How long are you keeping your machines for?

[Macdctr]

I have been using 2015 Mac laptops for the past 4 years now and have not had any need to upgrade past them. For my needs the 2015 work plenty fast enough. All my 2015 laptops are BTO/CTO models fully spec'd. I have 1TB storage NVME drives in my 11-inch Air and 13-inch MBP and on my 15-inch DG MBP I'm using a 2TB NVMe storage drive. All laptops have been updated with MacOS 14.2 using OCLP 1.2.0 so I also get updated security patches for my computers and am able to use them for several more years. Once Apple stops all Intel support I may revisit the idea of upgrading to Apple Silicone. Only time will tell . . . for now I'm happy with what I have.

 

[ThunderSkunk]

With Apple silicone now available for three years, is it a feasible option to upgrade yearly or maybe every other year? The specs and design upgrades are minimal, so how long do you plan to stick with your current devices before considering an upgrade?

Intel macs: pretty much indefinitely. I stocked up thinking I should hoard my favorite models, but they're servicable so depending on the model they may outlast us. I've got an entry level '09 imac that's been running my local media server & acting as a guestroom computer nonstop for 14 years and it still runs perfectly well.

Apple Silicon macs: No more than 2 years, with 3 years of Applecare, so whoever I pass it on to next gets a year of coverage to decide what to do with it before any of the integrated parts fail and the whole thing goes in the bin.

 

[Shirasaki]

Apple Silicon macs: No more than 2 years, with 3 years of Applecare, so whoever I pass it on to next gets a year of coverage to decide what to do with it before any of the integrated parts fail and the whole thing goes in the bin.

In fact, all it takes to break the machine could be just a couple bad resistors and/or capacitors. When user send machine to Apple, Apple would just tell them to buy a brand new machine as they cannot fix it, particularly those without AppleCare.

 

[MallardDuck]

With Apple silicone now available for three years, is it a feasible option to upgrade yearly or maybe every other year? The specs and design upgrades are minimal, so how long do you plan to stick with your current devices before considering an upgrade?

With intel I chased almost every version, especially because of the gpu improvements.

With ARM? I‘m on a M1 Max, and don’t see an upgrade before M4 or M5 - and even then, I’d need something material beyond raw performance. TB5 and Wifi7 are mandatory. Dump the SD and HDMI slots and give me another TB port, would help. Affordable storage would help too. eGPU support - Nvidia, not AMD - would be really compelling.

But of all those, the only ones we’ll see are TB5 and Wifi7, which are table stakes, not a need/must have. So barring some new killer feature/app, I’ll keep the M1 at least 4 years, and maybe as many as 6.

 

[MallardDuck]

Intel macs: pretty much indefinitely. I stocked up thinking I should hoard my favorite models, but they're servicable so depending on the model they may outlast us. I've got an entry level '09 imac that's been running my local media server & acting as a guestroom computer nonstop for 14 years and it still runs perfectly well.

Apple Silicon macs: No more than 2 years, with 3 years of Applecare, so whoever I pass it on to next gets a year of coverage to decide what to do with it before any of the integrated parts fail and the whole thing goes in the bin.

Except that you can get AppleCare in perpetuity now.

 

[MacDaddyPanda]

This time, I'll hold onto the MBP M3PRo for a while. I didn't keep my M2 devices for long. I would have stayed on them had I not bought the min Storage and RAM on one of them. But both I bought the min storage. Over the months I found that was a mistake.

 

[Al Rukh]

So Apple is willing to take $1185 for my baseline M1 Pro MBP 14-inch. The M3 14-inch, 16GB, 512GB costs about $2600.

I have absolutely no reason to upgrade but if you guys were in my shoes, would you upgrade?

 

[Chuckeee]

So Apple is willing to take $1185 for my baseline M1 Pro MBP 14-inch. The M3 14-inch, 16GB, 512GB costs about $2600.

I have absolutely no reason to upgrade but if you guys were in my shoes, would you upgrade?

No

 

[ryguyMN]

Being that Apple Silicon is new and there really isn't a precedent set, I would like at least 5 years out of machines, but hoping squeeze 10 years out of the M-chips. Intel machines are definitely dated after 10 years, at least in the PC world where I am coming from. I use my Macs primarily for photo and video editing, so as long as my cameras don't change, my computer wouldn't need to change.

 

[Mainsail]

In our family, we typically keep our base configuration MBAs 5-7 years. Rarely, we replace a computer before 5 years, but it has nothing to do with performance and has more to do with features, i.e.: Better display. New design. Touch ID. etc.. Not essential....sometimes you just get a hankering for something newer.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

Keeping 14” Black M3 Max 1TB 36GB RAM with 14 Cores.
#1. Until there’s Something twice as fast On the market
#2. or Apple updates the MacBook Pros with a new dual layer QD-OLED Display in 2026

I just feel bad for M2 owners they got DUPED!

You say "I just feel bad for M2 owners they got DUPED!" That is about the dumbest, least rational thing that I have heard lately. Perhaps you could explain.

 

[Lioness~]

When I upgraded to Mac Studio lat year I've had the 2013 iMac in 9 yrs.
Desktops usually last longer as I spec them more than portables.

My MBA 2018 doesn't have that long time left until I need to replace it though, but I don't use it to much heavy stuff, especially not since I got my Studio.
There hasn't been anything that felt that intriguing of the new MBA's yet, and it still do its job.
The space black MBP are really beautiful though, but I don't need that power in a portable.
See what comes of MBA's next year, and how my machine feels then 😁
I want a black MBA 😤

 

[Allen_Wentz]

I have a 2017 Intel MBP and plan to keep using it until it can’t be used anymore. It is serving me well.

My 2016 aged out due to the limitations of the 16 GB RAM. Hopefully your workflow lasts longer.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

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.

Y'all need to talk to OWC and add Thunderbolt external mass storage. Easy-peasy. I strongly recommend maintaining an off-site backup. It can be as simple as a portable SSD or two kept in the trunk of your car. Simple backup in case of fire or theft. Even cheaper old tech HDD works fine for backup as long as you can tolerate the slower transfer speeds; or you could use mass storage cards like XQD, CFex, SDX, etc. Everyone has different preferences.

 

[Shirasaki]

Y'all need to talk to OWC and add Thunderbolt external mass storage. Easy-peasy. I strongly recommend maintaining an off-site backup. It can be as simple as a portable SSD or two kept in the trunk of your car. Simple backup in case of fire or theft.

Internal storage has its own advantage that external cannot match, such as higher stability and same portability as your computer. I am fully aware of external storage. But that can’t satisfy the need to expand internal storage permanently.

 

[vicviper789]

Started with an ibook G4. Loved it. Only upgraded because software stopped working.

Got a 2007 13" black macbook. Loved it. Only upgraded because the software stopped working.

Got a 2009 15" MacBook pro. Loved it. Only upgraded because software stopped working on it

Got a 2013 13" MacBook pro. Loved it. Only upgraded because the software stopped working on it.

Got a 2016 surface pro. 7 years later it still runs all of the software I need

 

[Miha_v]

Currently working on a 5 year old beasty 27 iMac (still fast enough), for personal use I have a 6 years old 13 inch Air (don't really need it a lot anyway, since I'm mostly on either iMac or on 1 year old iPad Pro).

 

[TechRunner]

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

They did. I'm pleasantly surprised every day when I sit down to use it that it's still quick and responsive, especially given it's a base model 8/256.

 

[applepotato666]

M1 MacBook Pro, before that I had a 2012 Air. And before that, an iMac G4. So about 8-9 years. All of them still work perfectly and get regular use by family members.

 

[Mega ST]

Currently typing on my -still nice running- MBP 2018 (intel). I am basically in the market for some M3 and tend to keep my stuff for some years.
Still a bit hesitant concerning the M3 prices as I'd be looking for 64 megs of RAM configuration. To get this upgrade option I'd need to pick the priciest chip variant that might move it out of my budget. 36 megs might not last as long as I want to use it. Maybe I wait for 2024 and the next MBP mini upgrade and hope for better options?

I would prefer much better customer upgradeability for expensive brand notebooks. From batteries to RAM and storage.

 

[17fox]

iMac 2017 user here. I still don't feel the need for an upgrade. The computer handles my tasks more than perfectly (UX design, social media management, also some sort of photography in Photoshop). So for now I'll probably use it for another year and a half, as long as security updates for macOS Ventura come in and maybe new M4 chips too😄

The only thing I improved was changing the built-in Fusion drive to an external SSD to increase the speeds.

 

[ThailandToo]

I wouldn’t even want to go through all my Intel MacBooks… I bought them way too often. Since M1, bought the base M1 MacBook Air, then the 16” M1 Max which was nice but too heavy to carry around, so I bought the M2 MBA with 16GB RAM and 1TB. Now with the M3 Max 16c/40c, I bought the 14” with 64GB of RAM and 2TB. I sold the 16” MBP for $1600 which I have seen sold new close out pricing close to that. And am giving my MBA M2 to my son as I figure that should last him five to six years or so.

I bought the three year AppleCare Plus this time, whereas I normally buy the year and keep allowing it to charge me $99 per year. So this 14” MBP Space Black M3 Max 16c/40c 64GB/2TB should last me at least three years. Hope Apple doesn’t do something to make me feel the desire to upgrade sooner. It would be absurd…

 

[dfj74]

Intel macs: pretty much indefinitely. I stocked up thinking I should hoard my favorite models, but they're servicable so depending on the model they may outlast us. I've got an entry level '09 imac that's been running my local media server & acting as a guestroom computer nonstop for 14 years and it still runs perfectly well.

Apple Silicon macs: No more than 2 years, with 3 years of Applecare, so whoever I pass it on to next gets a year of coverage to decide what to do with it before any of the integrated parts fail and the whole thing goes in the bin.

Ah, a fellow imac 2009 owner! I still use mine as my daily browser/email machine, just out of convenience and because it runs so well.
How have you dealt with the lack of OS updates, with regards to security? I'm quite relaxed so far, but I only visit trusted websites and I feel that keeps the risk low. It would be great to find a way to keep this running for a few more years, even as a second computer.

 

[17fox]

Ah, a fellow imac 2009 owner! I still use mine as my daily browser/email machine, just out of convenience and because it runs so well.
How have you dealt with the lack of OS updates, with regards to security? I'm quite relaxed so far, but I only visit trusted websites and I feel that keeps the risk low. It would be great to find a way to keep this running for a few more years, even as a second computer.

What macOS are you running now?

 

[Shirasaki]

Hope Apple doesn’t do something to make me feel the desire to upgrade sooner. It would be absurd…

Apple might, and all you need to do is kill your temptation early on.