Planned obsolescence down to a science.
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15-Inch MacBook Pro With Touch Bar Has Non-Removable SSD
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Erm duplicating files? Running disk aggressive activity? Booting Virtual Machines? Loading gigabite sized sample libraries? Scrubbing 4k and 8k video streams? All these things benefit from faster speeds - even page files benefit from it.
To counter this I've never had a Hard Disk fail in any laptop I've ever owned. But ya know, this is all anecdotal stuff. The point is though SSD's and Hard Disks do fail and it's much cheaper to have them removable instead of paying upwards of $2,000 for an out of warranty repair. Same could be said for the RAM though that fails less often.
It's also annoying from an upgrade perspective or if your laptop gets damaged you have no way to get the files off the storage drive. Not everyone backs up every minute of the hour, you could be working on something important for many hours or a few days and lose it if you only backup once a week as an example.
If I bought the 512GB SSD model I'd think maybe in 2-3 years I could get the 2TB SSD and put that in, but I can't because not only did Apple not use standard M.2 on the previous models, on this model it's soldered making upgrades completely impossible even with companies like OWC offering aftermarket replacements.
LMAO
When you pay for the 'upgrade' in the MBP, it is not just the cost you see listed. It is an ADDITIONAL cost over the base model configuration. You have not included the hidden cost of the base model's SSD which Apple includes in the upgrade. For us who have bought Apple for 2+ decades we have always known about this gimmick. It's the new wave of fans who are clueless about it.
Then consider that customers will continue to pay the same price to Apple for the duration of the product cycle (which could last over a year), whereas PC customers will continue to see standard m.2 drives fall in price. They can upgrade when the cost best suits them. They could wait six months, pick up a pair of cheap 960 EVO, run them in RAID 0 in a machine like this...
http://www.razerzone.com/gaming-systems/razer-blade-pro
And they can continue to upgrade those standard m.2 slots. No overpriced soldered or proprietary drives hampering them.
Could you explain the $310 repair cost to me. For how long is that valid? Is it only if you have AppleCare? If my 2011 MBP's logic board died, I was under the presumption the cost would be a hell of a lot more? (until Apple obsoletes it of course)?
HA
Is that before or after you finish waiting for Apple to ditch the flat UI design?You know I'm wondering if it isn't just a matter of pure convenience which determines which items are or are not "throwaway" or "planned to be obsolete". iPad's and iPhones are sealed boxes which you can't upgrade. As are Apple Watches and MS Surface tablets. Despite being the very definition of throw away devices -- Instead, they're resellable, giftable, or anything else but.
No article has commented on the upgradeablity of the MS Surface Studio yet. To me it looks very much like a sealed box. But, ooooh, did I ever catch flak from someone here when I dared to call that $+4,000 all-in-one a throw away PC. Maybe the RAM and HDD can be accessed. But it's still four grand for last generation mobile graphics. And for 4 grand, why isn't the hockey puck included? At the very least, it brings in needed visual looks and style. Even minimalism. All of which Apple routinely gets criticized for.
But also their PC is basically worthless at the end of its life cycle, they might get a couple of hundred for it if lucky, most have fallen apart. Where as every Mac i've ever had has been sold for at least 50% of its value, more if I sell them faster. Like iPads and iPhones, they're always worth something.
No AppleCare required. As long as there is no accident damage it's $310 flat rate. Google "Apple flat rate depot repair."
The biggest point of contention here is that SSD failure stats are moot here.
Anything that goes wrong with the logic board will probably merit replacement, which will result in data loss since you can't get to the SSD separately.
You need to get out more - lots of folks using older computers.
I still can't believe my $250 netbook outlasted my last ($1,999) Apple laptop.
Then factor in how much time you weren't without your laptop while Apple order in the exact logic board you need with BTO options instead of doing what you did.
If RAM and storage were configurable, they'd only need to carry about 3 models of logic board as replacements.
To me this is what differentiates the iOS line from the MacOS line. iPads and iPhones are consumer devices that you plan to replace frequently, so having a limited life span with built-in obsolescence is part of the life cycle that you come to expect. A Macbook Pro is a much more expensive outlay (with a 'Pro' price tag to match) so you expect it to be an investment that will have some longevity - so expandability and serviceability is important. If Apple expects us to replace it as often as we change our iPhones/iPads they need to SERIOUSLY lower the price, in order to convey this is a low cost commodity item with a shortened life span.
Apple are wanting to have their cake and eat it too, buy giving us less and charging us more for it. I'm sure Tim Cook is rubbing his hands with glee...
Main issue is Apple thinks "Pro" means it merits "Pro" prices, when in reality their chips and parts are off the shelf! My 2010 Macbook Pro upgrade in memory 8GB - $40 on Newegg, $200 from Apple, 1TB drive was $100 from anywhere except Apple - over $400. Now they want to charge us $1200 for a PCIe 2 TB drive, over priced RAM and 2TB SSD. I for one waited forever for a mediocre upgrade may have to switch back to normal PC based "Pro" version laptop running Linux and I am an iOS developer. Sad options for your faithful consumers Apple!!!
This argument is a bit narrow, I think.
While it's true that Macs hold their value amazingly well, your argument is valid if you are in a constant/periodic upgrade cycle. As an Apple user, this makes sense, and Apple is counting on it as well, which is why they do this. They "lock you in".
That said, a machine that is easily repaired (like the Blade Pro) can be kept running for many, many years fairly easily. Hell, the base specs on a machine like that far exceed anything Apple will put out in the next 3-5 years, if ever. The fact that Msoft supports machines basically forever is another factor, plus, there's always Linux. So the reliability factor is somewhat mitigated.
Granted, this is not the machine for the target Apple user: one who is confortable with buying a car with a sealed hood, unlike a lot of people here. Apple is just pushing us technical folks out, is all. Which makes this so frustrating and we come here to vent.
If Apple had built a Blade Pro, I would have sold my soul to get it so I can finally retire my 2011 17"...it's that perfect (but Windows
).But alas, now I have to take a chance on it (it's still at the very top of my list).
I have done it on every single desktop and laptop I have ever owned (29+ years). I've even done it on a $250 netbook (which outlasted my $1,999 Apple Macbook Pro).
Fast forward a couple of years when other storage is available (perhaps faster, > 2TB, cheaper) and it might feel awkward to not be able to swap your device out. And cheers to those who pointed out you won't be able to pull the drive or data off after a mother board dies.
These drives will wear out at some point, yes? I've got a machine now that needs a new SSD and I can do that for much less than a new machine. Remember many Apple machines live long after Apple Care expires or they end-of-life the machine (usually 5 years) and no longer carry parts.
Lost data and lost flexibility outweigh a slight (temporary) relative drive speed advantage. Frustrating enough to have to commit to data storage on a phone. This is my laptop. Still different to me.
These drives will wear out at some point, yes? I've got a machine now that needs a new SSD and I can do that for much less than a new machine. Remember many Apple machines live long after Apple Care expires or they end-of-life the machine (usually 5 years) and no longer carry parts.
Lost data and lost flexibility outweigh a slight (temporary) relative drive speed advantage. Frustrating enough to have to commit to data storage on a phone. This is my laptop. Still different to me.
That is because you haven't thought it through. Usage changes over time.
When I got my last Apple Laptop, I got what I thought at the time was more capacity than I would ever need.
Then I purchased a 3d art app called Poser. It didn't take long for me to need both more memory and more HDD space. Having to carry around extra external HDs kinda defeats the purpose of having a portable computer, does it not?
How many times would someone need to go into an easily replaceable and usually free with a plan iPhone?
The hard drive at least shouldn't be soldered on, that's ridiculous. In terms of environmental disposal, all components should be easily removed, Apple is a total failure right now in this regard.
I don't remember Jobs going around supporting candidates and having fund raisers. Cook is an imbecile
Available only in the US and Japan. Everyone else can either buy a new MBP, pay the equivalent for an out of warranty repair or try taking Apple through the courts.
That would be a huge step backwards. Are you certain there is no longer the ability to boot into target disk mode to troubleshoot and recover data?