Macbook Air upgrade from 2010 to 2014?

[cowmoohard]

I have a late Macbook air 2010 late 11.6". If I buy like a logicboard (integrated gpu/cpu) from 2013 with intel 5000, is it possible to upgrade my old Macbook Air 2010 (intel 3000)?

Simply put, using logic board from 2013 and put it in 2010 doable?

Thanks.

 

[cowmoohard]

If just logic board swap not enough, what other pieces I need to swap out for it to work? Maybe replace the keyboard so it can back-lit?

 

[capathy21]

If just logic board swap not enough, what other pieces I need to swap out for it to work? Maybe replace the keyboard so it can back-lit?

I highly doubt what you are wanting to do would even be possible. Your much better bet would be to sell your current system and purchase a 2014 model. The difference you would pay after selling your 2010 would most likely be less than a logic board purchase anyway.

 

[sracer]

I highly doubt what you are wanting to do would even be possible. Your much better bet would be to sell your current system and purchase a 2014 model. The difference you would pay after selling your 2010 would most likely be less than a logic board purchase anyway.

I agree.

...besides, it's all fun and games until you accidentally nick/damage the replacement board during installation.

 

[cowmoohard]

Thanks. I guess gotta stay with it...

 

[gnasher729]

I have a late Macbook air 2010 late 11.6". If I buy like a logicboard (integrated gpu/cpu) from 2013 with intel 5000, is it possible to upgrade my old Macbook Air 2010 (intel 3000)?

Simply put, using logic board from 2013 and put it in 2010 doable?

Thanks.

The best way to upgrade a 2010 MBA to a 2014 MBA is to post the 2010 MBA on eBay, and use whatever money you get as a partial payment for the 2014 MBA.

 

[Ronnoco]

As others have said, just sell yours and buy a new one. I've replaced logic boards in MBP's and it is NOT fun...I would imagine a MBA would be even more difficult.

 

[mad3inch1na]

You can pick up a new 11.6" MBA at BB for 700$ with the student discount.

You can sell your old one for 400$ at least. A new logic board would cost you 300-400$. It would cost you more to create a Frankenstein laptop than to just get a 2014 MBA. You would lose out on a backlit keyboard, a new battery, new trackpad, new RAM, PCIE flash, and new heat sinks/fans.

Any other component in your old computer is likely to fail at this point in time, just because of the 4 years of use it has undergone. You will get a much worse laptop at a much higher cost, and on top of that, the resale value will suffer.

Get a 2014 MBA if you really want a Haswell Processor.

Matt

 

[Boyd01]

You can sell your old one for 400$ at least.

Any other component in your old computer is likely to fail at this point in time, just because of the 4 years of use it has undergone.

So a computer that "is likely to fail" is worth $400? I sure wouldn't pay anything near that much for a 2010 MBA, but that's just me.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I'm in complete agreement with the advice tendered by everyone else on this thread.

Sell the 2010 MBA, and put what you get from that sale towards a new - 2014 - MBA. Get a student discount (if you are entitled to that), or, try and buy a refurbished MBA; you should be able to obtain a decent discount.

In September 2010, I bought a MBA - and loved it. However, by 2013, frankly, it was showing its age, and - of equal importance to me - the Applecare I always buy was within a few months of expiring.

Thus, I bought a 2013 MBA, a CTO, in essence, a maxed-out model, and gave the older computer to my brother as a birthday present.

To be honest, the difference between my 2010 model and the 2013 model is enormous. The 2013 model is so much better on every level; it is faster, more stable, the battery is superb, the memory far better, and so on. Seriously, so not tinker with the computer you currently have; sell it, and buy a new, or refurb, model instead. My tuppence worth……..good luck.

 

[mad3inch1na]

So a computer that "is likely to fail" is worth $400? I sure wouldn't pay anything near that much for a 2010 MBA, but that's just me.

The $400 price is actually undershooting the value. If you look on ebay "Sold" listings, there is not a sold 2010 11" MBA 2GB/64GB selling for less than $450, and often sell for around $550.

Matt

 

[capathy21]

The $400 price is actually undershooting the value. If you look on ebay "Sold" listings, there is not a sold 2010 11" MBA 2GB/64GB selling for less than $450, and often sell for around $550.

Matt

This....

Mac's have an incredible resale value.

 

[Ronnoco]

I'm in complete agreement with the advice tendered by everyone else on this thread.

Sell the 2010 MBA, and put what you get from that sale towards a new - 2014 - MBA. Get a student discount (if you are entitled to that), or, try and buy a refurbished MBA; you should be able to obtain a decent discount.

In September 2010, I bought a MBA - and loved it. However, by 2013, frankly, it was showing its age, and - of equal importance to me - the Applecare I always buy was within a few months of expiring.

Thus, I bought a 2013 MBA, a CTO, in essence, a maxed-out model, and gave the older computer to my brother as a birthday present.

To be honest, the difference between my 2010 model and the 2013 model is enormous. The 2013 model is so much better on every level; it is faster, more stable, the battery is superb, the memory far better, and so on. Seriously, so not tinker with the computer you currently have; sell it, and buy a new, or refurb, model instead. My tuppence worth……..good luck.

We seem to have a lot in common, Scepticalscribe. I too had a 2010 MBA (also a 2010 MBP which I gave to my daughter. She then gave the 2009 MBA I bought her to her brother and I upgraded the REALLY slow and hot running 4200RPM HDD to a nice OWC SSD for him. Everybody is happy LOL). Gave the MBA to my Mom and bought a 2013 MBA and never looked back. Best computer I've ever owned.

Oh and before my MBA goes past the 1 year window, I just purchased AppleCare at B&H Photo for $60 less (plus no tax and free shipping) than from Apple. Great deal!

 

[coldjeanzzz]

This....

Mac's have an incredible resale value.

I'm hoping I'll be able to sell my late 2012 13",128 GB SSD, 8 GB RAM MBA in a couple of years for around $500-600. The battery life will probably be about half as good, but I imagine people who buy 4 year old Macs do not place that much importance on it.

 

[asoksevil]

I have a late Macbook air 2010 late 11.6". If I buy like a logicboard (integrated gpu/cpu) from 2013 with intel 5000, is it possible to upgrade my old Macbook Air 2010 (intel 3000)?

Simply put, using logic board from 2013 and put it in 2010 doable?

Thanks.

Not sure about why other people felt their 2010 MBA are not good enough... I can still do the same tasks I did 4 years ago (word processing, excel, music, videos, etc)

I would wait for the all new 2015.

 

[JonLa]

The 2010 C2D models, while fantastic at the time, have not kept their prices well. That said, my 2010 Air is still the greatest laptop I've ever had, and is still perfect for everything I currently do.