Macbook: Replace the battery or get a new one

[FreeInChrist87]

Hey All,

So the battery on my 5 year old macbook went kaput (sp?). It works when plugged in, for now, but dies when the charger is unplugged. In addition to this, I have been experiencing slow down or an occasional freeze when using it. Here are my options:

1.) Leave as is, and lose the portable functionality

2.) Replace the battery - $150ish (I have never done this before). This would cure the power problem, but I still have a 5 year old machine that runs slow at times

3.) Replace the battery and perform upgrades, such as an SSD - $400ish. This is what my friend recommended to make it run better. However, I don't know how I feel about putting that much money in an older machine. There is always the risk that something else could break.

4.) Buy a new one - $1400ish. This is obviously the most expensive option, but eliminates the computer problems.

I do want to note that I am in grad school right now, and will be in school for the rest of the year. This means that I am a pretty heavy user.

Thoughts?

 

[heirmiles]

The other option is to phone the local "Geek" stores to try to find a used or refurbished Mac Book with a warranty on the battery.

 

[MrJim]

I would upgrade but then my desktop is a 2006 intel Mac running Snow Leopard so I don't mind living on the bleeding edge of obsolescence .... Thinking about putting an SSD HD in mine only maxed the RAM a few months ago yeah there are Zoe slowdowns but nothing I can't live without.

 

[High Fidelity]

Well, the laptop is likely on its last legs, so I'd suggest buying a new one.

I wouldn't however recommend another Apple laptop. They're grossly overpriced.

The way I see it is they're basically selling you a beaten down 70's hatchback with a Ferrari badge and price tag added to it.

You can get much cheaper and better laptops for a lot less money.

 

[FreeInChrist87]

Well, the laptop is likely on its last legs, so I'd suggest buying a new one.

I wouldn't however recommend another Apple laptop. They're grossly overpriced.

The way I see it is they're basically selling you a beaten down 70's hatchback with a Ferrari badge and price tag added to it.

You can get much cheaper and better laptops for a lot less money.

See, I used to think the same thing. However, I owned a Dell XPS laptop. I received as a graduation gift and it cost about $1500. It was almost top of the line for the time. After a year, I couldn't take it off the charger at all. I experienced horrible slowdowns after a year or year and a half. Yes, I kept all my anti-virus, ant-spyware up to date. After owning it almost 3 years, it was almost impossible to use. I bought a macbook at the suggestion of a friend, after seeing his iMac last about 7 years. I bought the cheapest one they had for right under 1000. It has been the best computer I have ever owned. It is almost 5 years old, and I am just now starting to see some problems. I have never had to put anti-viral software or anything on it. I would just keep up with normal security updates. Also, I have an iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV, and I like how everything integrates so well.

I know several people who have gone the cheaper route and gotten the $500-700 Dell/HP laptops, and they aren't happy with them. Many of them end up upgrading to MacBooks.

Plus, I dislike Windows 8. I use it at school, and I feel like its a lot more complicated to use.

That being said, I do know its not very everyone. Many who are more tech davy prefer PCs and the Windows O/S because its cheaper and more customizable. But for a college student who uses it for school, web surfing, e-mail, etc, I couldn't be happier with a mac.

 

[C-Man]

Dell

There's the problem.
I've worked with exactly one Dell laptop that I considered to be well-built and fast. The rest, well...I suppose they could be used as doorstops.

I've never found Macbooks to be particularly impressive compared to PC laptops, at least not at the prices they go for. A PC equivalent, I suppose, would be to take a business-grade PC laptop that goes for $750 and sell it for $1500 instead.

You can't go wrong with Lenovo. They're not quite as good as they used to be (IBM), but they're still very hard to break. Plus, you can get a battery for one for a 20-dollar bill. Toshiba's not bad either. Stay away from HP/Compaq like the plague.

 

[MrJim]

Buy a new MacBook and sell the old one...someone will want it and not mind that it has to be plugged in to use...I wouldn't mind one bit

 

[boogalaboogala]

Hey All,

So the battery on my 5 year old macbook went kaput (sp?). It works when plugged in, for now, but dies when the charger is unplugged. In addition to this, I have been experiencing slow down or an occasional freeze when using it. Here are my options:

1.) Leave as is, and lose the portable functionality

2.) Replace the battery - $150ish (I have never done this before). This would cure the power problem, but I still have a 5 year old machine that runs slow at times

3.) Replace the battery and perform upgrades, such as an SSD - $400ish. This is what my friend recommended to make it run better. However, I don't know how I feel about putting that much money in an older machine. There is always the risk that something else could break.

4.) Buy a new one - $1400ish. This is obviously the most expensive option, but eliminates the computer problems.

I do want to note that I am in grad school right now, and will be in school for the rest of the year. This means that I am a pretty heavy user.

Thoughts?

this is one of those times that you are just going to have to bite the bullet.. get something that is atleast comparable.. i wanted the macbook pro. but they are no longer making a 17 inch.. so i opted for the dell 7737.. at was 1500.00 but, it is a rocket.. and of course it has the aluminum chassis,, and the haswell chipset runs really cool and quiet..
they build the same in a 14 and 15 inch.. check it out..
i mean, i would have bought the mac if i only wanted 15 in..
this unit is my desktop replacement.. i also bought just two weeks ago, the galaxy note pro 12.2.. i mean i can type on this faster than on my laptop.. it really is the bong...
it comes with hancom office. and it is just like microsoft office.. i mean this is great to travel with each day.. and it gives me about 9 hrs of go time.. and i am going...
it is sync to the dell and my phone so i can access everything, on anything..