If they are out of warranty then there is still paid help from Apple, but free help is limited.
Regarding the OS, you can reinstall that from the machine itself. I forget exactly how, but as I recall you boot up in safe mode and accept the option to format the hard disc and install the operating system software again. You have to connect to WiFi to download the OS and it’s a big download, many GB. Installation is automatic and takes an hour or so.
What you then have is a laptop that thinks it’s brand new software-wise and you set it up on an Apple ID as if it were new out of the box. I strongly suggest that you don’t try to put both machines onto your own Apple ID. There are sorts of reasons for that, but you probably know or can guess them!
You can now tell it not to do automatic restarts between certain hours, or even let it work out when you typically use your computer and not restart during typical use time.
You can also pause updates for up to 5 weeks at a time so there’s absolutely no need to be caught out by automatic updates during times when the computer is likely to be in use
I have a now rather elderly macbook pro which has never given me any problems. Admittedly it is for home use only and does not get the amount of working time that my work computer endures.
For work I have had three Dell XPS laptops, two of which I have had to return to the IT folks for rebuilds - I think the current laptop needed some components to be replaced. The XPS is a lovely design and the keyboard is much better than the macbook. Ticks so many boxes but unfortunately for me it has not proven to be sufficiently robust, particularly when compared with the mac. Annoying as I much prefer the windows approach to file structures.
In what way? I actually prefer Unix-like file structures, the idea of drive letters in Windows is a bit old hat but thankfully you’re not forced to use them any more for network shares. Other than the slashes between folders being different, file structures are more or less the same on both systems. The Mac terminal app is way better than the Windows command window (I’m comfortable on a unix/linux command line) but even then I can install the git-bash app on Windows and it is like a unix/linux command line
Both MacOS and Windows operating systems are fairly robust but do require an element of understanding to ensure that they are set up to an individuals needs. Which is easier to set up is difficult to say as familiarity with the OS does help and will impact a users own perception. Both Apple and MS provide basic instructions from their support pages, assuming you can read them and are not depending on the device in question to access the WWW.
Hardware wise like all products there are many stories of good and bad reliability. Apple do provide Apple Care for a price. Similarly various Windows Laptop manufacturers provide support. Anecdotally Apple have a very good reputation for reliability but of late some rumblings are being heard about drops in manufacturing standards. Also note that manufacturers are altering manufacturing processes such that components eg memory, CPU, SSD etc cannot be changed - typically they are hard soldered in. Whilst this improves reliability it does make changing of failed hardware more difficult or impossible. Some areas such as the EU are introducing legislation to make repair simpler/possible.
Another consequence of this, in my opinion, is that the new manufacturing processes can potentially reduce the useful life of a device as significant changes to OSs (both MAC and Windows) might not be installable. Apple to date have tended to provide a life support of around 5 years to its OS with an additional 2 years of security support. More difficult to estimate for MS Windows machines as there is much more variability in hardware used by various manufacturers. A similar 5 + 2 years is usually possible.
Provided you can establish a network connection the OS can be redownloaded from Apple from the recovery menus and reinstalled afresh or over an existing installation if it might be corrupt:
Techniques and instructions may differ depending on the macOS version.
You need to be confident that the previous owner has prepared the item correctly for sale or certain features might still be registered/tied to an older user which could pose problems:
I’ve never used ebay for several reasons but I’m not sure I’d buy a used computer there.
While I appreciate new machines are costly, especially if having to buy 2, a few thoughts:
Apple refurbished machines are virtually like new apart from packaging, generally around 15-20% cheaper, and come with a standard warranty and ability to purchase Apple Care for ongoing support. Education/University store costs may make purchasing new a more competitive deal overall than refurb - can’t recall if you can get refurb from the education stores at further discount.
Do take a look at CEX - they have many stores, grade their 2nd hand models, but importantly offer a 2 year warranty which I think is excellent.
Apple have moved from Intel to ARM processors in recent years (they call it Apple Silicon) and I suspect nearly all the Intel models are nearing the last macOS and security updates.
I would therefore probably avoid an older Intel Mac unless you need to dual boot to Windows with Apple’s ‘Bootcamp’ which allows this option though I’ve never used it despite thinking I would.
Although the Intel Macs work fine Apple generally drops support for new OS versions after a certain time. Apple regard machines they stopped selling between 5-7 years ago (new rather than refurb I think) as Vintage and on borrowed time. After 7 years they are considered ‘Obsolete’. Security updates are the main concern, though I still have an excellent 2012 Mac Mini purchased when they were replaced by poorer models in 2014. The kids have 2019 MacBook Pros and both need macOS updates, something I’ve neglected for too long and need to do imminently, but I’m unsure after this year’s upcoming macOS Sequoia if they’ll get any further macOS/security updates.
Out of warranty service details:
Apple are a bit stingy with SSD sizes and RAM - many models start with 128GB SSDs and 8GB RAM. Ok if not doing too many intensive things, but if there are lots of apps installed then user storage space can be limited. I would really recommend an iCloud family plan with maybe you as the family ‘organiser’ - 2TB storage is £8.99 monthly though there are higher and lower tiers at different price points and easy to change them. iCloud plans allow various folders on Macs as well as iPhones/iPads to be saved/backed up to the cloud automatically as well as photos such that only files regularly in use are stored locally with the ‘offloaded’ ones (or photos) when space is low only downloaded from the cloud mirror when needed (or in full fidelity for editing photos).
If you don’t have one I’d really recommend an iCloud Family plan subscription to allow cloud backups of the iPhones and Macs they may have - you’d purchase one with your ID and add the family members. Another benefit is that any iTunes Store purchases and many Mac app store apps could be shared with each other pretty much for free (not all subscriptions though).
In the longer post above I mention CEX - large chain of gadget resellers, 2 years warranty on purchases and a good selection of items for sale.
Also noticed I’d missed:
If the Mac is out of warranty but not obsolete status an Apple Store Genius Bar appointment would probably be first port of call to attempt to diagnose hardware issues and give an idea of repair costs if feasible.
For general issues with Macs or iPhones etc head to Apple Support Communities - a user to user forum with many extremely knowledgable contributors who will offer good advice on software/hardware problems of all kinds:
As for reinstalling or renewing the OS, in some instances the ‘Recovery Partition’ will have a copy of the OS installer for the OS the machine shipped with, but I think the push is for internet reinstallation to ensure you get the most up to date/secure versions and also to reduce disk space being used for the installer. It’s all changed a lot over the years.
Yes. It has changed. The method I described to reinstall the OS was what an Apple third line specialist took me through to do that on my wife’s under warranty MacBook Air when it developed a really odd fault that turned out to be a very obscure OS problem, that the specialist had heard of once but never seen herself before. The reinstall solved it. And of course it’s the latest fully patched version of the OS you install.
If you were lead to Apple Silicon, you could try installing VMWare Fusion (professional version is free for personal use) and a Windows 11 Arm virtual machine… I have it set up for a couple of things I can’t run on macOS and tried a few older windows only titles on Steam… Age of Empires, etc., work just fine.
On an M3Pro MacBook Pro, my virtual windows machine feels snappier than my five year old i5 Lenovo X1 carbon… kinda awesome.
