Had to buy a new laptop to replace a 2009 MBP recently.<p>Chose the mid 2012 non-retina display. Took out the disk drive and put in my own SSD and RAM. Does everything I want it to do without the slightest complaint. All told I probably paid ~$700 less for a comparably powerful machine with 10x the internal storage of a late model MBP retina, albeit heavier and with a slightly inferior display.<p>Next time I need to upgrade I&#x27;m with you - it&#x27;s just too painful to knowingly buy into an ecosystem where upgrades and repairs feel like unabashed extortion.<p>Obviously there&#x27;s a very large target market of folks that just want their tech to work and will happily drop a few hundred bucks each time they need to upgrade or repair. But it&#x27;s hard to go back once you&#x27;ve opened up your computer and seen how cheap&#x2F;easy it is to replace some of these extremely modular components. I imagine my mindset will change as I get older and have less time&#x2F;more disposable income.