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

How long do you keep your macbook pro for?

The Game 161

The Game 161

macrumors Nehalem
Original poster
Dec 15, 2010
31,603
20,849
UK
I bought my 2017 macbook pro with touch bar october 2017 and plan to keep it for at least next 5-6 years. Only only products i don't upgrade every year is my apple TV which does what it needs to do so won't upgrade until it stops working. Same with my macbook pro. Does upgrading more often more of a need for you?
 
Until it stops serving its purpose. I am typing this on a 2014 macbook pro 15 in. and my niece is using my 2012 13 inch (I upgraded for the bigger screen).
 
My 2011 15" MBP, purchased new in April, 2011, just died for good this past Monday, so that's right at 7 years. Upgrading the RAM to 16g and swapping the mechanical drive for an SSD a few years ago definitely helped extend its lifespan.

I have no expectation that its replacement will last 7 years, though. If I can get 4+ out of it, I'll be thrilled.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Papanate
I’m still using a late 2008 aluminum macbook. It’s showing it’s age, but I dint have a need for a new one.
 
I started with a 2011 15" MBP. When the 2016's came out, I invested in a 2016 13", since I carry it back and forth daily. The 2011 was showing its age, so I swapped out the HDD for an SSD and kept it docked at home. It was great, but the logic board crapped out (second time) and Apple will no longer service it, so it's fully dead after 6 years. My 2016 is a baseline model, so I'd be quite pleased to pull 6 years out of it. I'd like to get a desktop at home before then, which might help stretch the lifetime a bit longer.
 
2014 mid 13" base model with 16gb of ram and 128 ssd. Battery cycle shows 195 and health %92-3~. The only regret is the SSD. If I find a cheap replacement used ssd (512GB-1TB) I will consider upgrade. I have paired it with a 1080p monitor and magic keyboard-mouse set. It still runs so silent and cool.
 
I have a non-retina 13" mid-2012 MacBook Pro. At the end of 2016, I installed a 1TB SSD and increased the RAM to 16GB.

If it develops a problem, I'll have to compare the repair costs with upgrading to a 15".

Either way, I'll keep it until dies.

bumeister said:
My 2011 15" MBP, purchased new in April, 2011, just died for good this past Monday, so that's right at 7 years. Upgrading the RAM to 16g and swapping the mechanical drive for an SSD a few years ago definitely helped extend its lifespan.

I have no expectation that its replacement will last 7 years, though. If I can get 4+ out of it, I'll be thrilled.
Click to expand...

What failed in it?
 
Till it either dies, or the new one has a feature I need. No features that I “need” have come out in the past 6 or 7 years. ‘Want” is a different story. Maybe 2018 will be different, but I kinda doubt it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: interstella
2011+2013 MBPs both running strong. No plans to get rid of either until they are irreparably broken.
 
every year - treat them like a rental.
Basically works out at about the cost of a coffee a day.
not bad seeing they earn me money.
 
Unless a newer model has a new feature I need or, more realistically, want then 2-3 years.
 
anyjungleinguy said:
I have a non-retina 13" mid-2012 MacBook Pro. At the end of 2016, I installed a 1TB SSD and increased the RAM to 16GB.

If it develops a problem, I'll have to compare the repair costs with upgrading to a 15".

Either way, I'll keep it until dies.



What failed in it?
Click to expand...

Logic board, for the second time. First time it was fixed under the "quality program," but the early 2011 MBPs are officially end of support, so if I wanted to get it fixed I'd have to have used a third party shop. I just decided after seven years and two failed logic boards, it was time to let it go.
 
You could keep them longer in the past. I find the newer models are too expensive to repair so keeping them longer than the warranty period isn't the necessarily the smartest move but depending how it goes it could work for you.
 
Till they fix the damn keyboard and put 6 cores in the 15" MBP.

Else I just keep using my 15" 2013 Haswell MBP which is still just as fast as the 2017 15" MBP.
 
I update when I can't run critical software anymore because the Mac is too old and I can't update the OSX. Or...they add some must have hardware that is so cool and useful I simply must have it. Come to think of it, it's been a long time since that has happened.

I got 9 years out of my 17" MBP and would have loved to continue using indefinitely but could not update the OSX and therefore could not update my critical apps. It was working just fine after replacing the HDD with an SSD.
 
1. Got a 2009 MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo 2.26 GHz with 2 GB and HD. Still have it, but I put an SSD and 4 GB RAM in it, and then to 8 GB RAM. It's a secondary laptop now.

2. Bought a 2008 MacBook Core 2 Duo 2.0 GHz in 2017, and use it in the kitchen, after upgrading to SSD and 8 GB RAM. Typing on it right now. (Actually, I had upgraded just to 4 GB RAM since I had 4 GB lying around unused from the above MBP, but I lucked out on a sale of brand new 8 GB Transcend RAM for US$35, so I jumped on that.)

3. Bought a 2017 MacBook Core m3. Since I can't upgrade it, I got it with 16 GB RAM.

All machines are in my sig. All are running High Sierra. In fact, I bought the 2008 MacBook last year because I knew I could put High Sierra on it.
 
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