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PCs last longer than Macs
- Thread starter iHorseHead
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By a 3rd party app made in the US that was supposed to safeguard the systems. That disaster was not exactly global. Those countries that use Linux based operating systems and their own security systems didn't get into that disaster.Oops!
2,800 US flights are canceled as a global computer outage wreaks havoc on businesses, 911 systems and government agencies | CNN Business
Thousands of US flights were grounded Friday as a technical disaster plagued government agencies and businesses worldwide – leading to countless stranded passengers, canceled medical procedures and disrupted 911 services.www.cnn.com
Based on the list of hardware in your sig, you haven't had Apple computers last longer than two years, either.
Not true. I used my MacBook Air 2014 from 2015 to 2020. Then my MacBook Air 2018 from 2020 to 2023. I only upgraded to the M2 MacBook Air because after 8 years my 2014 MacBook Air was no longer working (which my husband was using). I upgraded to the M2 MacBook Air so I could pass down my 2018 MBA to my husband. It’s still working now 4 years on.
14 pages, and this is the only post that highlights Apple's user experience. If you’ve got a MAC, you’re almost sure to own an iPhone, and appreciate their synergy.
People take Apple for granted.
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My favourite Apple user "experience" is when iCloud hits the 5gb limit and doesn't let me delete what I need to for it to work again.
Truly a magical experience.
In all seriousness though this thread is toxic Windows loving mixed with Apple loyalist copium and it stinks.
Apple is there for people who just want to forget about the fact they're using technology while they're using technology. Windows, Android, Linux are all there for people who want to tinker and optimise to their hearts desire.
I'm stuck with Windows for certain apps such as EQ Apo, which the closest Mac competitor has 1/10th of the features and costs £50 vs EQ Apo which is free. Seems to be a common trend in all honesty, every OS feature or freely available app on Windows, seems to cost a bucketload of cash on Mac for something that doesn't work nearly as well. Linux actually has a decent alternative but am I heck spending hours to learn command line tools just to EQ my speakers and headphones.
I use all 3 regularly, throw in Chrome OS as well, all of them have their perks and drawbacks.
Anyone who can't get a modern computer to last more than 2 years either doesn't understand how to maintain them or is rough with them, causing physical damage.
I think this depends on what “level” of PC you purchase. A mid-range? Meh. Top tier? Can last for ages.
I use both. PC’s frustrate me because it’s always something I run into that bugs me. Crappy battery life, a subpar screen, a fubar track pad…but again, I was mostly buying mid-range. Mac annoys me less.
I’ve had Macs die on me quick, and others last for ages. I will say that the amount of Macs I’ve had go rogue is wayyyy less than PC’s.
I’m just a Mac gal, I guess.
I use both. PC’s frustrate me because it’s always something I run into that bugs me. Crappy battery life, a subpar screen, a fubar track pad…but again, I was mostly buying mid-range. Mac annoys me less.
I’ve had Macs die on me quick, and others last for ages. I will say that the amount of Macs I’ve had go rogue is wayyyy less than PC’s.
I’m just a Mac gal, I guess.
People appear not to be using a common definition for “last longer”. Many appear to define “last longer” as the length of the the manufacturer supports the operating system. While I consider “last longer” the length to time until a catastrophic hardware failure prevents the computer from operating.
One can continue to operate a machine with an OS that is no longer official support. A lot depends on how you use a computer and what you use it for. A computer does not stop working or being useful just because it is limited to OS Tiger or Windows XP
One can continue to operate a machine with an OS that is no longer official support. A lot depends on how you use a computer and what you use it for. A computer does not stop working or being useful just because it is limited to OS Tiger or Windows XP
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I have still-running CRT iMacs (and they should be dead by now). There were a few dodgy specimens in the "Late" season of 2011, but for the large part iMacs are tanks that run forever.
If that's a mid-'11 i5, never, ever throw it away. It will last longer than the M3 (which will brick when it's soldered drive eventually fails; and a new or external drive won't fix it).
You could always desolder the SSD and solder a new one. If want to keep an M3
iMac for 10 years it’s just something you have do with the AS Macs if the SSD dies. Very annoying but there are people who mastered the this.
Are you insane? <Minghold scowls a Louis-Rossmann-looking-funny-at-you-for-being-insane-expression> Give that they've already been doing the rest of this sentence for years in the case of iPhones, why would you suppose Apple wouldn't have those parts ID-coded, with the machine bricking if all the parts don't number-match? You know that they've deliberately designed these machines to not function if init cannot pull secure code off the internal drive during boot. ... Even independent techs (see link) with high-end microbinocularscope soldering stations don't fwack with this stuff anymore; they're simply going to shake their heads and say, "I warned you last time you were in here not to buy any Apple product made after 2019".
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The US needs better laws to prevent this and better consumer laws. At least in the where I live Apple wouldn’t get away with crap like that if the computer fails within 7 years.
Shame on Apple for for soldering and locking firmware.
Some actually do. These people have upgraded the soldered SSDs. It’s not easy by means cause of Apples stupidness but devout people make it possible.
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Let's make an analogy: there's something wrong with your truck, and you visit an auto forum, where you read:
"...You could always bore out the block and put in new rings and pistons. If you want to keep a Ford 10 years it’s just something you have do now when the engine grenades. Very annoying but there are people who mastered this...."
Don't be the guy who writes that, because it does not help a single reader present, now or in the future.
The nice thing is if you stick linux on an old mac, it'll run pretty nicely. Same on an old pc. Even better on a new pc lol.
Depends. Putting Linux on T2 Macs is a giant PITA requiring specific kernel versions to get most things working. The laptops are particularly bad.
Yeah, we all have different idea of what consists a useful life of a PC, which isn’t helped by few commentators who keeps moving the goal post for the sake of being “right”.
The useful EoL to me is when the manufacturer stops providing replacement parts for the device. I travel a lot and use my PC heavily, so I will inevitably get a flaky keyboard, loose hinge, or a worn display cable in couple years. If I cannot get a new replacement part at that point, that’s it. I may be able to use them for secondary duty like headless file server or media player but that’s more of an “extra”.
With consumer grade Windows PC that’s usually however long the vendor sell the machine new. Business PC from Lenovo/HP/Dell are typically 5~6 years post sale and MacBooks a little longer. Software and driver support usually end around the same time, so I would consider that to be how long the manufacturer intend us to keep the machine.
Does the replacement part need to be "new" and OEM? It's really easy to find replacement parts for 10+ year old Thinkpads off places like Aliexpress, used but in ok condition or 3rd party and the design of the machines makes replacement feasible at home. Apple selling parts for an extra year isn't a huge help IMO when they're asking $700 to do pretty near any repair on a 7 year old machine that's not a battery replacement.
Personally, it depends. I found parts from Aliexpress hit or miss, but a flaky logic board might have me hunt eBay for a used ThinkPad I can cannibalize. The components that usually die on me (keyboards, display hinge) are more of a wear item so used PC is a no-go. That said, the current 5~6 years for ThinkPad is plenty long enough so I have no complaints. And in terms of personal repairability, I do consider ThinkPads to be second to none and Apple (or anyone else) cannot compare. The global repair service isn’t as good as the IBM days though.
With Apple, personal repair isn’t as easy but 1st party repair is quite good. I was saved more than once because I was able to just schedule a visit to Apple Store in Shibuya and Hannover and have my logic board and keyboard replaced in few days. And a repair of my then 7 year old MacBook 12” was actually reasonably priced too (def not $700, here in US). The ease of global repair was one thing that really won me over with Apple.
Not ThinkPad or Macintosh? No thank you. You can forget about global repair for sure, and even domestically parts availability is non-existent for consumer devices. The most you can wish for is replacement with a refurb unit within the warranty period.
You either buy some very low end hardware, or misuse the software to have a track record like that on ANY device out there. Every pc I've ever owned has lasted several years, and still working when i go to upgrade. And that's also overclocking and pushing the hardware in them past the manufacture specs.
The one nice thing Apple has going for them in the longevity department is they don't sell cheap hardware, granted they've had some exceptions over the years, but overall, you cant go buy a $200 mac brand new. Where you can buy a cheap windows laptops brand new for that. No different than going out and buying a very cheap and basic android phone, it wont support or last as long either as some better mid to high range devices.
I've had friends that go and buy the cheapest windows laptop they can find during a sale and then complain its running like crap shortly after. I personally don't think manufactures should even sell such cheap crap devices to begin with, as many times that's the reason people get turned off of windows machines. But i got a Toshiba satellite laptop from well over a decade ago that still runs fine, we have a 2020 razer laptop that's my wife's daily work machine and i have an overclocked Lenovo gaming system now that will last me several years.
I also own iphones, ipads and a macbook and all are great devices that last for years as well and i pass onto family members when i get the itch to uprade.
I don't think there's really a wrong way to go if you buy a suitable device that will fit your needs and actually buy a proper spec that will last you into the future in either windows or mac. I think plenty people here have now shown examples of both windows and mac machines working well into the future for them so I'm not even sure why this is a continued debate anymore