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What Mac are you using, and what would make you upgrade?
- Thread starter The Cockney Rebel
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aihpcfl
macrumors regular
M3 MacBook Air. If quit working. If I broke it. When it stops getting OS updates. Then I would get another.
The Matchbook Air is perfect for me and what I need nowadays. After too many coffee spills on it, I had to put my M1 in a drawer and get another. I did spill some milk and Raisin Bran on the M3, but I seem to have managed it and so far (months later) no ill effects noticed. YMMV.
The Matchbook Air is perfect for me and what I need nowadays. After too many coffee spills on it, I had to put my M1 in a drawer and get another. I did spill some milk and Raisin Bran on the M3, but I seem to have managed it and so far (months later) no ill effects noticed. YMMV.
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VaZ
macrumors 6502
Mac Pro 5,1 2012 - Still nothing beats it for modular expansion 👍
Upgradability, Repairability, and Sustainability
Upgradability, Repairability, and Sustainability
dmr727
macrumors G4
My main Mac is an M4 Air. It's been fantastic so far, but with Crossover getting better and better, I've been looking at giving up a little portability and upgrade to a MBP for better gaming capability. I'm in no hurry so I'll wait to see what the M6 redesign looks like, but I'll likely jump on an M5 MBP once the deals become available.
SnowPenguin
macrumors 6502
I am still using a Mac Mini 2018. I plan on upgrading it once Apple stops supporting it for app development next year.
WarmWinterHat
Suspended
M4 Pro.
A free replacement, I guess. I can't think of any features that would prompt me to upgrade. That said, I wish I had bought the Air.
A free replacement, I guess. I can't think of any features that would prompt me to upgrade. That said, I wish I had bought the Air.
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M2 Air owner. Plan on using it until it breaks beyond reasonable repair, or somebody gives me a free new one, or I can't get OS updates for it.
Luftkopf
macrumors 65816
11 Core M3 Pro MacBook Pro. I intend to use it until I can no longer get the new OS, at the earliest. As long as I can run my main apps, I'm keeping it.
I used my 2012 11" i7 MacBook Air for over a decade, lets see how long the Pro lasts.
I used my 2012 11" i7 MacBook Air for over a decade, lets see how long the Pro lasts.
My regular Macs I use are:
Mac Pro 7,1, 28 core Xeon with W6800X 32GB, an M2 Macbook Air 15" and an M4 Pro Mac Mini which is strictly just for Zwift.
They all run the latest MacOS 26.4 and they are running well. The laptop is for mobile use, however I much prefer the big desktop - it just works. Both of those 7,1s are the best computers I have owned. I want to get more RAM for them but not at current ridiculous prices.
Mac Pro 7,1, 28 core Xeon with W6800X 32GB, an M2 Macbook Air 15" and an M4 Pro Mac Mini which is strictly just for Zwift.
They all run the latest MacOS 26.4 and they are running well. The laptop is for mobile use, however I much prefer the big desktop - it just works. Both of those 7,1s are the best computers I have owned. I want to get more RAM for them but not at current ridiculous prices.
Ungibbed
macrumors 6502a
Running a M1 MBA here. I plan on keeping this one till it kicks the bucket or stops getting OS updates. I may consider a new MBP when the time comes.
MacFarmer
macrumors 6502
Based on my signature, I do use a lot of macs. Each have their purpose. 🙂 But daily driver is M1 Air BTO. I would only replace it when I will pass it on to my wife, to replace her old MBP.
M1 Pro MacBook Pro 16, M1 Max Studio, 2017 iMac Pro.
What would get me to upgrade the iMac Pro? End of support which will either be this fall or next fall. But the upgrade could just be a ProArt 5K on my Studio. I might upgrade the M1 Max to an M5 Max. That would be more of a want than a need.
I plan to replace the MacBook Pro 16 with a 14 but I'd like it to be a lot lighter than the current 14. So maybe M6 as it's supposed to be thinner and lighter.
What would get me to upgrade the iMac Pro? End of support which will either be this fall or next fall. But the upgrade could just be a ProArt 5K on my Studio. I might upgrade the M1 Max to an M5 Max. That would be more of a want than a need.
I plan to replace the MacBook Pro 16 with a 14 but I'd like it to be a lot lighter than the current 14. So maybe M6 as it's supposed to be thinner and lighter.
turbineseaplane
macrumors Penryn
I'd switch from my Mac Mini M4 to a 15" M4 MBA if the SSD pricing wasn't so egregious.
(I need 2TB)
For now my combo of Mac Mini M4 & 2015 15" MBP for travel is working very well though.
I've just been traveling a lot more, with more to come, and I'm getting annoyed with not having all my files with me in one install on one machine.
(I need 2TB)
For now my combo of Mac Mini M4 & 2015 15" MBP for travel is working very well though.
I've just been traveling a lot more, with more to come, and I'm getting annoyed with not having all my files with me in one install on one machine.
My main "work from home" machine is an M3 iMac, and my portable laptop is an M4 MacBook Air.
After years of defending the iMac 24" screen, I now recognize that a larger screen could be beneficial. However I also love the design of the current iMac, and something like a Mac mini + Studio Display option doesn't appeal to me as much. I also like having two computers for a variety of reasons. If a larger screen iMac was released, I would upgrade. I will also look at the new Studio Display options as they are released.
In terms of the laptop, I could use a brighter screen, and one with nano texture, for outdoor use. I think the base M5 MacBook Pro could be a good machine for that. Not all that interested in the touchscreen MacBook Pro. An updated MacBook Air with new screen technology would also be something I would be interested in. Hell I would even look at the new low cost laptop as I don't think my laptop needs a lot of power, but I want a bright screen.
After years of defending the iMac 24" screen, I now recognize that a larger screen could be beneficial. However I also love the design of the current iMac, and something like a Mac mini + Studio Display option doesn't appeal to me as much. I also like having two computers for a variety of reasons. If a larger screen iMac was released, I would upgrade. I will also look at the new Studio Display options as they are released.
In terms of the laptop, I could use a brighter screen, and one with nano texture, for outdoor use. I think the base M5 MacBook Pro could be a good machine for that. Not all that interested in the touchscreen MacBook Pro. An updated MacBook Air with new screen technology would also be something I would be interested in. Hell I would even look at the new low cost laptop as I don't think my laptop needs a lot of power, but I want a bright screen.
I have a M2 Ultra. I will buy a M5 Ultra if Topaz AI Video performance is substantially improved
MacFarmer
macrumors 6502
Same here. I would get 27' iMac if it was available. I'm afraid 30" would be too big for my desk placement. And I know mini+display is an option, but that is not appealing to me. And I agree, it is too bad that Apple intentionally put worse displays in new MBA. Lets see what new MBP designs will be. But I doubt it will reach MBA thinness.
MultiFinder17
macrumors 68030
Work: 27" 2020 iMac & M1 Air
I plan on getting at least another two years or so out of the iMac, as it still handles everything I throw its way well enough and runs its screen plus two more without issue. What'll get it replaced is around when Tahoe stops getting security updates or when Microsoft stops supporting OneDrive on it, whichever comes later. When it does get replaced, it will likely end up getting gutted and converted into a standalone display and used with a new Mac mini.
As for the Air, I hope to get another 3-4 years out of it. It's already been my main laptop for work duties for five years now and still handles everything I do on it with buttery smoothness. I recently swapped out its original 8GB logic board for one with 16GB RAM which has given it a new lease on life, an upgrade that ended up costing only $60 after all was said and done. This computer has easily been the best computer I've bought in a long, long time.
Home: M4 Air
This machine is largely in the same category as the M1 Air - it's far faster than anything I could ask for, and I can't wait to keep using it and enjoying it for the foreseeable future.
I'm not the type to upgrade for the sake of upgrading - I get a new Mac when my current one stops doing what I need of it. Same with my other devices. I generally buy a device lightly used, very rarely new, and use it until it no longer does what I need of it. I can only think of three Macs that I've purchased new, all of which are still in use. My M4 Air has been my main computer for the last year or so now, my M1 Air has been my main work computer for the last five, and the first Mac I ever bought new was a 2009 mini back in 2009, which is still in daily service in my classroom 17 years later as a little server.
I plan on getting at least another two years or so out of the iMac, as it still handles everything I throw its way well enough and runs its screen plus two more without issue. What'll get it replaced is around when Tahoe stops getting security updates or when Microsoft stops supporting OneDrive on it, whichever comes later. When it does get replaced, it will likely end up getting gutted and converted into a standalone display and used with a new Mac mini.
As for the Air, I hope to get another 3-4 years out of it. It's already been my main laptop for work duties for five years now and still handles everything I do on it with buttery smoothness. I recently swapped out its original 8GB logic board for one with 16GB RAM which has given it a new lease on life, an upgrade that ended up costing only $60 after all was said and done. This computer has easily been the best computer I've bought in a long, long time.
Home: M4 Air
This machine is largely in the same category as the M1 Air - it's far faster than anything I could ask for, and I can't wait to keep using it and enjoying it for the foreseeable future.
I'm not the type to upgrade for the sake of upgrading - I get a new Mac when my current one stops doing what I need of it. Same with my other devices. I generally buy a device lightly used, very rarely new, and use it until it no longer does what I need of it. I can only think of three Macs that I've purchased new, all of which are still in use. My M4 Air has been my main computer for the last year or so now, my M1 Air has been my main work computer for the last five, and the first Mac I ever bought new was a 2009 mini back in 2009, which is still in daily service in my classroom 17 years later as a little server.
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If it is only the battery that is the issue with your machine they are easy and cheap enough to replace. The current 3rd party replacement options also often have a higher charge capacity. So a win-win. 😎
Bought an M2 Air, entry level
Then a few months later I decided to go back to professional photography - not something I ad planned when I bougt my MBA
In hindsight I should have gotten a more powerful model lol (hindsight is 20/20), and right now it's now a priority in my budget.
It handles my Sony jpeg files just fine, but I shoot RAW 99.9% of the time and editing those in Lightroom can be demanding and it can get slow, but I make sure no other app is open
I'm not one of those people who have 100 Chrome tabs open while I'm editing lol
Then a few months later I decided to go back to professional photography - not something I ad planned when I bougt my MBA
In hindsight I should have gotten a more powerful model lol (hindsight is 20/20), and right now it's now a priority in my budget.
It handles my Sony jpeg files just fine, but I shoot RAW 99.9% of the time and editing those in Lightroom can be demanding and it can get slow, but I make sure no other app is open
I'm not one of those people who have 100 Chrome tabs open while I'm editing lol
xeux
macrumors regular
I wouldn't call melting the old glue with acetone easy. It's not a fun process at all.
itsLouieV
macrumors regular
Was using an 16" M1 Max and a 13th gen intel hackintosh. I do a lot of different things from working in development during the days, to Photography (a7rV), Creating Youtube content, and DJ'ing, and throw in some gaming (hence the hackintosh). I also travel quite a lot, and have seen less and less use out of the hackintosh now that I've setup an unraid server in the house.
I did start to notice the M1 Max getting a bit sluggish, specially during times where my hackintosh was stuck in windows due to constant gaming sessions. I was also using a 16" M3 Pro from work which is probably why my M1 Max started feeling a bit sluggish. Decided some time near the end of 2025 that it would be best to upgrade sooner rather then later (and to be able to write it off for my business) So I went with a normal M5 MBP, however, It did have some limitations, while it was super fast and did blow away my M1 Max, It wasn't able to drive the 3 screens I was using at the time, and I definitely hit its limits quite a few times with my workloads. Ended up with an M4 Max 14" 16/40 as a hold over until the M5 max came out, which honestly has been super solid. I've maybe hit its limits a handful of times, but it's always pushed through. I've also upgraded my home office quite a bit and streamlined my desk setup and pushing quite a lot more pixels using a Samsung G9 Neo 57" as opposed to my previous 2x 34" 1440p ultra wides.
Now that the M5 Max is out, Its a no brainer for me to upgrade. I tried out the nano texture screen on the M4 max, didn't love it, also only got 1tb of storage on this one which I've had to be super cautious with (photo/video/music libraries all live on external SSD's). Love that the new M5 Max comes with 2tb standard so wont need to upgrade that and probably will put it towards ram instead. I'm now also doing almost everything off of the 14" MBP, the Hackintosh isn't even connected anymore, the 16" only comes out to keep teams on and green while im out running errands, I'm essentially a 1 machine person again which my HP laptop now only being used for programming my car with ITSA or Bimmerutility.
I did start to notice the M1 Max getting a bit sluggish, specially during times where my hackintosh was stuck in windows due to constant gaming sessions. I was also using a 16" M3 Pro from work which is probably why my M1 Max started feeling a bit sluggish. Decided some time near the end of 2025 that it would be best to upgrade sooner rather then later (and to be able to write it off for my business) So I went with a normal M5 MBP, however, It did have some limitations, while it was super fast and did blow away my M1 Max, It wasn't able to drive the 3 screens I was using at the time, and I definitely hit its limits quite a few times with my workloads. Ended up with an M4 Max 14" 16/40 as a hold over until the M5 max came out, which honestly has been super solid. I've maybe hit its limits a handful of times, but it's always pushed through. I've also upgraded my home office quite a bit and streamlined my desk setup and pushing quite a lot more pixels using a Samsung G9 Neo 57" as opposed to my previous 2x 34" 1440p ultra wides.
Now that the M5 Max is out, Its a no brainer for me to upgrade. I tried out the nano texture screen on the M4 max, didn't love it, also only got 1tb of storage on this one which I've had to be super cautious with (photo/video/music libraries all live on external SSD's). Love that the new M5 Max comes with 2tb standard so wont need to upgrade that and probably will put it towards ram instead. I'm now also doing almost everything off of the 14" MBP, the Hackintosh isn't even connected anymore, the 16" only comes out to keep teams on and green while im out running errands, I'm essentially a 1 machine person again which my HP laptop now only being used for programming my car with ITSA or Bimmerutility.