The original Retina MacBook Pro is now ‘vintage’ according to Apple
On its way to obsolescence
Apple has just designated the original Retina MacBook Pro as ‘vintage’, which means that Apple, and Apple Authorized Service Providers, are no longer obliged to provide service or parts for the laptop.
If you’re still running an original Retina MacBook Pro and something goes wrong, then you may now find it trickier to fix, as Apple will no longer be providing support.
This applies to the mid-2012 model with a 15-inch display, but if you are in Turkey or California then you may still be able to obtain service and parts for the device due to local laws.
Apple devices that have not been manufactured by Apple for five years are designated vintage, while products that are older than seven years are deemed obsolete. Apple has a list of vintage and obsolete products on its website.
What should you do?
If you own a mid-2012 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro, then you should still be able to contact Apple’s support team for help and software troubleshooting. However, if you rely on it for work, you may want to consider buying a new MacBook. Check out our list of the best Macs of 2018 for inspiration.
The late 2012 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina hasn't been designated vintage just yet, so you still have time to have it fixed and serviced, but that might not be the case for long.
- Check out our picks of the best laptops of 2018
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Matt is TechRadar's Managing Editor for Core Tech, looking after computing and mobile technology. Having written for a number of publications such as PC Plus, PC Format, T3 and Linux Format, there's no aspect of technology that Matt isn't passionate about, especially computing and PC gaming. He’s personally reviewed and used most of the laptops in our best laptops guide - and since joining TechRadar in 2014, he's reviewed over 250 laptops and computing accessories personally.