It may not feel like time is passing, or that anything is on schedule. But Apple is ready to move forward. As it does every year, the hardware maker just added a bunch of laptops (and one iPod Touch) to its list of “Vintage” products. This go-round, it put MacBook Airs released in 2013 and 2014, and the 13-inch MacBook Pro sold in 2014, on its soon-to-be-forgotten list.
Apple’s “Vintage” and “Obsolete” lists are anything but a straight chronology. Vintage products are those that “have not been sold for more than 5 and less than 7 years ago.” 2013 and 2014 were more than 5 years ago, but Apple may have sold those models of MacBook Air and Pro until 2015 or later. Now that they’re Vintage, Apple says these MacBooks can “continue to receive hardware service from Apple service providers… subject to availability of inventory, or as required by law.” Once they’ve been unavailable new for more than 7 years, they’ll move to Obsolete, where Apple provides no service at all. (You can thank California’s Lemon Law for that little two-year gap there).
I’m writing this post on a 15-inch, mid-2012 MacBook Pro, the “Unibody” kind, which is still Vintage and not Obsolete. It’s running the latest Mac OS, Catalina. Apple sold this many-ported, eminently upgrade-able MacBook for many years beyond 2012. The 2013 and 2014 MacBook Airs and Pro models, however, were built with a different mindset. The 2013 MacBook Air had many more ports than you’d expect from modern ultra-portables, but you couldn’t upgrade the memory. The same went for the 2014 Air models. The 13-inch MacBook Pro from mid-2014 inherited all the sins of its late-2012 Retina father: tricky assembly, no core upgrade options (beyond a proprietary SSD design), and an all-in-one display frame. And yet it had a still-beautiful Retina display, lots of ports, a MagSafe connector—all the good stuff.
All of this is to say: Vintage is just a label, and your 2013 or 2014 MacBook can still be a good and useful computer. You can’t add RAM to your 2014 Pro, but you can swap out the battery (if you set aside the time), replace a noisy fan, or even upgrade the storage drive. On a 2013 or 2014 Air, battery swaps are simple—I did one 2013 MacBook Air battery swap on a brewery table in about 20 minutes, being cautious about lost screws. You can also change out the storage, trackpad, and most other things that might annoy you if they go bust.
27 comentários
Reading this from my 2012 15” Antiglare MacBook pro, Upgraded to 16GB of RAM, 1TB SSD, 2TB Hybrid Drive and 802.11ac WiFi card. Just because Apple call it vintage doesn’t stop it from being my workhorse. It’s served me well for years, and will keep serving me for years to come. No matter what name they give it.
Timothy deDenaro - Responder
I need to do this to my mac book pro 13, late 2012 as well. How did you go about it? I hvae been getting notifications that I do not have enough memory
cperello -
Yup, my mid-2010 Mac Mini and mid-2010 13” MacBook Pro’s both still work fine. Just need more RAM for the mini. My late-2009 iMac still works great, too, except for I think the hard drive is what’s causing the kernel panics. Maybe one day I’ll get the nerve to open it up to swap that out. Looks easy enough on here. I’m just scared of getting the screen or the glass dirty.
Steven Kendel - Responder
Ram can be upgraded on airs but it’s not worth it unless the original ram is defective
Ethan Chow - Responder
Sadly, the RAM is soldered, but the SSD is socketed!
Dan -
Having just replaced the battery on my ‘13 MB Air and running Catalina, I can’t see a reason to replace it. My ‘10 iMac just died and my ‘13 Samsung Windows laptop was worthless and slow anymore. And yet the MacBook Air keeps up great and works flawless. Repair them, don’t trash them.
Kris Rayner - Responder
I just upgraded a 2013 Samsung. Already had 6GB RAM, replaced the original hard drive with a 500GB WD Blue SATA SSD and now it flies along. A 3rd Gen i5 is actually still a very decent chip. Boots in less than 10 seconds and it’s wonderfully responsive. Samsung actually made pretty decent laptops for a late comer to the party. It’s a shame they left it.
Cool_Breeze -
The biggest problem is not the label from Apple. But the dropping software support. My 2009 MBP 15“ is still great to work with 16GB RAM and SSD but it ends with support on El Capitan which is already old stuff. Any possibility to work on that?
Schmack - Responder
Both Linux and Windows will run great on Mac hardware that doesn't get macOS updates any more.
Paul Ashbrook -
Possible OS upgrade here depending on your graphics card.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wxFzZWqoCn...
iahsa -
Apple support for the newer OS isn't necessarily required. You should check and see if one of DosDude's patchers will enable your preferred OS version on that machine. I am betting that High Sierra can be installed this way and perform acceptably, and Mojave and Catalina will probably run but performance may lack. I ran Catalina on a 2008 Mac Pro with acceptable performance until a month or two ago when I scored a newer model at a good price.
Benjamin Dittman -
You can install later operating systems with dosdude1's patcher.
Russell Smith -
Yes, I believe you can find a software patch online that can help you to continue using your computer…but not sure. Search for it online…
Jesus Rondon -
There is a bit of Ying-Yang here. Using the newer OS’s tend to require more physical RAM which can effect your systems performance and will chew more space on your drive for Virtual RAM.
Balance out what your apps require, don’t get caught up on the need for the latest OS with very little core improvements.
Also: APFS does not run well on older SATA based systems as its very chatty unlike the older HFS+ file system.
Dan -
My workhorse computer is my mid 2012 MacBook Pro 15” which is still capable of editing HD video and doing all that I bought if for. Like others I have upgraded it to 16GB RAM, 1 TB SSD and I replaced the battery using the excellent iFixit kit. I have never been seriously tempted to replace it because none of the newer ones can do what it does. I fully expect to keep using it as long as it continues to run. Sadly, there are now occasional glitches that suggest that the hardware is beginning to age. But with Bluetooth keyboard and trackpad, and a fine quad HD DisplayPort monitor that I use along with the built in screen, it is still a great computer.
aquirt - Responder
I have the same model mac book pro and keep getting notifications that I do not have enough memory. Did you do the upgrade to the memory yourself?
cperello -
Reading this as I await my Mid 2009 MacBook Pro 2.53 break-in it’s new thermal compound and new fan while it’s running Catalina.
David Emmons - Responder
I have the mid 2012 MBP Retina display. I had to replace the track pad after I spilled bar bq sauce on it, opps. It has been the best computer I ever bought. One problem lately is my drone shoots 4k Video at 60fps with the H.265 codec. My MBP doesn’t play smoothly unless I slow it down with VLC. Maybe the video card is showing its age. Didn’t this model come with two video cards? I think I used to have a utility that would let you pick which video card to use.
David Mascot - Responder
The graphics are always a bottleneck on the older laptops. They aren't going to work well for video editing, especially HD video. Probably lacking for relatively modern games as well. Forget 4K video. That being said, these older Mac laptops are great for most other tasks.
Benjamin Dittman -
I have a 2014 15” MacBook Pro SSD
is it upgradable when needed?
Max Holmes - Responder
What I want in a laptop is more UPGRADEABILITY, LONGER APPLE SUPPORT, UPGRADABLE DRAM and SSDs!
Matthew levin - Responder
I read that the mid 2015 retina MBP with dual graphics is a nice machine. Could it handle editing 4K video with the H.265 codec?
David Mascot - Responder
I’m reading this on a Late-2009 white plastic unibody MacBook. I put in 8GB of RAM and a 240GB SSD. And a new battery from iFixit. It works great, and the only problem is that the rubberized bottom is coming off a bit along the edges. I keep window shopping for a MacBook or an Air, but I haven’t had a need quite yet. Push will come to shove when I can no longer update software, etc. Until then, some upgrades along the way have made this 11 year old laptop absolutely serviceable…plus it really looks “vintage” at this point.
nickmalmquist - Responder
Vintage cars are still maintainable and useable. Apple should see themselves, as I do, as the equivalent of Rolls Royce (anyone know of a better computer?) and be PROUD of it’s heritage. By making their kit ALWAYS upgradeable and maintainable their kit will gradually eat into the Widnoz hegemony! Oh no that tactic can’t work ‘cause Apple are trashing kit that they take in PX just so’s they can sell newer stuff with more profit! Those of us with long enuff memories will remember that it was the flexibility of Widnoz machines that gained the upper hand over the MUCH better Apple and Mac machines because of the gaming industry which Apple turned it’s nose up at, hubris eh?
JoeStoner - Responder
Still using my MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2012). I’ve already replaced the drive to a 1TB SSD, 16GB Ram, the battery… and the footpads. I joke with my sons that I’ll use this laptop for another 10 years (they don’t believe me). Thanks to places like Ifixit that helps me do this stuff…
Jerome Basma - Responder
I'm a 70-year-old grandma who has been replacing my 2013 Macbook Air battery a few times over the decade. Also working on Catalina.
I'm just hoping Ifixit will still inventory the battery. It's the only thing I seem to need from this computer. Thanks, Ifixit!
Rosalind - Responder
Hello @rozgnatt, iFixit Community Manger here! If you send me an email at
community@ifixit.com
I will do my darndest to track a replacement battery down for you.Amber Taus -