MBP: Worth upgrading to latest OS?

[Jedi5]

I've got an 09 MBP which I believe was fully upgraded when I first got it.
It's running 10.5.8.

In order to upgrade to the latest OS, I need to buy the Leopard disk (i think it's Leopard) first and then I can download Maverick from the app store.

My question to you that know more is...

Is it even worth it?

I mean my MBP still works great. Aside the new battery I need, I've got no complaints. Use it mostly for surfing and email, nothing else really.
The other side of me says this machine is 4-5 yrs old and I've got the "I want a new machine" bug.

If I bought another machine, I don't think I would get the MBP again, probably go with the Air this time, the smaller one.

Is there a way to see the "health" of my MBP as a whole?

Thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[Fishrrman]

If what you have now does everything you need, and you take no exceptions to its performance, there may be no compelling reason to upgrade. Then again, there is always the sense that one could be "falling behind".

If you DO decide that it's time to move up, I would caution you to resist the urge to upgrade "all the way" to Mavericks.

This is my opinion only, and others will disagree, but I think you'd do better with OS 10.8 "Mountain Lion".

There have been many MANY complaints (read the Mavericks forum on this board) about sluggishness and random beachballs with Mavericks, particularly if you have an older platter-based hard drive. I've seen this myself, while experimenting with it.

Again, I'd recommend 10.8.5 as the better OS.
It -can be found- out there if you look for it.
I will say no more about that.

 

[Felasco]

If what you have now does everything you need, and you take no exceptions to its performance, there may be no compelling reason to upgrade.

Agreed.

If you DO decide that it's time to move up, I would caution you to resist the urge to upgrade "all the way" to Mavericks.

Agreed again.

This is my opinion only, and others will disagree, but I think you'd do better with OS 10.8 "Mountain Lion".

Or maybe Snow Leopard, OSX 10.6.8.

There have been many MANY complaints (read the Mavericks forum on this board)

Yes, and even more on the Apple Support Forum.

Again, I'd recommend 10.8.5 as the better OS.
It -can be found- out there if you look for it.
I will say no more about that.

I could very well be wrong about this, but I thought I saw both Snow Leopard and Lion on the Apple site for $20. Sorry, don't remember where.

 

[Jedi5]

If what you have now does everything you need, and you take no exceptions to its performance, there may be no compelling reason to upgrade. Then again, there is always the sense that one could be "falling behind".

For the little that I use my MBP, it does everything I want.
Yeah, I do feel like I'm missing something or like you said, "falling behind"
which is why I want to upgrade.

i don't paying the $20 on the apple site.
IIRC, the only way to upgrade was by buying a disk.

Can I upgrade straight from 10.5.8 to 10.6.8 no problems?

Here is my hardware overview, looking it over, is one OS better than the other for my MBP?

Hardware Overview:

Model Name: MacBook Pro
Model Identifier: MacBookPro5,1
Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor Speed: 2.66 GHz
Number Of Processors: 1
Total Number Of Cores: 2
L2 Cache: 6 MB
Memory: 4 GB
Bus Speed: 1.07 GHz
Boot ROM Version: MBP51.007E.B06
SMC Version (system): 1.41f2
Serial Number (system): W89131MY71A
Hardware UUID: 0C1B990A-0556-5FCC-94F9-CFE4BD6B1EE5
Sudden Motion Sensor:
State: Enabled

 

[Fishrrman]

The OP wrote above:
[[ Can I upgrade straight from 10.5.8 to 10.6.8 no problems? ]]

I don't see why not.

[[ Here is my hardware overview, looking it over, is one OS better than the other for my MBP? ]]

I have an April 2010 MacBook Pro 13", and 10.6.8 continues to run fine on it after 4 years of usage.

I did change out the original HDD for an SSD a couple of months back, and that made for a VERY noticeable improvement in performance -- literally "better than new"...

 

[Jedi5]

I have an April 2010 MacBook Pro 13", and 10.6.8 continues to run fine on it after 4 years of usage.

I did change out the original HDD for an SSD a couple of months back, and that made for a VERY noticeable improvement in performance -- literally "better than new"...

Thanks for all the help and suggestions.
I ordered 10.6 on Apple store and now waiting for disk to be delivered.

For SSD, is this something that has to be done at the Apple store
or can I take it in to my local BB and let Geek Squad take care of it?
I don't have an Apple store around...

Also, for SSD, is there a brand you can suggest?

Thanks!