In my personal experience, I've had MacBook laptops last for upwards of five years before needing a replacement. This is also in line with the amount of time Apple tends to support its previously-released products with software and security updates: generally about five years. That's a pretty long time considering that most financing plans would see the MacBook paid off about halfway through the lifespan of the laptop, and the optional Apple Care service can provide additional potential longevity to the machine through more frequent maintenance attention.