How much longer will the MacBook Pro w/ onboard disc drive be around?

[hesson11]

I know that nobody really knows, but do you have any guesses? I'm assuming they will soon be on their way out, given the direction the newest retina MBPs are taking. My MBP is just under three years old, but I'm tempted to grab a new 13" non-retina MBP (the only one left with an internal disc drive) while they're still around.

 

(Reasons if you're interested: They are cheaper; I don't like extra hardware cluttering my desk, i.e., an external drive; I like having an Ethernet port, which the retina versions do not have.) THANKS.

-Bob

[wwaldmanfan]

I know that nobody really knows, but do you have any guesses? I'm assuming they will soon be on their way out, given the direction the newest retina MBPs are taking. My MBP is just under three years old, but I'm tempted to grab a new 13" non-retina MBP (the only one left with an internal disc drive) while they're still around.

 

(Reasons if you're interested: They are cheaper; I don't like extra hardware cluttering my desk, i.e., an external drive; I like having an Ethernet port, which the retina versions do not have.) THANKS.

-Bob

 

The 13" non-Retina MBP is, and has been for some months, the ONLY current MacBook model that includes a built-in CD/DVD drive, FireWire 800, and Gigabit Ethernet connectivity. It was my choice as a dedicated music server two years ago, and would remain so today. Buy the base model, then upgrade the RAM yourself, and, if desired, also swap out the internal HDD for an SSD drive, from Other World Computing.

[orgel]

My MBP is just under three years old, but I'm tempted to grab a new 13" non-retina MBP (the only one left with an internal disc drive) while they're still around.

 

If the 13" non-retina MacBook Pro is really what you want, I'd get one sooner rather than later. Looking at the MacBook Pro page on the Apple website (not the Store), it's apparent that it's kind of an orphan. Apple certainly isn't pushing it. (There's already literally no place to put an HDD in a Mac Pro or a MacBook Air or a MacBook.)

 

While I certainly respect and identify with your pursuit of cheapness, in my experience, having an SSD as a computer's startup drive results in a hugely better user experience. Spinning hard drives certainly still have their place — you use one for backup anyway, right? — so you could get an external enclosure that accommodates two or more drives (e.g., this) and use one HDD for backup and the other(s) for additional storage.

 

If offered the opportunity to have an Ethernet port on all Mac laptops, I'd certainly be in favor of it, but as you note, that ship has just about sailed. I'm pretty sure that when you need a wired network connection to your laptop (overall, a relatively rare use case these days), the Thunderbolt-to-Ethernet adapter will work fine.

 

There's always the iMac or (pfui) a non-Apple laptop.

 

--David

[wwaldmanfan]

If the 13" non-retina MacBook Pro is really what you want, I'd get one sooner rather than later. Looking at the MacBook Pro page on the Apple website (not the Store), it's apparent that it's kind of an orphan. Apple certainly isn't pushing it. (There's already literally no place to put an HDD in a Mac Pro or a MacBook Air or a MacBook.)

 

While I certainly respect and identify with your pursuit of cheapness, in my experience, having an SSD as a computer's startup drive results in a hugely better user experience. Spinning hard drives certainly still have their place — you use one for backup anyway, right? — so you could get an external enclosure that accommodates two or more drives (e.g., this) and use one HDD for backup and the other(s) for additional storage.

 

If offered the opportunity to have an Ethernet port on all Mac laptops, I'd certainly be in favor of it, but as you note, that ship has just about sailed. I'm pretty sure that when you need a wired network connection to your laptop (overall, a relatively rare use case these days), the Thunderbolt-to-Ethernet adapter will work fine.

 

There's always the iMac or (pfui) a non-Apple laptop.

 

--David

 

The current iMacs don't have CD/DVD drives or FireWire connectivity, either.

[hesson11]

Thanks, guys. But I see I wasn't clear about something: My current machine is, in fact, a non-retina 13" MacBook Pro, just less than three years old. So what I'd be doing is, in essence, buying the same thing, just a newer one to help assure longevity—and because I may soon never have a chance to get another one. So I'm wondering how much longer Apple will continue to offer this MBP to determine when I should make my move. Sorry for the nebulousness! THANKS.

-Bob

[wwaldmanfan]

Thanks, guys. But I see I wasn't clear about something: My current machine is, in fact, a non-retina 13" MacBook Pro, just less than three years old. So what I'd be doing is, in essence, buying the same thing, just a newer one to help assure longevity—and because I may soon never have a chance to get another one. So I'm wondering how much longer Apple will continue to offer this MBP to determine when I should make my move. Sorry for the nebulousness! THANKS.

-Bob

 

Well, other than a new battery, there's no absolute guarantee of longevity, anyway. I'm assuming that they are clearing out remaining stock, and not still making these. If you want to save money, the Apple online store has a few of these as factory refurbs for $200-$300 less than a brand new one. Your call.

[orgel]

Yeah, I agree with @wwaldmanfan that the 13" non-retina won't be around for much longer. One thing to note is that once a Mac model has been out of production for 5 years, you won't be able to get it serviced at an Apple Store.

 

As I said previously, if that's what you really want, go ahead and get one soon — I also agree that a refurb is probably a good bet.

 

I do, however, question the advisability of buying a "new" computer that's already a pretty old design when you buy it. That's what I was trying to get at in my previous post, but I didn't do a very good job of conveying that.

 

—David

[orgel]

The current iMacs don't have CD/DVD drives or FireWire connectivity, either.

 

True. Easy and fairly inexpensive to buy an external optical drive and a Thunderbolt-to-FireWire adapter if you need them, though. I have a fair amount of experience with both of these and they're fine. A decent-quality third-party external optical drive is functionally better, IMO, than anything — internal or external — Apple has offered in recent years.

 

--David

[goldsdad]

True. Easy and fairly inexpensive to buy an external optical drive and a Thunderbolt-to-FireWire adapter if you need them, though. I have a fair amount of experience with both of these and they're fine. A decent-quality third-party external optical drive is functionally better, IMO, than anything — internal or external — Apple has offered in recent years.

 

--David

 

+1

[goldsdad]

I don't like extra hardware cluttering my desk, i.e., an external drive; I like having an Ethernet port, which the retina versions do not have.) THANKS.

-Bob

 

You could put the optical drive in a drawer when not in use. A Thunderbolt-Ethernet adapter is a tiny extension to an ethernet cable.

 

The thing that stops me buying any of the new Mac models at present is that you're forced to run Yosemite and can't install Mavericks. Hopefully, El Capitan will be the medicine to revive OS X.

[hesson11]

Just wanted to say thanks to all who shared your thoughts. I certainly appreciate it.

-Bob