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My mid 2909 13" MBP runs like a champ still with no problems. Will be getting a new one soon although there are zero problems with mine. I just wNt a newer and faster one with a higher resolution screen and some more SSD space.
 
My 2007 Macbook Pro has lasted longer than this thread, and is still going strong. My four year old son is now eleven, and now uses it for his homework.

It's likely that you'll find an upgrade to newer technology compelling before your Macbook/Pro dies.
 
I've got a Macbook from 2008 that still works really well. Required a new battery. Pretty slow for today's apps, but still, works well.
 
My mid 2909 13" MBP runs like a champ still with no problems. Will be getting a new one soon although there are zero problems with mine. I just wNt a newer and faster one with a higher resolution screen and some more SSD space.


2909 was a good model year. They really ironed out the Time Machine kinks with that one.
 
My 2010 runs great, even with just 5GB of memory. It looks and works just the way I got it 4 years ago and it would probably last me more than double that amount of time.

However, I've become a frequent FCPX user and that app really brings the ageing Core 2 Duo to its knees. Working with high frame-rate clips is nearly impossible and exporting videos takes ages. I often leave my Mac transcoding over night, something that would only take a matter of minutes with Quick Sync enabled CPUs. Transferring large video files over USB 2 is also a real pain.

For those reasons I'm looking to upgrade to a 15" Broadwell machine when they hit the scene. Which is a shame because for anything else, the 2010 is just fine.
 
MBP Lifespan

Usually it is the battery or hard drive that fails on MacBook Pros. For a normal (no gaming; video editing; rendering; etc.) user the HDD will last four+ years. If you do intensive stuff you may have to replace parts sooner.

I have a Mid 2012 :apple:MacBook Pro as my main computer and it is still running like a charm.

I have several other MacBooks and iBooks, but the only reason I upgrade is due to the need of better specs.

If you take care of your Mac it just might outlast you.

So to answer your question MacBook Pros usually last 6+ years if you take care of them.
 
depends on how much you use it

heavy user? 2-3 years

moderate= 4-6 years

seldom? 10+ years
 
My 2007 top of the line MacBook Pro 17" lasted 7 years. Now this is even taking it to work every single day during those years, dropping it once, and fogging up the machine to the point where it stopped working, which happened twice (those deadly hot, humid, rainy summer nights in NYC). Damn, this computer was a trooper!

Two batteries bulged out and were replaced for free, the NVDIA graphics card croaked after three years and was replaced free no questions asked, and I upgraded the hard drive myself three times (original 160GB---->320GB---->500GB---->700GB hybrid).

Actually, the laptop still works (running Snow Leopard), but it will only do one thing: play movies from a DVD. And the CD/DVDS drive was never replaced or even serviced! Go figure.

A few months ago I bought a top of the line iMac, will be buying an iPhone 6+ before Christmas, hope to get an iPad Air 2 when they are released, and hope to replace my 2010 MacBook Air with a new Air, small MBP Retina, or one of those rumored 12" laptops.
 
My 2010 13" MBP is going strong, as is my 2009 Mac Mini. I also have a 2012 rMBP. So my oldest Mac is going on 5 years and I expect it to continue without any issues.
 
My 17" powerbook G4 aluminum circa 2003 still running strong - with 120 ATA SSD and newertech battery, it can handle all mundane tasks easily including the internet except sites that refuse to support the PPC platform (how dare someone not upgrade) such as Netflix.

My 17" MBP 2009 core2 duo 2.8ghz still plenty fast - 248 OWC SSD and optibay SSD, just replace the battery myself $100 - still a very serviceable usable machine in most all applications.

My 17: MBP late 2011 2.5ghz, 500 OWC SSD/ 1T optibay SSD, is blazing fast, can handle anything I throw at it, probably the last MBP I will ever buy since I like to have the option to upgrade or repair my computers myself and not be an ecosystem serf.

In other words the MBP lasts as long as you care for them/ or have the ability to service them. The retina MBP I would imagine they will last as long as applecare is available for them (which does not cover accidental btw where you would be sol) . But most would say that they would replace their macs within 3 years, so the aforementioned is moot to the masses.
 
It all depends, but I would say on average, 5-7 years for the average user. I had a 2007 Macbook Pro (The first) which was decent but had heat issues and logic board issues in just a few years.

I upgraded to a 2010 Macbook Pro. This machine has already outlasted my first by far and is still going strong. I want to upgrade, but I'm not able to justify it. I'll probably be in the market for a Skylake machine.
 
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