Mac Repair vs. Replacement: What’s More Cost-Effective?
Lately your Mac… it’s showing its age. Apps take forever to open. The fan sounds like a jet engine. Battery life poor.
Assess the current Mac
🧓 How Old Is It?
If it’s older than 5 years, you’re officially on legacy hardware. That doesn’t mean its old but it does mean the latest macOS might start to not be compatible, and performance may start degrading and it may struggle even for basic tasks.
🐢 Has it been slowing down?
If you’re see a lot of spinning wheel or if its crashing frequently then it could be a dying hard drive, inadequate RAM, a virus or possibly just bloat. Computer Technicians can help you with fixing such issues
💥 Are there any physical damage?
If there are no apparent physical damages, then it’s most likely still in good condition. If there are cosmetic marks – there’s nothing to worry about – the internals still maybe in good condition.
Cost to repair common Mac issues
Most issues with Mac can be fixed.
🔋 Battery Replacement
Mac batteries degrade with time. If the Mac doesn’t last on battery for at least 3 hours, you need to get it replaced. A new battery is relatively cheap and gives your Mac a fresh lease on life. Most battery replacement will cost anywhere from $150 – $200.
💻 Screen Replacement
Screen replacements are expensive but way cheaper than purchasing a new Mac. Costs vary from $500 – $700.
💾 SSD or Hard Drive Upgrades
Replacing an old hard drive with an SSD can make your Mac run faster and cooler. It will be able to boot up faster, launch applications quicker and run much more efficiently. Costs vary from $400-$600 depending on the size of the SSD required.
🧠 Logic Board Failures
Logic Board repairs are expensive. If your Mac is old (more than 8 years), there is a good chance we may not get replacement parts.
Our Mac repairs team can diagnose the issue and give you a free quote.
How much does a new Mac cost?
Macs are not cheap. They are expensive because you are paying for quality hardware and of course – the brand. Based on our experience, Macs can easily outlast a Windows PC.
- MacBook Air M4: Starts around $1,700
- MacBook Pro M4 Pro: Starts around $2,500
- iMac: Starts around $2,000
What we suggest:
Our engineers suggest repairing your device if:
- It has no logic board failures
- Has never been repaired in the past.
- The cost of repairing including parts and labour is significantly less than buying a new one
And replace if:
- The difference between the cost of a fix and a new one is $500 or less.
- You need better performance for work (video editing, design, dev work).
- Your current Mac is not compatible with the latest version of macOS.
Don’t forget: E-Waste is Real
If a simple repair keeps your device running a few more years, you’ve done the planet a small favour.
The Bottom Line
We’ve seen it just way too many times – client thinks their Mac is slow and looking to get a new one when all what is required is an SSD upgrade.
Our Mac technicians have got all necessary diagnostic tools and can give you a clear picture of what’s going on with your device.
📞 Need Help Deciding? Call 0484 357 559
🧰 Book a Mac Assessment. Fix it. Replace it. We’ll guide you.
🌐 computertechnicians.au/apple-mac-repairs
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