If you are running Linux you are clearly an exception. You may enjoy MacOs command line: it is also Unix-based
The problem with comparing laptops from different suppliers is that a base spec Apple machine is usually OK and a well specâd one quite decent, where as a base spec windows machine is already inadequate, but only 25%-30% of the price of the Apple unit. If one bought a windows machine at an equivalent price to the Apple then it should continue to work for just as long - thereâs nothing special about Appleâs Intel hardware.
Of course both machines can benefit from a lighter weight OS as they age and we want âmoreâ from our software. Running a carefully selected version of Linux can make an old, slow machine quite acceptable for quite a long time, and can make a reasonable computer see quite quick.
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Just because a piece of computer hardware canât take the latest version of the desired OS, it doesnât render it obsolete until a software package/program you wish to run requires the latest and greatest OS version.
The problem with Apple laptops is that replacing the internal battery requires a bit of surgery with a few special tools and some basic electrical/electronic repair skills. Also, unless an Apple Store does it, youâre not getting a genuine Apple battery.
The real issue with running out of date OSs is security, with the system becoming increasingly vulnerable to attack the further it gets out of security updates. Not at all a problem if you donât connect to the internet - as Iâve done for work equiment - but not ideal if itâs your main computer. This is one of the reasons Iâd very much support older kit being moved onto Linux - not only will it run well because of lower system overheads, but the security updates will continue and there is a certain amount of âsecurity by obscurityâ through attackers not being interested or not knowing how to attack such a system.
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Not laptops but related. I have, almost, decided to buy a recon PC and have identified a very good candidate from Amazon FR for âŹ218. A friend has studied the details and given it the thumbs up but I am hesitating because, although it has a 1 year Amazon warranty it is both sold and despatched by a marketplace seller.
I donât pay enormous attention to ratings but in this case almost all are excellent but, with only one or two exceptions, from Canada, and a different seller.
Any thoughts would be welcome.
Itâs OK - wonât be a ball of fire, but should work fine if youâre not in a hurry. If I were to buy that then the first thing Iâd do would be to replace the HDD with an SSD (256GB - about 30 euro) for windows and applications and use the 500GB HDD as storage. I donât know how confortable you are doing that, but itâs not difficult, and will make the machine more responsive when starting up, opening applications and saving data.
FWIW I have a laptop at home (Dell XPS 9530) with the same generation i7 CPU, and itâs still a very usable machine on Windows 10.
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I am pleased to see that you, obviously way more savvy than me, seem to approve of this machine, but what you suggest is way out of my comfort zone.
I suppose that if I do go for it and later decide that your suggestion would improve things, I have no doubt that my friend down the road could sort it for me.
I have a 2nd hand Dell Latitude E6410 laptop, bought from Amazon UK but I am fed up with this little keyboard and also the foibles of slow starting after the frequent health checks, which of course I canât avoid. But the main reason is that I prefer, due to my clumsy typing style, the extra size of a PC with a separate numpad. I only started using this when my ancient Vista PC started to be unable to use the internet effectively.
You could always just plug a USB keyboard into the laptop, but I appreciate that you might prefer something a little quicker.
@David_Spardo, like you I prefer a âproperâ keyboard to a laptop one, so I bought a separate keyboard. Itâs wireless and rechargeable; if you donât need those features, a plug-in one (in the UK) can be had for under a tenner.
The reason I prefer a laptop is that it effectively has its own uninterruptible power supply - worth considering if where you live is subject to frequent power cuts.
Your techie friend down the road should be able to swap the hard disk drive for an SSD: I did that with my old Dell and it gave the old girl a new lease of life. (NB Iâm confident but not a techie, and it stretched my abilities quite a lot.) It started up much more quickly - down from a couple of minutes to 20 seconds or so - and was generally faster at opening programs.
My worry about the one you mention would be that itâs reconditioned and - if I read what you said correctly - you know nothing about this particular vendorâs reputation.
Would it be worth waiting for Black Friday (yes, I know, I hate it too!) to see if there are any offers? If you settle on a minimum spec then you might be able to identify some candidates - Iâm sure the knowledgeable people on here would be willing to give you the thumbs up (or down).
As for minimum spec - assuming what you do is mainly browsing and word-processing plus a bit of video editing - I would suggest (but others are better qualified than I to do this)
8Go RAM
200+ Go SSD
Processor - difficult to say because there are so many - but I found this link about recent/current processors: The Best Budget Processors for 2021 | Digital Trends
And hereâs a comparison website: https://www.cpubenchmark.net/
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This is excellent advice. Put an SSD and another 8GB of RAM into and youâre golden.
Can I recommend Amazon Warehouse. Itâs the dept that sells, eg items returned as âopen boxâ or often not even opened, sometimes just in packaging that has been damaged, plus I think items that have required minor warranty work. I know itâs not a laptop butâŠ
Our most recent Wâhouse purchase was a Bosch coffee machine: new model âŹ79, ours just âŹ39. When it arrived the only âfaultâ we could find was that one corner of the box was a bit squashed. It did not appear to have been opened and has worked perfectly for several months.
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Thanks to @Ancient_Mariner , @Porridge and @NotALot , for the useful advice. I thought about a remote keyboard but the one I used on the old Vista machine is the single pin type and no such socket available on this laptop, I have an azerty usb one which had some faults when I bought it many years ago so has not been used (Leclerc tested it and said it was fine) but thought I would try it with this laptop. But the keys donât all match. For instance the @ simply does not work and the M produces a single quote mark. Is it right that azertys donât work with machines set up for querty, or is there a workaround?
Had a look at that one you linked @Ancient_Mariner but it is quite a bit more expensive plus not free delivery, so even more so. Also, the same problem re marketplace sellers. Two people absolutely rubbished the condition and the seller.
Not sure if I need SSD and if I do I can always get someone to add it later.
So all in all it comes down to do I trust this seller, more thinking to do I think. 
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When you say Amazon Warehouse, do mean 'expedie par Amazon though vendu par un autre? If so that is the least that I always look for, if I cant get both by Amazon, which is why I am so distrustful of this one, both by the unknown, to me, seller.
The product is reconditioned, it is fully functional and is in âExcellent conditionâ. It is backed by the one-year Amazon Renewed warranty.
This seems to be a standard write up, but has anybody had to put it to the test?
This person has a better rating, but not on this product, maybe have a look at his items? 
My DiL buys a lot for Amazon and trusts their after sales over the marketplace sellers.
With the added postage and possibly tax on delivery
Makes yer 'ed 'urt after a while, dunnit? 
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Yes. Yes it does.
FWIW I built a machine for myself to process photos earlier this year, and the possible combinations, variations, compatibilities and incompatibilities can make for a rather full brain. Itâs fun, but not if you donât enjoy it.
On Amazonâs top line search box where it says âToutes nos catĂ©goriesâ hit the dropdown arrow and it will take you to Amazon Warehouse. If the product is new, it is being sold by Amazon and [as in the case of a biffed box] then the new warranty applies.
Thereâs usually a description, eg if the product itself is marked or scratched. One of my friends recently bought a camera with opened / damaged box and missing the [>100 page] instruction manual â saving almost âŹ200 off the price. But the camera was still sealed in the makerâs poly bag. We speculate that someone bought it, looked at the book and was so scared by its complexity they sent it straight back!
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