(Part 2) Best products from r/macbook

First off, the upcoming macOS 10.14 Mojave does not support MacBooks from 2011 and older anymore. That means the last macOS the machine your wife's friend intends to give to you is going to run will be macOS 10.13 High Sierra. That being said, macOS 10.13 High Sierra is still being supported by Apple in terms of security updates for next two years. Its security support will end in mid-2020. With that in mind, you can potentially always install Windows or a Linux distribution to keep it going when it comes to security updates.

Apple no longer officially does battery replacements for MacBooks from 2010, so you'd have to resort to third party companies doing it for you or doing it yourself. There are still compatible batteries being sold on eBay.

> Will a new ssd or ram make it functional?

Inserting an SSD and more RAM will make it faster no doubt. Every SATA SSD of 2.5" form factor should work.

As for the RAM, I'd like to quote from the following link:

• https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/102131/macbook-pro-13-inch-maximum-memory
  
  > Specifically, as discovered by OWC, the 13-Inch "Mid-2010" MacBook Pro models (and only the 13-Inch models) -- the MacBook Pro "Core 2 Duo" 2.4 13" Mid-2010 and "Core 2 Duo" 2.66 13" Mid-2010 identified by MacBookPro7,1 -- can support up to 16 GB of RAM with dual 8 GB memory modules if they are running OS X 10.7.5 or higher, have been updated to use the latest EFI, and are equipped with proper specification memory modules. If running a version of Mac OS X 10.6 "Snow Leopard," these models only can use 8 GB of RAM.
  
  In order to know what macOS version the Mac is running, go to the Apple menu at the top left corner of the screen -> "About my Mac". Once there, you'll be able to see both the macOS version and the processor in use.
  
  Should the device be a white plastic MacBook 2010, as opposed to an aluminium MacBook Pro 2010, then it will support a maximum capacity of 8 GB RAM (2 x 4 GB RAM modules).
  
  The type of RAM (no matter if MacBook or MacBook Pro) you must buy is as follows:
  
  PC3-8500 DDR3 1066 MHz SDRAM, 204-pin
  
  This RAM should work, for example:
  
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Corsair-CMSA8GX3M2A1066C7-Channel-204-Pin-SO-DIMM/dp/B00505EZYW
  
• https://www.amazon.com/OWC-PC8500-204-pin-Upgrade-MacBook/dp/B00BKVQFU2
  
  However, you should think long and hard about investing further money into that machine, namely in a new SSD, new RAM, and a new battery. It is pretty old and security support for it is coming to an end.

Well at least we know it wasn't stolen! Congrats and enjoy your new machine. I don't think I'd pick that specific machine for myself (I hate the screen on it) but I really do hope you enjoy the world of Apple/MacOS. If you have an iPhone it's even better! There are some things that are a little different than Windows, obviously, but for those things I highly recommend the Missing Manual series. I linked the one for MacOS Mojave, but of course they have other versions too. I found one for High Sierra at my local library and even that edition has a ton of stuff that applies!

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Enjoy the new MacBook!

-Unfortunately, Apple makes sure that you can't upgrade storage or RAM by yourself so that they can make as much money as possible. If you're really desperate on storage, you can buy a compact flash drive which sits almost flush with the laptop (like this one) or use a service like Google Drive. Then you can move your stuff over, then you'll be good on storage.

-It seems that if you're already playing games on the 4GB RAM, you should be good as long as you're not constantly adding new titles to your collection.

-As for engineering programs, I wouldn't recommend it but it seems that your MacBook is powerful enough to take it on. I would recommend that you keep the number of apps you have open to an extreme minimum while using those kinds of programs though.

-The whirring sound you hear is the fan inside. It keeps the processor cool in order to reach peak performance. That's why you hear it when you're playing games or performing demanding tasks (such as running engineering programs). It's supposed to do that, so don't worry - that means that your computer is working right!

I hope this helps!

Dual is going to be tricky - there's only one C port, so you're going to need a dock/breakout box that does PD charging for one. Finding PD and HDMI is easy, but dual... that's much trickier. You might be able to do something where you've got a breakout that has PD, HDMI, and a usb3 port. You could then use a usb3 display adapter.

If you were talking thunderbolt ports like on the pros, it'd be a ton easier, but the macbook doesn't have thunderbolt so you're kind of hosed.

Your best bet is get a 4k@60 hz adapter with PD and use a bluetooth keyboard and mouse with a good 4k display. I have a 27" 4k and I don't really need dual monitors. When I really need another display I open the laptop up. I have a pro. My wife can use my monitor with one of the cables described.

This is the cable I have and it works quite well. Has to be USB C, not TB, or it won't work. Otherwise I'd suggest one of the very rare TB3->dual HDMI cables that are out there.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078M57FVJ

Definetely go with a SSD My MacBook Pro is almost like a new computer after installing one. But If you want the best of both worlds I’d advise you replace your optical drive with a HDD caddy and install your current HDD there, installing a SSD in It’s place. The installing process is fairly simple watch the videos of people doing it closely and watch out for the flex cable. Installing the SSD in place of the HDD is pretty easy as well. The guide says you need a T6 screwdriver for the studs of the HDD but it can be disassembled and reassembled with just pliers. Go for a 250GB SSD It’s enough for everything I currently use on a daily basis including the whole adobe lineup, my photos and videos. Good luck! Please ask if you have any other questions in your head ^^
Hard drive SSD replacement
Optical Drive replacement

Edit:
I realize I didn't answer your question the first time so I'm back haha.
Two years ago I asked an Apple store employee what they used to wipe down all Apple products because everything was so clean. Like no fingerprint stains on any of the keyboards, immaculate iPad and iPhone screens.

He told me they used "Whoosh" cleaner and microfiber cloths, both available on Amazon.
https://smile.amazon.com/WHOOSH-Award-Winning-Screen-Cleaner-Antimicrobial/dp/B00DOPW5L0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1502605520&sr=8-3&keywords=whoosh
I've used Whoosh on my own Macbook Pro and indeed it cleaned my screen effectively, but I haven't needed to use it on the keyboard since I use keyboard covers. Also, this was on the 2015 Macbook Pros. Ymmv since we're now talking about the 2017 MBPs, but if you ever stop by an Apple store, you can always ask them what they use - or if they use/ever used Whoosh.

Original post:
If you don't mind the frosty look on your keys, I'd recommend a keyboard cover. I've used one on my Macbook Pro 13 2015 since the launch week and buy a new one every half year or so for cleanliness reasons.

In my limited experience, a brand called Uppercase has pretty consistent quality. Good luck!

https://www.amazon.com/UPPERCASE-GhostCover-Premium-Keyboard-Protector/dp/B01MRKLH27/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1502598784&sr=8-1&keywords=UPPERCASE+GhostCover+Premium+Ultra+Thin+Keyboard+Protector+for+MacBook+Pro+with+Touch+Bar+13%22+or+15%22+%282016+and+2017%2C+Apple+Model+Number+A1706%2C+A1707%29

The fist suggestion most people will have is put that money into getting a newer machine. I'm in the same boat but if you'd like some suggestions for what hardware to get for upgrading your machine here are some:

4GB RAM (MAX)

SSD

Tried to keep things cheap. For the OS 10.6.8 snow leopard is pretty good. :)

This is the best stuff I have found BY FAR, https://www.radtech.com/products/omnicleanz

This is the second best, but easier to find and is available on Amazon Prime for a little more money. You get more bottles and stuff in this package which Is cool but honestly the other stuff is better.

https://www.amazon.com/iKlear-iK-5MCK-Apple-Polish-Cleaning/dp/B001JD6T70

I use it once and it's not super wet and doesn't get into the keyboards to where it can damage it, vs the 2nd link for the iKlear bottles I have to spray, wipe, let it dry (which takes longer), and then repeat at least 3x to get the same effect.

it’s the “Uni Accessories” 8-in-1 usb c hub. They make a cheaper 6-1 without Ethernet and a few other things. The build quality and size is phenomenal, and the company has great support. And what makes it special vs other small hubs is that the cable to the MacBook is detachable (comes with a nice braided cable) so you can swap it out for a longer thunderbolt 3 cable if you wish.
[hub](uni USB C Hub, 6 in 1 USB C to... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Q8TRVTN?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share)

As a cover all solution, I’ve had a really good experience with this hub from satechi

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01J4BO0X8

You’ll need to buy some adapters for SD cards, etc, but for HDMI, power pass through and USB ports it has been perfect for me.

It looks great and hasn’t affected WiFi at all for me.

If you want me to test any particular scenarios let me know, and I’ll see what I can do.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01NBBBNQ7/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1


This is the one I got, it's awesome. Fits great, doesn't wobble, no cracks and looks awesome.

Whatever you do make sure you get one that supports power delivery through usb c.

I have one with 2600 mAh if I remember correctly and I can get about a whole charge off it on my 15 inch MacBook. I can check what model it is when I get home. It costed me about 80 bucks but so far it’s been worth it.

Edit: I got this one from Ravpower. It's great because I can charge it with my macbook charger as well. It can charge my phone almost 10 times over

I'm guessing you're not running an SSD?

I know you probably don't want to throw money at the issue but if you're not on an SSD it's a very beneficial upgrade. The SSDs that fit a 2011 MB are pretty cheap and it would really breathe new life into your mac.

Example: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01F9G46Q8/

I have Magic Mouse and Logitech M720 Triathlon,
On logitech over bluetooth lag is too visible and not usable for me.
MM is not very comfy but it supports gestures and that is very important to be productive in MacOS.
To fix MM comfort issues I bought MM Grips and it's way better now.
https://www.amazon.com/Magic-Grips-Apple-Mouse-Improves/dp/B01MT7EN0F

It does sound like RAM is the more likely cause though either upgrade would benefit.

You can look at what's causing the bottleneck yourself by running Activity Monitor or a RAM monitoring app and seeing if the RAM is peaking at the same time as you notice the freezing. I used this on my old 13" MBP, realised the RAM wasn't the issue, upgraded the SSD instead and got a good performance boost. However, in your case as I mentioned it does seem the RAM is more likely the cause.

If you don't mind opening your computer at home then you could save a lot of money off their upgrade pricing. You can do either upgrade at home by following iFixit guides with parts bought off Amazon. Here is the 16GB RAM and the SSD (these were just the first products I found after a quick search, if you find the exact part number you can find them even more cheaply but check that they're good quality and won't just fail).

On amazon: works with both mac OS (plug and play) and windows.

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Card: Needs to be a vega 56 or 64. 56 OC is enough honestly.

MSI Video Card Radeon RX Vega 56 Air Boost 8G OC


Razer Core X: Thunderbolt: (also, pick up a 6 foot thunderbolt cable) 6 foot is the max for best performance.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CQG2K5K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

iPad Air 10.5" 256GB ($599): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NHNG7QC/ref=fs_a_i_2?th=1

iPad 10.5 Pro/Air Case ($53.98): https://www.amazon.com/Earto-Compatible-Sleep-Wake-Ultra-Thin-Cover-10-5/dp/B079KDWPDL/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=iPad+Air+10.5+laptop+case&qid=1573123284&sr=8-4

Logitech Crayon ($56.46): https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Crayon-iPad-6th-Mini/dp/B07JFP5G4L/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=logitech+crayon&qid=1573123417&sr=8-3


That'd save you a couple of hundred dollars.

As I know MBA 2013-2017 models can share the same PCIe SSD. I don't live in Europe but I can find these on US Amazon, e.g.:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07C9H8MHD?aaxitk=K7xEdjGDGD74Kvys3crRVg&pd_rd_i=B07C9H8MHD&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=3ff6092e-8451-438b-8278-7e94064b4d42&pf_rd_s=desktop-sx-top-slot&pf_rd_t=301&pf_rd_i=mac+pcie+ssd&hsa_cr_id=6572306230501&sb-ci-n=asinImage&sb-ci-v=https%3A%2F%2Fimages-na.ssl-images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F711jaQxQ3sL.jpg&sb-ci-a=B07C9H8MHD

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You may find "Macbook Air" in the comments.

Assuming you mean the 12 inch Macbook, you want something with USB C PD for at least 30W of output. This will charge at the same rate as your macbook AC adapter. you can use this: https://www.amazon.com/Portable-RAVPower-26800mAh-Recharged-Included/dp/B01LRQDAEI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1494815923&sr=8-2&keywords=anker+usb+pd

or this:

https://www.amazon.com/myCharge-RZ13V-RazorPlatinum/dp/B01KG23GWK

1. Hub: https://www.amazon.ca/Satechi-Aluminum-Multi-Port-Adapter-Charging/dp/B01J4BO0X8/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1503097585&sr=8-3&keywords=satechi
   
   
2. Then USB-a to HDMI: https://www.amazon.ca/Victsing-Adapter-Windows-2560x1440-Resolution/dp/B071W3RL6M/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1503097557&sr=8-3&keywords=usb+a+to+hdmi
   
   
3. Plug USB-c into the hub so you can provide power