Am I the only one who loves the "old" MBP?

[laudern]

The 13" Macbook pro. Oh how I wish you would see an update, however unlikely that may be. The main draw card that his laptop has over every other mac laptop is the old 2.5" spinning HDD. Sure you lose a bit of speed, but the gain in storage more than makes up for it. My current 09 macbook has a 2TB HDD which stores all of my movies and tv shows and has not need to any external storage to hang off it. Surely I am not the only one who valueless size over a loss in speed.

And the fact that the ram updatable. And also has a CD drive (for the odd occasion it is used, sure not really necessary, but whatevs)

If this laptop was updated with current ten CPU/GPU/ replaceable ram and the other bells and whistles, I'd be an instant purchase. Anyone else agree???

 

[ruck]

I have an even older MBP that still works great. '07 Santa Rosa 15", still love it. It was starting to slow down because I had the 128 GB HD too full, but threw in a 500 GB recently, maxed out RAM at 6 GB and it's running great again. I frequently burn DVDs still, so when I'm finally forced to upgrade in a few years I'll miss the optical drive. I still don't understand why a "Pro" machine wouldn't have this. Anyway, I'll probably keep this one until it finally bites the bullet, which doesn't seem like it'll happen anytime soon.

 

[Algus]

I can't do 1280x800 but I would trade retina for an update MBP with 1440x900 and user serviceable parts

 

[laudern]

The very least apple could do is reduce the price of the current 13 MBP to a reasonable price to reflect the ageing hardware.

 

[simonsi]

I still use my 2011 as in my sig for business and leisure, don't see any need to change it....now it has SSD, bigger HDD and upgraded RAM

 

[ron1004]

The two 17" MBP's in my sig are doing very well, and won't be replaced any time soon.

 

[ajcgn]

I don't know if my early 2011 15 MBP qualifies as old, but it's a lot more flexible hardware wise than the new stuff. Within the past year I have had to use the DVD a few times and even the Ethernet port once.
I have a 1TB SSD, so I like lots of storage, but I also like the quickness. I have an external 2TB hard drive hooked up to the wi fi (because I am lazy) for storing excess stuff that I rarely look at.
A retina screen would be nice, but at least I don't have to see a reflection of my ugly face as I have the antiglare Hi Res screen.
In my case I will hold off getting a new MBP as long as my current one lasts, as I don't like how the newer ones are more limiting. Plus I would have gone broke paying for the 1TB option on a new machine.

 

[MrAverigeUser]

I don't know if my early 2011 15 MBP qualifies as old, but it's a lot more flexible hardware wise than the new stuff. Within the past year I have had to use the DVD a few times and even the Ethernet port once.
I have a 1TB SSD, so I like lots of storage, but I also like the quickness. I have an external 2TB hard drive hooked up to the wi fi (because I am lazy) for storing excess stuff that I rarely look at.
A retina screen would be nice, but at least I don't have to see a reflection of my ugly face as I have the antiglare Hi Res screen.
In my case I will hold off getting a new MBP as long as my current one lasts, as I don't like how the newer ones are more limiting. Plus I would have gone broke paying for the 1TB option on a new machine.

This is exactly also my position.

In our family we have (all 15") 2 MBP early 2011, one MBP 2012 - all with the wonderful and extremely comfortable/Ergonomic "HiRes" antiglare Screen, updated to 16GB and with SSDs. All have SATAIII, the 2012 also USB 3.0.
Will NEVER EVER sell them because in 2012 apple entered in the "glued/Soldered-Hardware and make-up-mirror-like Screens-Era" and began to take customers for fools.

For me, the 2011and especially the 2012 generation represents the best apple made so far. Be it for MBP or for MacPros. Both lines of 2011/2012 can be upgraded as the customers wants to and are - if upgraded for a little bit of money- nearly as fast as the newest ones. At least MUCH MORE FASTER than enough for 99,9% of the owners….

Every of the 3 MBP was tested and *knocking on wood* seems to have no GPU-isues at all.
In Europe and shurely also in the states there are many little enterprises who will exchange the GPU for about 200 EUR/USD - when apple´s "extended warranty" will end in February.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

Nope. I'm done with HDs. I was kinda freaked out how I was going to go from a roomy HDD to a measly 256GB SSD. But I learned to be more discriminating about what data I actually needed on my laptop with me at all times, and what was just extra baggage. I've had zero storage issues and just love how fast and quiet my SSD equipped MBP is. No, I could never ever go back to HDD.

 

[JTToft]

Hard drives in laptops is a done era. But a cMBP with a fast SSD installed is a wonderful machine. The 2012 models are some of the best machines Apple has ever made. Highly versatile because of upgrade capabilities, not afflicted by the widespread GPU issues of the 2011 cMBPs and the 2012 rMBPs, USB 3, two guaranteed working SATA 6Gb/s ports, and Bluetooth 4.0. Put a 2 SSD RAID in that machine, and it'll scream.

I'm certainly not parting with my 2011 for some years.

 

[Jessica Lares]

I don't like how complicated it is to replace the keyboard on them compared to the even older models. Otherwise still also love mine and have yet to even try a SSD.

 

[David58117]

At one point keeping the cMBP and upgrading it made sense, but now I don't think it does.

SSDs have become cheaper, and PCIe on the higher storages is much faster.

Form factor and screen are so much better, and I absolutely do not miss my old 2012 cMBP 15" screen or size.

At least here, everything is streaming, and I lost the need to keep gigs worth of music and movies a few years ago.

 

[MrAverigeUser]

At one point keeping the cMBP and upgrading it made sense, but now I don't think it does.

SSDs have become cheaper, and PCIe on the higher storages is much faster.

SSDs are the same cheaper price for cMBP - so this is no point. Just the contrary: With the old MBP you have all possibilities, including even a second SSD instead of CD/DVD. And as for me, I appreciate 1 TB SSD and will soon buy a 2 TB SSD. Exchange just takes 5 minutes.
As for the "faster" mSata SSDs: In numbers, it is faster, in real life it does´t matter at all.
HDD--> SSD SATA III or even still old SATA II makes a BIG BIG difference, but I doubt if 99% of Users will ever notice (not talking about real advantage) the difference between SATA III and mSata… or PCIE. Only heavy Users will notice the difference of more than 500 MB/s Write/Read speed….

factor and screen are so much better, and I absolutely do not miss my old 2012 cMBP 15" screen or size.

Well - for me and many other MacOwners it is just the opposite: The glaring Retina-Screens (= Mirrors) are an absolute NO-GO. A MBP just some millimeters thinner is (at least for many people exempt you) shurely NOT a "different form-factor."

least here, everything is streaming, and I lost the need to keep gigs worth of music and movies a few years ago.

OK, this might be for you and many others. But it is NOT at all any argument against cMBP, but against also nMBP. If you think like that, why still on MBP? An iPad or MBA or MB is sufficient for streaming and basic , even an iPhone…

Having your music with you and working with nowadays big raw-files in Photoshop even if streaming/iCloud is impossible is a good thing… and with a optical DVD-device inside you can even regard films anywhere…

But of course, everyone has different point of views about this.

 

[Fishrrman]

My April 2010 MacBook Pro 13" still runs fine for what I use it for.
Actually, it performs "better than new" since I upgraded to an SSD a few years' back.

No plans to upgrade.

(My sister still uses a white MacBook from early 2010, that's doing fine, too.)

 

[lchlch]

SSDs are the same cheaper price for cMBP - so this is no point. Just the contrary: With the old MBP you have all possibilities, including even a second SSD instead of CD/DVD. And as for me, I appreciate 1 TB SSD and will soon buy a 2 TB SSD. Exchange just takes 5 minutes.
As for the "faster" mSata SSDs: In numbers, it is faster, in real life it does´t matter at all.
HDD--> SSD SATA III or even still old SATA II makes a BIG BIG difference, but I doubt if 99% of Users will ever notice (not talking about real advantage) the difference between SATA III and mSata… or PCIE. Only heavy Users will notice the difference of more than 500 MB/s Write/Read speed….

So basically your saying that the ssd in the current MacBooks are fast they don't need to be upgradeable.

The ram is soldered in because lpddr3 only comes in soldered form. Technically they could use a different form of DDR 3 but you'll sacrifice a few hours of battery life.

 

[MrAverigeUser]

So basically your saying that the ssd in the current MacBooks are fast they don't need to be upgradeable.

The ram is soldered in because lpddr3 only comes in soldered form. Technically they could use a different form of DDR 3 but you'll sacrifice a few hours of battery life.

Yes, For 99% of the cMBP and also of nMBP owners the performance of modern SATA-compatible SSDs is nowadays nearly irrelevant for normal use. And for that even more write/read-performance than nowadays 500MB/s is just useless for Mr. Joe Smith...
AND:

No,
I am saying that with the nMBP you never can upgrade to bigger SSDs later on - you are condamned to stick with your choice you did at the moment of purchase. And you shurely never can install a second SSD or exchange SSDs within some minutes or between the SSD of two machines if you want it or are forced to do so. Life changes and you cannot foresee your needs in 3-5 Years later from now.
Second hand market will be therefore not at all as easy as it is today.

AND you never can just bring your machine in for service without the SSD and continue to work with it on another machine - you have to let your personal data with it, whether you want it or not.

Exchange of RAM from one machine to another is also impossible as is upgrading in 2 minutes or just exchanging RAM that does´t work any more…

It´s a sort of inflexible slavery - you have to live with your decision/Budget/Needs at the moment of purchase and you will - as already with iPad and iPhone - spend more money than needed, just in case of… is that what you call freedom of consumers decision?

I replaced just 2 days ago my "original MBP-SSD" , an old SATA II Kingston 512 GB from 2011 (Write/read max 250MB/s) within some minutes by a modern SATA III Evo 1 TB (Write/Read max 500MB/s). The machine is a little bit faster, but that is absolutely irrelevant, even for photoshop as long as you are not a professional photographer. The difference between this new SSD and faster (future) ones will be even more neclegtible - so what?

By contrary, upgrading RAM from 8 to 16 GB makes sense. NOW it was necessary and prices very low. If you are forced to buy "better too big than too small" equipment from the very beginning, you pay always a lot more - you lose money and you fill only the pocket of apple (and that in advance)….

What consumes the most battery life for average Owners is (as I think) not RAM, it is the Screen (until OLED takes place in the market) and the CPU/GPU.

 

[thewap]

The MBP line until late 2011, early 2012 were indisputably Apple at it's best (quirks and all) in the performance, quality, and vision of the line.

When the marketing gimmick of *retina* screens came out featuring glaring mirror like cheaply coated screens to soldered ram, glued batteries, and pcie drives with no option to buy replacement drives from Apple is not *progress*,nor is it a shared vision with many loyal Apple customers of the past IMO.

Now I feel the loyal fan base has been fractured, with new fans who couldn't care less about serviceability or Apple Care monopolies. With such a mindset, I would not be surprised if the MBP line is already slated to slow extinction to make way for fully disposable ios pads such as the ipad *pro*.

What is Apple's vision? money only now? - most corporations have that same *vision* and do not retain brand loyalty - it's just more of the same.

Can Apple survive by ignoring it's old fan base (that helped Apple out of the ditch) with it's new fan base ?, only time will tell.

 

[rneglia]

Everyone read this article and then resume the debate. https://marco.org/2016/01/04/md101ll-a

 

[MrAverigeUser]

Everyone read this article and then resume the debate. https://marco.org/2016/01/04/md101ll-a

nice article…. could have been written by me…

When you buy even now a 2012 cMBP 15" with antiglare/"Hi-Res" screen (and USB 3.0) you got the best apple even has build… (ok, besides the "Radeongate"-problem… which in fact costs you about 200 USD if serviced by others than apple)

 

[iFoure]

I love the old MBP. I have the old MBP (Mid 2010 13" 2.4gHz Core 2 Duo) and I'm seriously considering buying the not-as-old Mid 2012 non-Retina MBP as my newest "old" Macbook before Apple stops selling them...Why? Because my current MBP is "stuck" on 10.9.5 and I want to upgrade to El Capitan but most definitely need an Intel machine for that. For 1430€ I get a Macbook Pro (w/ i7) that I can upgrade myself to hold 16GB RAM and 500GB SSD. With this, I save a little under 1000€ when compared to a early 2015 Retina MBP w/ i5, 8GB RAM and 500GB Flash storage. The Non Retina with topped specs does not lose that much in performance when compared to a 2015 Retina. I lose the Retina screen of course, but laptop's overall performance means more to me than the screen. And I can keep the DVD drive, which I use a lot to watch movies and TV shows. For my needs, its a good purchase specially when my budget doesn't allow spending 2000€ for Retina. And there's a little bit of nostalgia with it: The Mid 2012 non-Retina MBP is last of its kind, Apple is most likely not gonna offer models than are be self upgradable ever again (it's been 4 years since...). So why not?

 

[ron1004]

Everyone read this article and then resume the debate. https://marco.org/2016/01/04/md101ll-a

Good article, even though its a little dated and a little exaggerated.

There's just no motivation for me to consider replacing my two MBP's, not that I dislike the latest models, but mine are performing well above my needs.

 

[cerberusss]

Good article, even though its a little dated and a little exaggerated.

It's written quite recently, January the 4th. Or do you feel the content itself was dated? If so, I'm curious what?

 

[vlug]

My main reason for still loving my 2011 MBP is the 17" screen

 

[Count Blah]

I would have purchased a new MBP. But since apple doesn't care about my desire to upgrade the components of my own machine, Apple is getting less money from me, not more.

But they don't care about my wishes. They only care about making the most $$$ possible on glued in components.

Hopefully my 15" 2012 cMBP with 16 gigs of ram and 1TB of ssd storage, keeps on trucking for a long time to come! All upgrading in the timeframe I chose, not Apple.

 

[Neodym]

I am saying that with the nMBP you never can upgrade to bigger SSDs later on - you are condamned to stick with your choice you did at the moment of purchase.

The SSD is plugged, not soldered and thus upgradeable later on. For machines prior to the PCIe-based SSD's (iirc the switch was made late 2013) you can even get 3rd party solutions (e.g. Transcend's Jetdrives) at a reasonable price.

AND you never can just bring your machine in for service without the SSD and continue to work with it on another machine - you have to let your personal data with it, whether you want it or not.

Not true - see above.
[doublepost=1452988083][/doublepost]

I'm seriously considering buying the [...] Mid 2012 non-Retina MBP [...] before Apple stops selling them...

... which is probably this year, together with the introduction of the new Skylake MBP's.