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When is a mac too old !

S

SamJames170

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 1, 2019
31
2
I have late 2015 imac I am using for work (every weekday its used say 6 hours since 2015) and everything runs fine I am just in the process of updating IOS. Has anyone any experience of when to replace a mac on the basis its been used for some years and works fine but could be a liability for failure due to age?

Many Thanks
Sam
 
If it still does the job, then no need to upgrade just for the hell.
Unless done, you could upgrade ssd/ram for extra longevity.

Always make sure you have an external bootable clone also.
If things went pear shaped, you can get back up and running.
 
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As long as you have a decent backup strategy (which everyone should have regardless of computer age) just keep using it until it dies.

(Or no longer supports the latest OS you want, or models with new features you want are released.)

I have a Power Mac 9600 I bought new in 1997 and a G4 Cube ordered the day it was released. Both still work fine more than 20 years later.
 
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"Always make sure you have an external bootable clone also." I have a Time Machine Backup. How do you do an external bootable clone?
 
There really is no liability for failure due to age, if you have a back-up system in place.
Plenty of old machines still in use that are fine for basic uses, depending on the OS etc , you can still browse watch videos and send emails on older machines.

Sounds like you have a fine enough device for what you're doing, I'd keep going with what you have if it's working for you, just make sure you some sort of back up in place.

I still have a G5 and and a 2008 Mac Book running, don't use them very often to be honest, but they still work fine.
SamJames170 said:
I have late 2015 imac I am using for work (every weekday its used say 6 hours since 2015) and everything runs fine I am just in the process of updating IOS. Has anyone any experience of when to replace a mac on the basis its been used for some years and works fine but could be a liability for failure due to age?

Many Thanks
Sam
Click to expand...
 
RUQRU said:
Super Duper 3.5 beta works on Big Sur. Made a bootable backaup when moving from old iMac to M1 iMac.
Big Sur Infomation
Click to expand...
Thanks anything you might of used as a backup for El Capitan? ..... will use this once I am on Big Sur but need to have a good fall back for El Cap in case anything goes wrong!
 
SamJames170 said:
Thanks anything you might of used as a backup for El Capitan? ..... will use this once I am on Big Sur but need to have a good fall back for El Cap in case anything goes wrong!
Click to expand...
As far as I recall, SuperDuper! is good for cloning in El Capitan. You don't even need to buy it - the purchase option provides for 'incremental' backups, updating the base full clone backup you would have used it for initially on a schedule you can set. The free version will do a full clone and make the clone bootable - but it will make a whole new full clone each time, wiping out the prior one.

When you update to Big Sur or replace the system with a new one, the clone on the backup drive can then be used to migrate your data - the clone it makes is fully readable by the Finder.
 
It's really too old when it doesn't do anymore what you want it to do. I inherited a 2017 12" macbook and it's unbelievably slow for Teams calls and simple mail. Don't even count on opening an Excel attachment from Outlook while in a Teams call :) Before, I had a late 2013 13" MBP that I used until the lockdown started. So it really depends on the machine and on your needs.

As for backups - I never backup a full drive, I only backup files. I do this for several reasons:
  1. Space. With a full disk backup, you get all the garbage that you collected over the years by installing, then uninstalling apps. There's always lots left over that fills space for no reason at all.
  2. A computer benefits from a clean reinstall every now and then. It's a hassle when you have a complex software setup (think Logic Pro with lots of plug-ins). But in many cases, it's just a matter of downloading and installing what you need. To get me started, it takes about an hour. I then gradually add again what I left out when I need it. In the meantime, the hour spent pays back for itself in sheer enjoyment of how empty and fast the new machine is.
  3. Because I back up my files to my server, which I can access over a VPN from anywhere, I am not dependent on my machine. If it crashes or gets stolen, I replace it, reinstall software, connect to my server and I'm back where I left off. You can achieve the same with OneDrive (1TB free with an Office license) or other cloud storage systems. Because I work on different machines, but on the same files, at work and at home, I needed this solution. It's quite freeing. I've already accessed the same files from my Windows HTPC connected to my PC.
 
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Still working fine every day ...
Screen Shot 2021-08-04 at 11.21.04 am.png
 
grandM said:
My late 2012 mini greets you!
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Have one late 2012 too (2.6 GHz, 8GB memory).
Have only Apple Store software on it except for MS Office (stand alone version of course), and the computer runs absolutely fine. Final Cut in 4K is relatively slow, but even that works. The computer boots up in 25 seconds because I have very little third-party software installed (about 10 declutter tools: Onyx, EtreCheck, AppCleaner, KnockKnock...). When I'm not working on it, it hardly has to run any background processes. I'm happy at how durable Apple's machines are when you don't clutter them up.

However, there were also years when I was dissatisfied because the computer seemed slow and sluggish. I then deleted all unnecessary software (I used App Cleaner) and regularly use Onyx. That helps.
 
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Annoyingly I maxed out the 2013 iMac chip etc. when I bought it and Catalina was the last OS it would run with Apples blessing. Thought I might have had a tad longer on the upgrades. Decided with the faults and certain software only running on older packages it was time.
2013 iMac was getting cranky. crashes, excessive noise when some fans kicked in, internal hard drives past certain life time markers according to one app, not that that had any effect it seemed. Now it is wiped and sat on a shelf before I decide to rip the HD out and scrap it or not. Emac went 10 years or so and Tangerine 8? The 2013 was the only one showing faulty issues.
 
I mean, I routinely use a Color Classic II (Upgraded to an 040) for writing design documents and technical design for my games and that thing was released in 93-94. So I guess a Mac is too old when it just can’t keep pace with your needs :)
 
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It's too old when it no longer serves it's purpose, much like us mortal humans ;-)

My wife and I each have a 2011 MBP running High Sierra, neither of which can be upgraded any further. For the most part, they still work, but over the last year or so we've been picking up compatibility problems with the latest Adobe apps, among others, as well as some occasional hardware issues like wifi and Bluetooth dropping out. I've also been getting nervous about online security with an OS that's no longer supported.

So we each have M1 Air's now, but these new machines don't run iPhoto, Aperture or iTunes, but the oldies still do perfectly well. Those machines now stay at home as offline 'desktops' connected to 24" monitors, if we need to use things like Aperture. I also still use my 2011 for digitising vinyl records and playing music via iTunes because it now mostly lives right next to the Hi-Fi.

I must confess, we've happily dragged these old machines all over the world for the last 10 years, and we got used to it, and they have been thoroughly abused along the way and survived, but once you start using an M1 Air you'll have a hard time going back to a cinder block like the 2011 MBP ;-)

As already mentioned, if you have decent backups in place, hardware failure isn't something to be worried about.
 
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A Mac could never be to old as long as it working.

Perhaps you want to play A Mind Forever Voyaging, The Colony or Myst natively.

I tried downloading Myst on a 2010 iMac but couldn’t get it to load.
 
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BacioiuC said:
I mean, I routinely use a Color Classic II (Upgraded to an 040) for writing design documents and technical design for my games and that thing was released in 93-94. So I guess a Mac is too old when it just can’t keep pace with your needs :)
Click to expand...

I don't regularly use my Classic or Classic II any longer, but I often use my PowerBook 1400, a clamshell and snowbook G3, G4 iMac, and the newest of all, G4 Mac mini. A Mac is never too old if it does the job.
 
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If I have a Mac that is incompatible with the latest version of macOS, I take that as my sign that it's time to upgrade. That's why I recently sold my 2012 MBA and bought a 2020 MBA (M1).
 
With software out there to get Macs running newer versions of OS X than they’re meant to, an aging Mac can be kept even more relevant for even longer now! In my classroom I have a number of Macs from 2008-2013, all of which perform useful, productive tasks doe me on a daily basis. I don’t plan on upgrading from them until they can no longer perform the duties I require of them :)
 
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I feel that for most users, assuming they bought the right Mac from the start (and needs do not change), that their computer will be sufficient for 6-8 years.

Good luck achieving this lifetime with a PC.
 
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I think a lot depends on the type of Mac also.
i.e. a mini/iMac/laptop will age quicker with minimal upgrade options available.

Wheras a macpro is/was fully upgradeable.
 
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