I’ve had good use out of my home laptop: a 2008 MacBook, currently running Mountain Lion 10.8.5, and Safari 6.2.8. However, over the years, I’ve had cause to upgrade the OS twice, and both times have created new problems while solving old ones.
Part of the reason why I’m still using a relatively archaic computer is that my needs are fairly modest. Mainly browsing, working on documents and spreadsheets, and still using iPhoto as the main repository for my photos. I’ve not yet tried streaming, don’t use the computer for games or CPU-intensive things like CAD, and rarely stick a dvd in the side slot. That last point probably says more about where I’m on the technology curve than anything else!
I feel I’m fast approaching its limits though - further OS upgrades to Yosemite, etc have been discouraged due to an old processor (2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo). And now, I’m seeing more and more websites encountering the apparently common Safari problem of “cannot establish a secure connection to…” error message.
In all the searching I’ve done to try and solve this problem (to date, unsuccessfully), it seems clear to me that a different browser might be one way to fix this - something like Vivaldi or Chrome, perhaps. But whether any other browser will need significant updates and will still work with my OS in six months or a year is of course another question.
So what would you recommend? A comparatively simple download that solves my main problem at only the cost of some time, or buying a new mac to be a lot better future-proofed, plus probably gain plenty of features I don’t even know I want yet - at the cost of - well, a new mac?
To add: also an iPhone 5s user, so prefer to stick with mac, rather than change to pc.
The security issue sounds like a problem with your super-old computer’s collection of “certificates”. I think Chrome uses the same system ones that Safari does, so if that doesn’t work, give Firefox a try too. (I normally hate Firefox, but I think it has a separate stash of certificates altogether detached from your system so it might help with that particular problem.)
But, yeah, first chance you get… upgrade to a new, refurb, or used Macbook Air. They’re $999 new and go down from there. The non-Airs have changed since the old days; now they’re actually slower than the regular Macbooks but lighter, reversing the previous naming scheme. The Pros are faster but much more expensive, and the ones with the weird touch bars don’t have regular ports anymore, only USB Type-C. They also have (IMO) the worst keyboards I’ve ever used.
Based ion your needs, have you considered a Chromebook?
I know you like the Mac environment, but everything you mentioned can be done on a Chromebook either in the Google Docs universe or Microsoft Online.
I have a Mac Mini, my kiddo has a Chromebook. It really does work quite well. And the prices and build quality are quite good these days for Chromebooks.
As everyone says, try the different browsers first. If that doesn’t help, make a Time Machine backup of your Mountain Lion install, then update to Yosemite because that will include a later version of Safari. If that doesn’t work or you don’t like Yosemite, use the Time Machine backup to go back to Mountain Lion.
What you probably shouldn’t do right now is buy a new Mac or even a used one (unless you can get a ridiculous price). With the exception of the recently updated MacBook Pro, every Mac model is either due or incredibly overdue for an update.
I’d also suggest checking out the iPad. It sounds like it will more than meet your needs, it’s less expensive, you’ll already be familiar with it. The iPad line is rumored to be getting refreshed very soon, fwiw.