I have an Early 2011 13" MacBook Pro (2.3 GHz i5), 16 GB RAM (user installed), 1 TB SSD (Samsung; user installed). It's definitely been a very reliable machine for years, and I still use it to run one of my home businesses, store my media library, and general files central storage bc of the 1 TB hard drive. However…
Issues
–The DVD drive doesn't work anymore (I replaced it a few years ago bc it was failing)
–The Thunderbolt port doesn't work (if you don't have it plugged in just right it'll not show up on external monitors, and even if you do get it right, it will have lots of artifacting *if* you're lucky enough to even get an image on the external monitor)
–Replaced the trackpad with a trackpad from the White Unibody MacBook (so it functions exactly the same, just has a white trackpad instead of silver)
–Battery is user-replaced (I think NuPower or something, I don't remember the brand) but it only lasts about 2~ hours on a full charge, if that. ALSO, if it's not plugged in, even when closed/asleep, the laptop battery will drain quite fast (much faster than I remember it doing when it was older). It's on 10.12.6, FWIW.
I've put a bit of money into this machine and am not sure if it's really worth it to sell it/upgrade. It's occasionally nice to do a little bit of light gaming, but even that is pretty poor bc of the awful integrated Intel 3000. Otherwise, it works fine for what I use it for (although my plan to turning it into a sole desktop is kind of foiled bc of the malfunctioning Thunderbolt port). Any opinions on whether it's worth selling to have money to put toward an upgrade, or some suggestions for ways to get a few more years out of it? (i.e., ways to fix the battery dying so quickly (esp when sleeping), ways to fix the Thunderbolt port (if possible, I think it's not bc I understand it's on the motherboard)).
Thanks!
Issues
–The DVD drive doesn't work anymore (I replaced it a few years ago bc it was failing)
–The Thunderbolt port doesn't work (if you don't have it plugged in just right it'll not show up on external monitors, and even if you do get it right, it will have lots of artifacting *if* you're lucky enough to even get an image on the external monitor)
–Replaced the trackpad with a trackpad from the White Unibody MacBook (so it functions exactly the same, just has a white trackpad instead of silver)
–Battery is user-replaced (I think NuPower or something, I don't remember the brand) but it only lasts about 2~ hours on a full charge, if that. ALSO, if it's not plugged in, even when closed/asleep, the laptop battery will drain quite fast (much faster than I remember it doing when it was older). It's on 10.12.6, FWIW.
I've put a bit of money into this machine and am not sure if it's really worth it to sell it/upgrade. It's occasionally nice to do a little bit of light gaming, but even that is pretty poor bc of the awful integrated Intel 3000. Otherwise, it works fine for what I use it for (although my plan to turning it into a sole desktop is kind of foiled bc of the malfunctioning Thunderbolt port). Any opinions on whether it's worth selling to have money to put toward an upgrade, or some suggestions for ways to get a few more years out of it? (i.e., ways to fix the battery dying so quickly (esp when sleeping), ways to fix the Thunderbolt port (if possible, I think it's not bc I understand it's on the motherboard)).
Thanks!
