Can a MacBook last for 10 years?

[crsh1976]

I have an old 2006 white Macbook at home, the battery is dead and the case looks like it's been through Hell, but for basic stuff it still works fine. The only thing that reminds me how old it is, is when I try to watch a video on Youtube - anything better than 360p quality will make it choke.

 

[Hieveryone]

I am about to update to El Capitan. Wish me luck. Will update after I do.

 

[bent christian]

What about time machine? I use that currently.

I don't use it. I don't know if you can go across versions of OSX with it.

 

[jgelin]

Multiply today's standard memory by 8-16 and storage by 5-10 (based on a conservative measurement of the growth rate RAM and storage has grown at over the past 20-25 years), in 2026 you'll be looking at low/mid-spec machines with ~64-128 GB of RAM and ~10 TB of solid state by 2026 at a guess. 2026 software will be written with those specs in mind.

*breathes heavily* This is the future I am more than ready for.

 

[Kuzbad]

2007 MBP 3,1 is my main computer still. Upgraded to 8gb ram and an SSD drive. I'm on my third or fourth battery, second keyboard (cat, water, bleh), 3rd logic board (first two replaced due to Nvidia self-destruct bug), 3rd power charger, I replaced one of the hinges, and I've had to replace one of the fans. The DVD drive is dead, but I never used that anyway. Oh yeah, and my two-year-old son knocked it off a table so many times that the frame around the monitor is broken, so I have to hold the bezel together with clamps. Other than that it works great!

I still vastly prefer that style trackpad with button to the newer trackpads. I also don't like the sharp edge on current MBP/rMBPs in the middle part of the case where my wrists go :-/

 

[AFEPPL]

No better or worse than any other device running any other OS...

 

[Meister]

Completely depends on what you are using it for.

 

[kschendel]

I have a 1999 Powerbook (Lombard / bronze keyboard) that still works, although the screen backlight is pretty dim. If I cared enough to replace the CCFL, I could probably use it for real work. On the other hand, some of the 2011 MBP's with the GPU solder issues are basically bricks waiting to happen. So it's impossible to answer a question like "will an MBP last 10 years" because there are way too many variables, and "MBP" is not a static well-defined thing.

 

[Hieveryone]

I am about to update to El Capitan. Wish me luck. Will update after I do.

I updated to El Capitan and had some glitches. Keychain kept asking for random passwords.

So I restored back to Mavericks via Time Machine.

BUT

I absolutely LOVE El Cap. It's faster than Mav for me. And it's super nice.

So I'm re-installing.

Wish me luck.

 

[Count Blah]

The misses is using a 2008 15" MBP. I upgraded the RAM to 8Gigs and put in an SSD. Still working pretty well for her.

 

[nStyle]

I think the case for buying a MBP within the past 4 years and it lasting for the next 6-10 is much more plausible than one purchased pre-retina. The reason is simple: PCs in general aren't progressing at the rate they were.

The difference in a 2008 machine and a 2012 machine is pretty significant (especially comparing a non-retina to retina) while the difference between a 2012 machine and the 2015 models are not nearly as significant. Then again, those older machines can be upgraded so it becomes an apples to oranges comparison.

Short answer: yes.

 

[Fthree]

have any of y'all had to use apple care on these items within the first 3 years? Debating on purchasing AC for my 2015 15 (the one year expires on the 25th)

 

[maxsix]

My late 2002 15" Titanium PowerBook is still performing very nicely!

Bought it brand new, on November 25 2002 from the Apple Store in Palo Alto. After a solid year of service as my primary laptop, I liked it so much I decided it was a keeper. Even though I have upgraded to a new Apple laptop every year since, the 2002 Titanium was too good to sell.

It's excellent ergonomics and fine keyboard are highlights I still enjoy. Using it for writing brings a big smile to my face.

 

[MRxROBOT]

This thread directed my curiosity to where Apple's flagship laptop the 15" MacBook Pro was 10 years ago. In 2006 Apple introduced the MacBook Pro, replacing the Powerbook G4. Could you see yourself using this MacBook Pro today? Here's a quick look at the specs from it's press release.

The 1.67 GHz, 15-inch MacBook Pro, for a suggested retail price of $1,999 (US), includes:

• 15.4-inch widescreen 1440 x 900 LCD display with 300 cd/m2 brightness;
• 1.67 GHz Intel Core Duo processor;
• 512MB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM, expandable to 2GB;
• 80GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;
• a slot-load SuperDrive™ (DVD±RW/CD-RW) optical drive;
• PCI Express-based ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 with 128MB GDDR3 memory;

The 1.83 GHz, 15-inch MacBook Pro, for a suggested retail price of $2,499 (US), includes:

• 15.4-inch widescreen 1440 x 900 LCD display with 300 cd/m2 brightness;
• 1.83 GHz Intel Core Duo processor;
• 1GB of 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM, expandable to 2GB;
• 100GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;
• a slot-load SuperDrive (DVD±RW/CD-RW) optical drive;
• PCI Express-based ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 with 256MB GDDR3 memory;

Additional build-to-order options for the 15-inch MacBook Pro include the ability to upgrade to 120GB (5400 rpm) or 100GB (7200 rpm) hard drive, and up to 2GB DDR2 SDRAM

Apple - Press Info - Apple Introduces MacBook Pro

 

[scupking]

Sure you can get 10 years out of one. I'm still running a 2010 13". Only thing I did was update the ram to 8 gbs(2010 13 can actually be expanded to 16gb) and put an ssd in it. I only use it for basic multimedia stuff, surfing the Internet and some music editing. Seems just as fast as it did when I first bought it.

 

[Coldmode]

Yes Mountain Lion was release in July 2012 and they stopped updating August 2015.

This gives us 3 years, so this will likely be the last year 🙁

So basically after this we will have to update OS, which means my late 2013 rMBP will become slow.

Am I right?

No, you're not right. I use El Cap same machine and it's blazing fast. 8GB of RAM and a fast SSD means the 2013 rMBPs will be fast for a long time.

 

[emilioestevez]

Yes.

 

[Fishrrman]

Earlier in the thread I mentioned that I had a mid-2010 13" MacBook Pro, still doing fine.

One of the reasons I believe it's still running as well as it does, is because I'm still using the original version of the OS that came with it -- 10.6.8.

I care -nothing- for the fact that Apple may no longer "support" this, it still runs fine, plays videos, does what I need, etc.

In fact, I believe this will boot up FASTER THAN -ANY- retina MacBook Pro out there. From the moment the Apple logo first "appears" to the finder, is roughly 5.5 seconds.

Why should I "move up" to a -slower- retina MacBook....? 😉

 

[LaCosta]

I just purchased a 2015 MBP and here is my take away from the above discussion. It is all about can the user handle the slowdown as the system is unable process the later OS releases. Not about the physical unit itself.

The question I have is...what is the inflection point of where there is a noticeable slowdown? To where it become unbearable. And when do everyone not update to the latest OS?

 

[iSheep5S]

Typing on a 2011 spotless MBA with 350 cycles running EL Capitan no sweat. Plenty of life left and blazing fast compared to the younger Windows machine I'm letting go.

I think modern machines are at a point where more power isn't needed. Case in point? rMB.

 

[snaky69]

I think modern machines are at a point where more power isn't needed. Case in point? rMB.

I wouldn't go as far as saying that unless all you do is basic computing.

I work in SolidWorks and SolidEdge and often push all cores on my work supplied quad-core laptop, with either CAD software using 6-8GB of RAM all by itself (we're not counting the OS here, just the CAD software itself).

It depends on what you do with the machine.

Outside of work, an iPad would probably suffice for my general computing needs, apart from the occasional (older) game session.

 

[Freyqq]

The hardware may last 10 years, but its performance might not meet your needs in 10 years.

 

[James_C]

I still use a 2006 Mac Pro, although it's no longer my main machine.

 

[emilioestevez]

I still use a 2006 Mac Pro, although it's no longer my main machine.

What's the latest OS X version that your machine supports?

 

[e93to]

Computers will last a lot longer than you think.

I have computers from 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2007, and they all still work