I have the same setup with my 15" MBP, that was probably the last upgradeable Apple laptop ever. I'd love a retina display, but I'll be holding on to that outd

I have the same setup with my 15" MBP, that was probably the last upgradeable Apple laptop ever. I'd love a retina display, but I'll be holding on to that outdated MBP for as long as I can. I don't really care for the reduction in thickness and weight these mono-block designs have purportedly made possible. It's not even about them overcharging me for parts I can easily upgrade myself for half the price, although they do. For me the main problem is the fact that as these machines are mere appliances now, their capabilities are fixed from the moment of purchase. There is no way to upgrade RAM, or to replace a damaged part. Now, any kind of defect means the device is bricked. And I will never be able to extend it beyond its original functionality. This is not OK for a device that costs € 3000+ and has an expected service life of 2-3 years. These devices are simply too expensive for a design that treats them as mere disposables. Because that's what they have become. If those tightly-integrated hunks of plastic were getting cheaper, I'd say this is just the way things go: a rapid buy-and-replace cycle with a solid recycling process behind it. But that's not the direction Apple is going. They seem to be focusing on customers for whom a frequent multi-thousand dollar expense is no issue. Increasingly, I just get the sense that Apple is screwing me and the profit margin on those devices is a good indicator for that.