What's the Life Expectancy of my MBP?

[Caliber26]

My current MBP is three years ago and, so far, has been the best computer I've ever owned. I love its portability and how fast everything runs. Granted, all I really do on it is listen to music, browse the web, and edit photos in Lightroom with an occasional visit into Photoshop. I also love that it has an SD port since I am a full-time real estate photographer.

However, I'm looking to get a new Mac and I'm considering the base 21.5" 4K iMac and upgrading to 16GB RAM & 512GB SSD. I'm comfortable with this option but only if I know my MBP will still continue to be as reliable for at least another year or two. If my MBP is nearing its prime, and about start to getting slow on me, I'd prefer to get a new MBP instead of the iMac since portability is more important to me than having an iMac be my primary computer. -- So my real question is: am I safe getting the iMac for now and getting a new MBP in a couple years or should I just go ahead and go with the new MBP now?

These are the specs of my current MBP. Any suggestions or ideas would be appreciated!

 

[ApolloBoy]

If you're happy with what you've already got, just stick with it. Is there any particular reason you're looking at an iMac?

 

[New_Mac_Smell]

Put your money in the bank, and keep using the computer until it becomes noticeably slow for your use, then take that money out of the bank and spend it on a new computer. People have these things for 10+ years, it really depends on your needs. And by what you've stated, it's not much.

 

[jackoatmon]

Laptops last ~5 years.

 

[Adamantoise]

I've had mine for since late 2012. I actually intend to keep it until it doesn't work anymore.

Ironic considering I broke the trackpad today while replacing the keyboard

 

[polbit]

I just upgraded my wife's early 2011 MacBook Pro 15" from 256Gb to 512Gb SSD, and that thing is going as strong as ever. I'm truly amazed how long it has lasted, and the original battery is still at close to 80% with over 1,100 cycles!

 

[gngan]

3 years is nothing. 2011 mbp here going strong for my usage (Lightroom, web, email, word).

 

[Lawzen]

I think you'll have plenty of life in your machine still. With the sounds of what you do, you should be fine keeping that thing going. I recently sold my late 2011 MBP 13" and I would still be using it today if it was still in my hands.

 

[ZapNZs]

I think your MBP has a lot of life left in it, but, should something on it break outside of AppleCare, there is a chance that the repair costs would be so high that you may want to replace it instead of repair it (and having a little cash tucked away for this isn't necessarily a bad thing IMO.)

Is the reason you are considering an iMac over adding an external display because you are experiencing any performance issues with your current MBP?

 

[nia820]

My current MBP is three years ago and, so far, has been the best computer I've ever owned. I love its portability and how fast everything runs. Granted, all I really do on it is listen to music, browse the web, and edit photos in Lightroom with an occasional visit into Photoshop. I also love that it has an SD port since I am a full-time real estate photographer.

However, I'm looking to get a new Mac and I'm considering the base 21.5" 4K iMac and upgrading to 16GB RAM & 512GB SSD. I'm comfortable with this option but only if I know my MBP will still continue to be as reliable for at least another year or two. If my MBP is nearing its prime, and about start to getting slow on me, I'd prefer to get a new MBP instead of the iMac since portability is more important to me than having an iMac be my primary computer. -- So my real question is: am I safe getting the iMac for now and getting a new MBP in a couple years or should I just go ahead and go with the new MBP now?

These are the specs of my current MBP. Any suggestions or ideas would be appreciated!

View attachment 705493

I say you have another 3 years. My friend's 2012 non retina Mbp is still going strong.

 

[kevingaffney]

I'm a graphic designer and still using my 2009 15" mbp. Yes 2009. Ok, it's had extra ram upgraded hard drive and new battery over the years. Runs illustrator and photoshop rapid fast, and intend squeezing one more year out of it before 2018 new purchase. So for anyone saying these machines are expensive, I've gotten 8 years heavy use for the initial 2k I spent. That's 250 Euro per year, exceptional value I'd say

 

[torana355]

Laptops last ~5 years.

My 2011 MBA is at 6 and has no signs of failing anytime soon, still on the original battery to haha. Best computer ive ever owned including my 2012 iMac however my 2008 iMac is a close second as it is still kicking. This is where Apple laptops start to make sense, the initial outlay is large but they last a hell of a long time. However it seems the quality control has fallen with the 2016 MBP's.

 

[macintoshmac]

Laptops last ~5 years.

Then what, they suddenly die, blow up, turtle over?
[doublepost=1498288074][/doublepost]

I'm a graphic designer and still using my 2009 15" mbp. Yes 2009. Ok, it's had extra ram upgraded hard drive and new battery over the years. Runs illustrator and photoshop rapid fast, and intend squeezing one more year out of it before 2018 new purchase. So for anyone saying these machines are expensive, I've gotten 8 years heavy use for the initial 2k I spent. That's 250 Euro per year, exceptional value I'd say

Apple could not charm you towards Retina? I bought my 2016 13" from a 2011 15" because I began carrying it daily and because I also wanted a computer capable of fitting in my DSLR bag for travel. However, since now I am not carrying it daily, I am beginning to toy with the idea of selling it and going back to 2011 and last it while it does. But, the retina...

 

[kevingaffney]

Then what, they suddenly die, blow up, turtle over?
[doublepost=1498288074][/doublepost]

Apple could not charm you towards Retina? I bought my 2016 13" from a 2011 15" because I began carrying it daily and because I also wanted a computer capable of fitting in my DSLR bag for travel. However, since now I am not carrying it daily, I am beginning to toy with the idea of selling it and going back to 2011 and last it while it does. But, the retina...

The retina thing wasn't a big deal. Im getting on in years so eyesight not as sharp as the younger ones on here. Retina gets lost a bit there. Also, the vast majority of the time the MbP is hooked into a decent 27" monitor at work

 

[Stefan johansson]

With a good os,and with only kind of light use,a laptop can last very long. I remember an old Alienware with win XP,that I used for everything,including gaming,for more than 12 years. For light photo editing,music playback and web browsing,a 3 year old MBP should be more than enough for the next 5 years or more.
Durability of the hardware itself might be much more than that,I still got my home built 1977 Sinclair ZX-80 in good working order,but of course it's rather useless for anything more than generating random lotto numbers.

 

[leman]

Here are the approximate figures: about 20% of laptops fail in the first three years, almost half in first 5.

 

[kevingaffney]

Here are the approximate figures: about 20% of laptops fail in the first three years, almost half in first 5.

Is that laptops in general or just macs

 

[Stefan johansson]

Here are the approximate figures: about 20% of laptops fail in the first three years, almost half in first 5.

Well,that's statistics. My two year old MBP don't seem to be on it's way to be dead or outdated yet,and the old windows 7 laptop in my garage was in fact still working fine when I used it last week.

 

[Fishrrman]

The Life Expectancy?

That depends on two factors, in my opinion:
1. How well you take care of it
and
2. How well it was designed.

By "how well it was designed", I mean that there weren't any design oversights or shortcomings. MacBook Pro's that DID have such problems were the 15/17" 2011 models that have subsequently experienced "RadeonGate". It probably didn't matter how much care the owners of these machines gave them -- they were destined to fail anyway.

Similarly, we are seeing "StainGate" on the 2012-later retina MBPro's. But Apple seems to be making good on this with free replacement displays for affected units.

I've got a 2010 13" MacBook Pro (upgraded with SSD), that boots quickly and runs smoothly. Not even a mark on the case! Still a usable computer, if not quite "up-to-date".

A friend has an old white plastic "iBook" that he still uses!

 

[macintoshmac]

The retina thing wasn't a big deal. Im getting on in years so eyesight not as sharp as the younger ones on here. Retina gets lost a bit there. Also, the vast majority of the time the MbP is hooked into a decent 27" monitor at work

I am rather scared to hook my MBP Late 2011 15" with AMD dGPU to an external monitor. Fans speed up, and I know this one to be a ticking time bomb in the graphics chipset department.

 

[Pib]

All of our macs (2 MBs & 2 minis) are of the 2008 - 2010 vintage. They're now "frozen in time" to El Capitan but they still work well for our needs and I feel like I got a lot of value for my money. The only issue we've ever had with any of them is on the 2008 MP which is on its 4th battery. Granted the 2nd - 4th batteries were not Apple OEM batteries so no surprise that they have a shorter life-span than the original.

 

[markovchain]

1st -2nd year - everything is just fine!

3rd year - track pad issue. Battery issue if you use MacBook mainly outsode

After 3 years, all sorts of issues - screen, gpu overheat, switch on off, logic board .

At this point, you are left to decide to sell it off or pay USD 100 to USD 600 for Apple repair, if it is repairable.

For mac made in last five 5 years, life expectancy = 3 years, albeit I know those in 10 years ago did last longer.

If I have the choices, I rather not buy a laptop. Period.

But do I have? iMac screeen issue? Mac mini is not updated and throttle a lot. Mac Pro is expensive and outdated as well .....

 

[jackoatmon]

My 2011 MBA is at 6 and has no signs of failing anytime soon, still on the original battery to haha. Best computer ive ever owned including my 2012 iMac however my 2008 iMac is a close second as it is still kicking. This is where Apple laptops start to make sense, the initial outlay is large but they last a hell of a long time. However it seems the quality control has fallen with the 2016 MBP's.

just means you're on the outside edge of the bell curve and/or have an uncommonly light use case/load time patience.

5 years is very old for a laptop. at that point they're email machines and little else.

 

[macintoshmac]

1st -2nd year - everything is just fine!

3rd year - track pad issue. Battery issue if you use MacBook mainly outsode

After 3 years, all sorts of issues - screen, gpu overheat, switch on off, logic board .

At this point, you are left to decide to sell it off or pay USD 100 to USD 600 for Apple repair, if it is repairable.

For mac made in last five 5 years, life expectancy = 3 years, albeit I know those in 10 years ago did last longer.

If I have the choices, I rather not buy a laptop. Period.

But do I have? iMac screeen issue? Mac mini is not updated and throttle a lot. Mac Pro is expensive and outdated as well .....

just means you're on the outside edge of the bell curve and/or have an uncommonly light use case/load time patience.

5 years is very old for a laptop. at that point they're email machines and little else.

An average Mac lasts at least 5 years, if not more. My Late 2011 with TB (time bomb) still sings. I bought a lighter 13" MBP 2016 when they came out because of portability, but as a computer that 15" 2011 machine sang and doesn't leave wanting in snappiness factor, especially after High Sierra betas. Sure it was showing its age, by way of randomly malfunctioning USB ports that would need a good fondling to work again, SDXC card stopped functioning years ago, fans spinning louder and more frequently despite cleaning the system from the inside, etc. But, as a machine, and computing experience overall, this still sings. Of course it doesn't have the super fast transfer rates and all that, but the 16GB RAM and 256GB SSD make it a very good "desktop" computer now. Even a backup computer. I suspect I will be able to eke out faster data rates if I upgrade the SSD to something faster that can take advantage of SATA interface better than my Plextor M5 Pro SSD I have in it.

Point being, generally, Macs have so far lasted 5 years average, even when their repairability score has come down to 0 and has become a hot topic of contention ever since the 2012 retina versions and the thinner iMacs. Macs last long not because we can upgrade the RAM and storage when we want, they last long because they are built better with better quality components from the aluminium outer to the solder on the PCB including the material of the PCB and the solder. This is still a high quality machine overall. Of course, it can fail on the day of purchase as is the case with everything. A car can fail the day of purchase, too.

Choosing the right form factor for the requirement is also important. I bought my MacBook Pro in 2011 because I wanted to have a a powerful computer with optional portability when needed, and it was needed once a week or once two weeks. In 2011 and through 2015, whenever I wanted to take my laptop out, I did not feel wanting in portability, performance, or style. It was when I had to carry it daily in summer 2016, when I switched jobs, that the form factor became wrong for me, and I shifted to a lighter 13" 2016 MBP when they came out. I did not take the 15" because it was first of all priced out for me, and second, I wanted a smaller notebook that could go along with me in my DSLR bag. If my requirement was just a powerful computer, I would have bought an iMac. Indeed, I was using a hackintosh tower before.