What to do with an old Mac?

Moe_Zambeek

I have an older Mac 21” from probably 2012 or so. I updated to a Mac mini last year because that age of Mac stopped getting OS updates. It was still a decent machine (and even though ancient, had more storage than the Mac mini) and worked as expected. Now it’s just cluttering up the house.

Is there any value in these, or is it for the recycling pile at the local skip?

thermionic

The mid-2011 21" ones are easy to open up and replace the HDD with an SSD (which also makes them boot up quicker). Might be a decent machine for somebody.

DefaultM

If it’s not got any holes I would keep it. It’s nice to have an extra layer when the weather gets colder. 

Alterlifeson

As @thermionic said, very easy to open up and install and SSD on these. If you have a new one however, there isn't much point unless you need a second machine. I got rid of my 2011 after getting a MacBook. Tried to sell it for a while but got tired of it sitting round the house for months. In the end I whipped the hard drive out and took it down the tip. They had a specific section for computers, but no idea where they go.

KrisGee

I've sold my late 2013 27 inch iMac for 300 quid recently, like you upgraded to a mini. 

Give it a wipe (both internally and externally) and try sticking on marketplace and the likes. Mine sold within a week and bought me a nice ultra wide monitor. 

thermionic

This has inspired me to open up mine and try and getting it running again. It wasn't booting up, now it isn't even powering up. I've taken the hard drive out already so I think I'll try it on Freecycle and hope somebody can use the parts.

Open_G

I guess the answer you’re looking for isn’t “stand around on street corners scaring old ladies”

Timcito

Open_G said:

I guess the answer you’re looking for isn’t “stand around on street corners scaring old ladies”

I made a quip like that in an earlier 'old Mac' thread and was treated with the contempt I so richly deserved, as my mother was wont to say!   

Danny1969

These iMacs make great DAW's. Put an older version of Logic on there or Reaper and make some music. 

FelineGuitars

My 2014 iMac 27"m was superb and I loved the screen which was a 5k retina screen  . Apple didn't have a way to let me use the screen as a second monitor , so I found this and it works well with my new Mac to enable second screen usage.

https://astropad.com/product/lunadisplay/?srsltid=AfmBOoqXledI9S3czLK5n-V4Qm9g6hFkM46kD1eQesmjgOsmKWVkOC7z

Had to order from USA but came quickly and works well 

Kilgore

One more thing...

Kurtis

Danny1969 said:

These iMacs make great DAW's. Put an older version of Logic on there or Reaper and make some music. 

That's what I was thinking. 

Strip it down to basics and set it up just for that.

welshboyo

I might be interested in it, I’m running an older one and fubar’d it trying to be clever!!

matt_sefton

I’ve got a fully working 1986 Mac Plus I’m holding onto purely for sentimentality!

Moe_Zambeek

welshboyo said:

I might be interested in it, I’m running an older one and fubar’d it trying to be clever!!

It’s such a heavy beast I don’t really think I could post it!

Funkfingers

Older Macs have the proprietary Thunderbolt sockets, making them compatible with "redundant" older audio/MIDI interface devices. The latter can now be purchased for stupidly low prices.

4114Effects

I work as a graphic designer and printer. My day to day mac is a 2011 iMac which I've upgraded to 16gb RAM and an SSD. This does everything I need it to and does it really well at that. 

I use it for the full Adobe suite, Fiery imposition, parallels with printer RIP software and much more. I have no idea how it's so good, it's 13 years old technology now! There must have been some magic or voodoo  gone into these machines.

The only limitation is I'm stuck with an older OS and older Adobe software. I suppose I'll have to get a new one at some point, but after all this time it would be like losing a limb...

Brio

Yup. Until last March I was producing 3 local newspapers on a 2012 MacMini with a retrofitted couple of SSDs and 16Gb ram with CS5.
Still have it for music use m.