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Buying a used Macbook for daughter's uni Logic work


SarahR

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Please help. I have never owned an Apple product and am trying to navigate the world of refurbished Apple Macbooks to then put Logic on for my daughter's music course. I do not understand all the different operating systems and processors so PLEASE can someone tell me the most basic requirements I should be looking for. We do not expect all singing and dancing, just something for her to use as part of her course. Also, will I be able to put Logic onto an older Macbook straight from the Apple website? Thank you in advance, from one very confused mum!
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One thing to be aware of is that every Mac can update their macOS up to a certain level.

Thus, the first thing to determine being which Logic version she (you) will need for her course (or your project).

 

Logic latest version (v.10.6.3) requires a Mac that will run at least macOS 10.15.7 (that macOS is also named Catalina).

Normally, Logic is available from the Apple App Store and cost around $200.

The AppStore's app is by default already installed on all Mac computers.

 

I don't know if Logic's previous versions are still available on Apple AppStore. but Logic Pro 9.1.8 seems to be available from here. Normally previous versions remain available in the Apple AppStore's user account if their license were already owned.

 

OTOH, googling "Logic Pro technical specification" will yield useful information if you specify which Logic version you are looking for...

 

Perhaps telling us which Mac you are interested in, if we can read its specs, we could tell you which Logic version can be run onto it.

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Hello,

 

since you are asking for used/refurbished machines I assume you're on a budget here.

 

Let's work from the software side: The most current Logic version (10.6.3) requires as the OS 10.15.7 or newer, aka "Catalina" or "Big Sur". If I was to create a system "from scratch" I'd definitely choose a laptop that is capable of running it so I don't have to worry about workarounds for older macOS versions.

For performance reasons I'd probably would not pick a Macbook Air. So this leaves the Macbook and Macbook Pro lines.

In general any Macbook or Macbook Pro released after late 2015 will have the capabilities to run "Big Sur"; some older Macbook Pro's will also be able to run it.

From my point of view I'd suggest a Macbook Pro from the 2016 timeframe onward. Whether it's 13" or 15" is a matter of personal preference; I like large monitors. The more memory and the larger the SSD the better. Core i7 processors should be fine, I don't think the situation calls for an i9.

Of course there's also the possibility to buy an M1 based laptop - sometimes they show up in the refurbished store as well. Others might chime in here. It all depends a bit on your budget.

To give you an idea: My own laptop is a used mid 2012 Macbook Pro with 15 inch. If I wanted to I could run Catalina and the current Logic version on it - but the writing's on the wall for this one since Apple already considers it "obsolete". This would be right now about the oldest model still capable of running the current Logic version.

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Thank you for your replies. We will have a more detailed look into what's available for our budget, less than £500 and may ask for more advice if needed. Thanks again

 

For less than 500 quid, you don't have too many options that are worth it here are a couple:

 

To bid on:

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/265310450444?hash=item3dc5bc330c:g:qZoAAOSwYrJhM9oV

 

Buy it now:

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/353664406187?hash=item52580a92ab:g:NN0AAOSwQgNhONiJ

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/114968773249?hash=item1ac4ac4281:g:xgEAAOSwyvBhDR9p

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The latest refurbished M1 MacBook Air is $859 USD - 8GB/256GB - should accomplish moderate Logic Pro projects easily. If the class is less than Logic-specific - meaning GarageBand (Logic Lite) could do the job, then a brand new iPad would certainly answer the call - Live Loops is so much more fun in GarageBand
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Thanks everyone. Daughter is in 2nd year and composition is her thing. They use Logic at uni and she wants something she can work on her projects at home rather than have to be in uni out of hours using their computers. It's not urgent and we will now use all the info you have given us to check out what is out there for the right price.
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And, for whatever it might be worth, I have purchased almost every one of my many Macintoshes from the "refurbished equipment" section of the Apple on-line store! :)

 

Here, you can get "the same equipment that you salivated over last year," at significant discounts since the gear is no longer "new" in the eyes of the law. Yet, Apple refurbishes the gear to "like new" condition, and offers the same AppleCare® bumper-to-bumper warranty that it offers for "new." (Which you should very definitely buy, to the longest available extent.)

 

Perhaps you or your daughter could obtain a very small signature-loan at a minuscule interest rate from a local bank ... particularly since the purchase is "for educational purposes." Show the friendly loan-officer a screen-print of exactly what you want to buy, and why. The scenario is very-obviously justifiable, and the loan is not very big.

 

(I don't know if Apple, itself might offer similar "education friendly" financing options ... but I'll bet they do.)

 

P.S.: Does the college, itself, have any sort of "student financing" back-door with any local lenders??

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