I recently traded in an M1 PowerBook for a new M6 MacMini. The M1 PB had become inadequate for my photography workflow for reasons not relevant here. Having shifted to a desktop paradigm in my professional life, I was curious to see if my old and trusty early 2013 MacBook Pro (intel core i7) could still play nice with the world, thirteen years after purchase.
A quick summary of specs: its running MacOS Catalina (10.15) for “kitchen centric” activities like browsing (e-commerce), personal (web-based) email, and entertainment (podcasts, TV etc). I’m using Firefox v. 159 for browsing and web email, and have installed a number of Firefox extensions for security and privacy (Malware Browser Guard, Privacy Badger etc). Also have installed Intego’s anti-virus and malware suite X9. I’m not a gamer (other than solitaire and mahjong). I’ll be using Firefox for password management and only in web sites that contain no sensitive financial information. For example, under no circumstances would I use this old Mac to visit financial web sites. So far so good, apparently.
I would be grateful for any feedback on the use of this old Mac in 2026 and beyond.
The problem with using an old operating system to connect to the Internet is that the software won’t keep up with changes in how web servers do security. For example, TLS versions 1.0 and 1.1 have been phased out, and now TLS 1.2 and 1.3 are required. If the old OS doesn’t support the new TLS, you’re out of luck.
(The opposite situation can also occur: I have old software that I can’t install anymore because the licensing server only supports TLS 1.0 and 1.1, but now macOS won’t use that version to connect.)
Similarly, you need to have valid root Certificate Authority (CA) certificates in the certificate store. As the certificates expire, they need to be re-issued. Apple already has stopped updating the certificate store for Ventura, which means you can hit sites that no longer work. You have to hunt down the required certificates and install them yourself.
Firefox has its own certificate store, so as long as you can get Firefox updates, that may be OK.
I’m a fan of ‘right tool for the job’ and tend to be kind of miserly. So I still use Macs and devices as long as they work and do what I need them to do.
As the more technically inclined have written it could be a bit dodgy taking that Mac online. Maybe nothing happens, maybe not. Use caution.
Another consideration with a laptop of that vintage is its functionality and hardware. That is, one of my MBPros that had been primary for years slowly became secondary. When I started a plan to take it out of service I noticed the lower case was bowed out, sometimes an indication of a battery problem. As this is not an easy user replacement, I made all the backups I could and set it aside. Tried to use it as a trade in but was only offered to recycle it by Apple.
One heavily used MBPro had a display failure so we couldn’t log in to it or do anything for a while.
So for laptops I’d make sure to check the battery health, change it if its charge is not holding. If it’s seen a lot of use/travel/rough handling have a plan in case the display quits (ie know what kind of external display it will work with, have right cables/adapters on hand etc).
As long as its still working, there are plenty of tasks it can do.
One more quick thing that came to mind: running a “vintage” computer is similar to owning a classic car. Driving, say, a 1959 Cadillac on a daily commute or to transport other people is different from keeping the car garaged most of the time and only driving it on race tracks and private land.
@TBTdn
If you notice case bulges in any device containing a lithium-ion battery, you should find a repair shop, Apple or non-Apple, and have the device opened up and inspected as soon as possible. Li-ion batteries, as you might already know, are essentially little firebombs. Swelling is a sign of what can be an extremely dangerous situation with a Li-ion battery. At a minimum, you should get it out of the interior of your house and—as an example—put it into a plastic bag that is then buried in a bucket of sand in a garden shed.
I would not allow a machine running Catalina to access the internet. It is not getting any security updates Even with the latest version of Firefox and associated plugins it just isn’t safe.
Using it for simple browsing on sites that do not require a login is slightly more acceptable but it still leaves ypu vulnerable to malware, etc…so while it might appear to be useful connecting it to the internet is foolish.
I use a MacBook Pro (Early 2015) daily for light tasks, and it still works great. I’m not personally comfortable running an OS that no longer gets security updates tho, so I’ve installed Linux on it. That’s not for everyone, but it suits me as an old UNIX-head.
A few years ago I replaced the battery, which really made the machine feel new again. Fortunately batteries are readily available from vendors like Other World Computing, and the price is IMHO quite reasonable.
The other hardware change I made recently was to pick up a Netgear Wifi 7 adapter, to go along with some network upgrades. It’s a minor annoyance to have a USB dongle hanging around, but overall I’m happy with the upgrade.
As others have said, keep software without security updates away from the Internet.
But since you are using the latest Firefox, I wouldn’t be concerned about web browsing with it.
But avoid using other Internet-connected apps if they don’t have updates. This means you must avoid Safari.
Maybe also avoid Apple’s productivity apps (Pages/Numbers/Keynote) if you can’t install the latest updates. Or at least avoid using them to open documents that you didn’t create.
I used an older Mac (A 2011 MacBook Air), running macOS 10.12 (Sierra) for a very long time, until I could no longer get a secure web browser for it. Then I retired and replaced it (it’s been wiped, but is still sitting in a box waiting to be recycled).
I considered running Linux on it, to keep it useful, but I’ve already got other Linux PCs, so I didn’t see much of a point, aside from the challenge of getting it to work.
Thanks for that. A follow up though, is it dangerous if the battery is more or less empty? the MBPro was shut down and disconnected from electricity maybe 2 months ago, doesn’t feel warm to the touch or anything.
As I have good backups though I should probably plug it in and erase it before sending in for recycle. Need to research the steps for that so i can do it quickly.
No need to have it inspected, as it’s being taken out of service.
Thank you Halfsmoke (and everyone else) for amazing insights and feedback. I’m definitely not someone who would install Linux, not my idea of fun. There are no signs of battery malfunction, but that’s something to keep an eye out for! In sum, let’s see if I can follow these guidelines: no e-commerce, no e-mail, no Apple ID, nothing but news websites on Firefox, music streaming on Spotify (also via Firefox), and podcasts. Will just feed my news habit. I’ll treat this as if its a loaner from my public library.
I don’t think charge state matters because the swelling is caused by a chemical reaction and the fire danger is caused by a mechanical problem, not electrical.
ETA
It seems like you enjoy tinkering, so here’s some info from a website you might already be familiar with:
And one from a university:
ETA 2
The risk of an explosion or fire caused by compression of Li-ion batteries is why airlines tell passengers to call a flight attendant if a device or power bank is dropped into a seat mechanism.
It can be a little more complicated than that. The swelling is caused by chemical reactions, sometimes triggered by mechanical issues. The fires are electrochemical in nature, sometimes triggered by electrical short-circuiting or mechanical issues, like punctures. In any case, even “fully” discharged batteries can retain residual electrochemical charge.
The bottom line is to pay attention to battery storage conditions and battery condition itself.
If I have an old laptop with a removable battery that I know is going to sit for weeks or months, I generally charge it to around 50-60%, remove the battery, and store the battery separately in a cool, safe spot.
and BTW trying out Linux is not that complex, it can be run from a USB stick without installing on internal storage. Just to see how it feels for example, and if it’s worth pursuing further.
Thanks very much @Halfsmoke , I’ll take a look at these over the weekend. I don’t suppose there could be any other cause for a deformed lower case of a MPB? I had it atop plastic drawer boxes on my desk (convenient for storage and raising eye leve of screen), plugged in to electricity most of a couple of years. It didn’t go out of the house and only a few times left its perch.
I suppose another cause is theoretically possible, but I struggle to think of one.
I saw some issues once with distorted plastic MacBook bottom cases, but those were on units that were stored in very unfavorable environments. I’ve never seen a bulging case issue on a metal MacBook Pro that was caused by something other than a failing battery.
Since battery distortion is a chemical issue, it can happen even to devices that have been stored at normal operating temperatures. Going outside of normal operating temperatures (above or below) merely increases the likelihood of trouble.
I strongly recommend taking your MacBook Pro in for service or recycling.
@TBTdn
Just want to say that if I were facing a similar situation, I would take the MBP to a repair person before doing anything else, especially connecting to a charger. If necessary, I could always have the SSD/HDD removed while the computer is open and deal with its data later.
FWIW, I have a mid-2012 MacBook Pro running Catalina for a special purpose that I use occasionally. In general, I only use Firefox on that Mac and one or two other Internet-capable apps that I know are currently maintained and supported in similar ways on Catalina. I only use it behind my router. Under those conditions, I am comfortable using it. I would not consider using it on a public network, like at a coffee shop or in a hotel room.
Others have mentioned Linux alternatives, which actually would be secure alternatives for your proposed use cases, but I fully understand not wanting to go in that direction.
There also are patches/hacks that let you run newer versions of macOS on unsupported hardware, like OpenCore Legacy Patcher, but I don’t recommend them for Macs older than 2015 or so. I do have it installed for fun on a similar 2012 MacBook Pro, where it lets me run a modified version of Sequoia. Performance is surprisingly good—it doesn’t feel much different from Catalina—but the fans run constantly at high speed, and the Mac can get very warm. Fun to try, but hard to recommend.