Hardware Upgrades

• Does your Mac have an older ‘hard drive’ (HHD) that is now running slow, taking ages to start up and open applications? 

• Do you need to have more apps open than your Mac can handle? 

• Are you considering buying a new Mac?

Although the options to upgrade Apple computers have become increasingly limited, the older machines remain easily upgradeable to increase performance and therefore longevity.   

In newer machines, the storage, memory (RAM) and processor (CPU) are fixed to the main logic board and in the latest 'M' series machines, RAM, graphics processor (GPU) and CPU are on a single chip. Some older MacBook Air machines, due to the advanced SSD storage used, are able to run newer operating system versions than MacBook Pro machines of a similar age.

It is increasingly important to make best use of our planet’s resources and older Macs.  Even the seemingly bullet-proof MacBook Pro 2012, will handle most day-to-day computing tasks.  

Typically upgrades would be one or more of:

• Memory upgrades - boost performance and enable more and larger applications to be open at the same time.

• Replacement of hard-drives for much faster SSD (solid state drive) devices – this will breathe new life into your older Mac, with almost immediate start-up, a huge leap in performance opening applications and files, and saving files – better than when the Mac was new.

• Replacement of the main logic board, providing a faster processor for increased performance. For newer machines, a replacement logic board could also provide more storage and/or memory if required.  

New hardware can be bought as required (typically direct from a supplier rather than from Amazon to your preference). Second-hand components may be sourced, usually from eBay to best suit your budget.

Note that it is important to balance the desire or financial imperative to retain an older machine with the risks of remaining on an older operating system version that is no longer supported by Apple and so not receive any further security updates.