Question New Macbook Pro, what do I do?

[swanysto]

I am looking to upgrade my 2014 15" macbook pro. As you can tell, I keep my laptops for a long time. I would actually continue with this one, but the CPU just can't keep up, speed wise it is fine, but it gets so much hotter than it used to. I even replaced the thermal compound, and it didn't really change much. I was looking at the new macbooks, and it seems that the hard drives are soldered. I have replaced the battery in this laptop twice, and the hard drive once since I have owned it. If I upgrade, do I just have to hope the SSD holds for a long time? Do most people just get new ones every few years? Will apple be able to replace the SSD after say 5 years, or is it just too expensive to even try?

Does it just makes more sense to go with a windows laptop like Lenovo where I can change out the SSD?

 

[Tech Junky]

IMO Apple is a ripoff when it comes to their PC options. It's a captive ecosystem that costs significantly more than a PC running Windows or Linux.

If it's heating up I would consider putting in a graphite pad instead of paste. I use them on my laptops and servers and they keep things consistently cool. The laptop run s hotter than the server but, that's by design due to space inside the chassis. When doing normal day to day stuff it sits typically in the 40-50C range and tops out around 90C with the pad using a 12700H CPU. I use the pad on the GPU as well to keep it cooler and idle around 40C with a 3060.

Replacing the SSD should be a fairly simple thing for Apple to do. Is it worth the markup though? No. They typically charge 2X the going rate for drives from what I've seen.

Laptop replacements every few years or run them till they die is the mantra for either Mac or PC. I tend to swap out things when there's a major tech advancement between CPU generations. Right now is a good time to think about it though if you're in the market. Intel ADL 12xxx CPU's are going to get a bit cheaper when RPL 13xxx get released in the spring for laptops.

Lenovo is nice but, it's pricy compared to other options that aren't so well known. Clevo is a CN OEM that makes a ton of laptops with varying degrees of HW and resells them to other companies that rebadge them with their own identity. There's a good 5-10 different resellers for them though depending on the region. The best pricing though is through RJT and you can order them barebones and add your own RAM / SSD for cheaper than a preconfigured one. I ordered a 12700H / 3060 for $1300 shipped w/ no tax and it arrived the same week it was ordered. Most companies right now have a delay of 2-3 months if you order direct.

https://rjtech.com/shop/index.php?dispatch=categories.view&category_id=220&subcats=Y&features_hash=V294

They also come under the names Sager / XMG / etc.

Clevo Custom Laptops and World Clevo Resellers

Clevo Custom Laptops What is a custom laptop? It is a laptop in which you have the ability to choose how much RAM to put, to choose between what SSD / HDD or different panels, cpus and gpus. It is also useful to be able to take a barebone without disks and license. What's Clevo? Clevo is a Taiwan...

linustechtips.com

 

[gdansk]

Apple can replace the SSD and will quote an estimate based on your model but it's often stupidly expensive. So after 5 years, if the SSD starts to fail, most people just buy a new laptop as Apple intended. It is planned obsolescence, after all. I avoid worrying about this by buying a new MacBook every 2 years.

But yes a Windows laptop may be better option. Unfortunately, all the Windows laptops I've used are quite loud in comparison to the MBP.

 

[Tech Junky]

Unfortunately, all the Windows laptops I've used are quite loud in comparison to the MBP.

Depends on your goals and use. Sure, some are just horrible at managing their temps and have loud fans due to the poor heat management. If you go with some of the more moderate CPU's though they can be silent all of the time due to the lower power draw and passive heat management. If you're launching a game or something that invokes the GPU then you will have a louder laptop no matter the brand.

The nice thing about Clevo and their derivatives is you can manage the fans and set ramp profiles accordingly. Some other OEMs have this option as well but, bundle it in so much bloatware.

 

[igor_kavinski]

Does it just makes more sense to go with a windows laptop like Lenovo where I can change out the SSD?

Why Lenovo of all things? Their keyboards (other than the Thinkpads) suck. Would you be comfortable using Windows? Trying to use MacOS drives me bonkers coz things in it don't work the way I'm used to (TextEdit saves automatically whatever you type, for example).

Get a workstation laptop like a Dell Precision if you want ease of swapping out components like SSD/RAM. Thin and light Windows laptops may not be easier to get into. They have them shut pretty tight and it can take a worrying amount of force to take off the usually plastic bottom panel where you are scared that something will get damaged permanently.

 

[swanysto]

IMO Apple is a ripoff when it comes to their PC options. It's a captive ecosystem that costs significantly more than a PC running Windows or Linux.

If it's heating up I would consider putting in a graphite pad instead of paste. I use them on my laptops and servers and they keep things consistently cool. The laptop run s hotter than the server but, that's by design due to space inside the chassis. When doing normal day to day stuff it sits typically in the 40-50C range and tops out around 90C with the pad using a 12700H CPU. I use the pad on the GPU as well to keep it cooler and idle around 40C with a 3060.

Replacing the SSD should be a fairly simple thing for Apple to do. Is it worth the markup though? No. They typically charge 2X the going rate for drives from what I've seen.

Laptop replacements every few years or run them till they die is the mantra for either Mac or PC. I tend to swap out things when there's a major tech advancement between CPU generations. Right now is a good time to think about it though if you're in the market. Intel ADL 12xxx CPU's are going to get a bit cheaper when RPL 13xxx get released in the spring for laptops.

Lenovo is nice but, it's pricy compared to other options that aren't so well known. Clevo is a CN OEM that makes a ton of laptops with varying degrees of HW and resells them to other companies that rebadge them with their own identity. There's a good 5-10 different resellers for them though depending on the region. The best pricing though is through RJT and you can order them barebones and add your own RAM / SSD for cheaper than a preconfigured one. I ordered a 12700H / 3060 for $1300 shipped w/ no tax and it arrived the same week it was ordered. Most companies right now have a delay of 2-3 months if you order direct.

https://rjtech.com/shop/index.php?dispatch=categories.view&category_id=220&subcats=Y&features_hash=V294

They also come under the names Sager / XMG / etc.

Clevo Custom Laptops and World Clevo Resellers

Clevo Custom Laptops What is a custom laptop? It is a laptop in which you have the ability to choose how much RAM to put, to choose between what SSD / HDD or different panels, cpus and gpus. It is also useful to be able to take a barebone without disks and license. What's Clevo? Clevo is a Taiwan...

linustechtips.com

I will try the graphite pad, but I think since it is a 4th gen CPU, it is just being taxed too hard to keep up with new software and stuff.

I am in agreement that apple is purposely difficult when it comes to their systems. However,I really enjoy the whole package they offer. It is very difficult to find a laptop that gets the battery life, has a reasonable high resolution, nice trackpad, and comes in a respectably tight form factor.

 

[swanysto]

Apple can replace the SSD and will quote an estimate based on your model but it's often stupidly expensive. So after 5 years, if the SSD starts to fail, most people just buy a new laptop as Apple intended. It is planned obsolescence, after all. I avoid worrying about this by buying a new MacBook every 2 years.

But yes a Windows laptop may be better option. Unfortunately, all the Windows laptops I've used are quite loud in comparison to the MBP.

Yeah, that is my experience as well with friends and family members laptops. Not really interested in listening to fans all the time.

 

[swanysto]

Why Lenovo of all things? Their keyboards (other than the Thinkpads) suck. Would you be comfortable using Windows? Trying to use MacOS drives me bonkers coz things in it don't work the way I'm used to (TextEdit saves automatically whatever you type, for example).

Get a workstation laptop like a Dell Precision if you want ease of swapping out components like SSD/RAM. Thin and light Windows laptops may not be easier to get into. They have them shut pretty tight and it can take a worrying amount of force to take off the usually plastic bottom panel where you are scared that something will get damaged permanently.

Lenovo was just the first manufactures name that came to mind, it was just supposed to be an example of a windows laptop. I will look into the precision line, thanks.

 

[Tech Junky]

gets the battery life, has a reasonable high resolution, nice trackpad, and comes in a respectably tight form factor.

So true. I took the one I picked up and upgraded the panel to 4k120 though for about $300 and it's probably in the same ballpark as the $4k models preassembled. It took about 15 minutes to do. If you buy with the intent of pulling them apart and doing the upgrades yourself it's a good deal.

I picked up a power bank though to extend the on the go time and get a couple of extra hours out of it for $90. The keys to laptops three days is thinking outside of the box and making a solution.

 

[igor_kavinski]

Some portable options for you:

https://www.hp.com/us-en/shop/pdp/hp-envy-laptop-16-h0787nr

Robot or human?

Robot or human?

Robot or human?

Used with 1TB SSD: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Used-LG-...-SSD-LAPTOP-SILVER-16Z90P-K-AAS8U1/1524270170

 

[Eug]

Buy a 16 GB M1 MacBook Air or 24 GB M2 MacBook Air (depending upon how much RAM you need/want), with enough storage to last you a while.

They're both like a bazillion times faster than that 2014 MacBook Pro, they're both fanless yet run cool, and they have insane battery life.

I bought a 16 GB M1 Mac mini with 1 TB SSD and I'm quite pleased. It has a fan, but I have never heard the fan ramp up, no matter what I do.

 

[Lovren89]

I would better choose new MacBook over HP

look up the prices of M1 MacBook Air 2018-2022

 

[mikeymikec]

If you are picking a PC laptop for servicing / upgradability reasons, I'd suggest getting whatever documentation you can on a given model from the manufacturer's website. Physically smaller laptops are less likely to have easily replaceable components, for example my 2013 Dell XPS laptop's RAM can't be replaced, but the SSD can. On laptops I've been buying these days for customers, the RAM they come with is often soldered but with an additional slot for upgrades. Swings and roundabouts. Don't trust in a particular brand just because one model's options are to your liking.

I've used Lenovo for quite a few years now for laptops and one nice thing about them is that Lenovo supplies datasheets that provide a lot of detail about the hardware variations across a given series.

Noise level - one of my customers has a Microsoft Surface laptop from a couple of years ago. I thought the CPU fan had failed but I could hear it when stress-testing the AMD Ryzen CPU. I was quite impressed. Having said that, another customer from several years ago had to chuck their Surface laptop because the faulty SSD was soldered.

 

[igor_kavinski]

I've used Lenovo for quite a few years now for laptops and one nice thing about them is that Lenovo supplies datasheets that provide a lot of detail about the hardware variations across a given series.

I thought the CPU fan had failed but I could hear it when stress-testing the AMD Ryzen CPU. I was quite impressed.

Yeah, whenever I want to check the Lenovo laptop specs, I just search the model with the keyword psref next to it and I usually get the direct URL to that model's PDF data sheet. Dell and HP also provide data sheets but they are not always as easy to find as Lenovo's.

Mobile Ryzens are known to run pretty cool. I tested a Core i5-1235U in an HP Probook laptop recently. The whole body was metallic so it had an easier time dissipating the heat and I had to listen hard to hear the faint hum of the fan during stress testing.

 

[mikeymikec]

I've been using the Lenovo V15 G2 AMD model lately, I've got one that needs testing/configuration work in at the moment. I'll fire it up and monitor noise levels, but my general impression of modern laptops is that the fan ought not to be running until the processor is under significant load, then the laptop fan tends to be a mild high-pitch whine.

 

[igor_kavinski]

then the laptop fan tends to be a mild high-pitch whine.

Maybe with 45W CPUs but the recent U series ones have quieter fans. I benchmarked a colleague's Ryzen 3500U HP laptop maybe two years ago and don't remember hearing any unpleasant fan noise.

 

[hoangcf]

Choose your new MacBook Pro

 

[swanysto]

I went with the 16" LG Gram 2 in 1. 12th gen, 16gb ram, 512 ssd.

So far after about 2.5 weeks, I am really happy with it. The macbook I looked at definitely had a better screen, and the trackpad is not up to macbook standards, but I love how portable it is, and I can not only replace the ssd, but I can add a second one. Battery is replaceable as well. I think you can in the macbook as well, not sure. I wasn't sure I was going to use the 2-1 feature with the pen, but surprisingly use it a lot for work and taking notes at job sites. Battery life has exceeded expectations(prolly wouldn't beat the macbook though). My main worry was that it would get hot and loud being in such a small, light form factor, but this thing barely even gets warm and I haven't heard the fan yet.

I would still say the macbook is a better machine, but for $800 I am pretty satisfied with what I got.

 

[WelshBloke]

You like windows or Linux then get an AMD ThinkPad, you like Apple then get a MacBook.

 

[igor_kavinski]

I went with the 16" LG Gram 2 in 1. 12th gen, 16gb ram, 512 ssd.

Battery life has exceeded expectations

What is the exact model you got? How many hours is the battery doing?

 

[swanysto]

16T90Q-K.AAC7U1 I think it the product number.

I am not sure exactly on the battery life. I have the battery settings set for best power efficiency. I have been charging it every two days. But keep in mind, I do not do games, or video editing type stuff. I mostly use visual studio code and construction takeoff software and a lot of research surfing. If I go to the battery usage readings in windows 11, it says my usage for January 12th was 8hr 1 minute, and January 13th was 6hr 57 minutes.

Take that with a grain of salt, I would say I am pretty easy on the laptop, and I run the brightness at about 50% because I have a bit of a sensitivity to light, so it is easier on my eyes.

 

[q52]

You are thinking about this backwards. Ignore the suggestions for windows-anything. Forget about replacing parts on the device except the battery. Get whatever modern MacBook Air or Pro is in your budget (and be sure to check out https://www.apple.com/shop/refurbished as well OR order from Amazon with Amazon Price Visa credit card for 5% cash back)

Order your device with the amount of memory and storage you expect to need. From 2015-2022 my main personal laptop was a 12" MacBook with 8GB RAM and 500GB SSD; in 2022 I upgraded to the 2020 model M1 MacBook Air with 16GB RAM and 1TB SSD. I expect the latter memory/storage specs would be plenty for you.

You do not need to worry about the SSD "wearing out" or needing to be replaced. It just does not happen with these machines. You will be naturally ready to replace the entire device long before that ever becomes an issue.

The battery will eventually die but thats inevitable for any device and these days macOS has "optimized charging" and other battery-life-prolonging features built in and enabled by default. Battery life on the M1/M2 MacBook line is about 18hr+

Do not waste time with anything but MacBook these days. The era of replacing all your laptop parts is well in the past, the future is single SoC's.

 

[mikeymikec]

I agree with disregarding the worries about whether a SSD will last. Unless you're constantly thrashing the drive with tonnes of writes, chances are it will last as long as you need it to.

Having said that, just like HDDs, SSDs do die (ie. go faulty). In my line of work I've encountered something like 3 SSD deaths. In the same time period I've probably seen ten times (probably a lot more) the number of HDDs die, so SSDs having a rep of being more reliable is a well-earned rep IMO.

OP didn't say whether they needed to replace the HDD because it went faulty. SSDs cost more for capacity. High performance SSDs also cost more than the bargain bucket ones. In the last twenty years I've gone from a 500GB HDD to 256GB SSD + 1TB HDD, replaced the 1TB HDD for a 4TB HDD, replaced the 256GB SSD for a 1TB SSD. My upgrades would have been tonnes more costly if I had to throw away the entire computer and start over every time.

Acting like you're Nostradamus and predicting the death of the desktop serviceable laptop is pointless and silly.

 

[Geven]

I know it's been a while since you posted, but I just want to add that it's possible to replace the SSD in Macbook even after 5 years, but the costs involved could be substantial. Some users opt to upgrade their devices every few years, but given your usage pattern, it's clear that you prefer longevity. A brand like Lenovo, known for its hardware upgradeability, is a viable option. However, this would entail leaving the macOS ecosystem, which could be a significant change depending on your preferences and needs. As for the overheating issue with your current MacBook Pro, it may be worth monitoring the situation more closely. I'd recommend checking Mac's temperature regularly to understand if specific processes or applications are causing the issue. This article on how to check Mac temperature can help you with that. The tools it lists are worth looking into.