Why do you buy a new MacBook Pro every year?

[Mr. Dee]

This is a question to do those who do it? I know you have your typical engineer who needs to have the best technology. But for those who are your more average business user or just a casual user, what benefit are you getting from upgrading to a newer MacBook Pro every year?

I am curious because I look back a decade or two ago; whether PC or Mac, you kept your computer for a long time. A lot still do, because I come across the threads from those still using a 2008 or 2010 model Mac.

I personally look at my own usage behavior and with the advances in hardware and software, you can keep a machine pretty much for 5 years and get those free macOS upgrades without considering a new Mac.

Sure, there might be some unique advances like Metal 2 improvements, HVEC that will require the 2016 and 2017 Macs. This seems niche though.

So, for those average users, whats behind your strategy for upgrading every year and how do you handle getting rid of the older model?

 

[jerryk]

I don't. I buy desktops fast than I buy laptops. That is because of changes in my need and faster advances in desktop/deskside level technologies. My latest deskside systems has a 6 core processor, M.2 NVME SSDs, 32 GB of memory, and 2 GTX 1070 cards. I do Machine Learning/AI and use the Nvidia cards with CUDA libraries.

Meanwhile my laptop is a 2015 15" rMBP. I have not found a need to upgrade it since it works well enough for basic tasks, and until they support NVidia GPUs I cannot use CUDA for much of my work.

However, I need to see how AR development works on the platform.

 

[Queen6]

24 months for notebooks; they are employed professionally, they are pushed hard and frequently travel globally. If a hardware offer a significant advantage I will advance and purchase sooner, although not immediately upon realise to allow the production process to settle and bugs to be worked out.

For home use I would likely go 3-4 years, however with my work system generally coming-out of rotation at the rate of one a year they get passed around the family.

Q-6

 

[darkmaxdevil]

Can I say because I can? It actually an honest answer from me.

I'm a web developer, I spend most of the day on a computer. So it always nice to have top of the line from the newest pipeline to play with. It's not necessary to change every year but more like every iteration. Anyway, if the change is too little like 2016 to 2017 MacBook Pro, I don't change because they are not offering anything I care about. The same happen to me for late 2013 to mid 2014 model and then I bought a 2015 model. As soon as 2016 is available, I got one. So I think I can answer this question as well

 

[kovalchuk71]

I don't. I buy desktops fast than I buy laptops. That is because of changes in my need and faster advances in desktop/deskside level technologies. My latest deskside systems has a 6 core processor, M.2 NVME SSDs, 32 GB of memory, and 2 GTX 1070 cards. I do Machine Learning/AI and use the Nvidia cards with CUDA libraries.

Meanwhile my laptop is a 2015 15" rMBP. I have not found a need to upgrade it since it works well enough for basic tasks, and until they support NVidia GPUs I cannot use CUDA for much of my work.

However, I need to see how AR development works on the platform.

They have external GPUs now for MacBook Pros (GTX1070s), but im not sure if the TB is fast enough to run them.

 

[sunapple]

A new one every year might be a little excessive when buying new, but I don't see the benefit of keeping a MacBook until it's on its last legs. By then it will be slow a the battery will be bad. Resale value will be very low and the costs per year usually end up the same if you upgrade every two years (250-300€).

 

[aevan]

Most people keep their Macs for at least three years, often much longer. Those that buy sooner do it because they have the money and want to.

If I was super rich, I'd probably buy all MacBook sizes every year, just because I like them. Heck, maybe all colors even.

Hm, does today feel like a Rose Gold day?

 

[itsamacthing]

Replacing my 2007 MBP with this 2017 MBP, the 2007 ran well till 2012 and I skipped the Retina for some stupid reason... I like quality objects that last, Apple.

 

[New_Mac_Smell]

Most people keep their Macs for at least three years, often much longer. Those that buy sooner do it because they have the money and want to.

If I was super rich, I'd probably buy all MacBook sizes every year, just because I like them. Heck, maybe all colors even.

Hm, does today feel like a Rose Gold day?

Hell yeah!

OP: It's usually just because people want one. Macs are extremely coveted, and some people like that feeling. Which represents a higher value to them than the 10% speed increase offers. Nothing wrong with that of course.

Personally this is a tool to me, I do like having latest tech but it needs to be significant. I never notice an ever so slightly faster processor, but I do notice a much crisper screen or lightness. So I try upgrade when they release a new design. And find it best to buy as soon as one is released, if I brought this in 2019 I'd be annoyed when they released a whole new one in 2020 and struggle to justify the update. But 4 years is about right, so I just divide my time with it by the cost to work out if it's worth it. £2800/4 = £700, I am earning significantly more than that each year... so it's not really a huge expense. I could buy one every year, but I rather spend the money on more important things in life like coffee and cake.

 

[pookitoo]

And it's like some people who buy new car every 3 or 4 years to don't have to manage the problem / good resale value / less money to spend and less problem.

For me it really depend on my need, I'm web designer: 10 h a day in front of my computer !

I've started Mac in 2010 with a macbook pro 13 superdrive
=> need more portability in 2012 => new macbook air 11 " with i7 (my beloved Mac
=> need more power and need the beautiful retina screen (for design it's perfect) in 2015 => new MacBook Pro retina 13
=> portability was a big issue in 2016 so => 12 inch macbook
=> performances was a big issue with the macbook => 2016 MacBook Pro 13 because more compact form factor and slightly better than the 2015 (and give to my wife the 12)
=> Recently I'm starting to go to video editing, and don't find any beautiful external screen (with the MacBook Pro 13, the ultra fine 5k is very laggy) so iMac 2017 => first time to manage 2 computer, not in my philosophy but that screen and performances !!!

(and sometimes I tried during 15 days other config, but never fit my need)

 

[maflynn]

I don't usually, I'd say I'm in a 2+ year window. I have a 2012 rMBP and a 2016 Surface Book. I was contemplating a new laptop this year, but solely because the 13" SB is a tad small. I changed my mind and opted for an iPad Pro, I'll continue to use the MBP and SB for my mobile needs for the remainder of 2017 and maybe I'll re-consider a new laptop in 2018

 

[robvas]

Just for fun and internet points. Actually, I haven't bought a new machine since 2013 and I've been buying used since then. But from 2010 to 2013 I upgraded every year

 

[EugW]

I used to be able to write off some of my Mac purchases. In that context in terms of after tax dollars, it was actually cheaper to buy a new computer very frequently and sell the old ones.

 

[Mr. Dee]

Most people keep their Macs for at least three years, often much longer. Those that buy sooner do it because they have the money and want to.

If I was super rich, I'd probably buy all MacBook sizes every year, just because I like them. Heck, maybe all colors even.

Hm, does today feel like a Rose Gold day?

If I was in the same position (super rich), I would probably upgrade every year. I am personally looking in the opposite direction. I have my eyes set on a 2002 PowerBook G4. Want to load it up with Mac OS 10.1 and some old apps. Would get a first gen MacBook Pro (2006) after that.

My 2015 does all I need, not to mention my other devices like my SP3, an HP Elitebook and Acer Aspire.

 

[EugW]

I have a bunch of different G4s which I never bothered selling off. IMO they are completely unusable in any modern sense. Even my 2006 Core Duo iMac is pretty problematic.

 

[jerryk]

I have a bunch of different G4s which I never bothered selling off. IMO they are completely unusable in any modern sense. Even my 2006 Core Duo iMac is pretty problematic.

I still have my Fat Mac, 512K of memory, 3.5 floppy. I boot it up any once in a while and it still runs! Back then Apple HQ was next to a peach grove in Cupertino and there was a watermelon stand down the street.

 

[Fishrrman]

Who really -needs- a new MacBook Pro "every year"?

I can't imagine even professional content creators who would be so vain.

Perhaps folks with money to throw away or some who have nothing to do but obsess over their computers all day.

I -use- the computer almost all day (and evening, too), but don't obsess over it.

I bought my first MacBook Pro (2010) in April of 2010.
I used it for almost 7 years, until I bought a 2015 MBPro in December 2016.

I think this one will last a good long while.

 

[JMacHack]

Are there people that do this? This seems extremely exorbitant.

Currently, this is my first MBP, but I'm planning on getting 6-8 years out of this, hell or high water.
My former laptops crapped out in 3 years, but even then I can't imagine upgrading every year.

 

[Mr. Dee]

I have a bunch of different G4s which I never bothered selling off. IMO they are completely unusable in any modern sense. Even my 2006 Core Duo iMac is pretty problematic.

Do you have any working G4 notebooks you would be willing to sell and ship to Jamaica?

 

[aevan]

Who really -needs- a new MacBook Pro "every year"?

I can't imagine even professional content creators who would be so vain.

Who needs expensive watches or jewelry? Who needs to travel to exotic places for holidays?

If you have enough money and love computers, why wouldn't you spend money to buy them every year? Why is that wrong? I don't have that much money, but I don't think it's wrong to buy things you like and can afford, as long as you earned your money in an honest way.

 

[IllIllIll]

Like others - because I can.

I also trade in/upgrade my cars on a regular basis, every 3-4 years once the warranty runs out.

 

[turbineseaplane]

The biggest trap to fall into that gets you interested in upgrading more frequently is...

...reading this forum

Seriously..It's pretty funny what can happen to your mind when you read the postings anytime a new product comes out.

One example right now is how the previously "amaze-balls 9.7" iPad Pro" is now "rubbish" and "I can't even look at it anymore after seeing the 10.5" iPP", "I could never go back", "the added size is PERFECT!", "everything else seems wrong in comparison now", etc..

lmfao
The human mind is easily duped..

 

[Mr. Dee]

The biggest trap to fall into that gets you interested in upgrading more frequently is...

...reading this forum

Seriously..It's pretty funny what can happen to your mind when you read the postings anytime a new product comes out.

One example right now is how the previously "amaze-balls 9.7" iPad Pro" is now "rubbish" and "I can't even look at it anymore after seeing the 10.5" iPP", "I could never go back", "the added size is PERFECT!", "everything else seems wrong in comparison now", etc..

lmfao
The human mind is easily duped..

I of course lust and envy, but after a month, my mind comes back to normal. I was in the states last year when the iPhone 7 came out and I played with it a bit at the store. Didn't see any major reason to part with $900; that money looks better in my bank account and I'm still taking great pictures.

 

[jerryk]

The biggest trap to fall into that gets you interested in upgrading more frequently is...

...reading this forum

Seriously..It's pretty funny what can happen to your mind when you read the postings anytime a new product comes out.

One example right now is how the previously "amaze-balls 9.7" iPad Pro" is now "rubbish" and "I can't even look at it anymore after seeing the 10.5" iPP", "I could never go back", "the added size is PERFECT!", "everything else seems wrong in comparison now", etc..

lmfao
The human mind is easily duped..

Yep. I am having a burning of my iPad Pro 9.7 with the leaves from my lawn.

Might throw my MacBook Pro on the fire also, since at WWDC they said all I needed was a 10.5 iPad Pro.

 

[turbineseaplane]

I of course lust and envy, but after a month, my mind comes back to normal. I was in the states last year when the iPhone 7 came out and I played with it a bit at the store. Didn't see any major reason to part with $900; that money looks better in my bank account and I'm still taking great pictures.

Yep!
That is literally the most important thing to do..

Always plan to "try the stuff but leave the store" and then re-evaluate with a more dispassionate view to it all.
[doublepost=1498166102][/doublepost]

Yep. I am having a burning of my iPad Pro 9.7 with the leaves from my lawn.

Might throw my MacBook Pro on the fire also, since at WWDC they said all I needed was a 10.5 iPad Pro.

lol - a "sacrifice" of all that instantly no good anymore hardware, 'eh?