Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Ok Future proof'ers...

F

Fthree

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Mar 14, 2014
1,313
506
It seems as if every time a new device comes out we buy with the expectation to keep said device for years so we upgrade from standard options in the name of future proofing. How many of you have done this and what are you using that you have kept your word you'd keep in the name of future proofing?

me- Most notably my mid 2015 15inch MacBook Pro. I got every available upgrade including the Tb SSD. Fortunately ZERO issues during the entire time ive had it. I also have a iPad air 2 that has seen some rough days but is still going strong.

Phone wise however i have a 256 Xs max (that i hope to keep for at least 3/4 years (phones are a tough keep for me)
 
I've never bought to future proof. I just buy what I like.

iPhones: iPhone 6s+ (primary), iPhone 5 (secondary), iPhone 4s, iPhone 4

Macs: 2.5Ghz Quad-Core PowerMac G5, 2.7Ghz Dual Processor PowerMac G5, 2.3Ghz Dual Core PowerMac G5, 17" 2.16Ghz MacBook Pro (2006), 15" 2.5Ghz MacBook Pro (2008), 17" 1.0Ghz PowerBook G4 (2003), 450Mhz PowerMac G3 (Server).

Most of my Macs are PowerPC and they all have various functions and do what I need them to do. Same with my phones.

How is that for future-proofing?
 
  • Like
Reactions: kazmac, LizKat, rui no onna and 4 others
Fthree said:
It seems as if every time a new device comes out we buy with the expectation to keep said device for years so we upgrade from standard options in the name of future proofing. How many of you have done this and what are you using that you have kept your word you'd keep in the name of future proofing?

me- Most notably my mid 2015 15inch MacBook Pro. I got every available upgrade including the Tb SSD. Fortunately ZERO issues during the entire time ive had it. I also have a iPad air 2 that has seen some rough days but is still going strong.

Phone wise however i have a 256 Xs max (that i hope to keep for at least 3/4 years (phones are a tough keep for me)
Click to expand...
I still use my 2012 iMac. To me 6 years for a computer is pretty good. I went for a large 1TB HD (which at the time seamed ridiculously large), and 16 GB of RAM.
Now the HD is nearly full and I’m eyeing up a new Mac mini.
 
  • Like
Reactions: kazmac, Lioness~, LizKat and 1 other person
Whenever I buy a computer, I max it out, but then, I expect to get a number of years from it; my current MBA is 512 GB SSD, 8 GB RAM and a core i7.

In general, I will have it for at least three years - this is usually governed by the three years coverage offered by Applecare, - so, at a minimum, I expect my computers to last me three years - but the one I am typing on - an 11" MBA, which I love - is four years old.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Fthree, kazmac, Ulenspiegel and 2 others
My wife and I have iPhone 6. I’ve been waiting for TMobile to have a 2for1 sale, then I’d upgrade to 8s. If not Referbished 6s can be purchased for $150, 7s for $350. Is there any compelling reason why I should buy a 7,8,9, oe 10 over a 6? It does everything I want a phone to do.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Fthree
I don't exactly future proof my devices.

iPhone, my only expectation is two years. My problem with those is after two years, battery's already crapping out and before, it was more cost effective to upgrade to a new phone rather than do a battery replacement for $99. I'll do the $29 battery swap for my iPhone 7 this December, though, to extend its useful life.

iPad, I want all the storage I can get.

I custom build my computers (yes, Windows) so those last longer particularly with occasional parts upgrades (usually storage). I just replaced one that was built in 2009 and the only reason for the replacement was because motherboard crapped out. Still performed very well otherwise.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Fthree and kazmac
I get what I like when I have pored over its specs and in some cases gone in to see the thing before purchase. Then I hang onto it as long as it works and seems to meet my requirements. Some Apple stuff certainly seems indestructible. I still have a functional TiBook from what, 2003 or so? that I hang onto because it works with some MIDI keyboards and associated software I have around, so I treat that as a closed system and "it just works" and will do so until someday when it decides not to. I figure it owes me nada right now, so no wailing or gnashing of teeth when that happens.

On smaller devices, I still use a bunch of 2nd gen iPod nanos all over 10 years old now that still don't complain about being fired up and attached to an FM transmitter for a trip to the store in a car that lacks better audio options. For an iPhone, I prefer the smaller ones so I'm sticking to my SE while it's still supported.

I like iPads, have a 10.5 iPad Pro and am still fond of an aging mini for ebooks.

For day to day use, like some others posting here, I tend to have on hand at least one Apple laptop that's recent enough to still be under Applecare. Their model year may be older than that practice might imply, since I often buy refurbs directly from Apple so that they are still eligible for Applecare, e.g., an MBP mid-2012 is still my workhorse machine and it's still covered for another year. My spare laptop is currently a doctored-on 2010 white MacBook; I maxed the memory and had an SSD installed, it's been working fine for three years, mostly to serve entertainment.
 
  • Like
Reactions: eyoungren, Fthree, arkitect and 5 others
For Macs, I generally get maxed out the specs (save for my last iMac), because I run into bottleneck issues down the road. I will do this again with my next Mac (Alas, it probably won’t be a 2018 Mini because of the integrated graphics).

With iPhones and iPad Pros - middle tier storage is fine for me. I am so used to off loading movies and homework, I do not need to pay for more than 256gb of storage (or 128 on the phones). Don’t need all the fancy bells and whistles of the 2018 iDevices. If I do not get the battery swapped on this 7+, I’ll probably buy another one next year.

And a 10.5” iPP on sale to replace my 2017 12.9”.

I know what I need in iDevices and it’s not the latest and greatest. Now Macs, yes, I do need the latest and greatest within reason. So I buy for what works and longevity/ease of use.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: eyoungren and Fthree
Still running my 2013 iMac, that I maxed at the time. Still going strong. Will probably use it as long as as the system upgrades support it, 2-3 more yrs?
But I’ve had some cheap Apple yrs for awhile.

My iPad Air 2 is fine, 4yrs old, battery isn’t as it was as new. But will probably keep it some more time.
Was thinking on a iPad Pro 11", but not this year. iPhone SE (2yrs old) wasn’t maxed, it’s just a phone to me, no mini computer.

Now I’m interested in the MBA, the beautifully golden one. May not max it, not gonna have it for heavy use.
But not gonna stay cheap either. How could I, MBA is in the same price class as MBP now.
But I plan to keep it for awhile.
Just gonna sit tight a bit and listen to eventual baby diseases it might have before purchase.
 
  • Like
Reactions: kazmac, Fthree and arkitect
With laptops I do my homework and see which one is worth my money. A few years ago I chose a i7 Samsung laptop over what Apple offered, because Apple's offerings were dismal. I did buy the new MBP a few months after it came out.

For PC workstation? I tend to go about it the same way. Though I'm waiting to see what AMD will offer in 2019, and then see what Intel's response will be. Bets are on Intel not coming up with a fighter until late 2020 or early 2021. That said, I usually purchase in the HEDT sphere. Though I'm tempted by Epyc 2.

The thing is I feel more comfortable spending $2,500-4,500 on a PC Workstation I build myself to my specs with quality components versus buying a Mac Pro for that much.

20+ years of building my own PCs, I've had less than four component failures that took less than 20 minutes to swap out and get back to it. Maybe a handful of drive failures, most of them during the Maxtor days. By and large I've had more problems with various Apple devices we've owned in the last 15 years.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Scepticalscribe, kazmac and Fthree
I am typing on my iPad 3! As in the 2012 worst iPad ever 3! Lol It's slow but I don't use it for pro stuff.

It is due for an upgrade though.
 
  • Like
Reactions: eyoungren
The last desktop I chose with 'future-proofing' in mind was my mid-2010 27" iMac i7. Unfortunately, I chose an upgraded GPU that doesn't allow upgrading to Mojave.
That said, it runs fine on HS. Currently 24GM RAM, upgradeable to 32GB. I love that it has a CD/DVD drive. And with a 500GB SSD added last year, the overall speed increased dramatically.

(Btw, based on that experience, if I buy a new iMac it won't have a Fusion drive. SSD is the way to go, imho.)

Anyway, except for the GPU, I feel I chose pretty well. Eight years is a good run, and I'll probably get another year or three out of it.

As for the iPhone, early this year I bought an iPhone X with max storage. It should last me for 3 years or so, as did my last phone - a 6. I didn't need an X, but mainly wanted the new UI and the improved camera, as I'm finding myself taking more pictures. The X has a great camera, imho.

Just ordered a 12.9" IPP with 256 GB storage. I expect to have it for four years. By then there probably will be a compelling reason for me to buy a newer one. I didn't max the storage, but looked at my current iPad's capacity and usage, and doubled it. A higher storage IPP would sell for more when I get rid of it, but that and the amount of benefit to me in daily use don't justify the added expense now.
 
With the exception of iPhones, I've tried to go the opposite route and buy refurb/used. I figure I can get better specs at a cheaper price than new. When I do buy new, it's usually the base model.

I got a refurb iPad (the one after the Air 2) for free with 2 year agreement on AT&T. We were already paying for cellular on my wife's Mini off contract, so basically, I got a free Air.

My current MBP is an upgraded 2015 15" that I purchase from a local MR user.

Looking at a used 11" Air or 12" MB to replace my wife's now-dead MBP (which was purchased new back in 2011).

Looking at a used/ refurb DSLR and lenses that will save hundreds (or more) off the new price.
 
jdechko said:
With the exception of iPhones, I've tried to go the opposite route and buy refurb/used. I figure I can get better specs at a cheaper price than new. When I do buy new, it's usually the base model.

I got a refurb iPad (the one after the Air 2) for free with 2 year agreement on AT&T. We were already paying for cellular on my wife's Mini off contract, so basically, I got a free Air.

My current MBP is an upgraded 2015 15" that I purchase from a local MR user.

Looking at a used 11" Air or 12" MB to replace my wife's now-dead MBP (which was purchased new back in 2011).

Looking at a used/ refurb DSLR and lenses that will save hundreds (or more) off the new price.
Click to expand...
Most of my DSLR lenses came that way. Saved me enough to fund my apple addiction.
 
Huntn said:
My wife and I have iPhone 6. I’ve been waiting for TMobile to have a 2for1 sale, then I’d upgrade to 8s. If not Referbished 6s can be purchased for $150, 7s for $350. Is there any compelling reason why I should buy a 7,8,9, oe 10 over a 6? It does everything I want a phone to do.
Click to expand...

Ok, T-Mobile is selling iPhone XRs for $750 with a $250 credit for trading in our 6s. I might have been able to find a better deal if I had waited till Black Friday, but this was good enough. Then I’ll buy Applecare + for each of them. Slave to technology? Ehh, these phones are 4 years old, better to upgrade on my terms then waiting for one to break.
 
]It seems as if every time a new device comes out we buy with the expectation to keep said device for years so we upgrade from standard options in the name of future proofing. How many of you have done this and what are you using that you have kept your word you'd keep in the name of future proofing?
Click to expand...

I wouldn't say I made a pledge to purchase in the name of future proofing, but I got a 2009 MacBook Pro (new at the time) that I was still using nearly two years ago. It had 2GB of RAM and a 256GB HDD, and I used it for photo editing, multi-tabbed web browsing, 3D modeling, programming, and video rendering. Sometimes simultaneously. It ran fantastically for its age and was only retired once numerous issues made it more expensive to repair than replace.

ry smiling_small.jpg


Here's ol' FreshPie the day I got it… and there's also the reason I never open my mouth in any profile pictures.
 
  • Like
Reactions: kazmac, Huntn and Lioness~
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back