Should I upgrade my macbook or replace the hardware?

Question

I bought my macbook at the beginning of uni about 4 years ago. It is now 1 year out of its apple care. It is the all white plastic one, and I've had to have to case replaced a couple of times over the past few years, because they all have a manufacturing fault. My battery was replaced a couple of months ago, and now my trackpad has stopped working. Again. I've already had it replaced once, but that was a couple of years ago. I had to switch it to touch rather than click, which still works but has some limitations. Basically, I have a machine which is four years old, with the hardware slowly failing, and no warranty. However it still works, and I don't like replacing things unless I have to. So I guess the question is, do I finally cave and get a new macbook? Or do I take my current one into apple and get the trackpad replaced and hope nothing else fails. I know getting the trackpad replaced is cheaper, but in the long run, if I'm patching things up every six months, its going to add up.


BTW please don't tell me to go for a PC. I don't like windows 8, and yes I've tried it. My mother bought one, and one of the first things I had to do after she set it up was dig a virus out of its antivirus software. I like my macbook and how it works, if I am going to get a new computer it will be a mac.

SilverTonguedDevil · Answer

"...with the hardware slowly failing"
Sorry to throw cold water on this idea, but solid state hardware doesn't slowly break. It's mostly a go / no-go situation.

As for the case replacements, that's truly your use. Replacing battery cannot cause the case to break. My old 2008 white (used only with TV now) has a perfect, original case. Same for my GF's 2009 white case.

Trackpad is not a separate item. It is part of the upper case half. Advanced gestures in OS 10.7 or newer require a glass trackpad (Late 2009 or later).

You cannot upgrade the electronics hardware other than the RAM and hard drive.

The 2008 white cannot use OS 10.9. Buy a new MacBook Pro to use OS 10.9 and Thunderbolt.

EDIT :

I didn't say hardware cannot fail. I said SOLID STATE hardware doesn't slowly break.  We all are bright enough to know a battery is not a lifetime investment.

OTHER ANSWER :
"I've heard many horror stories about the case coming apart"
That seems a huge exaggeration. The case is thick polycarbonate, almost indestructible. Only the rubber pad of a small percentage of MacBook 2009-2011 made in Shanghai had a minor problem of the pad expanding somewhat over months in hot climate to separate from the polycarbonate. It doesn't come apart. It just gets a wrinkle. The screws hold it on fine. Apple replaces it free–> http://www.apple.com/support/macbook-bottomcase/ Take it to any Apple Store and go for lunch. When you get back to the store, it has a new pad, take it home.

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dallenmarket · Answer

I never cared very much for the MacBook, as I've heard many horror stories about the case coming apart. If yours hasn't, you have been one of the lucky ones. A new Pro (with its metal case) will set you back much more than a replacement trackpad, but remember that your hard drive is also getting old. If it goes, you are up the creek big time.  A new Pro would be great for piece of mind if nothing else. (Of course faster speeds, more RAM, larger hard drive, larger screen, etc. wouldn't hurt)

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Should I upgrade my macbook or replace the hardware?

2 Answers