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ThunderSkunk

macrumors 601
Dec 31, 2007
4,075
4,562
Milwaukee Area
Many hospitals run on infamously ancient hardware, so I'm not sure what you're talking about.
One of my IT employees went on to work at a major Hospital in MKE. They had a policy of replacing every desktop and server in the place once every year to stay "up to date". It was a continual hassle to figure out what to do with all the "old" systems. Couldn't sell them, couldn't give them away fast enough, the school districts couldn't take them. They were over a year behind, and there were stacks of pallets of unused year-old systems still in shrinkwrap taking up space that ultimately just got pushed into the dumpsters every year. Everyone else in his dept who'd also worked at other hospitals explained that's just how it is in healthcare, bc the hospital can't afford the liability insurance running old systems. ...similar to when I was in the Air Force, we just used the old hangars for storage, stacking up the unopened pallets of excess to the ceiling and then set the grunts and troublemakers to inventorying it on detail later. Contracts have to be honored, whether you need the stuff or not, so...
 
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SirAnthonyHopkins

macrumors 6502a
Sep 29, 2020
948
1,892
aren't macs refreshed every one and a half years?
probably that's about the average, but there's really no standard like there is for the iPhone. All of the major Macs have at some point in their lifetimes gone 2+ years without an update, and most of them have received two updates in relatively quick succession, especially in the early Intel days when new processor availability was more unpredictable. I definitely remember the MacBook Pro receiving two updates in a year in around 2008 or 09.
 

thv

macrumors regular
May 12, 2022
185
213
OP apparently thinks his M1 is "obsolete" 🤣

If you admittedly keep paying to have the latest for no reason then that's 1000% your fault.. Your $ but if you're doing it AND getting mad... I live on my phone & don't upgrade every year. If you upgraded multiple times seeing no difference and then did it again... Lol
 

dinobear

macrumors regular
Jul 22, 2020
245
474
Missing the Intel days when there was literally zero reason to upgrade (actually quite the opposite; better hold on to the old stuff) for 6 years straight.
honestly im holding onto my intel 16" mbp for as long as possible! 64gb ram, 5600m. it's a beast and I get to run Catalina.
 

Madhatter32

macrumors 65816
Apr 17, 2020
1,479
2,949
My computers are on a 7 to 10 year update cycle. For me, there is no reason in the world in shorten it. But, I have to say, I was fortunate to have missed the 2016-2019 MBP butterfly keyboard / touchbar debacle with my upgrade cycle otherwise I may be singing a different tune.
 

bobnugget

macrumors 6502
Nov 15, 2006
420
203
England
My computers are on a 7 to 10 year update cycle. For me, there is no reason in the world in shorten it. But, I have to say, I was fortunate to have missed the 2016-2019 MBP butterfly keyboard / touchbar debacle with my upgrade cycle otherwise I may be singing a different tune.
Yep, mine get upgraded when they don't do what I want anymore. Just went from a 2012 Unibody 15" to an M1 Pro 14" - perfectly happy with both machines (and hoping the M1 will last 5+ years). I upgraded every couple of years before getting the 2012 as graphics were going through leaps and bounds, but the machines after seemed so compromise (to me) I waited it out. Bear in mind I didn't give up on having an optical drive until about 2016.. just in time for the terrible keyboards :)
 
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jav6454

macrumors Core
Nov 14, 2007
22,303
6,264
1 Geostationary Tower Plaza
OP apparently thinks his M1 is "obsolete" 🤣

If you admittedly keep paying to have the latest for no reason then that's 1000% your fault.. Your $ but if you're doing it AND getting mad... I live on my phone & don't upgrade every year. If you upgraded multiple times seeing no difference and then did it again... Lol
The problem with many sites and their articles is that they foster this type of behavior as well. Articles are written in such a way as to (should you upgrade your Mx to this new My?). Treating a laptop as a toy.
 

thv

macrumors regular
May 12, 2022
185
213
The problem with many sites and their articles is that they foster this type of behavior as well. Articles are written in such a way as to (should you upgrade your Mx to this new My?). Treating a laptop as a toy.
Fool me once into upgrading my iPhone too soon and not being happy because I didn't personally need to do so and could've seen this from the specs, shame on you, fool me three times and also with my laptop, shame on me?

I would also say that there are plenty of articles that are not pushing updating. Maybe with iPhones but M2 is a poor example. Various searches will find you mostly comparisons directed at people who have neither M1 nor M2 yet. Some flat out say going from M1 to M2 will likely end in disappointment. But if you are someone who freaks out as soon as M2 is announced then you will believe what you want
 

Lioness~

macrumors 68040
Apr 26, 2017
3,408
4,247
The problem with many sites and their articles is that they foster this type of behavior as well. Articles are written in such a way as to (should you upgrade your Mx to this new My?). Treating a laptop as a toy.
Yes, and small boys with low and small this and that, needs to show the world they are and have something. A NEW phone, or Apple 'toy' all the time.
Must be hard to think they need to upgrade everything every year at least, when Apple releases something, to be someone.
For God's sake, oh I meant, for Apple's sake, upgrade every year, otherwise there's no Apple heaven for you, ever. 😂
 

JPBoney71

macrumors newbie
Oct 2, 2021
15
18
Ripon, CA
I cant believe most people are lapping this up. This is wrong and apple is now flipping off each customer who purchases a product. even mac OS is now 14 15 16 17 18 eat ****. Now its known the M2 is worse and contains shrinkflation yet apple demands me upgrade yearly. news flash my iphone 13 feels like like my 12 and my 11 did. the 14 probably will too. Yea nice upgrade with the 14 and 16mbp.. now to spit in the face of everyeone who dumped 3k to have the latest and greatest with instantaneous obsoletion.
Hmm...
Appliance makers (refrigerators, washer/driers, microwaves, stoves, ovens) also upgrade/add improvements due to technological advances every 12 to 18 to 24 months, or so. Does not mean we have to upgrade. However, it is nice to know there will be a new model with better features available when the time comes.
I understand Apple is upgrading their respective chip-sets on an 18-month cadence. This does not mean consumers are "Being Forced" to upgrade along the same cadence. Should be able to keep your devices for 5 to 10 years at least. This is why, personally, when I purchase a Mac, I get more than I need currently (one I can grow in to) in order to future-proof (as much RAM, ssd storage, GPU, etc).
If you are feeling compelled to make a new purchase with every Apple announcement, respectfully, this sounds more like a "You" problem than an "Apple" problem.
 

richinaus

macrumors 68020
Oct 26, 2014
2,432
2,187
I upgrade our studio if and when it needs it, based on the technology release. Not set times, so some years it has been annual and others 3 years.
As others have said, it depends if it adds to efficiencies and also allows us to move ahead in our offer.

For personal computers, I don't need more than the current M1. But the studio certainly challenges the hardware.
 

Siliconguy

macrumors 6502
Jan 1, 2022
430
627
This is really where your otherwise reasonable post collapses. Yes, they push way too many minor updates year on year for products. But, nobody is forced to upgrade. I have an M1 Mac Mini and M1 MBA. Not upgrading to the M2 MBA, not offering enough but also the M1 is still too good. Maybe I would upgrade the MM if they put an M2 Max in it.

Skip a couple of upgrades, that is the real point. You are not being forced to do anything.
What he said. The M1 MBA was bought for light weight and battery life. The M2 MBA offers no improvement there. Even then it was the 2020 MBA, and it's now 2022, so it's a two year cycle, not one.

I haven't needed to update the linux box either, and that is a 2019 machine (Ryzen 3200G).
 
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rpmurray

macrumors 68020
Feb 21, 2017
2,148
4,329
Back End of Beyond
I've never been into laptops. Always seemed too cramped to me and I'm not a big fan of trackpads. I do suppose that in a few years I'll probably need to upgrade from the 2008 Mac Pro when it starts showing its age.
 

Cognizant.

Suspended
May 15, 2022
427
723
I've never been into laptops. Always seemed too cramped to me and I'm not a big fan of trackpads. I do suppose that in a few years I'll probably need to upgrade from the 2008 Mac Pro when it starts showing its age.
The thing about Mac laptops is the trackpad is so far above and beyond anything on Windows that it's ridiculous. I will never own another Windows laptop. The trackpads are just garbage.
 

Royksöpp

macrumors 68020
Nov 4, 2013
2,411
4,022
Not really. The M1 is a revolutionary chip. Every generation following the M1 will only be marginally faster until the next groundbreaking chip debuts. That would most likely be the M4 or M5.
 

Gelam

macrumors regular
Aug 31, 2021
189
65
I know people who update their Mac every 6 years.
I do! I am about to upgrade from the 15" 2015 MBP to this M2 MBA.

The tech update cycle ensures that people who need machines when they have to gets the latest increment. Instead of buying a new machine that was updated 2 years ago (need to buy because old machine broke down), and an update comes in 1 year later and the differences in performance is so huge. But most people don't buy new machine every time when there is a new update.
 

Gelam

macrumors regular
Aug 31, 2021
189
65
Not really. The M1 is a revolutionary chip. Every generation following the M1 will only be marginally faster until the next groundbreaking chip debuts. That would most likely be the M4 or M5.
I agree, it will be evolutionary until Apple switches architecture again in 15+ years, maybe to RISC-V. Then that will be a huge revolution just like Intel to M1, and in the past the PPC to Intel.
 

Cognizant.

Suspended
May 15, 2022
427
723
Not really. The M1 is a revolutionary chip. Every generation following the M1 will only be marginally faster until the next groundbreaking chip debuts. That would most likely be the M4 or M5.
Honestly, I can't see myself ever using a Windows laptop ever again. Having a cold laptop on my lap 90% of the time to lukewarm even under heavy loads is something I will probably never experience on a Windows laptop. And the ridiculous battery life. And the fact that I don't lose performance when it's unplugged. I'm very impressed with the direction Apple is going.
 
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