I'm on the hunt for a MacBook to use for school, and I've got a budget of $400. My main needs include studying, watching videos, using Google Docs, and maybe doing some light editing. Since this will be my first laptop at 15, I'm looking for suggestions on which models to consider and which ones to steer clear of. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
4 Answers
Given your budget, you might only find an older model that works. It’s unlikely you’ll get one that’s durable or good for editing without frustration. If your school doesn’t mandate a Mac, you might want to consider a Chromebook instead.
You might get lucky with a used M1 MacBook Air if you can find it close to your budget. Any M series MacBook or even a Mac Mini will deliver solid performance for schoolwork and even light video editing.
For used models, I’d recommend looking at at least a 2018 MacBook, provided you know what size and weight you need. The MacBook Air would be lighter, while the Pro has slightly more power.
At 15 and in school, I think even a 2018 Air is perfectly sufficient. I'm using a 2021 M1 Air for more demanding tasks and it handles everything smoothly.
If you can stretch your budget a little, check out Walmart for new M1 MacBooks—they're around $549, which isn't too far above $400 and could be well worth it.
Thanks for the advice! I prefer MacOS, but I’ll think about it. Do you think there are any used MacBooks that could work for me?