Throughout the 90s and early 2000s, many (including the author) believed Apple’s products weren’t worth the materials they were made of.
This belief was based largely on not actually using Apple products, and continued even after the company started using Intel processors and became more compatible with other computers.
However, once the author was introduced to Apple’s Unix-based computers, they found them to be an excellent, hacker-friendly option, especially when using Linux.
Old Apple laptops, particularly those made before 2016, can make excellent Linux machines, as they combine hacker-friendly aspects with the ability to buy them used for a low price.
Some tips when looking for a used Apple laptop include avoiding those with butterfly keyboards (2015-2019), those with discrete graphics cards, and those with “staingate” Retina displays (2012-2015).
In the author’s opinion, the best Apple laptops for refurbishment are those from the 2009-2012 “unibody” era, which combine a good mix of performance, hackability, and Linux-ability.
