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How to make the Macbook Pro last 4 years with the least amount of money.

I

iperson21

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jun 17, 2010
129
0
Well guys, im probly gonna get the 13" macbook pro, and now its gonna be my laptop for all of high school, so i was wondering, what should i do to make it last 4 years and still have it going super-fast like it does when you take it out of the box.
heres my idea: get this and this

and then in 2 years get 8GB ram and a SSD.
i used 120+GB in 3 years of middle school, so how big of a HD should i get when i order my MBP? 250GB or 320GB? (it only has to last me 2 years until i get the SSD and then becomes an external HD in a 2.5 enclosure.)

also, will the speck-see tru satin case work with the zagg invisible shield, because the extra protection could be another thing to keep the MBP in mint condition.
 
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you're in high school, unless you need to bring the laptop with you everyday there's not much you need to worry about. just don't use the laptop around liquids and keep it on a desk at home
 
dr. shdw said:
Keyboard cover is bad, blocks vents.
Click to expand...

the vents are in the back... i should know... my mom has a MBP 15" and some of my friends have MBP 13" and then heat up in the back, where the vent is.

chuckflip53 said:
you're in high school, unless you need to bring the laptop with you everyday there's not much you need to worry about. just don't use the laptop around liquids and keep it on a desk at home
Click to expand...

well im gonna be taking it to other friends houses to work on projects and also on field trips.
 
I'm not a big fan of speck cases. I use a waterfield sleeve, which is probably the best case i have ever used - probably better than neoprene sleeves. The only problem is that is it is a little pricey. SSD will help your speed performance, but make sure to get one with garbage collection (can't recall at the moment which one has it, i think one of owc's has it). It will compensate for mac osx's lack of trim. I don't think you will need 8gb of ram since you're still in high school. Unless you are planning to do a lot of editing, or image processing, or other ram intensive tasks, 8gb is unnecessary and you probably would not see the difference. Otherwise, just be a smart user and u should be fine.
 
As long as you don't break it, it should last. You don't need to update when new versions come out like a lot of idiots do unless you absolutely need to. I used an iMac G3 for 11 years before I upgraded to a MacBook Pro a few months ago.

EDIT: Who the ******* needs a laptop on a high school field trip?
 
idk about the field trip.

im going into this special high school program and a friend of mine who had be going in the same program in middle school said they took their laptops on field trips.
 
dr. shdw said:
Read.

Page 68.

http://manuals.info.apple.com/en_US/MacBook_Pro_13inch_Mid2010.pdf
Click to expand...
Which says:
Proper handling Set up your MacBook Pro on a stable work surface that allows for adequate air circulation under and around the computer. Do not operate your MacBook Pro on a pillow or other soft material, because the material can block the airflow vents.
Click to expand...
That's because the vents are located in the back, by the hinge. It also says:
Never place anything over the keyboard when operating your MacBook Pro.
Click to expand...
But that doesn't infer that there are vents in the keyboard, because there aren't.
 
The vents are below the keys on the keyboard, it sucks air in from all around the keyboard. The rear vent is used to get rid of the hot air only, not to suck in cool air.
 
Proper handling Set up your MacBook Pro on a stable work surface that allows for adequate air circulation under and around the computer. Do not operate your MacBook Pro on a pillow or other soft material, because the material can block the airflow vents.
Click to expand...

This is mostly because by putting your MacBook Pro on a soft surface, you cut off the air flow under the bottom case. The 4 black feet of MBP are not there to protect your computer from scratches, but to ensure air flow and keep your Mac cooler.
 
Just make sure you don't download tons of crap just because. Computers require maintenance. Just be sure to take care of your computer, keep software up to date, and unless you need something out of a new piece of software in 4 years, use an older version released around the time you get your laptop.

My PowerBook still seems nice and fast and its on its 5th year, but, not as fast as when I got it and it had Tiger and iWork 06 (I could still put that on though) and is still decent enough to be my main machine. However, its going to be pushed to my main portable soon once I order my Mini.

Whatever you do, don't drop a MBP, dents are very annoying (at least imo). Scratches will have to be tolerated at least on the bottom if you plan to own it after 2 years (by that time, you most likely slid it over a key or something by accident.)

Then again, I didn't have a single blemish on my PowerBook until 2009.

Just take care of it and use time appropriate software is the short and to the point of this entire ramble.
 
Simmity said:
The vents are below the keys on the keyboard, it sucks air in from all around the keyboard. The rear vent is used to get rid of the hot air only, not to suck in cool air.
Click to expand...

Wrong. There are no vents below the keyboard.
 
How to make the Macbook Pro last 4 years with the least amount of money.

With plenty of TLC, your MBP should last you the duration.

Before upgrading the HD, I would invest in a backup/archiving solution if you haven't got one already. Best be safe than sorry.

In terms of speed, I wouldn't sweat about it. Milk the MBP for as long as you can as your requirements may change after you graduate. The money saved from upgrades can then be put towards a newer unit if needed.

For high school purposes, SSD is more of a luxury than a necessity IMO.
 
GGJstudios said:
Wrong. There are no vents below the keyboard.
Click to expand...

Well if air is blown out the rear vents how else would air get into the machine? It's got to be the keyboard. That's why they tell you not to cover the keyboard while the Macbook is in use.
 
rawCpoppa said:
Well if air is blown out the rear vents how else would air get into the machine? It's got to be the keyboard.
Click to expand...
The unibody is not airtight. Air can enter and exit through the vent in the back. There is a sheet of plastic under the keyboard, so air couldn't get through that, anyway.
 
GGJstudios said:
The unibody is not airtight. Air can enter and exit through the vent in the back. There is a sheet of plastic under the keyboard, so air couldn't get through that, anyway.
Click to expand...

I don't think the vents in the back recirculate the hot air out and back in, that'd be poor design..
 
dr. shdw said:
I don't think the vents in the back recirculate the hot air out and back in, that'd be poor design..
Click to expand...

Then you haven't taken a Time Machine apart! That was to cut down noise.

Maybe on the laptops they were afraid of drawing in contaminated air and ruining the drives.
 
I took my white MacBook with me to school everyday. It lasted 2 years. Then my dogs spilled water on it. It kind of works, but not very reliably. So, I decided to upgrade to a brand new 2010 model 13" MBP. I love this machine, and I am also going into 9th grade this year, so I expect it to last through all of high school. I plan on getting an AppleCare plan, so it will definitely last 3 years. I hope it can last the other 1 year that it is not covered under warranty. I would recommend getting the AppleCare plan or some sort of insurance...
 
Hardware-wise, people above have a lot of good suggestions.

I'd also recommend the following:

  • Mozy backup subscription.
  • External HDD for Time Machine.
  • Some insurance coverage in case of theft or damage. Asurion or Safeware come to mind.
  • A decent lock. Trust me, in college, there are times where you have your stuff spread out on a table and need to go hit the restroom. Being able to lock the laptop up for the brief time is crucial. This is ideal, or this if you want a combination lock. If in a dorm room, I'd consider attaching an anchor in an out of the way place to ensure the laptop remains attached to something.

I don't know if you live with a roomie or not, but in a dorm, I always recommend using a Kensington lock and tying down all computer equipment. I've seen people "borrow" their roomie's laptops and iMacs near the end of the semester to sell at a pawn shop for extra booze cash, or to pay for an extra 8-ball or two. Of course, these locks do not mean that someone can't cut the cable and make off with it, but it keeps the opportunists at bay.
 
virus protection.

i don't want to get anti-virus software because it slows down your computer (atleast i think it does) so does apple care cover viruses?

cuz im like a download freak.
and i realize i might have to slow down if apple care doesn't cover viruses..
 
iperson21 said:
i don't want to get anti-virus software because it slows down your computer (atleast i think it does) so does apple care cover viruses?

cuz im like a download freak.
and i realize i might have to slow down if apple care doesn't cover viruses..
Click to expand...

If you get a virus, they will (probably) help you remove it. When my brother had issues on his computer (software) the apple genius helped him fix it.

Edit: I will be gone for a while, so if you would like immediate help from me, just PM me.
 
mlts22 said:
Hardware-wise, people above have a lot of good suggestions.

I'd also recommend the following:

  • Mozy backup subscription.
  • External HDD for Time Machine.
  • Some insurance coverage in case of theft or damage. Asurion or Safeware come to mind.
  • A decent lock. Trust me, in college, there are times where you have your stuff spread out on a table and need to go hit the restroom. Being able to lock the laptop up for the brief time is crucial. This is ideal, or this if you want a combination lock. If in a dorm room, I'd consider attaching an anchor in an out of the way place to ensure the laptop remains attached to something.

I don't know if you live with a roomie or not, but in a dorm, I always recommend using a Kensington lock and tying down all computer equipment. I've seen people "borrow" their roomie's laptops and iMacs near the end of the semester to sell at a pawn shop for extra booze cash, or to pay for an extra 8-ball or two. Of course, these locks do not mean that someone can't cut the cable and make off with it, but it keeps the opportunists at bay.
Click to expand...

He is going into high school, not college.
 
iperson21 said:
i don't want to get anti-virus software because it slows down your computer (atleast i think it does)
Click to expand...
Yes, it does use system resources.
iperson21 said:
so does apple care cover viruses?
Click to expand...
No, the Apple Limited Warranty and AppleCare Protection Plan only cover manufacturer defects, not damage or problems caused by user actions.

Read this: Mac Virus/Malware Info
AlphaDogg said:
If you get a virus, they will (probably) help you remove it.
Click to expand...
There are no viruses in the wild that run on current Mac OS X.
AlphaDogg said:
When my brother had issues on his computer (software) the apple genius helped him fix it.
Click to expand...
"Issues" like what?
 
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