what is the average lifespan of a Mac Pro?

There is no compelling reason why every Mac Pro ever produced should not still be in service.

Some users have found that their work requires a speedier version or one with faster drives or larger memories. Some have seen massive failures (sample defects) and have chosen not to repair. But in my opinion, none are obsolete.

Perhaps this is not the answer to your underlying question. If so, can you re-phrase the question to get to the heart of the matter?

I have always found Apple computers have a very long life span. As Grant stated, most upgrade for a need for speedier, etc. I only recently bought a Mac Pro (used) because my G5 was no longer supported by Apple with Security Updates. Understandable, it was time to move my desktop into the Intel age. But the G5 PowerPC was still a good computer, ran okay, fast enough, even though it was "only" a dual 1.8 GHz with 4 GB RAM (maxed). The Mac Pro I bought, a 2007 3.0 GHz Xeon Dual is one of the first Mac Pros, but I foresee a long relationship with it. It has 10 GB RAM but is expandable to 32 GB if I wanted, and the storage is at 4 TB (it has four bays). I'm very happy with it. Everything hooked up to it except the monitor - an older Cinema Display - and I got a good used 20" pretty cheap. Now I'm set for a while, IMHO.

Tom

It's kind of like this. If your asking about the physical lifespan, that is undetermable. Too many factors- use or abuse and other things. I, beleive it or not have an old performa 500 that still works. If, it is work related as to programs that are used. Maybe four years. When updates to these programs (or games) come out sooner on later they will not run on that system or computer. Depends on what you are going to do with it.

I have gone through two Macs in less than 9 years. Both with the hard drives packing it in and to be honest I am very sceptical about going for a third...

I replace and rotate out disk drives constantly as new models, and disk drives have nothing to do with a workstation - might with a laptop where heat and wear are worse and higher failure rates.

9 yrs means no way it would work with any OS after awhile.

If you don't 'need or want Mountain Lion (or even Lion) which is separate issue anyway, Mac Pro from 2006 mght need to replace disk drives, FBDIMMs, and throw in a new graphic card. Nothing out of the norm there and is normal.

My 9 yr old G4 MDD still works btw, just too loud and doesn't keep up with Mac Pro is all.

"Any drive can fail at any time."

Losing a drive is no reason to retire your entire computer.

Thanks to Apple Care to provide hard drives, mine has lasted 5 years. I am getting the new Mac Pro with Retina this week but keeping my old Mac Book Pro for sentimental reasons it keeps on ticking ........ The computer has evolved and so have I Thanks to Apple :-)

Mac Pro does not have Retina so you are talkng about a notebook MacBook - btw, this forum? for workstations.

My graphic card.needs to be replaced in my Mac pro I brought in 2006.

I was told it will be $700.to replace

Does anyone have any suggestion?

Cookiedodido.

coles001-

Apple-firmware 5770, US$250. Works in every model Mac Pro running 10.6.5 or later.

Congratulations brother you are lucky . i was never told by the shopkeeper the importance of retina display i bought an older version lol i hope they have a new one btw how does ur retina display work?.

better than the previous or just the display is good and everytging same?

Can I replace it myself?

There is really no way to upgrade the graphics card unless you replace the whole logic board with a newer one. The graphics cards in Apple's laptops are soldered onto the logic board and therefore can only be removed with special equipment. I would say to just buy a new MacBook Pro and sell the older on to put towards the newer one. There may be ways to put newer logic board in as all the 15 MacBook Pros share the same model number but some one else would have to confirm this. This process would also be fairly expensive as the logic boards will cost upto of $800

Hello,

I have a desk top pro,

Will it be the same answer for a Mac desk top 2006 pro?

yes i dont understand why dont you buy a new one . newer one is technologically and graphically advancced its a lot of years you have that . time for a change man retina display macbook is great for high amount of work.

if you work like in an office environment go for imac and if you want to use for less use and want to have the ease to carry use mackbook air.

imagine the advancement today its been a lot of years so i said dont get me wrong i use my imac for 5 years but you have to understand your machines limitations.

you cannot and even if you manage to do it . its gonna cost you a lot whats the point? . just get a new one