Macbook - repair or replace

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  • e-wo

    I've been happily using a mid-2012 Macbook Air with minimal specs, which has dutifully handled all my design and recording needs.

    Now the thunderbolt port is out of commission (no external displays), and this morning the w key stopped firing (no more easy typing). Noting that I'm pretty poor as of late, do I:

    A. Send it in to Apple and pay whatever their flat repair fee is for this stuff? (Likely close to $400, yeah?), or

    B. Pony up for a recent refurbished Pro with good enough specs to last me a few years.

    Even if I could wait for whatever new model drops in June, I'm not sure I can handle the pricetag.

  • e-wo1

    I guess there's an option C, which is to DIY the replacements, but since the thunderbolt port is soldered onto the logic board, I'm going to consider this way beyond my skill level.

  • nb2

    I'd go refurbished. My opinion is that once things start to break, if you can't fix it yourself, it's not worth the money. The motherboard or display could die on you soon.

    Plus, the cheapest refurbs will probably still outperform your 2012 (if it was the minimum tech at the time.)

  • nocomply0

    Considering the Macbook is 4 years old, I go for the refurb replacement.

    I was in a similar situation as you last year with a Macbook that was only 2 years old. I still wound up going for a refurb replacement. The problems with my old Macbook weren't even as severe as yours. Everything functioned fine, but the battery was faulty so I could only use the computer plugged in. That would have been problematic for all of the client meetings that I hold.

    My justification for the second computer that I was getting myself a spare machine in the event that my primary laptop is lost, stolen, explodes, etc...

    • yep and if you can't afford break it up into 4 or 6 whatever payments.fadein11
  • ArmandoEstrada0

    Wait it's only a few weeks. You never know if new MBP now start at $1500 or something. And if you can't handle the new price of a new machine the old ones will be heavily discounted.

    • This is true. Just gotta keep a w saved on my clipboard at all times -___-e-wo
    • Get a shitty old USB keyboard in the meantime?nb
    • Get paste board app called Copied. Its great.ArmandoEstrada
  • CyBrainX0

    A four your old laptop with minimum specs has served you a decent lifespan. It's time for a new computer.

    I would look into rentals.