I got my first Mac about a month ago (specs in sig). I've been told that if something goes wrong, the repair costs are much higher for these Macs vs. PCs. My question is, how long can I expect to keep this laptop without having issues/repairs if I take care of it properly? I've seen people still using 2012-2013 MacBooks so I guess there is hope?
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How reliable is the MacBook Pro?
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One major drawback is that everything is built in, including the storage. The real question is going to be what you plan to do with it. Given you have the 14 inch version it's likely to run hot while under load. Apple computers will wear out faster when pushed to capacity... often favoring overheating than running that pesky fan all the time.
I would probably say you can expect at least five years if there are no manufacturing defects. And if well taken care of, the computer can very realistically endure more than ten years. Again these have the SSD built in and those do have a limited number of read/write cycles. If you do this heavily those will limit the lifespan no matter what else you do.
Unless you experience a hardware failure, you can expect your new Mac to last 7 or more years.
Thanks.
I made a thread about excessive writes to the SSD on macOS: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/what-causes-excessive-writes-to-ssd-on-macos.2413969/
Basically, people said "extreme" writes to the SSD are normal on macOS. I've had my MacBook Pro powered on for 8 days straight now and looking at Activity Monitor I have done 114 GB of writes when all I have really been doing during this time is browsing the Internet with Safari.
Looking at the "Data received" in the Network tab of Activity Monitor, it says I have received almost 70 GB of data. Isn't that really high?
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My neighbor is using the MacBook Pro from 2012 the 13" non retina model.
everything works great, Catalina is still worthy in 2023 and '24.
my MacBook Air 2010 11" is still functional, but is sitting in a box incase I need to use photoshopC4.
in 2019 I purchased a delll XPS 13" 3980? which was shipped back to the recycling center.
everything broke in 2021 (usb ports, bluetooth) except for the screen
and trying to get a replant battery from them was a nosebleed.
they finally accepted this piece of junk after many emails and curse words.
anyways Apple is jut better now since there is no butterfly keyboards or flaky film peeling from the screen.
and their customer support cares more than any other company I dealt with this year.
I hoped this helped!
everything works great, Catalina is still worthy in 2023 and '24.
my MacBook Air 2010 11" is still functional, but is sitting in a box incase I need to use photoshopC4.
in 2019 I purchased a delll XPS 13" 3980? which was shipped back to the recycling center.
everything broke in 2021 (usb ports, bluetooth) except for the screen
and trying to get a replant battery from them was a nosebleed.
they finally accepted this piece of junk after many emails and curse words.
anyways Apple is jut better now since there is no butterfly keyboards or flaky film peeling from the screen.
and their customer support cares more than any other company I dealt with this year.
I hoped this helped!
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I have a late 2012 iMac, and a late 2013 MBP, both working fine. I did get a battery swap on the 2013 MBP about 3-4 years ago, but then it quickly retired when the M1 MBPs released.
Daughter's M1 MBAir - fine.
My M1 14" MBP - fine.
Wife's M1 16" MBP - complete failure one day after about 8 months. It was sitting on table, and she just tried to open a pdf of my daughter's homework. Screen went black. Attaching power cable, it had no effect. No orange or green light. Computer still not working. Completely dead. The not even acknowledging a power cable was attached surprised Apple's Geniuses. It was under warranty, so fixed for free, but it was estimated to be several thousand to fix if they found a reason to invalidate the warranty, such as the indication of water, etc.
So yeah, they tend to last a long time, but if they do die, they're ridiculously expensive to fix.
Daughter's M1 MBAir - fine.
My M1 14" MBP - fine.
Wife's M1 16" MBP - complete failure one day after about 8 months. It was sitting on table, and she just tried to open a pdf of my daughter's homework. Screen went black. Attaching power cable, it had no effect. No orange or green light. Computer still not working. Completely dead. The not even acknowledging a power cable was attached surprised Apple's Geniuses. It was under warranty, so fixed for free, but it was estimated to be several thousand to fix if they found a reason to invalidate the warranty, such as the indication of water, etc.
So yeah, they tend to last a long time, but if they do die, they're ridiculously expensive to fix.
Many, likely most, Macs last long time and they are retired due to their obsolescence, not due to failure. I have retired most macs in the last 15 years or so (10-15 home & work) while they were still working fine, but did not get OS upgrades anymore or just we wanted new hardware. I still keep few old Macs on shelf in working order "just in case".
But the problem with Macs is, that - as mentioned above - their construction is more or less as one piece and even expected maintenance = battery replacement, is ugly procedure best done by Apple or at least professional. Therefore, if anything happens, the cost of repairs is typically higher than in mostly modular PC world. There are PCs which are about same difficult to repair design, but typical consumer PC is much easier to repair and parts are cheaper also.
You can expect long use from your Mac, but do not get surprised if you have bad luck and your device fails early. All electronics, independent of manufacturer and perceived quality, can and does fail. Probabilities are not public, but I have seen estimates in 1-15 % for various manufacturers (Apple being on low side), but depends on definition what failure is etc.
If you cannot afford to pay for replacement after warranty expires, consider/evaluate Apple Care.
But the problem with Macs is, that - as mentioned above - their construction is more or less as one piece and even expected maintenance = battery replacement, is ugly procedure best done by Apple or at least professional. Therefore, if anything happens, the cost of repairs is typically higher than in mostly modular PC world. There are PCs which are about same difficult to repair design, but typical consumer PC is much easier to repair and parts are cheaper also.
You can expect long use from your Mac, but do not get surprised if you have bad luck and your device fails early. All electronics, independent of manufacturer and perceived quality, can and does fail. Probabilities are not public, but I have seen estimates in 1-15 % for various manufacturers (Apple being on low side), but depends on definition what failure is etc.
If you cannot afford to pay for replacement after warranty expires, consider/evaluate Apple Care.
114GB written out of which at least 70GB were downloaded data, such as video/streaming, perhaps an initial OS update when you received the device, maybe iCloud sync or some other app sync and so on. Activity Monitor tells you which app downloaded the most data, so you can find out the reason right there. 70GB is relatively high but if you haven't rebooted in weeks just browsing will easily do that as even shorter simple youtube videos are now a couple GB in size in high quality.
In any case, you do not have to worry about it as the SSD has a write endurance so high you could keep this up for 10 years before you start approaching the limits of what the specs say. If the Mac dies it's much more likely to die from a different hardware defect.
Some of these Macbooks have died from dust shorting something out on the logic board, so the hardware design isn't all that great. As long as they work they are wonderful and very capable machines, but knowing that if you are unlucky simple dust buildup can kill it, that is something I do not like about Apple. The likelihood of it happening isn't high or anything, but other laptop manufacturers aren't susceptible to dying from dust. It's quite ridiculous. Then again, other laptops have their own issues and of course most don't come with the high-end hardware or MacOS.
Regarding SSD usage: Read/write capacity is extremely high, and isn't something you should be thinking about. It should have about 256 TB written in each cell (https://www.enterprisestorageforum.com/hardware/ssd-lifespan-how-long-will-your-ssd-work/). For most users, the machine will stop being usable long before the drive gives out. There's also wear leveling too. If you're using the machine professionally (think: video production, graphic design, etc), it's best practice to keep the information you're working on external hard drives.
Regarding longevity. They last a very long time, if taken care of physically. A good rule of thumb is:
7 years of MacOS Support from the time the machine is first sold. So until around 2031.
2 years of security patches after MacOS Support ends (but it won't be fully secure). So until around 2033. This is probably the absolute cutoff point for most people because it'll be difficult to connect iPhones/ Apple Watches/ Vision Pros/ whatever to the Mac.
3 years of mainstream browsers support after security patches are no longer supported. So until around 2035.
2 years of continue being able to access financial and other high security websites on unsupported browsers (it takes time to update websites to new standards). So until around 2037.
10 years (or thereabouts) of accessing websites with degrading abilities as retro computing enthusiasts develop special browsers for unsupported systems (think TenFourFox for PowerPC G4 processors). So until around 2047.
10 years after that to access wi-fi networks. New standards will come along, and eventually MacOS won't be able to connect to the wifi network. So until around 2057. At that point, the machine is pretty much worthless.
Or, to use a scary analogy (because of how old it is), it's like trying to connect to the internet and use a Powerbook 5300 today (released 29 years ago).
But worrying about SSD or hardware failure should be the last thing on your mind.
Regarding longevity. They last a very long time, if taken care of physically. A good rule of thumb is:
7 years of MacOS Support from the time the machine is first sold. So until around 2031.
2 years of security patches after MacOS Support ends (but it won't be fully secure). So until around 2033. This is probably the absolute cutoff point for most people because it'll be difficult to connect iPhones/ Apple Watches/ Vision Pros/ whatever to the Mac.
3 years of mainstream browsers support after security patches are no longer supported. So until around 2035.
2 years of continue being able to access financial and other high security websites on unsupported browsers (it takes time to update websites to new standards). So until around 2037.
10 years (or thereabouts) of accessing websites with degrading abilities as retro computing enthusiasts develop special browsers for unsupported systems (think TenFourFox for PowerPC G4 processors). So until around 2047.
10 years after that to access wi-fi networks. New standards will come along, and eventually MacOS won't be able to connect to the wifi network. So until around 2057. At that point, the machine is pretty much worthless.
Or, to use a scary analogy (because of how old it is), it's like trying to connect to the internet and use a Powerbook 5300 today (released 29 years ago).
But worrying about SSD or hardware failure should be the last thing on your mind.
MacBook Pro is very reliable for me. It has been over 7 years and still going well. Keep calm, your MacBook Pro and be happy!😊 Life is too short to be unhappy and not enjoying what we get or have!
Macs, especially laptops, tend to last a very long time. Everything being solid state and tightly packaged in an aluminum unibody helps make sure nothing can loosen over time, so as long as you are careful not to damage it with liquids or impact to the screen or other more vulnerable areas, it should last you 8-10 years with minimal or no trouble. We're past the days of HDD failure or overheating Intel chips not made to last in Apple's thin enclosures. AppleCare covers me for the first 3 years, but usually the only issue with my Mac laptops has been battery degradation once they are 6-8 years old. Apple's price for battery replacement is steep compared to swappable batteries in some laptops, but still not horrible. I think I paid $200 to replace the battery in my 2016 MBP, and in that model that got me a fresh new top case/keyboard assembly.
It's no more reliable than any other electronic device. a $300 laptop may last for years without a single issue whilst a $3k Macbook could fail in a few months and vice versa.
MacBooks fail in large numbers, don't believe anyone who says any different. Just because one person has never had an issue does not mean that for everyone. But that is the same for any electronic device.
I have had many that lasted 10 years, others less than 2. Just take reasonable care of it and the rest is down to fate.
MacBooks fail in large numbers, don't believe anyone who says any different. Just because one person has never had an issue does not mean that for everyone. But that is the same for any electronic device.
I have had many that lasted 10 years, others less than 2. Just take reasonable care of it and the rest is down to fate.
In 20+ years of owning Macs I only had to have to recycle one MacBook Air (the OG) because it didn’t work anymore. For the rest they are all still running at friends and family.
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A family member has my 2015 15" MBP with Monterey and still going strong coming up on 9 years this summer. My 2019 just passed the 4 year mark in October, still going strong. I expect another 4 years out of it minimum. The 2TB SSD in my 2019 has about 60TB lifetime data written after 4 years (and I always wipe and reload macOS and all my data and VMs when a new OS comes out, so my lifetime writes are on the higher side after 4 years). If we can expect around 256TB of write life for the SSD, I should get around 16 years total at my current write rate before the SSD fails from wear. By then I should be on an M10 Max or something and the 2019 will be kept in a drawer for sentimental reasons and to revisit the Intel era.
Macs in my experience are very reliable. That being said, when we say they are reliable it is on a population-level. Nothing is perfect and neither are Macs, so an early issue/failure is always possible on an individual level. Also a realistic lifespan for a computer is 5 years. Lots of people are using Macs from 2012 and even earlier in some cases, but to expect that as the norm is just being silly to be honest. Every year you get out of it past 5-6 years is a bonus, and shouldn't be the expectation. I know people might not want to hear that, especially given the cost of these devices, but its the truth.
You also have to compare Apple to its competitors when discussing reliability. Even on the high end, I've always had issues with Windows machines past 3-4 years of use. Maybe I'm biased, and maybe Windows 10/11 have solved a lot of the software issues that used to be the problem, so take my opinion as exactly that, my opinion. Objectively speaking though, Apple's support is great and if you live in a major center its easy to bring your machine into an Apple store in person for service, whereas with other manufacturers you are shipping it in a lot of the time, etc.
You also have to compare Apple to its competitors when discussing reliability. Even on the high end, I've always had issues with Windows machines past 3-4 years of use. Maybe I'm biased, and maybe Windows 10/11 have solved a lot of the software issues that used to be the problem, so take my opinion as exactly that, my opinion. Objectively speaking though, Apple's support is great and if you live in a major center its easy to bring your machine into an Apple store in person for service, whereas with other manufacturers you are shipping it in a lot of the time, etc.
Computer reliability is a random variable. Nobody can tell you how long your laptop will last. In general, Apple is considered one of the most reliable brands out there. A study few years ago found out that premium laptop brands have roughly 50% chance of failure or error (of any kind) within 5-6 years, I think this is still a reasonable estimate.
In general, you should treat any computer out of warranty as a liability. Plan your budget accordingly. Specifically regarding Apple, if you are in a country where they offer the new AppleCare+ software subscription, it can be an effective way to hedge your financial risk.
In general, you should treat any computer out of warranty as a liability. Plan your budget accordingly. Specifically regarding Apple, if you are in a country where they offer the new AppleCare+ software subscription, it can be an effective way to hedge your financial risk.
I've been wondering about that too. I saw a couple of M1 Mac minis on Ebay "for parts only." They broke early. Was it the SOC or the power supply? Is 5 nm too small for long term reliability? Then 3 nm will be even worse. The listing made no mention of how or in what way they failed. Other than swapping power supplies or a laptop screen or keyboard Mx machines are unrepairable.
Consumer Reports pulls recommended ratings on Microsoft Surface laptops based on reliability scores
The move is a hit to Microsoft's hardware business -- and many of the reliability problems appear to be software related.
www.zdnet.com
That article has a chart from Consumer Reports showing the expected failure rate of laptops by brand within 2 years. Apple clearly leads. Yes, there are still failures, one of which I noted earlier, but to claim all electronics have the same rate of failure is mind bogglingly wrong. Some manufacturers build things better.
I'm still running a 2015 13" pro, yet my mom's 2019 16" pro died because the SSD failed (which seems to be a relatively common problem with that model year...)
I think macs in general are more reliable than PCs but random failures can still occur. They're probably the closest to Toyota level reliability in the tech space, but not quite equivalent.
I think macs in general are more reliable than PCs but random failures can still occur. They're probably the closest to Toyota level reliability in the tech space, but not quite equivalent.