I am looking for a very simple IMac for use of apps such as word, calander and Safari. I don’t need anything fancy but could do with these apps being able to work on the system well for another 10+yrs. any suggestions on which model year would be really helpful. Thanks a lot.
For 400UK pounds (about $540 USD) honestly you don't have adequate funds and need to either save more money or increase your budget. Also, that means you would need to buy from macsales.com or some UK equivalent.
I would not purchase any iMac older than 2021 because 2020 iMacs are the last versions that will run the current version of Mac OS. Buying an earlier model year will mean the computer will have a much shorter usable life as updates simply will not be available.
Another option is looking for a Mac mini. You can get a new MacMini with 512GB of storage for $799, add $100 for a display and $50 for a keyboard and mouse and you have a brand new computer that has a 1 year warranty, is eligible for AppleCare (strongly suggested) and the peace of mind that the device will last for years to come. If you don' have the cash, remember Apple offers 12 month no interest financing.
1) Plug your desired needs and wants,
into > Mac - Which Mac is best for me? - Apple
2) If you looking to save a few $$$'s on a certified Mac,
go with an Apple Refurb from > Refurbished Mac Deals - Apple
3) Beware when buying a used Mac from a third-party vendor or private seller.
It will turn into a total disaster, if the Mac is not properly prepared by the original owner.
see > What to do before you sell, give away, trade in, or recycle your Mac - Apple Support
What do you mean by "simple": simple to setup, simple to run?
All Mac are relatively simple to run. However, the one piece, desktop Macs are the easiest to setup. However, they are more expansive that a Mac Mini with a 3rd party monitor.
Also, there's an open source, free app, LibreOffice , that can open, edit and save Word and MS documents in Word/MS format or its own format. It works with all systems.
Also seriously consider den.thed's #3 comment. It's should be your first consideration. Also do not buy from eBay, Craig's List or Amazon. Wherever you buy a second hand Mac make sure it's been prepared according to What to do before you sell, give away, or trade in your Mac - Apple Support and that you can return it for a full refund.
One vendor that I can recommend for refurbished Macs or new hardware is OWC (MacSales.com).
In addition, it appears you are considering a used Mac. If that is the case please only purchase from a reputable source such as Apple's refurbished store (www.apple.com, scroll to the bottom of the page, click the Refurbished store) orwww.apple.com,
NEVER EVER buy a used Mac from any of the following sources:
Why, simple Macs need to be properly setup for sale, give away or donation otherwise they will never function correctly. Most of people in the above list never do this. When they sell as "refurbished" this is an almost certain guarantee they use the cheapest parts available. Apple lists precisely how a used Mac should be setup prior to resale in What to do before you sell, give away, or trade in your Mac.
If you do not believe me, please carefully search these forums and you will find many many threads from buyers that were not educated prior to buying and have learned after the fact they made a huge mistake.
For what it's worth, that's like asking how long is a piece of string. Microsoft Word is only supported on the three current versions of macOS; Tahoe, Sequoia & Sonoma. So you would at least need a Mac that can run one of those. And no Mac bought today, even a new Mac, will be likely to run available software 10 years from now.
Thanks for all your replies. I mean simple in that I don’t need it for photo editing, film editing or really even watching movies etc. I just want to use it to write up my patient notes, access the calendar and use safari - that’s it. Thanks for the advise on buying refurbished rather than second hand - I’m just wondering what would be best use of my money as preferably I don’t want to spend over £400.
what is the best simple second hand imac
