# Cheap Spare Mac



## puremusic (Apr 3, 2019)

Haven't touched a Mac in 20 years or so. I know almost nothing about how that whole ecosystem works.

Anyway, I've been thinking about getting a cheap used or bargain new model Mac, with minimal DAW capabilities -- just enough to run a piano VST or two at a decently low latency, and compile some small computer programs without falling asleep. To justify it I'd have to have one that could run the latest OS model, so it wouldn't be obsolete too fast.

It would basically be my test compiled programs I wrote on the PC on a Mac port machine, and run software that works better on a Mac machine. I'd want to be able to run midi in and out of it to my main system PC and hook it up to my PC's monitor along with it. 

It looks like Mac Minis are going for $799 before you toss Logic Pro on them, if you buy them from Apple directly. I wonder if there are less expensive options that would serve my purposes?


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## Fredeke (Apr 14, 2019)

puremusic said:


> Haven't touched a Mac in 20 years or so. I know almost nothing about how that whole ecosystem works.
> 
> Anyway, I've been thinking about getting a cheap used or bargain new model Mac, with minimal DAW capabilities -- just enough to run a piano VST or two at a decently low latency, and compile some small computer programs without falling asleep. To justify it I'd have to have one that could run the latest OS model, so it wouldn't be obsolete too fast.
> 
> ...



You probably won't get any better than $799 for a new Mac.

And buying 2nd-hand will probably cause you version compatibility issues: between the hardware and the OS, and between the OS and Logic. Macs are really a pain in the rear version compatibility wise. Apple doesn't seem concerned by backward compatibility at all.

I would get everything new at the same time: hardware, OS and DAW, in order for versions to match.


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## puremusic (Apr 15, 2019)

I hear you. Too bad about the backwards compatibility. I wonder if there's ever a sale on the things.


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## vmishka (Apr 16, 2019)

I have a Macbook Pro with an older version of Logic on it that I am willing to sell. I sent you a PM.


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## jbuhler (Apr 16, 2019)

Fredeke said:


> You probably won't get any better than $799 for a new Mac.
> 
> And buying 2nd-hand will probably cause you version compatibility issues: between the hardware and the OS, and between the OS and Logic. Macs are really a pain in the rear version compatibility wise. Apple doesn't seem concerned by backward compatibility at all.
> 
> I would get everything new at the same time: hardware, OS and DAW, in order for versions to match.


My 2012 MacBook Pro runs Mojave and the latest version of Logic without problem, so I would not take this as a given, depending on how well specced a used Mac is.


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## AlexRuger (Apr 16, 2019)

I'm typically pretty opposed to the Hackintosh route, but since this sounds like a very-low stakes computer, if you have the technical chops or willingness, why not piece together a cheap Hack for a few hundred bucks?


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## Fredeke (Apr 16, 2019)

AlexRuger said:


> I'm typically pretty opposed to the Hackintosh route, but since this sounds like a very-low stakes computer, if you have the technical chops or willingness, why not piece together a cheap Hack for a few hundred bucks?


Yes. Just look up the specs of the mac you want, and buy the parts separately. (Each exact model of course - the info is not hard to find... Apple advertises it!)

I never tried this myself, but Rick Beato has, and he says it cost him 3x less than buying from Apple.

But still make sure you get a version of Logic that matches your OS's version.


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