How long are you keeping your machines for?

[jz0309]

2006 Macbook --> 2013 MBA i7 --> 2019 16" MBP --> 2020 M1 MBA
2008 MP 3,1 --> 2017 iMac 5k --> 2022 Mac Studio
the MBP 16 was an odd ball, didn't really like the form factor ...

 

[TVreporter]

Went from 2011 iMac to 2019 iMac …

My wallet says it’s going to sit on my desk for years!

(and the only reason I updated was out of necessity when the graphics card died - still sitting in the basement waiting for a revival!)

 

[Shirasaki]

It's insane that people buy a costly phone every 2 years!

Some may need new phones every 2 years. Some may just have nothing better to do and want one for whatever purpose. Show off maybe 🤔.

 

[WC7]

The M1 Pro is such a monster for my needs that I probably won't buy again until M5.

You realize the M5 was the computer in an episode in the original Star Trek ... you should check with Dr. Daystrom on how that turned out.

 

[Mainsail]

You realize the M5 was the computer in an episode in the original Star Trek ... you should check with Dr. Daystrom on how that turned out.

Great episode BTW! Amazing how forward thinking this episodes was with respect to the rise of AI.

 

[thebayareaisliving]

I upgrade to a max config model each release. Pockets burning I own an M1,2 and 3 Max now lol.

 

[Chuckeee]

You realize the M5 was the computer in an episode in the original Star Trek ... you should check with Dr. Daystrom on how that turned out.

Yes, wireless power! But doesn’t fit in a laptop

 

[ThailandToo]

I guess the OLED displays in two years? The M4 isn’t going to get me. I doubt Apple updates the MBP in another way anytime soon.

 

[elvisimprsntr]

My upgrade cycle is when Apple stops supporting software updates.

 

[XboxEvolved]

It's insane that people buy a costly phone every 2 years!

Yeah which I don’t much understand nowadays phones are far more durable in every way currently . I keep my 11 in a crappy $5 clear case and haven’t had the screen crack or scratch once. Little scuffs maybe that aren’t visible with normal use.

My first was a 4S…then a 5S…then a 6s…then a X…now 11 and not upgrading for 5 years rather than 2, and I suspect if I buy the Pro Max version of the next phone that upgrade doesn’t come for 6-7 years.

A lot of factors though; price (more expensive), power (comparable to a decent laptop), durability (I don’t see to many people walking around with cracked screens nowadays.) and the list goes on. Things got so good by the time the 11 came out that while obviously you can tell a difference 5-6 years in between, there aren’t massive jumps in 2 years. Older iPhones were like huge leaps in what they offered.

I’m not trying to sound harsh but I just feel like people that buy a new $3000 computer every two years subscribe to YouTube premium

 

[17fox]

Yeah which I don’t much understand nowadays phones are far more durable in every way currently . I keep my 11 in a crappy $5 clear case and haven’t had the screen crack or scratch once. Little scuffs maybe that aren’t visible with normal use.

My first was a 4S…then a 5S…then a 6s…then a X…now 11 and not upgrading for 5 years rather than 2, and I suspect if I buy the Pro Max version of the next phone that upgrade doesn’t come for 6-7 years.

A lot of factors though; price (more expensive), power (comparable to a decent laptop), durability (I don’t see to many people walking around with cracked screens nowadays.) and the list goes on. Things got so good by the time the 11 came out that while obviously you can tell a difference 5-6 years in between, there aren’t massive jumps in 2 years. Older iPhones were like huge leaps in what they offered.

I’m not trying to sound harsh but I just feel like people that buy a new $3000 computer every two years subscribe to YouTube premium

Agree. In the past I would also upgrade every year-every two years, but nowadays it makes absolutely no sense

 

[ThunderSkunk]

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.

I actually just have that running on my intranet, so it doesn't connect to the outside. But I also have a few ‘09-‘12 macbook pros that are still on high sierra and mojave & use littlesnitch to block all connections but those I request. & I actually run windows on the rest, glad that Microsoft still supports their security 10+ years later while Apple can’t be bothered. Firefox was a nice workaround for better security than safari native on mac, but I think FF and Opera both issued statements saying they're dropping support for mojave moving forward. I’d probably just go back to using reqularly updated ios devices for internet purposes and leave all my mac workstations offline.

 

[MacCraig Pro]

I forgot to add on my last post I still use a 2012 MBP 13" daily too as it's the laptop I lug around with me everywhere to save me damaging my 2020 MBA. It's still super quick and has been upgraded with more RAM and an SSD. The keyboard on these things is sublime too.

My wife's 2012 MBP is also still in daily use too. So 11 years and counting!

 

[ThailandToo]

Yeah which I don’t much understand nowadays phones are far more durable in every way currently . I keep my 11 in a crappy $5 clear case and haven’t had the screen crack or scratch once. Little scuffs maybe that aren’t visible with normal use.

My first was a 4S…then a 5S…then a 6s…then a X…now 11 and not upgrading for 5 years rather than 2, and I suspect if I buy the Pro Max version of the next phone that upgrade doesn’t come for 6-7 years.

A lot of factors though; price (more expensive), power (comparable to a decent laptop), durability (I don’t see to many people walking around with cracked screens nowadays.) and the list goes on. Things got so good by the time the 11 came out that while obviously you can tell a difference 5-6 years in between, there aren’t massive jumps in 2 years. Older iPhones were like huge leaps in what they offered.

I’m not trying to sound harsh but I just feel like people that buy a new $3000 computer every two years subscribe to YouTube premium

Definitely subscribe to YouTube, so I don’t waste a second watching commercials. I can also save videos to watch later, like on a flight. Worth every penny. Far better money spent than Netflix.

 

[ThailandToo]

I forgot to add on my last post I still use a 2012 MBP 13" daily too as it's the laptop I lug around with me everywhere to save me damaging my 2020 MBA. It's still super quick and has been upgraded with more RAM and an SSD. The keyboard on these things is sublime too.

My wife's 2012 MBP is also still in daily use too. So 11 years and counting!

To save you from damaging your 2020 MacBook Air? Live a little!!!

 

[MacCraig Pro]

To save you from damaging your 2020 MacBook Air? Live a little!!!

I do the 2012 comes with me everyday and occasionally I do take the MBA. £1000 isn’t a small amount for me though!

Also the MBP comes in to a school with me and if it got damaged I’d not be as bothered as I would if it was my MBA!

 

[christlinah]

Anywhere between 1 and 5 years, depending on how I feel about it

 

[Larsvonhier]

Up to 15 years and counting. (Several Mac Pro 3,1 and 5,1).
Used with Ventura/Sonoma as office workhorses and for el. CAD, development and R&D.

 

[WC7]

Some may need new phones every 2 years. Some may just have nothing better to do and want one for whatever purpose. Show off maybe 🤔.

So, I go back and forth on upgrading but in my case it really comes down to a budget. Being an all Apple person I wish I could get the 'latest and greatest' but alas ... plus, as I mentioned before there is no justification in my case being a 'lite' user. I spend $480 per year on the iPhone 15 lease and if I trade my iMac every two years that is around $450 per year (including the trade-in value). Maybe, that comes to about $1000 per year total ... then the services ... 2 TB iCloud $120 / year, Internet service $850 / year, just splurged on Apple News+ $180 / year + Verizon family plan $$$. Crazy.

 

[WC7]

I guess what I am saying ... if you include all the services: remote iCloud and Apple services + cable internet + cell tower/phone service that is far greater (in my case) than the hardware side.

 

[satinsilverem2]

ibook g3 to g4 so 2003ish to 2007
MacBook unibody 2008-2011
2011 MacBook Pro 13 2011-2017
2016 MacBook Pro 15 2017-Present

So i tend to run my machines these days for quite a while before replacing them. My current 2016 MBP is due for an upgrade in the next couple of months

 

[Jani Eronen]

Currently average in our family is over 8 Years. Often primary Mac goes secondary surfing machine and that happens maybe after 5 years of use if substantially better machine is released. And sure all old Macs I had bought entry level and upgraded all options immediately when upgrade parts were available.

iMac G3 00-05
iMac G5 05-15
IMac 27 5K 15-23

MacMini 09-20
MacMini M1 20-

iBook G4 05-11

MacBook Pro 15" 09-21
MacBook Pro 14" M1 pro 21-

 

[izzy0242mr]

1) 2011 13" MacBook Pro
2) 2013 13" MacBook Air
3) 2015 13" MacBook Pro (used this and the Air interchangeably but used the Air for more casual things)
4) 2021 14" MacBook Pro (M1 Pro, base)

Bought all but #1 used. I plan to keep the 14" MBP for at least 8 years.

 

[izzy0242mr]

Same. Upgrading a computer every year is properly mental, unless you have a job which for some reason requires the absolute bleeding edge of technology all the time, and also requires you to use macOS.

Consumers gonna consume…then turn around and complain about how corporations are destroying society. (They are, but only as long as we keep buying their products endlessly)

 

[izzy0242mr]

With no more upgrade paths for those of us looking for a 27” all-in-one, apparently I’m keeping my 2017 iMac much longer than anticipated. Worse, there are no longer any newer models in the refurb’d store.

Genuine question: why the desire for an all-in-one? What's the specific draw vs just having a Mac mini + a nice 27" 5K display?