Thu, 23 Oct 2008 MacBook quality issue comes to light

SwissMac said on Thu, 23 Oct 2008

I've said elsewhere the new MacBooks look like they've been assembled from a job lot left over from a variety of factories' surplus parts bins. The fact that these components don't fit together very well just confirms this. Apple has been on a downward quality path for about 3 years now.. in pursuit of more and more profits.

RMC said on Thu, 23 Oct 2008

I have an original clamshell iBook G3 which will soon be9 years old. It still gets regular use, runs Panther and works perfectly. I envisage getting another 9 years out of it....

Toni said on Thu, 23 Oct 2008

@Michael - Why are people ignorant if they no longer want a Mac?

Mick said on Thu, 23 Oct 2008

I treat Apple the same as Microsoft - I don't trust either of them but have to use both their products.

Both as bad as each other.

Lou said on Thu, 23 Oct 2008

As I look down at my new MacBook Pro, I can't see a single thing that doesn't fit perfectly... All of the keys are in the right place... The battery cover is snug and solid. I have no complaints.

Sarah M said on Thu, 23 Oct 2008

I have a new macbook, to be honest it's flawless, perfect fit and finish so no complaints here. My old powerbook is still in great condition and works fine. Never had a problem with any Apple products.

Glenn Carey said on Thu, 23 Oct 2008

I'd like to add a comment, as I bought a MacBook Pro last week.

All the keys are in all the right places and the battery cover isn't at all loose.

In fact, it seems very well made, with some very well thought out design points (magnetic power plug, latchless lid, battery meter on the side... etc etc).

Without wishing to turn this into a Mac versus PC debate (oops, too late) - it feels far more sturdy, solid and well built than the PC laptops I looked at in PC World, many of which feel plastic-like and seem to be assembled from many components, increasing the risk of problems.

PS: I'd be genuinely interested to hear how rosebud gets on with Windows.

From talking to Windows users and attempting to use Windows myself from time to time, it seems to make things needlessly complicated.

Steve said on Thu, 23 Oct 2008

It will be such a tiny percentage that are like that. Remember, you only hear the bad stories. What about the 500,000 MacBooks that arrived with their new owners in perfect condition. No one ever writes about that.

It's one thing raising it as a valid point, quite another to use it as a excuse to slate a product/brand.

Some of these comments are laughable.

nharknett said on Thu, 23 Oct 2008

you have to remember there will always be some quality issues when a productis launched. That's why I never buy a revision 1of anything.

What's important is see the overall persentage of faulty Macbooks sold. I bet it's low.

gregorsamsa said on Thu, 23 Oct 2008

@ElderNorm,

"MS Trolls out in force".

Maybe one or two, but SwissMac is anything but. I've read his posts on MacFormat & he seems very much pro-Apple in most of his posts. ;)

Just a Note said on Thu, 23 Oct 2008

Steve - you are laughable, yes.

Johm mmith said on Thu, 23 Oct 2008

My MacBmok Pro is fiMe....

Steve said on Thu, 23 Oct 2008

Haha, very intelligent. Well done. Seriously, I agree with 'freedom of speech' etc but Macworld really should moderate these posts. And yes, I know what you are going to say in response to that, so save your embarresment by refraining. That means stopping oneself from doing something, by the way.

My 2 cents said on Thu, 23 Oct 2008

I just bought my first Mac, a Macbook. It is far superior to than anything I owned on the PC side.

My last laptop was a Dell and it was the biggest piece of junk I ever owned. It drove me to look at Macs, and I'm grateful it did.

wesley said on Thu, 23 Oct 2008

hi, i bought a macbook 2.4ghz white, last week from apple. The model with firewire that has just been replaced. The top row of the keyboard had very shody keys, some raised up so much you could see under the workings, took it back and got a straight swap the next day.

auramac said on Thu, 23 Oct 2008

It's bad enough when readers can't spell- but you did mean "loose"- did you not? "Lose" is to part with something, and let's never forget the big ones- "you're" vs. "your"- and "its" as opposed to "it's!"

Alistair Mackenzie said on Thu, 23 Oct 2008

Unimpressively, the Macbook I played with in the Glasgow Apple store had a loose battery cover. That was one of three (if that doesn't sound too borgish!) they had in the store.
The old black Macbooks were still in store and the whole thing was a bit forlorn.
Never buy 1.0 from anyone!
Early adopters are always punished!

spielbrot said on Thu, 23 Oct 2008

I recall this happen every time Apple launches new products. These rumours is called FUD and are widely spread by competitors who likes to miscredit eachother.
I do not say that MacBook is flawless, every type of product has holes in its quality control system and now and then a bad example slips through.
It is normal.

Alistair Mackenzie said on Thu, 23 Oct 2008

Unimpressively, the Macbook I played with in the Glasgow Apple store had a loose battery cover. That was one of three (if that doesn't sound too borgish!) they had in the store.
The old black Macbooks were still in store and the whole thing was a bit forlorn.
Never buy 1.0 from anyone!
Early adopters are always punished!

win39 said on Thu, 23 Oct 2008

Some new MacBook’s are shipping with lose battery covers, slanted function keys and extra "M" key.
Karen Haslam

It is never impressive to see a critical piece when the writer is unaware of the difference between "loose" and "lose".

wesley said on Thu, 23 Oct 2008

despite my first macbook being faulty, the replacement is top notch. Also dont critasice spelling, some people carnt spell or our dislekec.

Gosh said on Thu, 23 Oct 2008

Manufacturing glitches are one thing but the idea of poor quality control on a product of that relative premium price such that someone gets to open a box to see that kind of thing, is obscene!

Leland said on Thu, 23 Oct 2008

All the examples I saw at a local Apple store were just fine. I did have to fiddle with the battery cover to put it back on after I removed it for a better look; the metal tabs holding it at the outside edge are really thin and fit really snug. Once in place, though, it was solid.

gregorsamsa said on Fri, 24 Oct 2008

Hmm... some comments here now deleted. Censorship is rarely without controversy, I think.

DJ said on Fri, 24 Oct 2008

The very first Apple 145b laptop I bought some 15-plus years ago (eek!) still works, as do the three newer models I own. Even one with half a pint of wine poured into it came back to life after a good drying out.

DW said on Fri, 24 Oct 2008

I drooled over the Titanium PowerBook when it was released but otherwise generally prefer my laptops to be black. I've never been a fan of bright, shiny kit. The new MacBooks do look nice but as I can't afford one right now I'll continue using my PowerBook 3400 for my basic text editing. My G3 iMac is just beginning to come to the end of its viable life due to all the bells and whistles on the web these days. Oh, I also have a PowerBook Duo 2300, which works fine after all these years. If Apple's build quality continues to be as good as that (and by and large it does seem to be), then when we complain about Apple it is surely in the knowledge that things could be a lot worse (just ask your Windows-using friends and colleagues for endless horror stories). A friend's seventeen-inch PowerBook also suffered from wine spilled into it and continued to plough on regardless (though it developed a fondness for a good Merlot).

Chris said on Fri, 24 Oct 2008

Just got the new Macbook, all i can say is it is gorgeous. Fit and finish are perfect, I think the glossy screen is ok but i would prefer matte. As for the battery cover and keyboard they are fine and no issues here. Kudos to Apple on another beautiful product.

Oink said on Sat, 25 Oct 2008

Went in to buy a new Macbook yesterday and came away empty handed. Looks awful and specs are not worth the money. Have gone for an Acer. I get Blue Ray and Firewire. I can live without OX S.

Schyler Clark said on Sat, 25 Oct 2008

I received my Macbook Pro and was so happy with it until I noticed three flaws.
1. Some of the function keys are at a slant, with the right side of them being higher than the left.
2. The battery cover is loose. I would say it has a full millimeter of movement, making a clicking sound every time it is shifted.
3. The aluminum cover is actually bent. When the laptop is closed, the left corner is raised at least a millimeter.
For as much as I paid for this, I should expect perfection. After making laptops for as long as you have, Apple, I am thoroughly disappointed.

Edward said on Sat, 01 Nov 2008

I have just got a new macbook and the top row of keys all slant down to the left

:(

Eoin said on Mon, 03 Nov 2008

Well, sadly I'm on my second macbook already, the first had a loose battery cover and a dead caps key. Now this one has a cover that fits (but not quite perfect, there is still a bit of movement), and the whole right side of the keyboard slants to the right which is irritating. I may have to take this one back too. Shame, I have always found my apple products rock solid (apart from the ipod mini, but let's not go there :)

Carch said on Sat, 08 Nov 2008

My MacBook has slanting function keys, command keys and a few others. Looks very sloppy. Extra bad when backlight comes on.