Have an older MacBook that’s slowing down? Have you started to look at replacing it but the steep prices on new ones are holding you back? Save money and upgrade your existing MacBook!
Most MacBooks (and iMacs) built in 2008 or after are still able to be upgraded to the latest OSX. (10.11 El Capitan). And most if not all new Mac’s are being built with Solid State Hard Drives which increase the overall computer performance tremendously.
Why not upgrade your MacBook to 10.11 and upgrade to a sold state hard drive? Additionally max out your Ram to 4GB or 8GB if you haven’t already? Typically the answer to this question is “well, I’ve never thought about that.” I can guarantee that the average Mac owner didn’t get this piece of advice on their last trip into the Genius Bar. Actually the Mac Stores typically wont even repair/upgrade ANY MAC older then 1-2 years. Asking them about upgrading your older Mac will only resort in many reasons why you need to buy a new one. They are tremendous sales representatives.
To be clear, upgrading a Mac does depend on the year of your Mac, if Mac still supports it and will allow it to receive the latest OSX and updates. At some point it will become obsolete and you will have to buy a new one. But I’m speaking to those who have Macs old enough to upgrade but not old enough to recycle. To see if your Mac meets the 10.11 hardware requirements go here: http://www.apple.com/osx/how-to-upgrade/#hardware-requirements
The steps to upgrading a MacBook are fairly simple. 
- See if your MacBook is eligible for the latest OSX upgrade (currently 10.11)
- Decide on a Solid State GB drive size based upon your needs (most don’t need anything over a 128GB or 256GB)
- Decide if your RAM is adequate or if more is required. For the average user 4GB is ample, especially when paired with a Solid State Drive.
- Download the current OSX upgrade from the App store. Install it to a USB thumb drive to use later. HERE is a good “how to” for you to follow.
- Extract the current hard drive (clear the board fans with compressed air while working under the case)
- Install the new Sold State hard drive
- Install any Ram upgrades
- Use your bootable USB OSX to install to the new Solid State drive
- Connect your old drive via USB cable (purchase HERE) and use migration assistant to move all your files, applications and settings to the new hard drive
- Check for any system updates and enjoy your newly upgraded MacBook!
Its a fairly quick and painless process to complete the upgrade process. You may run into issues when reinstalling applications requiring product keys like parallels, Microsoft Office and Adobe anything. If you have your Serial #’s stored (like you should of but didn’t) then your OK. If not then begin the process of contacting each software company for help.
If any or all of this is beyond your experience or you just don’t have the time for it, simply bring your MacBook to us! We will complete the upgrade process from A-Z and ensure everything is working and all applications are active and 100% functional for you. The price for upgrading your MacBook varies by model but typically is in the $250.00- $350.00 for all parts and labor. A small amount when compared to the price tag of a brand new Mac.
Have questions? Want to discuss your Mac? We will gladly provide you a FREE upgrade quote. Contact us for more information and to schedule an appointment.
Mention this post for 15% off your next service or $25.00 off your next computer purchase with us!
