When Should You Replace Your Mac?
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There are many plusses to buying a Mac. Not only are Macs fashionable, but they’re reliable and made with quality components. However, Macs are challenging to upgrade. Unlike a PC, you can’t easily upgrade your aging machine’s motherboard or processor. And as with any product, Macs have a shelf life.
So, when should you upgrade your Mac? Before you answer that question, you should try the following options to extend the lifespan of your computer:
- Upgrade parts of your Mac that are easier to replace. You may get a significant speed boost by upgrading your RAM or replacing your storage drive with a Solid State Drive (SSD). You can find multiple tutorials online to help you perform these upgrades.
- Download and run the best antivirus Mac software that cleans all types of malware, including viruses, adware, spyware, and more. Yes, Macs get viruses too. In fact, many cybersecurity reports state that malware threats against Macs now outpace threats against Windows per user.
- Remove unnecessary programs that run in the background and use your computer’s resources. You can also uninstall programs you don’t need that may carry trackers.
- Check the “Reduce Motion” box in the Accessibility options to disable most animations in your Mac and improve performance.
It might be time to replace your Mac with a faster version if none of these tips can help improve performance. Here are a few other signs that you need to buy a new Mac.
It Can’t Run the Latest Version of the Operating System
At the end of every year, Apple usually updates macOS with a newer version. Critics suggest that it’s a good idea to update your Mac’s operating system for security updates alone. It could be time to upgrade your Mac if your computer isn’t on the list of approved models for the latest software version. Likewise, you may need a more powerful machine if the update is causing your computer to slow down.
Please remember to check out reviews for the new version of macOS before you upgrade. Even more recent machines have been known to slow down because of buggy updates. Of course, you can try to roll back the update by looking up some tutorials online, though this usually isn’t a straightforward task.
It Can’t Run Your Favorite Programs
You may not need to upgrade your Mac for a long time if you use the machine for basic tasks like word processing or browsing the Internet. However, if, like many Mac users, you enjoy using powerful video editing and processing tools, then you need to upgrade your computer more frequently.
Similarly, you may want a new machine if you can’t play your favourite Mac games. Although Macs still can’t compete with PCs in video gaming, they can hold their own and run many titles at medium settings, thanks to the welcome change in motherboard architecture.
But even basic games need a decent amount of RAM to run smoothly. If your system only has 4GB of RAM, then it’s time for an upgrade.
It’s a good idea to time your purchase when buying a new Mac. Apple usually releases new machines in the third quarter. At the end of the year, you can either have the latest Mac or get a great deal on a slightly older model.