I’ve got a couple of old Macs lying around the home — from a 13-inch 2009 MacBook Pro to a 15-inch 2012 MacBook Pro (the best MBP ever, by the way). They were both workhorses back in the day but now obsoleted due to their aged hardware. They still run decently well of course, just not the latest macOS with the latest features and security updates.
The 13-inch 2009 MBP has returned to its original box, stashed away on a shelf. Meanwhile, I’ve shelved my trusty 15-inch 2012 MBP, too, since getting a 16GB mac Mini M1 in May last year.
Short of sending them to the scrap heap or a Mac museum, or cluttering your home further (sorry, Marie Kondo), there’s a way to give these old Macs a new lease of life.
And you’ll need to thank Google for that. That’s right, Google.
A couple of days ago, the internet search giant announced its latest product — Chrome OS Flex, which brings Chrome OS to Macs (and PCs). If you’re familiar with Chromebooks and Chrome OS, Chrome OS Flex is a secure, superfast, cloud-first operating system that’s free and easy-to-install and use on old devices.
Based on the software CloudReady developed by Neverware, Chrome OS Flex is actually a version of Chrome OS targeted at business and education markets. It’s designed to be lightweight, cloud-first, and secure — supporting UEFI Secure Boot. Google says you can expect the same, consistent user experience across Mac and PC.
Currently available as a developer release, it should run on any computer, however, Google does have a list of certified devices. The number of devices is limited at the moment and covers most major PC makes including Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, and more. Those not on list can still install and use the OS but there are no guarantees about system stability or hardware drivers. Since it’s still an “experimental release,” expect bugs and other quirks, regardless.
Here’s a list of certified Macs:
- iMac 21.5-inch Mid 2010
- iMac 21.5-inch Mid 2011/Late 2011
- iMac 20-inch Early 2009/Mid 2009
- Mac Mini Late 2014
- MacBook 13-inch Early 2009/Mid 2009
- MacBook 13-inch Late 2009
- MacBook 13-inch Mid 2010
- MacBook Air 11-inch Mid 2012
- MacBook Air 11-inch Mid 2013/Early 2014
- MacBook Pro 13-inch Mid 2009
- MacBook Pro 13-inch Mid 2012
In terms of system requirements, Chrome OS Flex is incredibly forgiving. You’ll only need a Mac or PC with a 64-bit Intel or AMD CPU, 4GB of RAM and 16GB of storage, and it can even run off a USB thumbdrive without being installed on your hard drive. Note that if you have a computer with an ARM or Apple M1 processor, you’re out of luck.
Interested to give Chrome OS Flex a shot for your old Mac? Head over here.
