what parts will go bad in the mbp?

I'm considering buying a machine now that I hope will last me a good long time. 5+ years, with any luck.

what i want to know is, what parts will wear out and will they be replaceable for a reasonable price?

the battery is obvious.

hard drive? can it be replaced? how much would that cost?

anything else?

thanks!

-Ezra

Kind of an unusual question to ask.

Even if there were parts that would go bad, and even if they were expensive to replace...would that change your decision to buy a Macintosh computer?

If you want a Macintosh running the Mac OS you have to buy an Apple Macintosh computer...no legal way around it!

The good news is there really aren't any parts that "commonly" go bad (as far as I know). And yes the hard drive as well as the ram is easily upgraded or replaced.

Hope this helps,

- Nick

What can go bad, exactly the same parts that can go out on every other computer.

sound card
wireless card
network card
graphics card
USB ports
FW port
or any other port
the CPU
or any other thing that is a part of the system board
trackpad
keyboard
hard drive
RAM
LCD
you name a part, it could go out

While many computers do last that long and much longer, imho: Anyone "expecting" that any computer will last 5+ years is expecting too much. Even from Apple.

@bob... thanks. I guess I was letting my hopes get a little out of hand. Is there anywhere that'll even sell a five-year warranty for a computer that would cover failure due to aging? I'd pay way too much for it. Mostly because I object on a moral level to things not lasting very long.

cerberez said:

great, just trying to put together a picture of what maintenance is going to be like. I'm serious. I'm graduating this year and I'm done replacing gadgets. I want something that'll *last*. I just watched a youtube video of replacing it in a newer macbook pro, it definitely looks like something I could do on my own, as opposed to the imac, which I'd definitely be reluctant to try. I guess that's a point for the macbook.

Click to expand...

Yes..the hard drive in a Macintosh laptop (strangely enough) is easier to upgrade or replace than it is in an iMac. Not to say that it's impossible with an iMac...just much more involved than with a Mac laptop.

But also remember...that in most cases the iMac is a MUCH better value for your computing dollars than a laptop.

I only mention this since you mentioned both the iMac & MBP (in your title). But if you need the portability & mobility of a laptop...then a laptop is what you should get.

- Nick