Would you pay 25-30% more for an upgradeable MBA, MBP, or MB?

[MBAir2010]

So i just visited apple and selected a MacBook pro 13 inch 16 gb ram 1tb hd, the faster processor and fondle bar. For $2898 USD.
I think buying a less stocked and adding ram, ssd all by my self, i can save more money, maybe over a grand.
I guess that is why im not trillionaired today!
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Sigh. I’m not sure this thread is going to work out. This poll is somewhat tongue-in-cheek and looking to see how many feel upgradable hardware should be offered, As standard or extra cost, after being told that nobody wants upgradable hardware.

Hogwash, ya doing a great job!

 

[AndyMacAndMic]

And there’s a reason for that. See my original edited post. The point of this is not to discuss which three options is preferred but more to see how many want the basics so bad that they would theoretically be willing to pay up for it. Thanks for responding.

Sigh. I’m not sure this thread is going to work out. This poll is somewhat tongue-in-cheek and looking to see how many feel upgradable hardware should be offered, As standard or extra cost, after being told that nobody wants upgradable hardware.

I did not get that from your original edited post. Maybe I am a bad reader The 'tongue-in-cheek' part is not very obvious to me either . Also I don't know if the person you are quoting (I will not drool over his name) is the most representative to quote from in the first place (or was that the tongue-in-cheek part?).

Anyways. Good luck with this thread!

 

[BigMcGuire]

Sigh. I’m not sure this thread is going to work out. This poll is somewhat tongue-in-cheek and looking to see how many feel upgradable hardware should be offered, As standard or extra cost, after being told that nobody wants upgradable hardware.

I think logically, you should pay less for a modular MacBook, because I thought all the price went into making it smaller? So, a modular MacBook should be 2x bigger and 30% cheaper, imo. Would I pay 30% less for a modular MacBook? Mobility is important to me, so probably not.

 

[MBAir2010]

Once a month, i take the elcapitan ssd out of the macbook air, shut down, install the mountain lion ssd, run programs, scan and surf. Shut down, put back el cap.
I love doung this, the slkill and concentration of working on MY macbook air. Its a shame i can't add ram, but back then 2gb was plenty.

 

[Tozovac]

I think logically, you should pay less for a modular MacBook, because I thought all the price went into making it smaller? So, a modular MacBook should be 2x bigger and 30% cheaper, imo. Would I pay 30% less for a modular MacBook? Mobility is important to me, so probably not.

What an interesting reply!! Thx!

 

[MBAir2010]

Macbook pro Touch Bar and Touch ID
2.6GHz 6-Core Processor
512/16 gb ram $2800
You Add owc 1 tb $550
You Add another 16 ram $140

Total $3,2490

From apple same macbook that added
1 TB Storage
32 gb ram
Apple total $3,599.00

You do the maths

 

[RandomDSdevel]

I agree with what others have posted here already: upgradability and serviceability should come standard under the pre-existing 'Apple tax,' which has been getting too high as things are, anyway. Oh, but for the days when the highest-specced BTO MacBook Pro models cost $2,999.99, tops! I'd love to have the current highest-end configuration at that price, but that's just wishful thinking.

 

[Tozovac]

I agree with what others have posted here already: upgradability and serviceability should come standard under the pre-existing 'Apple tax,' which has been getting too high as things are, anyway. Oh, but for the days when the highest-specced BTO MacBook Pro models cost $2,999.99, tops! I'd love to have the current highest-end configuration at that price, but that's just wishful thinking.

Well, I wish I would have now picked a third option. My entire point of this thread is to get a sense of how many out there would prefer an option to upgrade as a feature. Whether it’s the base cost or plus cost or minus cost.

The point of the poll was not to assess what real options people here would like, but more in response to constantly being told I’m out of touch with what makes a good, valued computer, and that even Apple would not value somebody willing to pay up for more function that should be standard.

At least, Responses like yours back what I’ve been saying that Apple is not on a good long-term trajectory that I think will bite them eventually. Quite a few of us are sticking with Apple based on what we came to experience and value starting well over 10 years ago, a much different landscape than today.

 

[BigMcGuire]

Well, I wish I would have now picked a third option. My entire point of this thread is to get a sense of how many out there would prefer an option to upgrade as a feature. Whether it’s the base cost or plus cost or minus cost.

Definitely would give me a pause to consider. Being able to upgrade is very important to me because I like to keep my things for awhile if I can. I used to buy base Dell laptops then upgrade the internals to high end hardware. I think Apple wouldn't be able to charge high prices if they offered this ability because of people like me and what I did with Dell Laptops back in the day.

 

[MBAir2010]

I agree with what others have posted here already: upgradability and serviceability should come standard under the pre-existing 'Apple tax,' which has been getting too high as things are, anyway. Oh, but for the days when the highest-specced BTO MacBook Pro models cost $2,999.99, tops! I'd love to have the current highest-end configuration at that price, but that's just wishful thinking.

And without the drama of throttlimg and butterfried keyboards!

 

[MacsRuleOthersDrool]

Thanks for posting. But the point of this thread is to see how many others feel like I do, and would value replaceable, serviceable hardware. I’ve been too often told that nobody wants that, so let’s see how many do. Completely unscientific, but fun to play along. Suspend your belief that this needs to be a honest product justification discussion.

Give it up. You lost, sorry!

Not ONE vote in support of your position. Not ONE.

And BTW, any modern repair depot SHOULD be able to upgrade Soldered RAM. All it takes is an SMT Rework Station, and those can be had for as little as $60 on Amazon. I think Apple is using proprietary SSD, though; but if not, those should be upgradeable, too.

iFixit doesn't have the 15" 2018 MBP teardown posted yet; but here is the 2018 13" touchbar. Note at Step 9, that neither the RAM nor the SSD are Apple-custom parts; so they SHOULD be available.

https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/MacBook+Pro+13-Inch+Touch+Bar+2018+Teardown/111384

RAM: SKhynix H9CCNNNBJTAL

SSD: Toshiba TSB 3226 J86404 TWNA1

And, while that might be beyond most hobbyist's abilities (the RAM is in a BGA package, for example), these people MIGHT be able to help:

https://experimac.com/repairs-and-upgrades/macbook.asp

 

[ghostface147]

I'd pay the current price for them with the upgradeability, which would mean they should be at least 15% cheaper.

 

[Tozovac]

Give it up. You lost, sorry!

Not ONE vote in support of your position. Not ONE.

And BTW, any modern repair depot SHOULD be able to upgrade Soldered RAM. All it takes is an SMT Rework Station, and those can be had for as little as $60 on Amazon. I think Apple is using proprietary SSD, though; but if not, those should be upgradeable, too.

iFixit doesn't have the 15" 2018 MBP teardown posted yet; but here is the 2018 13" touchbar. Note at Step 9, that neither the RAM nor the SSD are Apple-custom parts; so they SHOULD be available.

https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/MacBook+Pro+13-Inch+Touch+Bar+2018+Teardown/111384

RAM: SKhynix H9CCNNNBJTAL

SSD: Toshiba TSB 3226 J86404 TWNA1

And, while that might be beyond most hobbyist's abilities (the RAM is in a BGA package, for example), these people MIGHT be able to help:

https://experimac.com/repairs-and-upgrades/macbook.asp

Not one? How about 6? And by the sounds of it, if I had picked a 3rd option for expandability at same or less cost, there would have been a lot of those too.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Honestly they are becoming on the verge of too expensive even for me and my huge preference for macOS.

If the track continues my next laptop simply won’t be a Mac

 

[redheeler]

10-15% more already gets you the max available RAM in the MacBook Pro, and even if the RAM comes upgradable (in two slots), it's unlikely you'd ever be able to upgrade it to a higher amount. So I don't really see the point in paying more for RAM slots.

I do think the SSD should at least be socketed rather than soldered, but it shouldn't cost a premium over the base price to get that.

 

[bigpoppamac31]

Apple prices are way too high as it is. For example the 2015 15" MBP started at $2,449 CAD. Now the 15" MBP starts at $3,199 CAD. I don't care how "great" the new tech is that's a huge difference of $750. That's before any upgrades like Ram or SSD. Apple needs to bring the prices down by a lot and reinstate user upgradeability. Enough with this obsession with "thin and light". The iMac (for example) doesn't need to be thin and light. It's a freakin desktop. It's not going anywhere. It just stays on your desk. Bring back the thickness of the white G5 version of the iMac and allow the user to take the back off and upgrade anything they want inside. Now that would be a true "Pro" iMac. Also if Apple allows for the user to upgrade anytime they want it would bring down the cost of things like Ram and SSD. Numerous companies would be producing them so they'd want to keep the price as low as possible to entice buyers.
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Honestly they are becoming on the verge of too expensive even for me and my huge preference for macOS.

If the track continues my next laptop simply won’t be a Mac

Agreed. Apple is pricing themselves out of the reach of the average consumer. I guess they only want the rich to buy their products.

 

[BayouTiger]

Upgradability is the most overblown subject. The vast, vast majority of users will never upgrade their machines, and enterprise users replace regularly and don’t either. Only an issue for tinkers. The reality is that eliminating sockets improves reliability by a huge margin.

 

[Tozovac]

Upgradability is the most overblown subject. The vast, vast majority of users will never upgrade their machines, and enterprise users replace regularly and don’t either. Only an issue for tinkers. The reality is that eliminating sockets improves reliability by a huge margin.

Apple's product line up forces buyers to choose to buy or not to buy instead of offering them the option to buy in favor or upgradeability at the "cost" of a fraction of a few mm's vs. an option of, say, the thinnest-lightest possible.

And I call shenanigans on Apple "prioritizing durability." Pfft. If Apple prioritized durability, they'd have world-class durability drop/shatter protection instead of making the 1 thing we carry around on us more than our thoughts out of glass and highly-polished metal that looks that pristine for only the first 12 hours of its life.

You can think what you want but I think it'd be awfully interesting if options existed so folks could vote with their wallet...1/8" thicker and same or less price for the ability to later upgrade and get another few years of life, if not increased function (storage & RAM) a few years after the big outlay once it was more comfortable to throw another $300 into your mac rather than another $1500? SOLD. Apple may make even more money because, as I said at the start, if given only 2 options, I'd pay more so I could have more. But, we may never get to know.

 

[Pangalactic]

Upgradability is the most overblown subject. The vast, vast majority of users will never upgrade their machines, and enterprise users replace regularly and don’t either. Only an issue for tinkers. The reality is that eliminating sockets improves reliability by a huge margin.

No, the reality is that eliminating sockets and removing replaceable components drives up your profits and decreases reliability by a huge margin. Once something happens to a MacBook keyboard or SSD the whole computer needs to be replaced, so enjoy your $500 repair bill.

 

[MBAir2010]

Upgradability is the most overblown subject. The vast, vast majority of users will never upgrade their machines, and enterprise users replace regularly and don’t either. Only an issue for tinkers. The reality is that eliminating sockets improves reliability by a huge margin.

What if the ssd has an issue?
Why chastize the entire macbook?
Off topic though

 

[Tozovac]

What if the ssd has an issue?
Why chastize the entire macbook?
Off topic though

No, very much on-topic. Proceed.

 

[dk001]

You need: Neither - Have moved on to other options.

Personally I would not. Matter of fact, I am in the process of moving on.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Buy what you need for today. Trying to make a Mac to be future-proof for 5+ years is not really realistic, in my opinion.

If you want to be able to upgrade your Mac, you need to buy a older used Mac. If not, purchase something else, because Apple is not making Macs so that people can reasonably upgrade them.

 

[MBAir2010]

I might buy a used macbook pro that i can upgrade myself.
The reason being to use one source instead of the mac mini and macbook air which i use daily.
Those 2 machines need upgrades and buying another source might be more feasable.
But this is a future project, mabye next next year, i can't part with the mini and air.
Im typing this on an ipad which is convenient but not upgradable.
I would not buy a brand spanking new MacBook pro because that cannot be upgradeable or repaired.

 

[Tozovac]

You need: Neither - Have moved on to other options.

Personally I would not. Matter of fact, I am in the process of moving on.

If I had to buy one today, I would do that, I've come to be OK with.
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Buy what you need for today. Trying to make a Mac to be future-proof for 5+ years is not really realistic, in my opinion.

If you want to be able to upgrade your Mac, you need to buy a older used Mac. If not, purchase something else, because Apple is not making Macs so that people can reasonably upgrade them.

It's not just future-proofing.

I'm 4 years into my MBA, where I couldn't justify at the time going for 512 or 1TB storage. So I maxed the RAM and processor and bit the bullet. Here 4 years later with still at least a few years to go, I'd love another 512 or 1TB total. Sure an option is jetdrive lites but those are limited to 256. I have 4 more years to go, hopefully, and the readiness to put another $$ that's not $1500 into it for an SSD upgrade. But. Nope. That shouldn't be. Maybe it won't be, if I go back to PC's and just suck it up, realizing the good days are past back when Apple Computer's hardware was robust and their software didn't look like Fisher Price My First OSX.