Just how pricey MacBooks are, any user would like to avoid replacing them for as long as possible. But just how long does a MacBook Pro last? How much should you expect? With aging, most of the Macs start showing issues like freeze when working, slow speed, sudden shutdowns, batteries no longer holding a charge, etc.
You may be able to fix them, but after a point, repairing your MacBook is no longer available, and you need a replacement. And also, sometimes Apple stops supporting old operating systems which throw your security in the palm of hackers. Here we will address this problem, as well, as give you some advice to keep your Mac safe and use it for a longer time.
What Apple Say About This Topic
With Apple supporting the systems, it is esteemed that MacBook Pros with proper care can last for around eight to ten years. After that, you have to consider replacing your long-old friend, the MacBook.
Here, you have to consider if you are going to fix your faulty MacBook, will Apple still is providing the necessary parts for the MacBook? Generally, Apple stops manufacturing parts for Macs that exceed a seven-year time period.
Now, let’s look at some numbers that can give us a tangible answer about this topic.
- Most professional MacBook Pro users like to update or replace their laptops every 3 years.
- MacBook Pro has an average lifetime of 5-7 years.
- There are Many MacBooks operating properly even after 10-12 years.
- MacBook’s 90% hard drives last for at least 3 years.
- MacBook’s Hard drives can last for 3-5 years according to some reports.
Facts That Will Determine MacBook Longevity
Some factors control the MacBook’s longevity. Depending on them, you can expect your MacBook’s lifetime.
What Do You Use It For?
What is the main use of your MacBook? Did you buy it for work or entertainment? Do you play heavy graphic games? How long you use it daily? If you use your MacBook more than 4-5 hours a day, it’s going to have a negative effect on your laptop.
Because of heavy use, you are putting strain and stress on all of its components. And, the battery is the first to suffer. So, it’s recommended to update the battery in every 2-3 years.
Do You Maintain It Well?
To properly run your computer you need regular cleaning and maintenance. Without cleaning your MacBook regularly dust can accumulate on the keyboard and go inside through open vents, making its functioning interrupted.
Do You Take Care Of It Properly?
When you are not using the laptop what do you do with it? Do you just leave it lying on the desk? It’s necessary to protect it from dust and other pressure. So, while carrying it, try to be safe and stay away from pressuring it.
Things That Will Affect MacBook Lifespan
Keeping It Clean
If you work with your laptop in coffee shops or outside anywhere, it is likely there is accumulated dust and gunk over your keyboard and speaker. If you do not clean them once in a while, you risk them getting in important sensitive parts which could lead to a decrease in your MacBook lifespan.
Maintaining Regularly
Regular maintenance can speed up your slow laptop several times. Run Disk Utility to repair startup disk and to keep driver performance at peak. Always remove the unnecessary apps and software for free space and update them when available. Try to delete junk files regularly as they occupy too much disk space if you don’t delete them regularly.
Using Battery
Many users use their laptops when plugged in as it doesn’t require caring about charging the battery. But it’s not good for your battery as it doesn’t get use. So, let the battery serve its purpose.
Upgrading Hardware
To keep up with the up-to-date software and games, you need to upgrade your pieces of hardware sometimes. With upgraded hardware, you get a faster and stronger computer. Hardware upgrades include RAM, processor, SSD, and graphics card upgrades. Although you yourself can install a new ram for others you need an expert to do that.
Is the MacBook worth purchasing for heavy users?
Apple claims that its MacBook series laptops can last up to 9 hours on a single charge. I’ve been using my MacBook Pro for the better part of four years, and I’ve never had it die on me while in use. On average, I probably charge my laptop about once every two or so weeks depending upon how much time I spend on it.
Given the durability of MacBooks, I would say that they are well worth purchasing for heavy users, and Apple’s “Up to 9 hours of battery life” claim doesn’t seem too far-fetched either.
How long will my MacBook last with heavy use?
MacBooks are incredibly durable and can easily last 4+ years with heavy usage. If you’re buying a MacBook for personal use, it will probably last the average person around 5-6 years. However, if you’re buying a MacBook for business use, I expect it to last between 4 and 5 years.
There are two main reasons why: Most businesses users require notebooks with much stronger performance than what is available in the MacBook series laptops.
Unless your workload consists of high-end software and applications which can take full advantage of the MacBook’s processing power, you might consider purchasing a MacBook Pro instead of the standard MacBook.
Business users are known to treat their notebooks far less delicately than personal users. Laptops that are abused or used in harsh conditions will usually have a shorter lifespan than those which aren’t exposed to such variables.
How long should my MacBookPro last with moderate use?
Since most MacBook users tend to be heavy users, the average user should expect their laptops to last anywhere between 3-5 years. Business users who spend a lot of time in meetings or traveling will probably use up their laptop’s battery life within 2-3 years, though. Some casual users might find their MacBooks to last around 7-8 years before needing a replacement.
However, if you’re using your laptop for basic everyday tasks such as web browsing or word processing, it will probably work fine for several more years. It comes down to how much you use your laptops, after all.
How long does a Macbook Pro last with light use?
If you’re a casual user and use your laptop for basic tasks such as web browsing, word processing, emailing, etc., it should easily last 5+ years without needing replacement. That being said, though, there’s no telling how long a MacBook will last until it has reached its end of life.
Some people might go through several MacBooks throughout their lifetime because they constantly break. Still, most average users will probably hold onto their MacBook for a couple of years at least.
When it comes to buying laptops, I would say that the best time to purchase one is when you need it. Although I gave some general guidelines above, your mileage may vary depending on how often you use your laptop(s).
MacBooks are incredibly durable to start with and will usually hold up well for several years, but the length of their life also depends on how they’re used as well.
How long should a MacBook pro battery last?
Apple claims that its MacBook Pro series laptops can last up to 7 hours on a single charge. Although the battery life will vary depending upon how you use your laptop, I would expect the average user’s battery to last anywhere between 3-5 years before needing replacement.
However, the battery can fail or stop working altogether, depending upon how much you use your MacBooks. If your laptop doesn’t hold a charge anymore and the battery won’t charge at all, you might want to consider getting a replacement battery or upgrading to a new model.
MacBook battery life vs. Other laptops
Since Apple laptops are some of the thinnest and lightest notebooks on the market, I would personally expect their battery life to be longer than average. When comparing MacBooks with other brands, you should keep in mind that they each have different-sized batteries.
Although Apple claims its MacBook Pro series laptops can last up to 7 hours on a single charge, that depends on how you use your laptops. Casual users might find their MacBooks last much longer than power users who constantly watch movies and play games on their notebooks.
If you’re looking for a laptop that can run high-end software and applications without significantly slowing down over time, Apple is usually the brand of choice. Although you’ll have to pay more upfront, their notebooks hold up much better than most laptops on the market.
Although you might need to upgrade your RAM and hard drive from time to time, upgrading other components like the processor is usually not necessary unless you’re using your MacBooks for high-end applications or playing intense video games.
What About Repairing My Mac To Make It Last Longer?
Repairing your MacBook or MacBook Pro is also a good idea if you want to hold onto it for as long as possible. There are tons of third-party companies out there that offer affordable Apple repair and replacement services.
The only downside with repairing your laptop is that the cost of the parts usually outweighs the price of getting it repaired by an Apple service center. If you’re not very tech-savvy, you probably won’t have much luck fixing your laptop either, and it’s best to leave the repairs up to professionals.
Even though Apple laptops are more expensive than most of the other notebooks on the market, they’re well worth the money if you plan on using your laptop for several years. I would buy an Apple laptop personally if I were looking for something more than a casual computer.
Fix Your MacBook Pro or Buy A New One?
When making a decision like whether should you fix your MacBook Pro or buy a new one, you should ask yourself a few questions first. Like, what’s the problem with it? How many years you are using it? Does buying a new one even worth much? Other than that you have three alternatives.
If your MacBook Pro is in the obsolete category, it’s better to think of buying a new one as the part of the MacBook is no more manufactured by apple. Normally after 7-8 years, Apple stop manufacturing old Macs parts.
If you are using your MacBook for less than three years you should consider fixing the problem, of course, if it is possible. Usually, it should still be under warranty.
In case, you are using it for more than three years, then it depends on how big the issue is. After knowing those points, you should get an idea of what should you do. As MacBook is extremely pricey it is not bad to not buy a new one until you actually need one.
Upgrade It Or Buy A New One?
This is the same situation as the above. Upgrading the components should be started after 3 years as your warranty ends then. The first component to update is Battery as it bears the most strain and pressure.
However, you are actually fixing the battery not upgrading it (make sense if you think). You can Upgrade SSD, RAM, fans, and speakers. But it makes no sense, to update an old machine that will be still old but the cost goes up.
When Should You Buy A New MacBook?
If you are thinking about upgrading it is most likely for not keeping up with the modern system. Let’s see some point when you should replace your old MacBook and buy a brand-new one.
Can’t Run The Latest Version Of MacOS
If your laptop can’t update to the latest version of macOS means that it’s going to be obsolete. So, you are not getting any new mac features. Although you can still use it for a while. But soon it will stop getting security updates and maybe third-party software will stop working. So, it will be time to think for your new MacBook.
Lack Of Free Space
The up to dating apps, files, photos, videos everything is constantly eating more space. It’s causing most the old MacBook user a huge headache.
Although you can constantly delete unimportant files or add external hardware, it also has its limits. With them even if you can free some amount of space but ultimately you have to buy a new MacBook to solve this problem once for all.
Components Aren’t Powerful
Like storage disk, every component loses its edge against technology advances. Lack of Ram will prevent you from running many applications at once, even some applications will not run. Editing 4K videos is almost impossible with an old CPU. Overall the whole computer will suffer from it.
Just like before, using the various methods you can increase them but once it reached its end, nothing will work. And if you think about it, professional hardware update and battery replacements almost cost a new machine.
Heavy Hardware Damages
It’s obvious if your MacBook suffered physical damage you need to fix it or replace it. Just we discuss the above topics, it depends on the damage level what you should do. Should you buy a new MacBook or fix the old one? But if the damage is severe it’s better to update it.
Frequent Software Issues
Probably the most annoying thing about working with an old MacBook is the software issues. It’s really frustrating when you do all your work but before you can save it, the machine suddenly froze or shut down itself.
For those problems, try to reinstall macOS or other solutions but if they don’t work there is no meaning in keeping it.
Final Verdict
From the above discussion, we learn the answer ‘how long can a MacBook last’. From our discovery, you know it’s not as straightforward an answer as one may think.
There are several factors you had to consider before having your answer. Normally an advanced user does not like to use their MacBook for more than 3 years. But the general public can use it for 5-8 years without anything worrying.
Now you know, taking care of your computer like cleaning dust externally and internally, regular maintenance can play a substantial role to increase your MacBook’s lifespan. Proper use also matters a lot when it comes to MacBook lifespan.
You should also know now when to replace your MacBook or when to upgrade its hardware. There should be no unanswered questions in this regard. Well then, it’s time to say goodbye and stay well until we meet again.