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Will the new MBP last for a 4 year degree?

W

will eth

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 16, 2008
35
0
Hello all,
Baisically im going to university at the end of this year and am getting a MBP for the course.
My thought are im not going to be able to afford a new computer untill the end of my degree, which it 4 years! So my question is, should i buy now or wait till the next big refresh next year considering this will have to last me 4 years.
I want to buy now but ive read many threads about overheating and, well it sounds silly, but has put a downer on me buying one. I suppose i want people to put my mind at ease before i spend every penny i have. Thanks Will.
 
Any Mac you can buy today will last 4+ years, if you take care of it. Overheating is NOT an issue with Macs. The overheating threads are posted by those who are unfamiliar with normal operating temperatures for Macs. Macs are designed to automatically shut down if they truly overheat (around 105C/221F), to prevent damage. Ignore all the people freaking out with no cause.
 
My MBP is 4 years old, and the only reason it's not capable of keeping up with my in University is because I do hardcore hi-def video editing. It's great for everything but that though - and wow ;)
 
Any MBP bought currently will last 4 years and probably more, but by then you'll probably want (not need) whats available since you'll have the $.
 
Yes, I have had my Macbook 13" for 3 years going on 4 this summer. I have dropped it from 3' onto thin carpet, crushed it in my bookbag, and heated the CPU up to 85 C and it still works as well as it did when it was brand new. IMO Macbook Pro's aluminum body are a lot more durable than my white plastic Macbook. :D

EDIT

Not to mention they are always tweaking the design every few months or so to help combat things such as overheating and the like.
 
benjayman2 said:
Any MBP bought currently will last 4 years and probably more, but by then you'll probably want (not need) whats available since you'll have the $.
Click to expand...

Best answer ever.
They last until they are:
(a) stolen
(b) break
(c) you want the new hottie
(d) they are 6 years old

I used a PMG4 for 6 and a half years.
New unibody MBP really last, what used to wear out was the case, now is really sturdy and well built, they are gonna last. Get applecare anyway.
 
My Core Duo white macbook got me through five years of school - and I consider myself a fairly heavy user [xcode, virtual machines (centos and win xp), web development (ok that's not too much)].

I'd probably use it through the next two years of grad school if I didn't get a 2007 at the cost of a new screen last summer.

In other words: It'll last you more than 4 years. I'd wait until you need it - if something new comes out before you really need it then you'll be happier, if it comes time that you need it and there is no refresh, then you'll buy it knowing that you couldn't have waited any longer. If you poke through the forums you'll see tons of threads about "should I buy now or wait" and it always boils down to needing it now or not.
 
GGJstudios said:
That's a completely normal temperature.

Read my earlier post. Overheating is NOT an issue; only a perceived issue, by those who don't know any better.
Click to expand...

Thanks, buddy. My CPU never goes over 60 unless I am doing some hardcore video watching on a non-flat surface. I only report what I see, bruagh... Sorry I'm so "uneducated" about Macs.

ECUpirate44 said:
Like this.
Click to expand...

And how am I freaking out...?

Thanks for the constructive criticism.
 
Last edited:
It should. Just be aware it might not be so speedy for new apps that last year. :)
 
will eth said:
Hello all,
Baisically im going to university at the end of this year and am getting a MBP for the course.
My thought are im not going to be able to afford a new computer untill the end of my degree, which it 4 years! So my question is, should i buy now or wait till the next big refresh next year considering this will have to last me 4 years.
I want to buy now but ive read many threads about overheating and, well it sounds silly, but has put a downer on me buying one. I suppose i want people to put my mind at ease before i spend every penny i have. Thanks Will.
Click to expand...

It'll cope just fine (As a measure of this, most of the people I know at Uni, even doing Computer Science/Engineering tend to buy a Laptop at the start and plow through to the end). I see plenty of 2006/2007 era MacBooks and MacBook Pros still in use by final years at my university campus, and thats across all disciplines, so it should be fine :)
 
It should be more than enough for 4 years. I have had my current MB for the past 2, and have had no issues with it being underpowered. The new SB chips are very powerful, so it should last for quite a few years to come.
 
My 2007 MBP lasted a 3.5 year bachelor's in digital media. I had to use my school's equipment whenever I was working on a project involving AfterEffects, but other than that it was fine.
 
Will,

Good post, thank you!

My new 2011 17" MBP, 2.2GHz/8GB, with Parallels running XP, so far, has been lower in temp than my token Sony laptop running Win7 and one CPU-intensive task set to run on one core.

My MBP's idle temp is 35C. My Sony's idle is mid-40s~mid-50s.

My Sony gets up to 76C, running Win7 and the one game. XP installing apps and running a demo movie got up to 61.

I can think of only four other tests to fully determine maximum temps to eke out of this thing, but under *real world use* the temps have been exceptionally good.

The four tests are:
* painting in Photoshop (my previous laptop, not the Sony, got up to 76C)
* compiling a program in Visual Studio in Windows
* compiling a Flash app (that will cook, and, again, not on the Sony, think 99C! :eek: )
* running Prime 95 on all cores

Now, I came from the PC world where I overclocked desktops. Everybody said "60C is too high". Generally speaking, with technology, running it as cool as possible is always the best, even if a CPU can run at very high temperatures. An Apple logo on the case doesn't exempt it.

But the fact remains, Apple devices' longevity is usually deservedly known and Apple is - from what I've heard and even from coworkers - exceptional with support. Buy AppleCare and then don't drop the computer or dunk it in a swimming pool for fun and you really will be OK. :)

The 2011 models will easily last 4 years. I can't fathom too many software titles wanting to suck out every last CPU cycle... I'm majoring in design and marketing (two related fields where people in each always bicker with the opposing department, but I like challenges :D ) and know the new MBP will suit my needs very well.
 
GGJstudios said:
Any Mac you can buy today will last 4+ years, if you take care of it. Overheating is NOT an issue with Macs. The overheating threads are posted by those who are unfamiliar with normal operating temperatures for Macs. Macs are designed to automatically shut down if they truly overheat (around 105C/221F), to prevent damage. Ignore all the people freaking out with no cause.
Click to expand...

Actually, that's due to Intel's CPU taking the reins and shutting down automatically to prevent thermal death. Windows-based PCs have the same mechanism installed. By now, even AMD should have an auto-shutoff switch. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_cooling

(Cool link: They didn't auto-shutoff a decade ago: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSGcnRanYMM)

I recall reading somewhere that Intel's CPU will underclock as a defensive mechanism against heat as well.

But the laws of physics still prevail. (And given Macs do run very hot yet, by and large, run for YEARS without issues (save for the iMac screen issues that I've seen happen on my monitors, which did get very hot as well), some of the paranoia people have is unjustified. But some of it isn't.)
 
My MacBook will be 4 years old this summer and still runs fine. If I upgraded to Snow Leopard and increased the RAM from 1 to 4 gb and upgraded my 80 gb bigger hard drive, I'd have enough HDD space and probably solve my lagginess problems. (mostly when running MSOffice programs or too many tabs in Chrome) But i figured I'd upgrade this year while Apple will still give me $250 for it, so I'm planning to as soon as the free iPod promotion starts.

I had a logic board fail on an eMac that I didnt have AppleCare for after a year and a half, and my hard drive failed on my current MacBook twice within a month of getting it - but was luckily replaced free and has been fine since.
 
I bought a Macbook Pro with the 8600m GT. Little did I know this unit would croak after ~two years. Maybe OP will have better luck.
 
My first-generation MacBook Pro (32-bit-only Core Duo 2.0 GHz, 2 GB RAM,) has survived wonderfully for 5+ years now. I even do HD video editing on it. (Although just home videos, and yes, I'm patient.) For a couple years, when I didn't need a portable, I used it solely as a desktop, with multiple external hard drives always plugged in, and an external monitor. At that time, I even ran Folding@Home on it nonstop, 24/7, for about a year. Never had any overheating problems. (Sitting on a desk, not on my lap, mind you.)

Yes, a current Mac will last you four years, no problem. (If you happen toa get a model, like the GeForce8600M series, that is a dud, rest assured that Apple will cover it under an extended warranty.)
 
if it's the only money you have.....I'll dissent here-

run what you brought until it pukes, then buy one. If it's a big chunk of your college savings it'll just wind up sold when you run out of cash.

Buy it when you legitimately can afford it and have use for it.

rjp
 
What field of study is the OP going into? This makes a big difference as any MB or MBP will provide some 4 maybe 5 years of use before going obsolete if you are doing undergrad in a humanities or liberal arts field of study. On the other hand if you are going into computer sciences or digital creative fields of study you may realize that you will "want" more before then.

Then there are also the cases when you will need before 4 years, as others have pointed out there are the risks of breakage, theft, loss etc. Unexpected hardware failures are also a possibility and AppleCare won't help you after year 3. How well you take care of the computer, whether you dorm or not, travel alot, and just luck will determine how long you make your computer last.

And alas do not assume 4 years as a benchmark for graduation. A lot can happen and most students do not finish a "4 year degree" in 4 years. I took 6 years and I know of many others who took even longer.:eek:

Bottom line is buy what you can comfortably afford and assume that it may
last only 2-3 years.
 
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