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Sealed-Box Macs: Should Computers Be Disposable?
An anonymous reader writes "Apple's new Retina MacBook Pro is essentially completely non-upgradable, a sealed-box, following a trend started with the MacBook Air in 2008. It's a given that hardware companies are in the business of selling hardware, and would love for computers to have iPhone-like replacement cycles of 1-3 years. But does this mean we're moving irresistibly into an era of 'sealed-unit computing,' even for power users?"
this is what we call flamebait.
To offset political mods, replace Flamebait with Insightful.
Only if you want to spend money with Apple. I'll stick with building my own, or using a laptop from a brand where I can upgrade it if I want.
Good luck with finding a laptop with the MBPwRD's dimensions or display that you can upgrade.
Oh, wait. Make that "Good luck finding a laptop with the MBPwRD's display. Period."
People who buy Macs will buy Macs.
The fact that it is an overhyped followup to the netbook doesn't really matter.
All of this rhetoric about "this is what the customers want" is nonsense. You're an Apple user, you're stuck with what Apple wants to sell you: end of story.
When Apple seems like something more than an also-ran in computing, then their approach to putting together $2000 machines will seem more like something that people want rather than something people are forced to live with.
Not being able to upgrade RAM? Sounds like another 80s blast from the past.
A Pirate and a Puritan look the same on a balance sheet.
You are trying to commit the backyard mechanic fallacy.
The fact that something can be maintained by an expert doesn't mean that it needs to be maintained by the end user. You can benefit from a maintainable device by simply paying the expert less than it would cost to replace the expensive device.
What? No BMW analogies for the fanboys today?
A Pirate and a Puritan look the same on a balance sheet.
> Good luck with finding a laptop with the MBPwRD's dimensions or display that you can upgrade.
You labor under the false assumption that the rest of us accept the set of tradeoffs that Apple has ordained for you. Whereas you are forced to frame your response in terms of those things that you (wrongly) think we can't have, we are quite happy to take advantage of the diversity that the rest of the PC marketplace allows.
We are simply not limited to those narrow few choices that Apple will allow you to have.
Ok, then; how about "Good luck finding a laptop that you can upgrade anything but the main drive and perhaps the RAM. And even the SSD in the MBPwRD is theoretically upgradeable, since it is on a subassembly with a connector.
Socketed CPUs... for what, maybe one frequecny bump in an existing generation or form factor? do they include an upgradeable thermal solution for your fancy new CPU? no? Oh, sorry about that.
Display upgrade? You mean like swapping in an 18" display instead of a 14" display? I bet that looks awesome folded up! Is the duct tape extra?
Removable drive. Oooooo! I'm impressed!
Manuals? Yay PDFs! /snickers/
Replacement parts? Ok, that's actually a good one.
> Your turn.
OMG that was the strongest hand ever played in an upgradeability battle. You so throw down.
If that is what passes for an "upgradeable" laptop, I'll stick with my recyclable mac, thanks for playing. Next.
https://www.accountkiller.com/removal-requested
Please mod down to Troll. Never had it happen with a Mac and I bought my first Mac laptop in 1996 (still working without batteries).
If I used a sig over again, would anyone notice?
Mod you to idiot. I worked at an Apple repair depot in Memphis.
Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.