Thinking about upgrading to a 2021 16" MacBook Pro, but...

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Level 1

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Thinking about upgrading to a 2021 16" MacBook Pro, but...

Hello!

I currently have a Mid-2010 MacBook Pro 15" and have been thinking about upgrading for the past year or so. When I heard the new M1 might be available this year in the new 16" MacBook Pro's, I decided wait to see what was released.

Here we are now and as I contemplate upgrading and spending the $2700+ dollars on a new laptop (I've been saving for a while), I have concerns but can't seem to get straight answers from my searches online. I use my laptop for work (nothing intensive), and at home for we browsing, email, and would like to do more home video editing - which doesn't work well at all on my Mid-2010. With that said, I likely won't use the full capabilities of the M1 Pro, but it's the option I have the new 16" laptop (and that's the one thing I won't compromise as the screen size is a must for me). MagSafe is also a must as I have small kids and know there will be some point it will save me (knowing it has saved this laptop numerous times over the years).

If I spend this much on a new laptop, I'm hoping it will last 10+ years. I don't buy them often and would prefer to not have to replace it in a few years. I'm looking at the M1 Pro, 16gb with 1TB (not as concerned about space since I can use an external drive). What I am concerned is whether or not this laptop will stand the test of time. I replaced the RAM in my current laptop a few years ago when it failed as well as upgraded the HDD to an SSD (no issues with SSD failure), but without the ability to replace components, am I setting myself up for failure? I don't mind spending a little here and there to replace memory or a hard drive (which I can obviously do in my current laptop), but replacing an entire logic board is, I'm sure, pricey. I realize it's a computer and nothing is guaranteed, but I want to be smart about it. Is the expectation that these will last a decade? Or is it something that's made for those who upgrade every few years?

I apologize for the long explanation, but any thoughts would be appreciated!

MacBook Pro 15″, macOS 10.13

Posted on Nov 21, 2021 8:27 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

TheLittles

Level 10

195,539 points

Nov 21, 2021 8:45 PM in response to coloradohkr

coloradohkr Said:

"What I am concerned is whether or not this laptop will stand the test of time. [...]What I am concerned is whether or not this laptop will stand the test of time. [...]Is the expectation that these will last a decade? Or is it something that's made for those who upgrade every few years?[...]"

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AppleCare+ Has Become Extendable:

Computers are a piece of technology. There is no ultimate way to determine when this will die out. My 2010 MBP got slow in 7 years --So, I upgraded. Now, my AppleCare+ ended. But, what Apple now offers is extending your AppleCare+ plan. It can be extended annually or monthly (Apple decides which), and you can extend it for however long you wish. So, keep good care of the device, and as long as for follow the Terms & Conditions, you'll be good for a long time to come. Find Out More Here: Extend your AppleCare+ Coverage - Apple Support

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Answer 2

zhoukerrr

Level 2

350 points

Nov 21, 2021 9:15 PM in response to coloradohkr

This is just my personal opinions. Hope it might help you. I believe the base model is enough for you. Like you mentioned, you can use an external drive. SSD in the new MacBook should be able to last for around 10 years. As of RAM, the unified memory is more efficient than traditional RAM. The tasks that you mention can be handled by the laptop. I do not think that upgrading the components will necessarily make it last longer.

On a side note, 14 inch MacBook Pro isn't too far off from your 15 inch. I do suggest going to the store and take a look at the physical one to see if that size is fine with you. You can save some money by going for the smaller one with 8 core CPU and 14 core GPU. Just my 2 cents. Hope it helps!

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Answer 3

Nov 21, 2021 10:09 PM in response to coloradohkr

I am not going to be too helpful on this, since I am not incredibly well invested in the electronics of a computer, I have only taken apart a few old computers, and didn't really know anything about what was there aside from the major computer components, but I will say that you may/may not be setting yourself up for failure. I believe M1 is built to last quite a lot longer. However, I would think that it really depends on what you do on your computer, since some things work your computer harder than others, resulting in component/computer failure sooner. If you need to replace components and are good at doing it yourself, which saves you a lot of money, than you may be, now that you have to take it in to apple to replace them now, which I honestly which they wouldn't have done. But altogether, M1 would be a very good move and I highly doubt you would set yourself up for failure. These are much better and more powerful computers, and if you need to switch, by all means I think you should get a mac with M1.

Hope this helps,

Clueless_Computer

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Thinking about upgrading to a 2021 16" MacBook Pro, but...

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