MacBook Pro 2012 to 2020?

Question

macbook

I want to ask about the efficiency of the SUBJECT usage scheme. I plan to try to find a MacBook Pro 15 2012 i7 + Nvidia GT650 1GB, in general - the maximum edition. Buy an ssd and ram.
What for?
First of all, I need a laptop. In addition, I am now actively studying MERN, and I need to study at least somehow areas that are indirectly related to this stack. Older "developers" I know say that it is desirable to switch to a UNIX-like system, since then Docker, servers, etc. ...
You can just take a laptop and roll linux. There is a question of using software. Since under macos there is almost all the necessary software that I use on windows, in linux everything is much more complicated.
One of the last arguments in buying such an MBP is the price. I estimate the current project at 600-700 (if you're lucky, if not, it will be 100-150 more expensive) dollars, as a result, you can get a 3rd generation i7 (4 cores / 8 threads), 16 gigabytes of RAM, and a 480 or 960 ssd (It will be seen there) under the system and a fresh battery.
Applications: development, assembly of small projects, work with documents, work on other projects (no need for a lot of computing power).

I would be grateful for comments who works for a similar macbook, is everything so rosy? If you search the net for a similar subject, on +/- such a configuration, some people manage to mount videos for their blogs, which of course I'm not going to do.
Once again, I will be grateful to everyone who writes their thoughts on the subject. Thank you!

PS: I myself am now sitting on an intel xeon 3440 + GeForce GTX 470, I am more than satisfied with everything, except for the non-working dual-channel RAM mode (most likely it's the motherboard, the desired slot does not work).
I wrote my specs so that you understand my level of need for iron performance.

Answer 1

Quite rosy. Under MacOS, the software is very well optimized, you can safely multiply the characteristics by 2 to get the equivalent for a regular laptop.
Take it.
Don't even look at Linux.

Answer 2

I have not used poppies for a long time, but I will give advice, regardless of the manufacturer.
In fact, the performance of processors during this time has grown many times, energy saving has improved, video cards have progressed a lot, and they replaced the HDD with an SSD.
In my opinion, in general, it is a good idea to take an outdated top-end laptop, since their quality is decently higher. But an 8 year old laptop can be pretty worn out in every aspect - the hinges, the keyboard, the fan, the solder after all. Therefore, the older the laptop, the more it looks like a lottery, I would take a laptop no older than 14 years old.
And yet - there may be difficulties with replacing the HDD, does Apple have a vendor lock? Check it.

Answer 3

Windows has a built-in linux subsystem, if needed. Buying a laptop is already a lottery, and buying a laptop 8 years ago is generally a cannon. It is not known how much and how it was used, repaired, etc.
If you want to play - go ahead, but with the same success you can include money for bets.
It's better to take a new laptop, Mac or not, but at least you will have a guarantee. And since this is your working tool, you don’t need to save much on it.

Answer 4

I've been using a 12-inch firmware for 12 years. Process i5, built-in video. With the work is already coping with the creak. When connected to a monitor, it just dies. Purely from user experience, I can say that I fell in love with macos with all my heart, but now I’m looking for a laptop like asus rog zephyrus g15, so that there is enough power for work and play for a couple of hours in the evening. The price really bites, around $1200. Mac drivers, although they talk about Optimization, but in fact it is only in the browser and household applications, more or less professional software bends the system in the first minutes of work. My sincere (not the fact that it is correct) advice: buy not a poppy, preferably a new one, since there are no worthy options on the secondary market, download Linux and you will be happy.