I have a MacBook Pro and have done a lot of heavy video and photo editing. The fan is on a lot of the time and seems like I’m working the computer hard. It’s also a 2012 model. I’m wondering if this heavy usage actually causes damage to the graphics card, processor, RAM or anything else or if the computer is getting slower because of its age and specs being outdated.
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Does heavy use actually wear out and harm your computer?
- Thread starter ndphoto
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Does your MacBook Pro have an HDD or SSD? If it has an HDD, then that could indeed be a bottleneck at some point, if it isn’t already. Swapping the HDD for an SSD will speed things up quite a bit. Otherwise, I don’t think there is anything to worry about.
Any use at all (and time) will cause damage and wear to your machine. Whether heavier workloads cause more damage is questionable. It is true that higher temperatures (normally associated with heavier workloads) will accelerate the rate at which electronics deteriorates, but there is no evidence I am aware of that this is actually relevant to personal computing.
so In the end, use your computer as you need and don’t worry about these things.
so In the end, use your computer as you need and don’t worry about these things.
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I’m really just trying to understand how the electronics work and what, if anything, causes them to slow down or deteriorate over time.
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Is it accurate to say that heavier use and workloads would accelerate any deterioration faster than regular used would?
Over 25 years I have had 1 drive failure, 1 power supply failure. Countless PC's, Laptops and Macs. The next person will tell you never to buy a Mac as every one they bought fails. Another will tell you never to buy a particular brand of x component as theirs all fail.
Or another example, I have web servers located in London docklands, running constant 24/7, one is 8 years old, so that is 71,000 hours constant use, never powered off, not a single issue. Another server 4 hard drive failure in the space of 5 months.
Heavier use in my experience does not mean it will fail faster, but it in every case it depends on the quality of the build, that is not to say heavier use causes failure, cheaper, less durable components will at the same time regardless of use.
As mentioned above, is it measurable? No. Plenty of stats out there but you can't take, say 100 drive failures and link the cause unless every single one was doing the exact same processing.
Or another example, I have web servers located in London docklands, running constant 24/7, one is 8 years old, so that is 71,000 hours constant use, never powered off, not a single issue. Another server 4 hard drive failure in the space of 5 months.
Heavier use in my experience does not mean it will fail faster, but it in every case it depends on the quality of the build, that is not to say heavier use causes failure, cheaper, less durable components will at the same time regardless of use.
As mentioned above, is it measurable? No. Plenty of stats out there but you can't take, say 100 drive failures and link the cause unless every single one was doing the exact same processing.
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It is helpful. I'm trying to show you that you must use your device the way you intend to and not being worried about consequences.
Marginal if any at all, the caveat being adequate cooling is maintained (so never with Macs). Generally the issues that arise as a result of this are seen with acute failure rather than gradual decay, even with parts that are known to decay with use (batteries etc).
Should be noted that dust accumulation can also have a major impact on performance and temps too.
Yes, plus OS other software based issues that persist over the years - few do clean installs as recommended with major OS changes.
These machines were made to be used and exploited, not guarded and watched like a baby. Use your device as much as you need, and stop worrying about such things.
The reason that your 2012 MBP is working hard is that newer OS is more of a challenge to run. Try roll back to 10.7, and you’ll see the different story.
The reason that your 2012 MBP is working hard is that newer OS is more of a challenge to run. Try roll back to 10.7, and you’ll see the different story.