It’s a great time to use a Mac, Apple is churning out some top-quality hardware and software. But there’s still plenty of life in even an “outdated” Mac, as our most-read articles of 2024 show.
Over time, your Mac may stop receiving important security patches and updates from Apple. In this case, instead of retiring your laptop, you could increase its functionality by installing an alternative operating system, like Linux or ChromeOS.
Amidst the excitement of an upgrade, it can be tempting to put your old MacBook into a drawer and forget about it (we’ve all done it). But Vinayak Guhanarayan shows us that there’s a better way (seven of them, in fact). These range from repurposing the display via Screen Sharing to turning an unused MacBook into a Plex or file server.
By Vinayak Guhanarayan – Published Jan 12, 2024
For most users, a middle-of-the-road MacBook Air is extremely capable and more than enough. The MacBook Air and MacBook Pro are similar overall when performing daily tasks for the vast majority of users. Aside from specific use cases, intensive projects and workflows, or enthusiasts who want the latest and greatest, the Air is all you’ll really need.
Deciding that you want a new Mac is easy, but picking one from the lineup is hard. It can be easy to assume that you need to spend big on a “Pro” model but, as Cory Gunther explains, this isn’t true for the vast majority of people. The performance, display, and build quality of a MacBook Air won’t disappoint, and you’ll save some money too.
By Cory Gunther – Published Apr 15, 2024
Ever feel like you’re running out of keyboard shortcuts? You can always use a longer modifier combination like Control+Option+Command (and even add Shift), but things get complicated fast. An easier method is to use the Hyperkey app to repurpose your Caps Lock key as a “hyper” key that triggers these modifiers for you.
macOS is a great operating system, and there are a wealth of apps out there that make it even better. Some of my favorite Mac apps do only one thing, but they do it very well. I’m talking about tweaks like forcing the media keys to control only Apple Music or Spotify, repurposing the Caps Lock key into something more useful, and running an internet speed test from the Terminal with one command.
By Tim Brookes – Published Aug 16, 2024
Unless you forked out for a higher amount of storage when you bought your Mac, the first hardware limitation you’re likely to face will be running out of space. There’s nothing more annoying than constantly having to juggle files just to keep working normally.
At How-To Geek, we love producing guides that help you get as much life out of your old tech as possible. But nothing lasts forever and, eventually, an upgrade becomes inevitable. Here, Andy Betts lists the five warning signs that your Mac needs replacing (thankfully there are plenty of ways to repurpose that outdated model).
By Andy Betts – Published Jan 21, 2024
If you’re looking for a completely free Dynamic Island implementation, look no further than Boring.Notch. Don’t be put off by the name, your MacBook’s notch is a lot more boring without this app installed. The app is under active development, and many features aren’t ready yet, but what’s there is good.
The Dynamic Island is Apple’s attempt to turn the iPhone camera cutout into a useful feature, and now you can do the same on your MacBook. These third-party apps turn the notch at the top of the screen into a Now Playing widget, file storage tray, calendar, and more. Best of all, the animations are just as slick and seamless as Apple’s.
By Tim Brookes – Published Oct 1, 2024
I have a Touch Bar timer app installed, so when I’m working, I can keep an eye on the tasks I’m performing without needing it to take up space on my 13-inch display. I also find that the controls for brightness and volume are more intuitive to use than physical buttons. Even the pop-up controls for controlling apps like Spotify work well in my experience.
Ben Stockton bought his Intel-based MacBook Pro in 2019, a year before Apple announced its big move to ARM-based Apple silicon processors. While this might sound like a rough deal, Ben doesn’t see it that way. His old laptop is still going strong, runs macOS 15 Sequoia, and he’s rather fond of the Touch Bar that Apple dropped in subsequent models.
By Ben Stockton – Published Sep 30, 2024
After using a MacBook for over a month, my Surface laptop now feels notably sluggish. With a decade of experience using various Windows laptops, including the Microsoft Surface Laptop 3, I can confidently attest that none has provided the same level of stability and performance as my first MacBook.
The “disgruntled Windows user to MacBook owner” pipeline is well-documented, and this year it claimed another How-To Geek writer. Shan Abdul waxes lyrical about what prompted the switch, the immediate benefits, and why a return to Microsoft’s desktop is unlikely.
By Shan Abdul – Published May 1, 2024
If you use a MacBook, you don’t have to give up your Android phone. Yes, you will lose out on some of the tight integrations you get between either Android and Windows or iPhone and macOS, but I’ve been using both for the best part of 15 years and it’s only really iMessage that I miss and wish was available on Android.
It’s no secret that Apple designs its devices to complement one another, but that doesn’t mean that the Mac and iPhone combination is essential. You can reap the benefits of Apple’s desktop and retain the versatility of an Android smartphone. Andy Betts explains how they handle file transfers, messaging, media, and more while bouncing between the two ecosystems.
By Andy Betts – Published Aug 17, 2024
If all you want is a Mac on which to browse the web, answer emails, and do a bit of office work, the M4 is overkill. There’s nothing wrong with having plenty of grunt under the hood just in case you need it, but you should ask yourself whether you’d rather have the cash in your pocket instead.
The M4 Mac Mini was arguably Apple’s best release of 2024, offering a huge upgrade in performance and a new form factor at the same great price as the previous model. Despite this, I still think the old Mac Mini offers the best bang for your buck (if you can find one).
By Tim Brookes – Published Oct 30, 2024
By installing Linux, you can transform your old Mac that might have been gathering dust into a fast, reliable, and highly customizable device. Instead of discarding it, you’ve harnessed its potential, proving that even aging tech can be valuable with the right tools.
Sometimes Windows users jump ship to macOS, and sometimes Mac users dabble with Linux. When Matt Klein realized they could repurpose a crusty 2014 MacBook Pro as a dedicated Linux machine, they jumped at the opportunity and documented the benefits, process, and troubleshooting tips learned along the way.
By Matt Klein – Published Nov 30, 2024
With so much attention on Apple Intelligence in 2024, it’s interesting to see that so many of our most-read Mac articles focused on older hardware, saving money, and making do. Thanks for joining us in 2024, why not check out our most-read iPhone articles of the year while you’re here.
