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Lifetime of a MacBook/Pro

zblaxberg

zblaxberg

Guest
Original poster
Jan 22, 2007
873
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I'm curious if anyone would know about how long a macbook pro (or macbook in this case) will actually last if it is kept in rather decent condition and all. Not including the fact that the battery will go out eventually but how long do you think under normal use until you have hard drive and/or logic board failure (taking into consideration this isn't one of those laptops where people have the logic board replaced like 5 times within a year).
 
If you take care of it, it will last you longer than its actual usefulness. There are so many variables, it's impossible to tell (like how long you keep it on, what you're doing, quality of each individual part, ect) and there is no formula to plug it into. It may only last 3 years, it may last 10. I have a friend with an old IBM with Windows 98, so that would make it either 9-8 years old. The battery is of course long gone, but the actual unit is still in working condition.
 
^^I totally agree. There are often people on these forums selling 10-year-old PowerBooks that are still functional and usable.
 
My powerbook lasted 3 years and I used it everday and took it to school all the time. I only got rid of it to upgrade to an intel Mac (to run parallels) otherwise I could still be using it today.
 
I have an Apple II at work that i still use sometimes. I mean, i turn it on and go, "woah! this thing still works!" i got a whole bunch of scientific programs on there too. Well, not on there, in a big box of disks.
 
The damages leading to a retirement of notebooks are mostly in keyboards and displays. The new LED backlight of the 15,4" MBP is supposed to live 100,000 hours - approx. ten years without interruption.
 
Habakuk said:
The damages leading to a retirement of notebooks are mostly in keyboards and displays. The new LED backlight of the 15,4" MBP is supposed to live 100,000 hours - approx. ten years without interruption.
Click to expand...

By this point, however, you would probably be worried about your melted eyes.

Ten uninterrupted years in front of a monitor.... *shudder*
 
I bought a MBP in February and I'm already thinking about how I'm going to want a new MBP or Mac Pro or iMac next year. But this has nothing to do with how long the MBP will last just a personal electronics problem.

It would all depend on personal preference and how long you can keep old technology while newer stuff is coming out.
 
I am a macbook owner and I must say that I think that a MB wont last you as long as say a MBP. Not only because its a more expensive machine, but just solely on graphics chip. The MB will always be a good light load laptop (meaning that you usually will need a backup computer to do the heavy lifting or at least that is my case, i am a developer). Taking that into account, a MB should last you easily 3 years, potentially more if you dont use the computer for much besides the usual. A MBP on the other hand may last 4 (pushing it @ 5). A good way to tell is to just see how many PB G4 questions are still posted, along with iBook's which have been gone for almost 3 years now? (could be wrong on that). Just my 2 cents, and hope this helps.
 
Well, there is a big difference between "how long is it useful" and "how long will it be operational". The usefullness issue is the key since the specs of the computer you buy today will never change, but your perception of its performance compared with other computers will change drastically over time.
 
maybe 3 or 4 years,,
but unfortunately my macbook failing to work exactly in the month I buy that stuff,
fortunately there is applecare and my macbook fixed without any charge...

i would recommend you to buy applecare
 
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