Hi,
Is it correct that an iMac can only be used for "4-5 Years"? And will need to be replaced?
What if I have "Upgraded it" when i first bought it?
And is it the same for MBP?
Thanks.
Ed
iMac, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.3)
Macs, like most computers, can go on working for years, continuing to do what you originally bought them to do.
If you are unlucky, the hard drive may fail - but then you do of course have adequate backups don't you?! Hard drives are replaceable. Similarly, superdrives are known to be fickle animals and will probably fail after 3-4 years. Just get an external one.
One day you will find that the latest versions of your applications will not work without the latest version of OS X - which you may not be able to install anyway. Then you have to decide if you require the latest upgrades, bells and whistles etc. If they are vital to you, get a new Mac. If not, don't!
My iMac is now seven years old and has never (he said clutching the nearest log) given any problems apart from the usual failed superdrive, and continues to do what I originally wanted it to do.
That 4 - 5 years comment has a some truth to it. The computer itself can continue to function for much much longer. But inevitably there will be new versions of the operating system, and new versions of important apps, that simply will not run on the old hardware. So it is not that the computer hardware dies, the computer just becomes obsolete.
But there is no time scale here. I know folks who are, very producively, using 8 year old macs. Because that hardware (and software) does everything they want to do.
I had a PowerBook G4 for 6 years before it started to give me problems. I've had my current iMac for almost 4 years and the only thing I've had to do so far was the harddrive replacement program.
I think how long a computer lasts is somewhat dependent on how it's used (24/7/365 vs regular home use). At some point the hardware will no longer be adequate for new operating systems and software. How long that takes is anyone's guess. I'm still using 10.6.8 and it serves me well. At some point in time, I'll probably have to get a new computer; I have no idea when.
Although I use an Intel iMac for most work, I still use a 2004-vintage G4 Mac mini-tower daily for Adode Creative Suite 2 because I don't want to spend money on the expensive upgrade. For that purpose, it works flawlessly.
I have a Beige G3 that dates from late 1998 that is still usable for non-internet tasks. It's browsers simply cannot handle today's web content.
The question of obsolescence is today more about the software than the hardware. Now even early intel Macs that appeared in 2006 are unable to run the latest Mac OS versions.
We have 17 Macs in a family of five and only one was retired due to hardware issues. All other upgrades were due to software compatibility issues.
To me a computer is obsolete when it no longer does what I want it to do. Remember that it is your expectations that will change, not the capabilities of the machine. I gave my 15 year old Mac plus to my father-in-law and it served him well for another 5 years. My 2007 MacBook Pro is quite good for my current portable needs. On the other hand I wanted a desktop with a bit more zip to it and so just purchased a late 2012 iMac with a 3TB fusion drive. Will there be something new a couple of years down the road? I would bet on it, certainly. But the machines, unless they have a hardware failure, will continue to do what they were designed to do.
Hi,
I had a PowerBook G3. I bought it in 1999 and was replaced in 2008.
During the 9 years I had it, the HD broke down once. The motherboard had some power problems. But all been fixed(except for the motherboard problems, which made me have to buy a new MBP).
The memory was upgraded to 1GB(which made my PowerBook G3 possible to run OS X). OS was upgraded to OS X 10.3. And it worked fine since I only use if for simple works(like surfing the web or watching DVD).
But in the late years of my PowerBook G3, it cannot support the New OS X 10.4. and later versions of OS X. And does not have a DVD Burner. All others are fine.
And for the motherboard problems, I sent my PowerBook G3 to an Apple Repare Store. I did not let the Apple Repare Store Repts to fix it because the price for the parts and fixing is too expensive.
So I send it to a small computer hardware store to fix the problems. The motherboard problems were fixed, but the guys from the small computer store didn't do it right, and my power supply was burned. I bought a new power supply(which is almost impossible because the laptop was too old), and it burned again. So I have to give up my PowerBook G3, and get a new MBP(could have used my PowerBood G3 longer if I had it fixed at an Apple Repare Store).
I still remember what I read on the Intenet when I bought the PowerBook G3 almost 15 years ago. Buy a machine that's as expensive as you can afford, and use it for as long as it can work. And that's the BEST strategy for buying a computer.
I do not know if that strategy is still correct in nowadays(especially when people are crazy about tablets). But another experence I'd like to share is that, Apple has being such a good company.
I bought an "Airport Base Station" with my PowerBook G3 in 1999, and in that year, PC doesn't even have "wireless connection functions".
And for my current MBP, it has SSD, which made it run extremely fast.
Apple computers might be more expensive than a PC, but it's absolutely worth it.
Thanks.
Ed.
ps. laundry, using a computer for 20 years is crazy. :Q
My G4's going on thirteen years.
For How Long Can I Use My iMac
