Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Anyone have a macbook pro that lasted for more than 4+ years?

Still Going Strong

I bought the first generation MacBook Pro after Apple started to use Intel Chips and it is still going without a single problem. I have since upgraded because I wanted a longer lasting battery but I sold it to a good friend of mine that still uses it every day. My old roommate's iBook G4 which is a year or more older than my first MBP is still going as well.
 
NickZac said:
I think that wins that prize. How much RAM does it have? Between 8-24MB? HD around 2-3GB? IIRC when I had a laptop in that power range those were the ballpark specs.
Click to expand...

It has 16MB RAM and 2GB HDD, my 133Mhz edition of the same machine, which I also use has 12MB and a 1.3GB HDD (The 166 runs OS 8.5, the 133 runs OS7.6 - both with AppleWorks 5, BBEdit Lite etc - all nicely configured for coding and typing :) oh and it has CodeWarrior on it :cool:
 
The technology of 1989 and still running strong (Macintosh Portable)

16MHz Motorola 68000 Processor
Lead-Acid Battery
40MB Conner Hard Disk Drive
4MB RAM (upgraded from 1MB)
System 7 (upgraded from 6.0.4)

portable7.jpg
 
WardC said:
The technology of 1989 and still running strong (Macintosh Portable)

16MHz Motorola 68000 Processor
Lead-Acid Battery
40MB Conner Hard Disk Drive
4MB RAM (upgraded from 1MB)
System 7 (upgraded from 6.0.4)

portable7.jpg
Click to expand...

Aaahhh but do you actually use it regularly?? (For instance I wouldnt want anything older than a PB500 series as a carry around these days - 100 series cant do very much, and the Portable isnt exactly light)
 
I sold that machine last month on eBay for about $587.00. It is the rare backlit model with a fully rebuilt battery. I owned both the M5120 and the M5126 and sold them both. It was purchased for about $350.00 two years prior. It's only good for demonstration purposes and a collector's item. It will run ClarisWorks, MacDraw, MacWrite, and MacPaint. It will run basic programs that run on a Motorola 68000 and simple apps for System 7. Not really efficient for getting real work these days, but nonetheless fun to play with. The active-matrix backlit display on that model is excellent!!
 
I have a late 2003 17" PowerBook that is still running strong....although it's been a backup (on once or twice a month) laptop since last May...

It's on all original parts (except for upgraded RAM), HD still running strong with 4 fresh installs.

...thinking about turning that machine into a media center with an external HD attached to it...
 
I'm hoping to still be running this laptop four years from now :)

Purchased a 13" last fall, here's to the next four years :apple:
 
WardC said:
I sold that machine last month on eBay for about $587.00. It is the rare backlit model with a fully rebuilt battery. I owned both the M5120 and the M5126 and sold them both. It was purchased for about $350.00 two years prior. It's only good for demonstration purposes and a collector's item. It will run ClarisWorks, MacDraw, MacWrite, and MacPaint. It will run basic programs that run on a Motorola 68000 and simple apps for System 7. Not really efficient for getting real work these days, but nonetheless fun to play with. The active-matrix backlit display on that model is excellent!!
Click to expand...

I would so take that to a large lecture of 300+ students, sit in the bottom front row, set up camp, and go to town... if I still was in a class like that. :(
 
Mine's a little over 4 years old (Nov 2006) and is on its third battery and third DVD drive. My first two batteries were from Apple but now I have a Newer Tech one in there. It's been fine so far :)
 
I have a 15" & a 17" 2006 MBP. All I've done is upgrade the ram on each as soon as I received them from Apple. Now they're spares. In my experience if you're careful how you handle it, using a good case, they're very reliable. I carry a MBP every day. While anything is possible I've had a total of seven new MBP's and not one has experienced a hardware failure.
 
Looon said:
If you baby it you might get 4 years otherwise expect problems. This isn't a macbook thing though this is all laptops, expect 2-2.5 years with no problems and if you get more be pleasantly surprised otherwise just be ready
Click to expand...

well my HP laptop 17 inch lasted 4.5 years and the only problem with it is the fans and the hinge.. other than that it is still usable.

I am only asking this because I expect the Macbook pro to be of exceptionally higher quality than the HP laptop.
 
Not really a Macbook Pro, but I have had my Powerbook G4 last 5 years before it finally died last week, not all Mac products are lemons and don't worry about things.

You can also purchase Applecare for 3 years of maintenance just in case you need it also.
 
heh it seems that the IMAC is doing much better quality wise than the macbook pro.

Wonder why. 0.0
 
Nov 2006 and still going strong

My 17" Nov 2006 C2D is still going strong. On its second battery and a newer bigger, faster hard drive. I will give it to my dad when my new Sandy Bridge machine arrive later (hopefully not too much later) this year.
 
NickZac said:
I would so take that to a large lecture of 300+ students, sit in the bottom front row, set up camp, and go to town... if I still was in a class like that. :(
Click to expand...

If I can find the money before June, I may have to take one of these to a class of 300+ students (Im still in a class like that... :D) - and see just how many odd, quizzical looks (If I do find the cash, I shall report back :D)
 
Looon said:
If you baby it you might get 4 years otherwise expect problems. This isn't a macbook thing though this is all laptops, expect 2-2.5 years with no problems and if you get more be pleasantly surprised otherwise just be ready
Click to expand...

Facts? From the number of posts saying otherwise I think this is incorrect. Most people who replace their computers they do so because they say it "runs too slow." That problem is all the craptastic software and bloatware that gets installed.

Will MBP's have problems like other computers? Sure? But to the extent of others? No way.
 
This thread really needs a poll. I want to buy a MBP but it seems like they do not last that long. I am still using a business class HP that is over 5 years old, not one problem and still runs perfectly as my primary computer. I have even older IBM Thinkpads that still run just fine.

It seems like a similarly priced PC might be a better choice for quality...but maybe the resale value of a Mac makes up for the difference?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back