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How future proof is the new macbook pro?

U

Ubundows

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 2, 2008
78
0
I'm currently torn between getting a high end iMac and a low-end Macbook Pro with an external display. The first offers larger specs, the second offers portability.

However, thing is. I want my mac to last me a good 3 or 4 years before I swap it for a new model and I was wondering, does everyone think the 2.4ghz macbook pro will still be high enough spec to manage the software available then comfortably?
 
The original MacBook Pro is nearly 3 years old (2 years 8 months and 15 days to be precise) yet I'd still say its more than powerful enough for most users still. Hell, I'm currently using a MacBook 1.83GHz Core Duo. Its got very similar specs to the first MacBook Pro except for the lack of integrated graphics. My other machine is a quad Mac Pro and I certainly don't feel particularly underpowered when using my MacBook. I'm upgrading to a new MacBook Pro now largely due to wanting a larger screen, dedicated graphics and a three year warranty since I'll be doing a lot more work on it and want to make sure its covered.

Its hard to predict longer term than the age of the original MacBook Pro since it was PowerPC before then. I'd say that even the first gen MacBook Pros will be plenty fast enough for a few more years yet.

With the new MacBook Pro, you've also got the benefit that, chances are, they will not be redesigning the outside look of your machine for a good few years yet. Now is a great time to be buying a new MacBook Pro, in my opinion.

Edit: In two years time you'll probably be able to put in a couple of 4GB RAM chips and a 750GB 7200rpm SATA laptop drives, both of which will give the system a healthy speed boost and make it last even longer.
 
My mid 2006 mbp is 2.5 years into its life, and spends a lot of time hooked up up my ACD. It's still running fine, and I don't foresee any problems in the near future!
 
I would guess that it will be able to handle just about anything in 3 years time.. (I'm still using my 3 year old ibook.)
The thing is that it's going to be massively eclipsed by the latest models (obviously.) I tend to buy the lower spec models (ibook/macbook etc..) and still hope to get 3 years out of them. I think you will be fine with the macbookpro.
 
Well... My friend is still using an iMac G3. He runs PhotoShop CS2 and Office 2004 on OSX 10.4.11. All he had to do is stick a 512 MB DIMM of RAM in there.
 
FWIW...I have/had a 6 year old Acer that didnt have near the power of the MBP and it could still handle any of todays functions on minimal upgrades (ram mostly).
 
I would say for IT professionals you're looking at a good 3-5 years. For the power hungry, probably closer to 3. If you're just the generic Internet user - email, browser, photos, etc, I would say 5-7 years.

My family members fall into the generic category. Although they're using PC, one has has a computer handed down to them from 1999 I believe. Nearly 10 years old and it's perfectly fine for what they do. Again, it really comes down to the end-user and what they use it for.
 
macDonalds said:
I would say for IT professionals you're looking at a good 3-5 years. For the power hungry, probably closer to 3. If you're just the generic Internet user - email, browser, photos, etc, I would say 5-7 years.

My family members fall into the generic category. Although they're using PC, one has has a computer handed down to them from 1999 I believe. Nearly 10 years old and it's perfectly fine for what they do. Again, it really comes down to the end-user and what they use it for.
Click to expand...

Agree completely. You should expect to get three-five years easily out of a MBP, it's designed for that at least. Re future-proofing, nobody can predict exactly, but you can always sell it if something new and absolutely technologically stunning makes an appearance which means that you simply have to acquire it.
Cheers
 
I'm pretty sure that if you get a MBP, the future will still happen. So I'd say it isn't future proof at all. Unless you want proof there will be a future. But I don't know that it can definitively say that either.
 
When it comes to buying technology, your always going to be beating yourself over the head when the next best thing comes around. There are almost no exceptions. That said, because apple has no competition, (there's no such thing as another OSX manufacturer) really there computers maintain there value for a long time.
 
I have a 2GHz Core Duo MacBook that will be three years old soon (9 months) and it's still running smoothly. I can see it lasting at least another 2-3 years for the tasks that I do today.
 
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