How long are you keeping your machines for?

[Slix]

I just upgraded from a 2012 MacBook Air with 4GB of RAM this summer to an M2 MacBook Air, so a 10 year gap of computers. I had the 2012 since 2013, so 10 years of use there too. I expect to keep this MacBook for many years as well.

 

[Siliconguy]

The stereo cabinet has a 2014 i5 mini, the file server is a 2014 i7 mini. The 2012 mini is in the shop as a music player, lookup on the internet device, and PDF reader, but it's running Linux Mint. The XFCE version runs quite well on the HD4000 graphics.

The 2014s are supported for another year yet on Monterey. The server doesn't matter, but I'm wondering if I will have to update the stereo cabinet machine when it's no longer supported. It does talk to Apple once in a while.

 

[Al Rukh]

Since the M1 arrival, I decided not to upgrade as regularly as before.

First (very controversial) reason : they killed my main machine, the 27 inch mac. Making me move to its laptop just for profit is not very rewarding as a long time customer. I understand the world I live in. Don’t have to buy into it at every turn.

Then. Their upgrade cycle, after moving to M1, was inevitably gonna make sourcing and stock issues worst, straightening their position on the market. Meaning, delaying new technologies and upgrades in search of more profit. Understandable, but I grew particularly tired of this game. Plus, they were eventually gonna pull the kind of thing they did with the M2. Updating and upgrading to save profit - not for their customers.
Again. Don’t bash me. I’m a fan boy. But I’m educated enough to see that it’s not my philosophy when it comes to the machines I use.

And last one, the ecosystem is getting worst. And they are pushing towards a « same chip bracket » kind of ecosystem in the end. So I’m thinking the good old days of Intel reselling cycle is dead. Here comes the Apple owning the reselling cycle era.
So, new tactic. I’m keeping the M1s to the point where it’s barely functional and upgrading then. Probably around the M5/6 family.

It’s a shame, but my paycheck is definitely not going up as fast as Apple’s margin. So I better get the best out of the 10k ecosystem I bought back in 2021.

Interesting thread, btw.

What do you mean by ‘make sourcing and stock issues worst’? I would like to understand more about this.

 

[Shasterball]

I'll keep my M1 MBA until there are no more OS upgrades, or (hard to imagine) it becomes too slow.

This is exactly how I approach it.

 

[Al Rukh]

Why would you want to upgrade every 1-2 years? The upgrade decision should be driven by when the tool that you have doesn't get the job done anymore, or sometimes when the new tool does the job so much better that it's worth the expense. Just counting the number of years is rarely useful.

I agree with what you said, however that’s just one of the many arguments of buying/not buying. Some upgrade because of high resale value of their existing machines, and they are happy to pay less than a grand to get the latest and greatest.

 

[Al Rukh]

It‘s insane reading people buying a new costly computer every 2 years like it’s a phone. In general I keep my computers for quite a long time. I’ve had the one I use since early 2021 and don’t plan to upgrade until 2026. In general I keep them for 5-8 years, sometimes 9-10 years (in the case of my PowerMac G4, and my specked out 24’ intel IMac). When I upgrade I am likely going to get the most powerful one I can (A Max or something) so that definitely will last 7+ years. I am starting to get like that with my phones and tablets also. By the time I upgrade my phone next year, I would have had my phone for 5 years.

But why is it insane though? I’ve seen people unboxing their 512GB/1TB iPhones every year in the YouTube space. That equates to about $2600 in my country. The M3 baseline with 1TB storage cost around that price too so it makes absolute sense why some people are willing to spend on a new Mac bi-annually or even yearly. My point is: It’s about spending power rather than the type of device that decides whether one wants to upgrade yearly or not.

 

[Darth Tulhu]

I kept my 2011 17" MBP running well past support for 10 years, until it physically died. I replaced it with my (BELOVED) M1 iPad Pro 12.9" for a year. Think about that; M1 is killer. But...

iPadOS wasn't (and still isn't) ready for full-laptop-replacement, sooooo...

Enter my M2 MBA: the most powerful, lightest, thinnest laptop I ever had or will ever need.

And it's so ridiculously thin, light, and nice I really don't see how Apple could make it ANY thinner or nicer.

I got 24GB RAM, 1TB drive with over 20 years worth of family photos, vids, docs, music, school and creative projects, and all kinds of digital hoarding, but I've only barely cracked 300GB of usage. It chomps thru ANYTHING I throw at it with ease.

So I genuinely don't see when I'd "upgrade", but 10 years seems more than plausible. That said, I'm tempted by the 15" MBA, so we'll see.

 

[XboxEvolved]

But why is it insane though? I’ve seen people unboxing their 512GB/1TB iPhones every year in the YouTube space. That equates to about $2600 in my country. The M3 baseline with 1TB storage cost around that price too so it makes absolute sense why some people are willing to spend on a new Mac bi-annually or even yearly. My point is: It’s about spending power rather than the type of device that decides whether one wants to upgrade yearly or not.

Most of those people on YouTube are either given review units or buy it, review it, then return it. They aren’t seriously spending $10-15k a year on the latest and greatest dude. The fact that a lot of people have this “Keeping up with the Joneses” mentality is why they go out and spend $3-4k every 2 years on a nearly identical machine.

 

[BanjoDudeAhoy]

I’m always tempted to buy something new but realistically, I don’t need it.

I have an M1 MBA (8/256) and an M1 mini (16/256) and they’re already more powerful than what I’d need for most of what I do. I’ve had them both for 2+ years now.

Once they start feeling slow or any components bow out (hopefully they won’t), I’ll buy something new.

 

[msackey]

Most of those people on YouTube are either given review units or buy it, review it, then return it. They aren’t seriously spending $10-15k a year on the latest and greatest dude. The fact that a lot of people have this “Keeping up with the Joneses” mentality is why they go out and spend $3-4k every 2 years on a nearly identical machine.

I wonder if such social media personalities are going to ruin the return policy for the rest of us who don’t abuse it like that.

 

[XboxEvolved]

I wonder if such social media personalities are going to ruin the return policy for the rest of us who don’t abuse it like that.

I think most of the YouTubers even the smaller ones are getting review units that they have to mail back. From a business perspective it makes sense for companies like Apple, Samsung, etc because then people will lust after those products more. I think even YouTubers like Marques Brownlee whom I would say is at the top of the heap has said he just useS a M1 Pro MBP, not even a Max, and the Mac Pro he uses is used at his studio and not personal use.

 

[MacCraig Pro]

I keep mine until they die or are no longer supported generally.

My first new Mac in 2004 was an eMac and it lasted until ~2010 when I went Window's for a short period.

My 2nd new Mac a MacBook Pro in 2011 lasted until 2020 when it was replaced with this M1 MBA. I'll hopefully keep this for a long while, however, it depends when Apple drop support for it and I guess that'll be around 2025/6 given the pace of the M Series.

So no definitive timescales really.

 

[TechRunner]

I average about four years, and my M1 Mini is three, so next year might be an upgrade year. I say "might" because it still hasn't experienced much if any slowdown given what I throw at it. I may opt to just upgrade my monitor instead.

 

[XboxEvolved]

I keep mine until they die or are no longer supported generally.

My first new Mac in 2004 was an eMac and it lasted until ~2010 when I went Window's for a short period.

My 2nd new Mac a MacBook Pro in 2011 lasted until 2020 when it was replaced with this M1 MBA. I'll hopefully keep this for a long while, however, it depends when Apple drop support for it and I guess that'll be around 2025/6 given the pace of the M Series.

So no definitive timescales really.

Keeping a CRT G4 until 2010 you a real one for that one

Here is the thing about the M1 and Apple dropping support in 2026 which is when I think they will too. Apple currently still sells the M1 MBA and I would guess they will continue to do this until they refresh the MBA line, and do a similar move they did with the lower end MBP, and retire the design. It would have been on the market for over 3 years by that point and is technically less powerful than the M1 MBP.

So Apple will basically have to do one of three things:
1)Just drop new OS support for the M1 MBA (and the M1 iMac which also just got updated) at the same time they do anything with M1 (maybe)

2) Artificially drop support for the M1 MBP but keep MBA and iMac for a little while longer (likely what they do)

3) Support all M1 machines for 8 years at the very least. (Not very likely)

So I dunno what would they do judging by their history?

 

[MacCraig Pro]

I average about four years, and my M1 Mini is three, so next year might be an upgrade year. I say "might" because it still hasn't experienced much if any slowdown given what I throw at it. I may opt to just upgrade my monitor instead.

Same here really with my M1 MBA. This thing is super quick and does everything I throw at it and battery life is phenomenal still too!

Apple really hit on something with the M Series didn't they?

My only gripe with the last laptops is the keyboard is nowhere near as I nice as they 2011/2012 MBP Unibody era laptops and I really dislike the keyboard on this thing!

 

[Isamilis]

I just upgraded from a 2012 MacBook Air with 4GB of RAM this summer to an M2 MacBook Air, so a 10 year gap of computers. I had the 2012 since 2013, so 10 years of use there too. I expect to keep this MacBook for many years as well.

I still have two 2014 MBP and yes, they’re still working well.

 

[MuffinPie]

I've had a 2013 i7 MBA for 10 years till yesterday. I expect my new M2 12 core Pro 14" to last at least another 8 years.

 

[toobravetosave]

I went from a 2012 air to an m1 16”

So probably at least 5 years

 

[Populus]

I went from a 2012 air to an m1 16”

So probably at least 5 years

Wow, what an upgrade!

 

[Elusi]

I think I'm on an about 5 year average now.

I remember when being on a 3 year upgrade cycle meant that you suffered greatly for at least the last year. The web became more complex, applications wouldn't run smooth without a lot of tweaks. Forget games.

Now, even with the leap of Apple Silicon, it's not like I have many issues with my Intel Macbook, the 16" Pro. It's about 4 years old soon and just works. Granted the heaviest things it sees are 1080p color grading projects in DaVinci Resolve, and it doesn't need to render them out, just work with them.

If I had been sitting on an Intel Air I think I would have reasoned differently. But those couldn't do what I wanted when they were new either. I know current M2 Airs actually can, and that's fantastic. But, as long as software support remains for Intel, I can sit pretty for a little while longer.

 

[toobravetosave]

Wow, what an upgrade!

In all cases except that little guy could bootcamp and play age of empires 2 😭

 

[Season of Light]

I stepped up to a 2021 16” MacBook Pro in 2022, I still have the 2009 15” MacBook Pro that I used up until then. So, the answer is probably “for the rest of my life”.

I just upgraded from an iPhone 7 to a iPhone 15 Pro just a month ago, still using the podcast and music functions of the iPhone 7.

Come to think of it, I still have original versions of the iPod and iPad as well as my Macintosh SE/30.

 

[Shirasaki]

I upgrade based on how much storage I use. Bare minimum 2TB. If I want to use computer for 3-5 years, the internal storage capacity would have to be 8TB or higher, which both I can’t afford and doesnt exist (more than 8TB). It is incredible to think I am running out of storage at an alarming rate without doing any sorts of video editing.

Reason? I staunchly against the idea of storing everything in the cloud. My data MUST BE stored locally and I manage it. I do use cloud storage but not in a manner that I completely neglect local storage. In fact, my current MBP having no local mirrored copy of my iCloud photos library and OneDrive files worries me quite a bit.

 

[Arbeitnehmerseite]

I bought my air m1 16gb to write my bachelor thesis, master thesis, and dissertation on it. So I think I’ll keep it quite a while

 

[MisterSavage]

I'm guessing around 5 years. My M1 Pro still handles everything I throw at it like a champ.

Work laptops are usually 3 years. Home machines for longer. Upgrading every year seems pointless, just the annoyance of migrating would deter me.

Going through this right now and it feels so unnecessary and annoying for a laptop I only use for Word and Outlook.