A reason why the MB and MBP have so many problems?

[M. Malone]

Ok, so I was thinking, the MB and the MBP seem to have so many problems, and a solution, maybe Apple needs to tone them down in performance a bit, for the past 3+ years, we have been accustomed to portables being just as powerful as desktops, unlike in the past, where it was clear that most desktops have more power.

Today, chip makers are producing some very powerful chips for desktops, and feel obligated to match that power with the laptop chips. The MB and MBP are amazing machines, they produce just as much processing power as the iMac, and in some configurations, even surpass the iMac

I think that Apple needs to remember is that these machines are portable. You have an iMac which is about 2 inches thick(?) and they're putting the same amount of power on a machine that is 1 inch thin, and is supposed to be dragged around in a backpack.

I feel these portables are being pushed to the limit, like a Formula 1 car that's designed to last no longer than 2 race distances so every drop of performance can be squeezed out of it.

So I would like to say, I'm one person who wouldn't mind a toned down MBP that doesn't overheat, crash suddenly, warp, burn me, etc.

What do you all think?

 

[sunfast]

Possibly. I still reckon it's more likely that they are first generatoin products. And do they have that many problems? My MB is fine - maybe the people with problems are more vocal than those without.

 

[aaron.lee2006]

I have an MBP and it has no problems at all. I think you are worried a little too much. Remember this: People don't come on these forums to tell you how great their computer is they complin about the bad things in hope to have them resolved. The MBs and the MBPs are perfect. I love mine and do not think they are being pushed to the limit.

 

[JBot]

I'm one person who wouldn't mind a toned down MBP

So what? like a MacBook?

And to say a laptop is just as powerful as a desktop, is not true in my opinion. Desktops are now running dual, or dual dual processors. VCards are better, harddrives are bigger than 60,80,120gb, multiple disc drives.
The laptops are equivalent to a desktop from about 1-2 years ago.

 

[M. Malone]

I have an MBP and it has no problems at all. I think you are worried a little too much. Remember this: People don't come on these forums to tell you how great their computer is they complin about the bad things in hope to have them resolved. The MBs and the MBPs are perfect. I love mine and do not think they are being pushed to the limit.

can you comfortably use your MBP on your lap?

 

[Circus Monkey]

My MBP is suppose to arrive any minute now (literally). And I'm extremely freaked out becuase of all the problems I've been hearing about. Hopefully I get a good one!

 

[Frisco]

My MBP is suppose to arrive any minute now (literally). And I'm extremely freaked out becuase of all the problems I've been hearing about. Hopefully I get a good one!

Congrats! Don't forget to post some pictures.

 

[XP Defector]

My MacBook came the other day (2GIG/ 512 RAM / 60 GIG HD / White) and I'm pleased with it. However, I think this has generally been a poor time to upgrade to Macs due to the problems with the Universial Binary. I wanted to use mine for mainly sound production, but it's going to be some time before VSTs and programs like Ableton upgrade. Fortunately, ableton 6 is here soon which takes advantage of the UB, but it may be ages before the majority of VSTs follow suit.

 

[AlBDamned]

A lot of the blame can be attributed to being the first generation of the products. Not only that, but they weren't just rushed but chucked out the door and must have had the absolute minimum of testing.

The bugs will be (and are being) ironed out. They'll never be an electrical product like a computer with a 100% non-failure/issue rate. Even 90% would be exceptional.

 

[CTSxViper]

And to say a laptop is just as powerful as a desktop, is not true in my opinion. Desktops are now running dual, or dual dual processors. VCards are better, harddrives are bigger than 60,80,120gb, multiple disc drives.
The laptops are equivalent to a desktop from about 1-2 years ago.

Well honestly that's not fully true. The newer PC laptops are running dual core, 4 gig memory configs, Dual H/D's, Dual CD's and dual SLI video. Of course they truly are desktop replacement (dtr) and not really a "laptop". I have a Dell M1710 and it performs as well as my pc and it has a 512 meg 7900 Nvidia Card in it, 1920x1200, etc.. I do take it with me a lot, but on the Mac side you are right. The technology is a little behind..

 

[Warbrain]

The main reason that the MB and the MBP are having a few problems is that they are the first-generation of their product lines and these models always have some issues that need to be ironed out by the manufacturer. Early adopters get the problems, and as is always the case the problems overshadow the positives that the people are enjoying.

 

[JAT]

The main reason that the MB and the MBP are having a few problems is that they are the first-generation of their product lines and these models always have some issues that need to be ironed out by the manufacturer. Early adopters get the problems, and as is always the case the problems overshadow the positives that the people are enjoying.

And this is an interim product in the first place, in both Intel's and Apple's eyes. Yonah is ready to be EOLed any day, now. Other than paint flaking or other case issues, everything stems from this brand new processor and the mobos.

 

[Chone]

Today, chip makers are producing some very powerful chips for desktops, and feel obligated to match that power with the laptop chips. The MB and MBP are amazing machines, they produce just as much processing power as the iMac, and in some configurations, even surpass the iMac

Well, the thing there is the iMac using a notebook processor (Yonah) not the MB/MBP using a desktop processor... I bet Apple will release Conroe for iMacs so the iMacs will differentiate themselves.

The problem is not power really, the Intel chips are very power efficient, the problem is design.

 

[jholzner]

can you comfortably use your MBP on your lap?

They're not designed to be used on your lap. I suppose you could take any product and then ask if it can be used in a way that it wasn't supposed to be and then say there's something wrong with it.

 

[Herblenny]

They're not designed to be used on your lap. I suppose you could take any product and then ask if it can be used in a way that it wasn't supposed to be and then say there's something wrong with it.

Why not?? What bothers me lately being on this forum and other forums is that, I didn't spend 1500 or 3000 dollar on a laptop to be only be used at a desk. I think it beats the purpose of getting these machines. If Apple or any other manufactures think that laptops are only to be used on a stationary desk, then I say they need to do more research about what people want and why people buy such products. Its like saying speed limit is only 70MPH and we should only make cars that goes up to 70.. Or automobiles should be driven on a pavement and we shouldn't make 4x4 trucks or SUV and no need to put those over size offroad tires. Laptops are made so we could use it in any setting.. including someone's lap.

 

[KingYaba]

MacBooks and MacBook Pros suffer problems because they have Intel chips in them

I have a feeling they were rushed into production and overlooked a few things here and there.

 

[M. Malone]

They're not designed to be used on your lap. I suppose you could take any product and then ask if it can be used in a way that it wasn't supposed to be and then say there's something wrong with it.

exactly, because portables are getting pushed to the limit, we have rephrased them from laptops to notebooks, we have gotten used to the fact that these machines aren't designed to be used on laps due to heat, we need to get back to the convenience of a portable, meaning it doesn't burn you and other things like that, even if it means a slightly lower performance

 

[risc]

for the past 3+ years, we have been accustomed to portables being just as powerful as desktops

Are you joking? The MacBook and MacBook Pro are the first notebooks in years that Apple have released that are anywhere near comparable to a desktop. My PowerBook G4 1.67 Ghz was slow as hell compared to my desktop and it ran way hotter than my MacBook Pro.

In fact my MacBook Pro runs perfectly cool except under 100% load per CPU, it doesn't whine, or moo. It's probably the best notebook I've ever owned. MacBook Pros with issues are broken, send them back and get them replaced or fixed.

 

[M. Malone]

Are you joking? The MacBook and MacBook Pro are the first notebooks in years that Apple have released that are anywhere near comparable to a desktop. My PowerBook G4 1.67 Ghz was slow as hell compared to my desktop and it ran way hotter than my MacBook Pro.

In fact my MacBook Pro runs perfectly cool except under 100% load per CPU, it doesn't whine, or moo. It's probably the best notebook I've ever owned. MacBook Pros with issues are broken, send them back and get them replaced or fixed.

well I was referring to laptops in general, not just Apple, Apple has become like "laptops in general" with the intel switch and the new powerful chips

 

[risc]

well I was referring to laptops in general, not just Apple, Apple has become like "laptops in general" with the intel switch and the new powerful chips

I've worked with x86 notebooks for years and I have to say my experience with them is other than dead / stuck pixels the failure rate is very low, and I'm talking about exposure to many 1000s of them. In my 5 years working with them I'd say I've seen less than 10 with problems. So either Apple make really bad hardware or the problems are over blown?

 

[jova007]

My MacBook came the other day (2GIG/ 512 RAM / 60 GIG HD / White) and I'm pleased with it. However, I think this has generally been a poor time to upgrade to Macs due to the problems with the Universial Binary. I wanted to use mine for mainly sound production, but it's going to be some time before VSTs and programs like Ableton upgrade. Fortunately, ableton 6 is here soon which takes advantage of the UB, but it may be ages before the majority of VSTs follow suit.

I totally agree with you. Im running Ableton 5 in UB and its fine. That urks me is the fact that all my old VSTis on my G5 isnt UB so its not working. I would say like 3 out of 12 are working... and its frustrating.

P.S.. My MBP is warped. Literally.. Im not trying to be a bitch and all but I didnt pay $2700 for a laptop thats gonna warp in 2 months.

 

[dubels]

my macbook is fine...no moo or whine and runs constantly at 56 degrees.

 

[ZoomZoomZoom]

If Apple toned down hardware performance, how could it expect to compete with other manufacturers? Apparantly, the majority of the market wants these powerful desktop-replacement-like machines, so that many hardware manufacturers are making them and selling them.

However, as laptop computing power eventually reaches a point where the average user is satisfied and finally realizes that you don't need 2gHz to check email, manufacturers might find it more profitable to begin focusing more on things like battery life. For now, though, it seems as if that route isn't as profitable as making powerful machines.

I personally would be very happy if I could get a laptop with 6-8+ hours of battery life running OS X, even if they had to remove my superdrive, cut my processor speed, and give me integrated graphics, because that's what I really need - an ultraportable mac. Doesn't look like enough people want the same, though, so it's not likely to happen anytime soon.

 

[M. Malone]

If Apple toned down hardware performance, how could it expect to compete with other manufacturers? Apparantly, the majority of the market wants these powerful desktop-replacement-like machines, so that many hardware manufacturers are making them and selling them.

However, as laptop computing power eventually reaches a point where the average user is satisfied and finally realizes that you don't need 2gHz to check email, manufacturers might find it more profitable to begin focusing more on things like battery life. For now, though, it seems as if that route isn't as profitable as making powerful machines.

I personally would be very happy if I could get a laptop with 6-8+ hours of battery life running OS X, even if they had to remove my superdrive, cut my processor speed, and give me integrated graphics, because that's what I really need - an ultraportable mac. Doesn't look like enough people want the same, though, so it's not likely to happen anytime soon.

well said, if Apple offer a MBP that has 1.6 GHZ Core Duo, or maybe even slower, for the same price as a 2.0 GHZ, but guaranteed it won't whine, moo, overheat, warp, or anything heat related, and is actually designed to be put on a lap, I'd buy it in a heartbeat

Edit: or they can charge even higher prices on the current MBP line up if they can guarantee the perfect quality and build

 

[7on]

If Apple toned down hardware performance, how could it expect to compete with other manufacturers? Apparantly, the majority of the market wants these powerful desktop-replacement-like machines, so that many hardware manufacturers are making them and selling them.

However, as laptop computing power eventually reaches a point where the average user is satisfied and finally realizes that you don't need 2gHz to check email, manufacturers might find it more profitable to begin focusing more on things like battery life. For now, though, it seems as if that route isn't as profitable as making powerful machines.

I personally would be very happy if I could get a laptop with 6-8+ hours of battery life running OS X, even if they had to remove my superdrive, cut my processor speed, and give me integrated graphics, because that's what I really need - an ultraportable mac. Doesn't look like enough people want the same, though, so it's not likely to happen anytime soon.

I was happy with my 1Ghz G4. I upgraded to the Macbook because Apple has finally solved my biggest gripes - power adapter, latch, built-in iSight. I had to get the 2Ghz version because I wanted a DVD burner (my older 3 year old powerbook did). And I'm a graphic designer. I have always found it funny that people use Photoshop test for machine speed when most people I know who are graphic designers usually own something like a G3 to do work on at home.