, less than half. I like haveing at least 1 TB of storage.