Replace or keep using my MBA 13in (Early 2015)?

Software
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My first post here. I hope this is accurately in software for all it’s got hardware in the post title.

My Mac works just great, and does all I need (Safari, Dropbox, LibreOffice, basically). I’m worried about security tho, now that Monterey is no longer supported.

I’m about to be a student again, so buying a newer MBA is not an option: if I were replacing, it would probably be something like a Framework running Linux.

But someone suggested running still-supported Windows in a VM as a workaround.

With all the money in the world I would just get another Mac, but that’s not possible atm.

What are people’s thoughts?

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As you have an Intel Mac could running a version of Linux on the machine be an option? Might be easier than running Windows in a VM, and security updates for Windows 10 end in October (unless you purchase an extended support plan).

3 Likes
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What about $600.00 for an M1 Apple Silicon MacBook Air?

If you are going to be a student, have you checked to see what discounts you school offers? Or Apple’s educational refurb store?

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Have you considered using Open Core Legacy Patcher as a way to run more current versions of MacOS? I installed it on a 2015 MBA and it worked ok except for a couple of apps. New versions of Keynote wouldn’t work but older versions did fine.

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Keep in mind that macOS Tahoe will be the last version of macOS supporting Intel hardware and even then only a limited set of devices is supported:

(However, depending on the duration of the study, there might be security patches for macOS Tahoe until the OP graduates?)

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Hello @eteb3,
Chris Barnatt over at Explaining Computers has just released a video with advice about choosing your first Linux distribution. If you’re still considering going down the Linux route it might be worth looking at. He talks about the different merits of some beginner friendly distributions, and the reasons why you might/might not want to consider them.

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The problem with anything other than MacOS or Windows in an educational context is that so much instruction relies on digital access. The school will almost certainly have an online instruction platform, a campus access and verification ststem, classes may require specific apps . . check with the school.

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Thanks all for all this: some great suggestions.

Sorry for not being back to say so sooner: MPU emails were spam-binned, and I didn’t know the thread had been updated. Will read and digest.

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Apple declared your model “obsolete” today?

(No more spare parts?)

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This would be my last resort. But before going to buy something a Linux laptop, I would try to install Omarchy in the Intel Mac hardware and see how it performs. Nothing to lose!