When it comes to upgrading your Mac, there are two important aspects to look at; Hardware and Software. Both of these areas will offer improvements to the way that the machine operates and as a result will help you to be more productive as well as experience a more enjoyable working environment.
In this blog article we take a look at the hardware that is in your Mac that has the potential for upgrade. Depending upon the age and model of your Mac, there are several hardware based upgrades that we can apply.
What is a Solid State Drive (SSD)?
By far the best thing that can be done for an older Mac that is still running on a standard hard disk drive (HDD) is to upgrade to a much faster SSD. The newer SSD technology is all electronics as opposed to mechanical HDDs which are prone to wear, in fact the industry only rate HDDs for 3 years before they begin to degrade. Apple were installing hard drives in iMacs all the way up until 2019 so even relatively modern machines can still benefit from this fantastic technology. For more information check out our blog article on SSDs.
My Storage
Sometimes we fill up our internal drives so much so that we need more storage. When this is the case, expanding the capacity of the internal storage is the way to go, and depending on the model it can be expanded up to the 4-8TB ranges.
Can I Upgrade My Storage?
With newer system design Apple have moved towards a more integrated model and this includes the internal storage. If you are not sure if your system can have its storage upgraded, contact us. We can advise as to how best to handle the issues you have with storage capacity.
What is RAM (Random Access Memory)?
RAM facilitates the ability to have multiple applications open at the same time or aids processing large files (such as when video editing or during audio production). The problem is that RAM is not infinite and we can quickly use it up. If your system is struggling to keep up with the demands that you are putting on it then adding more RAM to the system can help.
Can I Upgrade My RAM?
With the advent of the MacBook Air, Apple started to solder the RAM directly to the machine’s logic board. This meant Apple’s designers could achieve systems with a thinner design profile but that couldn’t have the RAM upgraded. If you think that RAM might help your system but you’re not sure if it can be upgraded then contact us and we can help you assess what can be done with your system.
My Battery
Due to its nature, the battery in our computers is considered a consumable part. We have all become familiar with the concept of getting the battery in our iPhones replaced, however the same is also true of our Macs. As the battery ages not only does its runtime get shorter, but its performance can be affected even when plugged in. Getting the battery replaced is an easy way of getting back the full performance that has been lost over time.
When it comes to upgrading your Mac, a holistic approach is advised as many of the system’s components and programs are all interconnected. Our recommendation is to book the machine in with us for Diagnostics so that we can properly assess the entire machine and can give relevant advice based on your needs and how ‘upgradeable’ your Mac is.
Coming soon is our follow up article on upgrades that we can perform to your software, both on an OS and App level.