How future-proof are the new macs?

[jackoverfull]

I bought my current main Mac in 2008, it’s a first generation 15” unibody MBP that, thanks to careful use and several upgrades, carried my needs until today. I work mainly in audio and only a few months ago, while trying to do an orchestration, I started to struggle with the limitations of my machine, so I’m beginning to look for a successor.

The new M1 laptops are the first portables to really excite me in years, however I look at those SSDs, those soldered-in, impossible to replace SSDs and…a 256GB drive?! 1TB maximum? I have 1TB of storage already in my current machine and only a few GBs left, I know that I’ll need a bigger drive soon, never mind in a few years!

Back until a few years ago upgrading the drive was totally doable, now everything seems to be soldered in, I wonder how useful a pro computer with say 512 GB of storage will be in five years.

Same could of course apply to RAM, but at least the pro machines have reasonably big options there.

I guess that in the end I’ll get a refurbished MacBook Pro, max out the ram, put in a 2TB SSD and wait for a new iteration of MacBooks in 4/5 years or so, but it’s still a pity, otherwise I really like these new portables.

Sure, I could use more external drives, but I’ve got already ten or so on my desktop and I prefer to avoid having GB something attached all the time to my laptop.


What are your thoughts?

 

[leman]

I replace my machine every three to five years because the performance improvements are significant enough to justify the expense. Your mileage might wary. One has to keep in mind that out of warranty repairs on these machines are expensive, so you should consider getting the new Apple Care+ that renews yearly if you absolutely intend to keep the machine for a very long time. Regarding SSD size, buy what you need. I still can’t fill a 512GB drive…

 

[bobcomer]

There are no computers that are future proof in specs -- ever, it's about how whatever machine is acceptable to you. (and affordable!) You can always add more storage externally like you say, but get as much RAM and disk as you can at the time.

That said, if you don't mind the notch on the new Macbook Pro's and you want to stay with Apple, they're pretty awesome machines. I'd buy one in a heartbeat if it didn't have the notch. They're expensive, but you can get them with up to 8TB of storage and 64G of RAM. (NOT CHEAP!)

I'm one of those bothered by the notch.

 

[jackoverfull]

I replace my machine every three to five years because the performance improvements are significant enough to justify the expense. Your mileage might wary. One has to keep in mind that out of warranty repairs on these machines are expensive, so you should consider getting the new Apple Care+ that renews yearly if you absolutely intend to keep the machine for a very long time. Regarding SSD size, buy what you need. I still can’t fill a 512GB drive…

Given how seldom these machines break (kinda never…I had to do a couple of repairs on mine but I’m able to do those myself) I never take apple care.
For my kind of usage power is nice but secondary, what I usually really need is storage space and ram. Replacing the machine after a few years, at those prices, is really too expensive for me.

That said, if you don't mind the notch on the new Macbook Pro's and you want to stay with Apple, they're pretty awesome machines. I'd buy one in a heartbeat if it didn't have the notch. They're expensive, but you can get them with up to 8TB of storage and 64G of RAM. (NOT CHEAP!)

I’m a bit puzzled by the notch but could get used to it. Where do you see the 8TB storage? I DID notice the mention of that at the event but the maximum I can order on the apple online store is 1TB.

 

[Feliced]

after clicking the "select" button, it's possible to change the RAM and SSD configuration.

 

[jackoverfull]

after clicking the "select" button of , it's possible to change the RAM and SSD configuration.

Wonderful, thanks.

On the other hand…700€ to switch to a 2TB drive? Wow!

And More than 900€ on the air!

 

[bobcomer]

I’m a bit puzzled by the notch but could get used to it. Where do you see the 8TB storage? I DID notice the mention of that at the event but the maximum I can order on the apple online store is 1TB.

In the 14" or 16" Macbook Pro with M1 Pro or Max.

 

[BrianBaughn]

With new Apple laptops I'd be most concerned with how easy or possible it is to replace the battery.

For the M1 MacBook Air, iFixit describes the process difficulty as "moderate"…which isn't too bad.

 

[jackoverfull]

With new Apple laptops I'd be most concerned with how easy or possible it is to replace the battery.

My girlfriend’s 2013 MBP’s battery still lasts several hours.

Also, my MacBook Pro’s original battery was KO after 3 years or so, its (Chinese!) replacement is now 5 years old and still going strong…I’m under the impression recent batteries last longer.

For the M1 MacBook Air, iFixit describes the process difficulty as "moderate"…which isn't too bad.

Precisely. I’d have no issue performing that procedure.

 

[jackoverfull]

As an update, I bought a used 2012 MacBook Pro with the idea of keeping it a couple of years and see what Apple proposes then.

As I mentioned, raw performance is not currently an issue for me, but huge storage space is and at a fraction of the M1 MBPs prices I can easily have a laptop with a 2TB SSD that will be fine for several years.

 

[Feliced]

That‘s exactly what I did as well
Last year I bought a used 2012 Macbook Pro and replaced the harddisk with a SSD. I guess I will be pretty happy with it for the next couple of years.

 

[PeterJP]

Seeing that a 2013 13" lasted me 6 years, I expect my new 14" to last me at least that. There are two things possible that can stop it from doing that. 1) Major defects, like the leaf blower fans in the 16" (which I'm replacing after a bit more than a year) or 2) Major leaps forward in chip architecture and at the same time, all software that I need suddenly require these leaps forward.

I honestly can't see number 2 happening. No matter how badly Microsoft writes code, Office should still run okay on the 14" in 6+ years' time. So I'm rooting for Apple that they've produced a faultless laptop with the 14", like they did with the M1 MBA last year. Then I'm in for the long haul.

 

[jackoverfull]

Oh, I’m sure they are going to be great machines…as long as you don’t need much in terms of storage!

 

[Grohowiak]

Oh, I’m sure they are going to be great machines…as long as you don’t need much in terms of storage!

I just bought an M.2 2280 2TB WD Black for $227 with free shipping.
Small cable + small enclosure and works like a charm.
I buy the hard plastic snap covers so a bit of 3M double-sided tape and that thing stick to the mac like glue and it is small.
Sure not as fast as internal but never felt I needed more.
I just can't justify the price of mac storage.

 

[jackoverfull]

I just bought an M.2 2280 2TB WD Black for $227 with free shipping.
Small cable + small enclosure and works like a charm.
I buy the hard plastic snap covers so a bit of 3M double-sided tape and that thing stick to the mac like glue and it is small.
Sure not as fast as internal but never felt I needed more.

Sure, external storage, my desk is covered with that.

I have a 6TB external HD I carry around for some projects, I’d really like to avoid doing this kind of things more often, especially as I have to juggle cables enough between audio and modo interfaces and external peripherals anyway. With the 2TB SSD that arrived today I’ll be able to move my virtual instruments library directly on the new MBP and that will help a lot my workflow.

I just can't justify the price of mac storage.

Totally agree here.

 

[Boil]

Yup, everyone wants that 8TB option, but no one wants to pay the $2k+ upcharge...

 

[jackoverfull]

All upgrade options are way too expensive, honestly.

 

[Adarna]

I'd keep M1 until Nov 2030 & M1 Pro/Max until Nov 2031.