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How many years have you owned you Macbook Pro for?

mateus

mateus

macrumors regular
Original poster
I ask because my beloved Dell Inspiron 8200 is on it's last legs (trackpad not working correctly & struggles with high-res graphics). I bought it in 2002 & so it's 7 years old this year - which I think is pretty good going as it's been used fairly heavily every day. 😎

I'd really like to switch to :apple: & buy a 17" Macbook Pro - if I did, do you think it's reasonable for me to expect to get 7 years heavy use out of that too? To other Macbook owners, how many years have you got out of it before you had to upgrade?

Many thanks,
🙂
 
I still have and use my PB15. It is about 5.5 years old.

The only reason that I purchased a MBP, is for the Intel chip and being able to run Windows in virtual or native mode.

I expect to continue to use my PB15 for another couple of years.
 
Seven years is pushing it. Depends on how it's looked after and what you hope to be doing with it in six years or so after purchasing it.

My MacBook Pro is just under two years old. I'll give it another two or so (with a hard drive upgrade) before looking for something new, I guess. It depends on where Apple goes and what my needs are down the road. I would never count on a machine giving me seven years of productive use, five perhaps.
 
Thanks for all the feedback.

Sounds wise to wait for the new 17" Macbook Pros. If I can get 5 years heavy use out of it, that'll do fine. 😀
 
I don't think I've ever held onto a Powerbook/MacBook Pro for more than 8 months...I always upgrade to the latest one...but 5 years sounds reasonable.
 
I've had my Powerbook since 2004, and it's still treating me great. I expect to get a couple more years out of it, even if it stops being my only computer.
 
I've had my MBP for about 1 year now. I'm hoping to get at least 5 more years out of it as I don't really use it for anything but email, internet, Office programs, PIM.
 
If anyone here has had their MBP for longer than they'd like, I'll gladly take it off your hands!

Seriously, I've had mine for just about a year so far and it's still perfect. You guys who don't keep yours that long, is it because the hardware wears out, or is it that newer technology comes out that you simply must have, or new software comes out that won't run on the older hardware?

I have an iBook G3 in the basement that just bit the dust (graphics chip problem, no longer under the recall unfortunately) that up until recently worked great. Sure, it wouldn't run Leopard or the latest iLife. So you just have to change the role of a computer in your life as it gets older. What was once your main laptop for everything might become a web browsing or scanning station, or something for the kids to play with, for example.
 
I have a Powerbook 1.5ghz, can't remember when I bought it, but late 2003 seems about right. It's 5 years old, and my main laptop is now a macbook (lighter and faster) but I still use the Powerbook quite often.

It runs Leopard, and does fine with light internet, watching video (bigger screen than my MB) email, something for friends and family to play with while I'm on the MB.

Issues - dead FW ports, dead battery, bottom 2 inches of the screen dies if screen is put at the wrong angle (internal cable is frayed).

I'd expect 5 years from a new MBP. Remember the pace of hardware development has slowed down now. It was particularly fast a few years ago, but we're unlikely to see these days again.

A lot of new software is being scaled down to run on netbooks, phones, and internet browser apps, so unless you have specialist high power needs, a new MBP will last a long time.
 
2 years and apart from the battery (which desperately needs to be changed) is going strong.

Did have its superdrive replaced though (as did most people i know who have a mbp of the old shape), so its wise to buy applecare.
 
RedTomato said:
I have a Powerbook 1.5ghz, can't remember when I bought it, but late 2003 seems about right. It's 5 years old, and my main laptop is now a macbook (lighter and faster) but I still use the Powerbook quite often.

It runs Leopard, and does fine with light internet, watching video (bigger screen than my MB) email, something for friends and family to play with while I'm on the MB.

Issues - dead FW ports, dead battery, bottom 2 inches of the screen dies if screen is put at the wrong angle (internal cable is frayed).

I'd expect 5 years from a new MBP. Remember the pace of hardware development has slowed down now. It was particularly fast a few years ago, but we're unlikely to see these days again.

A lot of new software is being scaled down to run on netbooks, phones, and internet browser apps, so unless you have specialist high power needs, a new MBP will last a long time.
Click to expand...

See now my 1.5ghz powerbook is coming up to about 5 years now, and it is still running strong. Again the battery needed to be changed after a few years, but everything else is great. Moreover, its put up with a lot, including drops which have dented it, and one time getting a whole bottle of coke spilt over the keyboard.

Has been a great machine!
 
student_trap said:
See now my 1.5ghz powerbook is coming up to about 5 years now, and it is still running strong.
...

and one time getting a whole bottle of coke spilt over the keyboard.
Click to expand...

No damage from that? I had a roof leak on mine, which is what led to the bottom two inches of the screen blanking out. Had it repaired and cable changed but after a few months it came back.

BTW it might be 5 years old, but it has a *far* better screen than my MB and the 3 other new MBs in my sig.
 
RedTomato said:
BTW it might be 5 years old, but it has a *far* better screen than my MB and the 3 other new MBs in my sig.
Click to expand...

agreed, in fact, i'd go as far as to say that they were made better then period. compared to my mbp and mb, which have had a replaced superdrive and a case that is totally cracked with a semi broken mouse button rsepectively, it has faired very well.

Furthermore, out of the box my mbp and mb's screens were brighter but far less evenly back lit, while the keyboard on my mbp pales in comparison to my trusty old pb.

I mean this so much that after buying my mac pro, i went back to the powerbook as my internet/writing/itunes device and gave the mbp to my parents.
 
1 month, loving mine, oops, wait I have a MacBook but either way they'll last you a long time, i'm surprised a dell lasted you that long
 
6 years on my 867mhz Powerbook, the predecessor to the MBP. The only issue I've had is the battery and the power supply (currently on my 3rd battery and 3rd power supply). I still use the laptop every day, and I play on getting another 2-3 years out of it. A solid machine.
 
my imac is 1.2 yrs old and my 12" PB is 5 yrs old.

guess which computer holds more sentimental value?

yep, the lappy.
 
powerbook since 2003 replaced hard drive once in 06. currently needs new combo drive

MBP since 2007 no issues to date.

waiting to buy new mac mini if it sees the light of day....
 
student_trap said:
See now my 1.5ghz powerbook is coming up to about 5 years now, and it is still running strong. Again the battery needed to be changed after a few years, but everything else is great. Moreover, its put up with a lot, including drops which have dented it, and one time getting a whole bottle of coke spilt over the keyboard.

Has been a great machine!
Click to expand...

Sounds like mine. Bought it the summer before our first daughter was born in 2004. It will turn five this summer, and still goes well. The only issue is that the internal speakers are a bit flakey and if I try to listen to something they sometimes fluctuate in volume. Not a big deal since I usually use headphones so I don't bother other people at work.

I'd like to upgrade soon, but I think the fast approaching daughter #3 is going to force me to hold off for at least another year or two. I did upgrade the HD last January so I guess I have done some mods.

I'd love it if I could use the keyboard from the PB on a MBP, I'm not a fan of the new keyboards.
 
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