Reply to: New Retina Display Macbook is non-upgradeable

[BS1397]

So we're now into the disposable laptop era..

Retina Display Macbook taken apart

- RAM is soldered directly onto the logic board
- SSD measures only 3.16 mm thick compared to 9.45 mm for the traditional hard drive

no RAM upgrade possible and Hard Drive is a special Apple only version.. great.

Oh happy days when my Weller iron & Hameg scope worked overdrive as I fault diagnosed to pin level and took out the duff chips and soldered a replacements.
Apple had better make sure they use military grade parts if they don't want to risk a massive recall or poor reputation, it's not like they don't charge enough for it already?

[realityhack]

Designers, even those specialising in digital media, tend to have no technical knowledge (in the sense of dicking about with hardware) to speak of.

I always remember this, and thought how true!

In our dept, the real power users use the Pro towers, and management types, or those who do much of the planning/tech design rather than motion graphics etc, use Airs, or any PC of their choice. Usually an ultrabook of some kind to avoid having to cart several Kg around all day.

[escapeUK]

I always remember this, and thought how true!

[d000hg]

Computer owners are not intelligent enough to upgrade.

FTFY. The only segment where upgrading is not a rarity is Linux.

[escapeUK]

Mac owners are not intelligent enough to upgrade.

Therefore this decision will probably affect something like 1% of users.!

Exactly.

[BlasterBates]

Well I have to say I never upgraded my trusty laptop, in the end there's usually so much of a leap in the technology it isn't worth the effort of buying a new version of the operating system reinstalling a whole load of new apps etc and you still won't have the latest hardware. The newer laptops usually have such an advantage it just aint worth upgrading.

I did used to upgrade my PC years back, which I've still got, and it would have been much better and easier to get a new one. What I have now is an old fairly useless PC without any USB interfaces and huge amounts of RAM and disk space that I can't use, and a Windows NT operating system. If I'd thrown it away I'd at least have had a Windows 2000 with USB ports and more extras.

[d000hg]

Do consumer types buy macs? I always thought it was the geeky designer types. Those kind would seem to be interested in upgrades.

In the past, maybe... but only using official Apple parts And proper designers would have a desktop Mac surely - laptops are for posers

These days, MacBooks are definitely a consumer item, every student wants one it seems.

[NickFitz]

Do consumer types buy macs? I always thought it was the geeky designer types. Those kind would seem to be interested in upgrades.

1. Yes, by the shedload;
   
   
2. Designers, even those specialising in digital media, tend to have no technical knowledge (in the sense of dicking about with hardware) to speak of.

[NickFitz]

I'm surprised nobody has yet pointed out that the link

Retina Display Macbook taken apart

isn't what it says - it's to an article about iFixIt's teardown of the non-Retina MBP

[lilelvis2000]

Do consumer types buy macs? I always thought it was the geeky designer types. Those kind would seem to be interested in upgrades.

[NotAllThere]

I want a removable harddrive because if everything else gets knackered, I can remove the drive and recover the data.

I've often done this for consumer types who otherwise couldn't care less if the HD was removeable, and of course it's consumer types who don't do backups.

[blacjac]

I can understand and agree that upgradability is not something that people want these days.

However the new Macbook Pro is also missing an ethernet port (adapter for TB available apparently) and a DVD/CD drive.
Which to me makes it more like a Macbook air than a Macbook pro.
And entirely the reason why when I was looking to get a Mac I discounted the Air.

Not sure I understand this one.

[Spacecadet]

I agree but the typical Apple customer doesn't GAS. In fact forget Apple... hardly anyone upgrades any laptop, far less common than upgrading a desktop and even that isn't the norm.

The original purchaser might not, but what about if the laptop is refurbed for use else where?
Infact with a non-removable hard-drive how many people will be avoiding reselling the laptop in case the new buyer lifts all their data

[d000hg]

Just from a waste point of view it's a bad thing. Upgrades to RAM and the hard disk are very easy methods to extend the useful life of a laptop.

I agree but the typical Apple customer doesn't GAS. In fact forget Apple... hardly anyone upgrades any laptop, far less common than upgrading a desktop and even that isn't the norm.

Does anyone know if other ultrabooks follow the same approach?

[doodab]

I'm inclined to take apple's side on this. Most consumers don't want to cock about upgrading their laptop, and the compromises they have made allow them to make something thinner & lighter. There is no doubt that people are willing to pay for that, and an 8GB or 16GB machine with 512GB SSD is going to have a long useful life as that's at the limit of what you can actually buy today. I've a similar spec Lenovo and I don't expect to be upgrading it again during it's intended 3 year useful lifespan.

I do think the prices are a bit steep though. They want £160 for an extra 8GB RAM when I paid around £120 for 16GB and got £40 back on the 8GB I took out, and £400 for an extra 256GB of SSD capacity when the going rate is around half that. Of course, you could argue that's in the same ballpark as many other manufacturers upgrades.