Soldered RAM, Soldered everything wtf?

[throAU]

Why do iOS devices become obsolete far faster than a Mac? Because they're completely non upgradable (and the Intel CPUs that Apple put in Macs is usually far more powerful than it needs to be,

iOS devices become obsolete because of advances in processing power per watt for the SOC.

Slots, or sockets won't fit and wouldn't change that anyway.

Macs become obsolete just as fast, just some people think pushing crappy old hardware way beyond its reasonable life expectancy and out of warranty coverage is somehow worth it, when they're probably far better off buying slightly lower spec and selling up after 2-3 years to some sucker with similar thoughts and staying up to date with improved bus speeds, memory speeds and CPU feature sets and power efficiency.

As an example, my 4 year old "upgradable" Macbook Pro has a now garbage discrete GPU, USB2, SATA 3, thunderbolt 1, single mic., old bluetooth standard, no HDMI, crappy battery life, really bad cooling and a non-retina screen.

Memory slots fix none of those problems.

I could waste money upgrading it and running the gauntlet with system board failure, or i could just buy something newer with a warranty. So i did. If i needed the money, i'd sell it off.

 

[Samuelsan2001]

And your statistics for that 99 percent are?? The Macintosh upgrade business (OWC and the others) would not exist if nobody upgraded anything. Though i'm sure the number of people who do has reduced, and the lifespan of Macs has probably also done so.

Why do iOS devices become obsolete far faster than a Mac? Because they're completely non upgradable (and the Intel CPUs that Apple put in Macs is usually far more powerful than it needs to be, compared to the A series chips). That is the trade off for having thin and light phones, upgradable iOS devices would be completely impractical - Just using it as an example.

No iOS devices become obsolete faster because the technology they use is still in it's infancy and the changes are very fast, computer CPU's etc are a far more mature technology with changes bringing only incremental speed and performance increases.

As for the mac upgrade business very few people need more than the standard mac lines (they are very well equipped already) and those that do have to pay for the inconvenience (and cost) to the company of doing so (as with all upgrades). Should the 15 inch have 500gb SSD's as standard?? I think so myself but thats about it they get 16GB RAM as standard, is the 1TB expensive?? Yes but so are third party PCIe SSD's anyway, around $6-700.

Macs in general have gone down over the years and give much better specs for the money.

 

[Barna Biro]

ummmm... When I weighed up my options, it was A$3,479.00 for a Macbook Pro Retina (16GB of ram and 1TB SSD) or around $2050 in total for my Macbook Pro an SSD + add in $150 or so for the future upgrade. I had the funds (due to Apple replacing under warranty) for $2050 BUT not for $3479. As simple as that. I can afford the Mac experience perfectly well when i can upgrade, but not when I have to buy straight up. Saying that I shouldn't buy a Mac is a moronic argument .

You clearly can't afford "the" mac experience you want. What you can afford is "a" mac experience that you, yourself state isn't what you want because it's unlikely that it will last you for the time you'd like it to last. Yet, you willingly decide to go with it and then cry / bitch about the things YOU CLEARLY KNEW about from the very start... and yes, spending 2k on something that you would, clearly, never be happy with is moronic.

 

[throAU]

Classic case of "future proofing"

"Future proofing" computers - buying spec you think you might need in 3+ year's time is a mug's game.

Don't buy stuff you don't need. Next year (or some other time in the future) it will be far cheaper to buy it then, if/when you actually do need it. You'll get a heap of other new spec and a warranty on the new kit to boot. Your old machine will still be worth good money to sell.

I'm not saying to cheap out and buy base spec every time unless you know that will be enough for the immediate future, but the middle tier on any mac model will typically cover 99% of the population for 3 years or more.

 

[oldmacs]

You clearly can't afford "the" mac experience you want. What you can afford is "a" mac experience that you, yourself state isn't what you want because it's unlikely that it will last you for the time you'd like it to last. Yet, you willingly decide to go with it and then cry / bitch about the things YOU CLEARLY KNEW about from the very start... and yes, spending 2k on something that you would, clearly, never be happy with is moronic.

I can? I have the Mac experience that I want? I'm very happy with it. Just hope theres an option around next time when I want it.

 

[oldmacs]

Classic case of "future proofing"

"Future proofing" computers - buying spec you think you might need in 3+ year's time is a mug's game.

Don't buy stuff you don't need. Next year (or some other time in the future) it will be far cheaper to buy it then, if/when you actually do need it. You'll get a heap of other new spec and a warranty on the new kit to boot. Your old machine will still be worth good money to sell.

I'm not saying to cheap out and buy base spec every time unless you know that will be enough for the immediate future, but the middle tier on any mac model will typically cover 99% of the population for 3 years or more.

I like to keep my Macs for as long as possible 6/7 years - i also like keeping ym machine around once its superseded. Being able to upgrade is exactly like you say. You don't have to buy stuff you may not need, you buy it as you need it. At the moment I don't need 16GB of ram, so while I budgeted for it, I won't buy it till I need it. However, having to put in a lot of money (over $1000 more) to future proof because there is no upgrade ability is expensive and as you say, I could end up not using it.

 

[throAU]

However, having to put in a lot of money (over $1000 more) to future proof because there is no upgrade ability is expensive and as you say, I could end up not using it.

You don't "have to" put in a lot of money to future proof.

Buy the spec I bought - 2.9 ghz i5 with 8 GB and 512 GB SSD. Run it for 2 years and sell/buy.

The 1k you saved on "future proofing" will go a long way to the next machine(s) and you'll end up with continued warranty coverage.

 

[oldmacs]

No iOS devices become obsolete faster because the technology they use is still in it's infancy and the changes are very fast, computer CPU's etc are a far more mature technology with changes bringing only incremental speed and performance increases.

As for the mac upgrade business very few people need more than the standard mac lines (they are very well equipped already) and those that do have to pay for the inconvenience (and cost) to the company of doing so (as with all upgrades). Should the 15 inch have 500gb SSD's as standard?? I think so myself but thats about it they get 16GB RAM as standard, is the 1TB expensive?? Yes but so are third party PCIe SSD's anyway, around $6-700.

Macs in general have gone down over the years and give much better specs for the money.

If you could upgrade an iOS device it would last longer. The iPad 2 would be a whole lot more usable with 1GB of ram. The 'newness' of the platform is a factor as I said, with Intel CPUs being quite overpowered for what most people need, while A series processors are usually not as overpowered.

Again, all I ask is for 1 option that is user upgradable. Not asking everyone to pay for the inconvenience.

 

[throAU]

Again, all I ask is for 1 option that is user upgradable. Not asking everyone to pay for the inconvenience.

You have the 27" iMac and the Mac Pro.

 

[oldmacs]

You don't "have to" put in a lot of money to future proof.

Buy the spec I bought - 2.9 ghz i5 with 8 GB and 512 GB SSD. Run it for 2 years and sell/buy.

The 1k you saved on "future proofing" will go a long way to the next machine(s) and you'll end up with continued warranty coverage.

What if I don't want to be upgrading my Laptop every two years? I like to keep my laptops.

Not interested in paying $2400 (what that model costs in Australia, when it already has too little disk space for my needs) and loosing a lot of value (2013 Macbook Pros are selling for $1000-1200 on ebay) every two years. I usually get 6 or so years out of my laptop - so paying $2000 once every 6 or so years makes a lot more sense to me - its cheaper.

 

[Samuelsan2001]

If you could upgrade an iOS device it would last longer. The iPad 2 would be a whole lot more usable with 1GB of ram. The 'newness' of the platform is a factor as I said, with Intel CPUs being quite overpowered for what most people need, while A series processors are usually not as overpowered.

Again, all I ask is for 1 option that is user upgradable. Not asking everyone to pay for the inconvenience.

There is one the 13 inch 2012 macbook pro, it's rubbish compared to the new ones but you do have that option. You are going to have to leave apple or get used to paying for what you want eventually though, because soon all of their computers will be non upgradable as will many of their competitors.

 

[oldmacs]

You have the 27" iMac and the Mac Pro.

Not aware that the 27 inch iMac is a Macbook. Not to mention them being way over priced for what I need.

 

[oldmacs]

There is one the 13 inch 2012 macbook pro, it's rubbish compared to the new ones but you do have that option. You are going to have to leave apple or get used to paying for what you want eventually though, because soon all of their computers will be non upgradable as will many of their competitors.

And I ask apple to update it.

Again, I bought one several months ago due to my previous one being a lemon. Apple gave me a 2015 top line 13 inch MBPr but it didn't suit my needs. I was able to sell it, afford the i7 2012 Macbook pro, which comes close to the 2.9ghz i7 in geek bench + a 1TB SSD (double the retina pro) and the ability to upgrade the ram, which I will need to do in the next year or so.

I'm very happy. I got what mattered for my computing and I had money to spare. Rubbish if you want the thinnest laptop and rubbish if you want a retina display, I grant you that but having enough storage space + an optical drive + Firewire/Ethernet + the IR sensor + the battery light indicator is more important for me.


Do you not understand that there are different needs, different requirements etc ? No matter what you say there are, and you can say "99 percent don't need blah" but in the end you don't have the facts to back it up.

 

[Samuelsan2001]

And I ask apple to update it.

Again, I bought one several months ago due to my previous one being a lemon. Apple gave me a 2015 top line 13 inch MBPr but it didn't suit my needs. I was able to sell it, afford the i7 2012 Macbook pro, which comes close to the 2.9ghz i7 in geek bench + a 1TB SSD (double the retina pro) and the ability to upgrade the ram, which I will need to do in the next year or so.

So you are bitching and moaning because you didn't want to spend the extra to get what you wanted after apples brilliant customer service gave you a far superior machine when your old one crapped out?? End of discussion for me some people are never happy....

 

[oldmacs]

So you are bitching and moaning because you didn't want to spend the extra to get what you wanted after apples brilliant customer service gave you a far superior machine when your old one crapped out?? End of discussion for me some people are never happy....

The 2015 MBP was a downgrade. A complete downgrade.

You might need to remember that people have different needs to you. I don't need a retina display. I don't need a thin laptop. I do need 1TB of storage.

And Apple's customer service was pretty poor actually, the only reason I got the Pro was due to them stuffing up and me complaining. It did end well for me. at no cost to me, I got a better version of the laptop that already perfectly suited my needs.

Unlike some people on this forum, I don't have a lot of money. I am a uni student, currently without a job.

And I am happy, I have the nearly perfect laptop for my needs. I do wish though that I had a guaranteed upgrade path.

 

[Barna Biro]

If you want to ask Apple anything, then you're barking up the wrong tree.
I seriously doubt Cook and his teams are getting their inspiration from such threads...

Bottom line: If Apple does not manufacture products that live up to your ( by "your" I mean anyone who fits the case ) standards, dreams, needs, pocket thickness, etc. then simply look somewhere else. Be assured that they knew what they were getting into when they decided to solder certain components that used to be user-replaceable. The moves makes quite a lot of sense from a business point of view as well.

OSX can run on non-macs, ergo saying that you *really, really, really* need a Mac to get things done is just blank bullcrap. You got a Mac because you wanted a Mac, not because you're pragmatic or you genuinely need a 2k rMBP... Fool yourself as much as you want, it changes nothing.

 

[oldmacs]

OSX can run on non-macs, ergo saying that you *really, really, really* need a Mac to get things done is just blank bullcrap. You got a Mac because you wanted a Mac, not because you're pragmatic or you genuinely need a 2k rMBP... Fool yourself as much as you want, it changes nothing.

I'm not going to break Apple's user agreement, thanks very much.

Don't be an arrogant fool. You don't even know the reasons I bought a Mac, don't pretend you do. The fact of the matter is for a range of reasons, a Mac best suits my needs. End of story. Given a Mac best suits my needs, I thus used the most cost effective way to get the best Mac I could afford for my usage.

 

[Samuelsan2001]

I eagerly await your which rMBP shall I buy thread in 18 months time.

 

[oldmacs]

I eagerly await your which rMBP shall I buy thread in 18 months time.

There will be none so you'll be waiting for a long long long time. I've got no interest in one and my Macbook will last me a long while yet. Especially considering the Retina Macbook (2015) is a significantly slower performer than my Macbook.

Again, I don't see any reason why I would buy a laptop that does not suit me.

Sounds like someone can't stand the thought of someone else being happy with an alternate laptop to their own.

 

[nebo1ss]

If you want to ask Apple anything, then you're barking up the wrong tree.
I seriously doubt Cook and his teams are getting their inspiration from such threads...

Bottom line: If Apple does not manufacture products that live up to your ( by "your" I mean anyone who fits the case ) standards, dreams, needs, pocket thickness, etc. then simply look somewhere else. Be assured that they knew what they were getting into when they decided to solder certain components that used to be user-replaceable. The moves makes quite a lot of sense from a business point of view as well.

OSX can run on non-macs, ergo saying that you *really, really, really* need a Mac to get things done is just blank bullcrap. You got a Mac because you wanted a Mac, not because you're pragmatic or you genuinely need a 2k rMBP... Fool yourself as much as you want, it changes nothing.

Thats funny I thought you were gone after your Troll post and your elitist attitude.

 

[b0fh666]

oldmacs, my friend, is this really worth it?

 

[oldmacs]

oldmacs, my friend, is this really worth it?

No its not... . Honestly.

At the end of the day, all I am trying to say is that I am extremely happy with what I did, and I only hope that in 5 or so years, there will be an option for others like me. Thats it. Thats my argument

 

[Barna Biro]

Your reasons for purchasing a Mac are clearly subjective ( at least, that's what all your statements add up to until this point in time ). That's my point and that's the thing you're clearly having a very, very hard time accepting / admitting. You can spend your money however you please...

You could have ended this discussion long ago by simply saying that you got a Mac because you really wanted a Mac although you knew what disadvantages ( in your opinion ) the current models come with + one of your hobbies is to bitch / cry about the lack of user replaceable components.

There's a simple way out, either stop posting or stop trying to make your decision seem as if it was a rational / pragmatic one, when it clearly wasn't. Simple as that... Of course, you're free to continue posting, we'll eventually anyway stop replying... for now at least, I still find this discussion entertaining.

 

[AleXXXa]

I hope Apple updates the Non retina pro, as it is a wonderful machine in terms of upgradability.

LOL.
How is so wonderful? You can only upgrade RAM and HDD (or add a 2nd one in the optical bay).
You can't upgrade the CPU or the GPU or other minor stuff (like the WiFi card, etc).
And CPU/GPU upgrades are pretty important, they really make the machine last longer.

I have a SandyBridge Thinkpad with dual core. I just installed a quadcore chip i bought on ebay for ~$100. Photo/Video editing is so much faster now, best upgrade ever for $100

 

[oldmacs]

LOL.
How is so wonderful? You can only upgrade RAM and HDD (or add a 2nd one in the optical bay).
You can't upgrade the CPU or the GPU or other minor stuff (like the WiFi card, etc).
And CPU/GPU upgrades are pretty important, they really make the machine last longer.

I have a SandyBridge Thinkpad with dual core. I just installed a quadcore chip i bought on ebay for ~$100. Photo/Video editing is so much faster now, best upgrade ever for $100

Wonderful compared with the rest of the Macbook range in terms of upgradability.