How often do you upgrade your MacBook Pro?

[CoffeeMacBook]

Just curious about how often everyone updates their MacBook Pro?
I have my habits for how I update, but I'm curious about what your personal habits are with your MBP life cycle ?
What your reasons are for updating more often? Benefits?
What are your reasons for updating less often? Benefits?
What do you tend do with your old MBPs? Hold on? Pass on? Sell? Trade-In? Recycle? Trash?
Thanks!

 

[Hammie]

Historically, it has been around 3 years until this iteration:

- 2010 17" MBP
- 2013 13" MBP
- 2016 15" MBP
- 2019 13" MBA
- 2021 14" MBP

But to be honest, the 2016 and 2019 devices got very little use due to the crappy keyboards. My 2013 was always my go to device when frustrated with the other keyboards. It is too bad that I was not aware of the display replacement period of the 2013 MBP. It suffered from the delaminating issue, but when I found out about the replacement by Apple, it was too late and they wanted to charge me $499 for a new display.

 

[Lobwedgephil]

2-4 years.

 

[rawweb]

I usually go 3-5 years between upgrades. I tend to go based on AppleCare and how much more power I need. I always had a notebook as a companion to a desktop, but in recent years and thanks to the great power of the M1Max, that is no longer necessary. I ended up taking a huge loss on getting rid of my intel 16 because this year is such a game changer.

2001 - PowerMac G4 Quicksilver Dual 800Mhz
2001- PowerBook G4 15" - Ti 400Mhz
2003 - PowerMac G5 - 1.8GHz
2004 - iBook G4 1.2GHz 14"
2009 - iMac 27" - i5 2.66GHz
2009 - MacBook (White) 2Ghz Core Duo - 13"
2011 - MacBook Pro 17" 2.5GHz i7
2012 - MacPro 12c
2015 - iMac 5k 27" - 4GHz i7
2016 - MacBook Pro 15" 2.9GHz i7 (later replaced by  with 2017 3.1GHz model after numerous keyboard failures, 2017 model had 2 failures)
2020 - MacBook Pro 16" - 2.4 i9
2021 - MacBook Pro 16" - M1M

 

[millerj123]

10 year plan so far.

 

[dallegre]

Mine -
2012 15" MBP - Loved it, but had 2 logic boards replaced at Apple's expense (solder-gate)
2015 15" MBP - Killed pre-maturely by my child
2019 16" MBP - Using now
2021 14" MBP - On order

I don't really need to upgrade right now and normally wouldn't after just 2 years, but changing needs, smaller form factor, PORTS!, 10% off coupon swayed me.

 

[carlob]

3 years, I get a new one when apple care coverage on the previous one expires.

 

[hmorneau]

10% off coupon swayed me.

Wait, what?

 

[dallegre]

Wait, what?

I got a really timely membership anniversary coupon from BestBuy.

 

[metapunk2077fail]

Every two years.

But if there is some kind of major update with a feature that makes previous generation look like **** then immediately I'll grab that.

 

[chanerz]

I still have my 2010 Macbook Pro. Haha. Still works.

 

[JouniS]

5+ years. Upgrading and getting used to a new device takes a lot of effort for minimal gain. Old MBPs are still good enough for desktop use, and new MBPs are still not powerful enough for situations where I need performance.

On the other hand, had Apple released a laptop with 20 CPU cores, 8 GPU cores, and 128 GB of RAM, I would have already bought one.

 

[Fubar1977]

Every 3 years. The timing was perfect this time as my late 2018 was due an upgrade just as the new models arrived.

 

[souko]

It depends on new features. It was less than one year in two last cases (MBP 16" 2019 (bought 2020) -> MBA M1 (bought 2021) -> MBP 14" (bought 2021)) but I had MBP 13" 2015 for 5 years.

 

[throAU]

I plan/budget on every 3 years, but it ends up being every 4-5 so far.

The last upgrade being an outlier because of the lack of working keyboards when needed an upgrade.

 

[splitpea]

Generally I upgrade when I need more RAM. The exception was the first retina MBP — for the improved portability. So not on any specific timeline, and it sucks to wait until your computer stops working, because then you’re without a computer for a while and transferring your data is a bigger hassle.

 

[bradl]

10 year plan so far.

This, but I don't know if it is by luck or how durable they are. I wasn't planning on the 10-year plan, but as I'm upgrading this year from a mid-2011 13" MBA that hasn't had or needed any maintenance done on it, I'm on the 10 year plan whether I want to or not!

BL.

 

[ScreenSavers]

I do it every year. I usually can’t resist the new features.

 

[lclev]

I tend to upgrade when I need more power - RAM or CPU. I just started my mac journey in 2013 with a MBA.
Shortly after buying the MBA bought used:
2011 MBP i7/16GB (For video work, gave it to a friend and is still in use)
after the 2011 I moved all large video projects to a 2010 Mac Pro which I still have at work.
2017 MBP i7/16GB (For home use and photo work. Not enough power for videos)
2020 MBP i7/32GB (Loved it for general photo use but not for video work)
2021 MBP M1 Max/64GB (A true pro machine! It is handling everything I throw at it.)

Hopefully this one will last me several years! My make or break will be changes in video complexity. I have a need for speed when it comes to rendering and encoding.

 

[justashooter]

In the early years it was because I needed/wanted more ram for Photoshop, so it was 2007, 2009. Then it was 2013 (2012 MBP 13 w/16gb ram), which is still my main computer and it still works great. A SSD upgrade really helped with that. From photo editing programs to the video editing I need to do (2-4 minute videos for corporate clients). Contemplating a 14 inch but that will be at least a year down the road. My photography friends will confirm I am not an early adopter, my first Canon 1Dx was bought used in around 2015.

 

[yukari]

Last one was 2011 15" MBP, which was replaced with the current 2018 MBP on August of 2018. Only reason 2011 MBP was replaced was due to its dGPU failing. Even though I have it usable using software patch to disable dGPU, I only use 2011 MBP for watching videos and surfing the web.

For work I rely on my 2018 MBP and 2018 Mac Mini.

 

[DeltaMac]

I use a Mac portable until it does not reliably work for my needs.
I currently have a 2007 MacBook, still in daily use. Also a 2009 15-inch MBPro (Not often used now, but available). Also a 2012 13-inch MBPRo that gets daily use for a variety of service work (just replaced battery, updated to 16GB RAM and SSD at the same time, that 2012 was manufactured in late 2015, first owner bought new in early 2016), and my current newest is a 2017 MBAir (upgraded to NVme m.2 card). Oh, forgot I also have a 2002 1GHz Ti G4. One side of the display hinge is broken, but it still works, boot it every month or two, just to see that it still boots for me.
I have never (in 30 years of Macs) bought a laptop new (always used, not refurb) Had "bad luck" a couple of times, but mostly, they are Macs, and do what I need...
I have nothing with USB-C yet, so that's coming at some point.

 

[TinyMito]

MacBook Pro 15" 2011
MacBook Pro 14" 2021

No vote option for every 10 years?

I have less than 7 decades life... I can only buy 7 more models.

 

[bradl]

MacBook Pro 15" 2011
MacBook Pro 14" 2021

No vote option for every 10 years?

I have less than 7 decades life... I can only buy 7 more models.

There needs to be a 40-year option as well.. If I don't upgrade this year, I'll be coming up on 40 years on my Apple IIe. ?

BL.

 

[cubbie5150]

Typically 5 years for me, but that got stretched out due to the introduction of the 2016 era machines. I'm still rolling along with my mid-2014 i7 15" MBP. The keyboard issues, especially, made me leery of the 2016 & newer models, so I just waited, expecting Apple to bring us a 15"+ machine I'd actually want. I even started researching Windows machines a couple years ago, but just couldn't get myself to pull the trigger.

When I first heard news of Apple Silicon, it gave me the resolve to just wait it out. I was planning to wait until late summer '22 when I assumed first revision of the 2021 MBPs would be released, but my old 2014 machine is acting up. Track pad issues caused by a battery that is starting to swell. Thus, I placed an order for a 16" M1 Pro on Nov. 8. **Hoping** it gets to me by it's current anticipated delivery date range of Dec. 9-16.