Two of my friends and myself own 13" Mac Air computers. All three of us love them. BUT one thing we all agree on is that they dent so easily you must be incredibly careful when you move them around. I keep mine in a well padded Abbi case designed just for my Air. My friends use equally good cases. The cases protect the Airs when being transported. The bad thing is that when you take them out of their protective cases and move them around while using them, even the slightest knock or tap will immediately result in a ding or dent. It doesn't affect the inner workings or operation unless you slam them around. Of course no one purposely does that. I know you can snap on a protective lid cover but that adds weight and slight bulk. And after all; the reason for the aluminum case is weight and bulk reduction. Catch 22! Just a pet peeve of mine! I had to vent somewhere and what better place than to post it on MacRumors here among friends. Thanks for listening.
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Aluminum Cases for Mac Air: Dent Collectors!
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I have had 5 different aluminum MacBook Pro's, a mixture of pre-unibody and unibody, and none had any dents in them. Additionally I also know many people whose aluminum MacBook Pros and MacBook Airs do not have any dents in them. I would not say that they are dent collectors. I believe that the true reason for dents is because of negligence. I work in IT and have handled hundreds of aluminum Apple laptops which most of which were in excellent condition. You don't have to like my opinion but my vast experience contradicts you and your two friends experience.
I'm not saying that aluminum is less likely to dent than plastic. I'm just saying that aluminum is very durable when properly taken care of.
I'm not saying that aluminum is less likely to dent than plastic. I'm just saying that aluminum is very durable when properly taken care of.
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aluminum cases
I wasn't looking for validation. But you know nothing about the experience of my two friends and I. And as you stated "I have handled hundreds of aluminum Apple laptops most of which were in excellent condition". But they all weren't dentless and dingless were they? Sorry to have riled you. Forget about it!
I wasn't looking for validation. But you know nothing about the experience of my two friends and I. And as you stated "I have handled hundreds of aluminum Apple laptops most of which were in excellent condition". But they all weren't dentless and dingless were they? Sorry to have riled you. Forget about it!
You are correct they were not all dentless like I said but most of them were. You did not rile me and I have no hard feelings toward you but saying that "Aluminum Cases for Mac Air: Dent Collectors!" is very far from the truth. Just because the three of you have a few dents does not justify that comment. I will also say again that most cosmetic damage can be attributed to negligence on the users part. The dents y'all have might not have been caused because of your negligence but I find it highly suspect.
Aluminum is good for recycling, but makes for a susceptible laptop body. That's why we have a robust sleeve, skin and case industry that bloomed around the Apple products.
Actually aluminum can make a great laptop body depending on the alloys mixed with it. Just because the laptop case is aluminum in no way is an indication the case, skin, or sleeve industry around Apple laptops. That's just your opinion. Did it occur to you that people just might want to protect their $1000-$4000 dollar purchase no matter if it's made out of aluminum, plastic, or steal? There is a ton of durable things made out of aluminum alloys.
Actually, chemistry wise it is good that apple went with aluminum. Although it does dent, it protects the internals.
Aluminum's impact absorbance is 2nd highest considering money spent with the amount of protection right after some kind of wood i forget its name.
I rather have pretty internals and 1000 dents than no dent and screwed internal. Also heat dissipation is good, so why not aluminum?
Aluminum's impact absorbance is 2nd highest considering money spent with the amount of protection right after some kind of wood i forget its name.
I rather have pretty internals and 1000 dents than no dent and screwed internal. Also heat dissipation is good, so why not aluminum?
Because we want liquid metal/carbon fiber composite that repairs itself and changes colors depending on my mood at the time. Just playing. But I stand by my comment that we do want liquid metal airs and now! Ok only I want one.
P.S. What is liquid metal anyway?
P.S.S. Where am I?
I agree, if you take care of it, it won't dent in a million years. But however much you use it carefully, it IS a laptop, you do move it around a lot (at least compared to a stable). I'm using a plastic laptop and I think it has hit some walls while transferred, with no damage left at all. If I had an aluminum macbook it would have probably dented in 2-3 places. Aluminum isn't THAT better than plastic.
Sorry, facts are facts, no matter how many creative straw arguments you can come up with. I never had a sleeve or skin for my plastic made Mac laptops going back years. There was resiliency to the material. They took a knocking and kept looking good. Not a blemish. It was foreign to even be concerned about. The only cases out there throughout that time were regular laptop bags and backpacks. My very first Mac aluminum laptop got annoying dings, as did others, until I started taking part in buying from the newly emerging industry creating fashionable skins and sleeves that addressed preventative care.
Aluminum cases for Mac Air: Dent collectors
Thankyou, Thankyou; Your post says it all. That is all I was trying to convey. (With normal use, you can ding or dent your laptop no matter how careful you try to be, and aluminum will ding or dent with very little effort)!
Thankyou, Thankyou; Your post says it all. That is all I was trying to convey. (With normal use, you can ding or dent your laptop no matter how careful you try to be, and aluminum will ding or dent with very little effort)!
I'm sorry that statement is completely false. I toss mine around all over the place and there is not a mark on it yet and I've had it since October. Carelessness causes dents, nothing more.
aluminum cases for mac air: Dent Collectors!Who are you to call me a liar
What's your problem? Don't call me a liar! You are the one who's statement is false. You admit that you toss it around all over the place. (I totally doubt that). Wouldn't you say that "tossing it around all over the place" is carelessness. Where do you live and frequent? Rubber houses and buildings with foam rubber walls, ceilings and floors.
What's your problem? Don't call me a liar! You are the one who's statement is false. You admit that you toss it around all over the place. (I totally doubt that). Wouldn't you say that "tossing it around all over the place" is carelessness. Where do you live and frequent? Rubber houses and buildings with foam rubber walls, ceilings and floors.
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I have no idea what dents you're talking about. Could you post a photo? I haven't got an MBA (yet), but I'll assume that it's made from the same aluminium alloy that my 2 year old MBP is encased with. I've travelled extensively with it and it's been through airport security more times that I can remember. I have one "dent" on the side and it's actually a very minute chip where in a moment of stupidity, as I was moving it, I bashed it into a hard bit of the coffee table. I was upset.
The only way to dent it yourself is by misuse. Dont cry on here just because you regret not buying a Vaio so you can throw it about.
I just "slightly" tapped my MBA with my key. No ding or dents. Going back to the Powerbooks the only time I had a ding/dent was I whacked the cover of my PB with the metal part of my belt by accident as I was rushing to take it off, my PB was on the nightstand (it was in the heat of the moment romance).
I think the aluminum is pretty durable as long as you don't drop it, drop metal items on it or abuse it. I keep mine in a soft incase cover and put it inside another laptop bag so it's double the protection.
Even then I like the wabi-sabi philosophy of imperfection. When I had that PB I would see that dent and it would remind me of a life well lived.
I don't regret owning a Mac Air and I don't want a Sony Vaio and I don't throw my Mac Air around. I have 1 bb sized ding in it from barely hitting the edge of a Boston Rocker that my wife was moving around while I was opening the lid of my Mac Air at the time. It was an accident not blatant carelessness on her part. And I am not "crying on here". I am discussing a point of view and trying not to be insulting, like you are being. Man when I joined this forum I thought I was hooking up with rational, smart , easygoing , understanding intelligent people. Most of you seem to be. But some of you are bitter and condascending. Stop the insults and stick to the topic. Start your own blog if you want to insult people and inundate them with only your point of view without any constructive feedback involved! I wasn't involved in any "misuse"when my wife accidentally bumped my Mac Air!
[size=+4]OMG![/size]
Unfortunately, aluminum will dent more than plastic. Plastic will crack/chip/scratch more than aluminum. Plus, aluminum shows less fingerprints. My MBA (from fall '10) has 0 dents, and no, I'm not super careful, but accidents happen.
Also, I know it sucks when your shiny new thing gets scuffed. But I like to think of it as adding character. No, I don't purposely scuff or dent my gadgets. But its like a scar on your elbow. Every mark has a story.
Unfortunately, aluminum will dent more than plastic. Plastic will crack/chip/scratch more than aluminum. Plus, aluminum shows less fingerprints. My MBA (from fall '10) has 0 dents, and no, I'm not super careful, but accidents happen.
Also, I know it sucks when your shiny new thing gets scuffed. But I like to think of it as adding character. No, I don't purposely scuff or dent my gadgets. But its like a scar on your elbow. Every mark has a story.
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I'm getting kinda worried. Somewhere I read that the aluminum case made the MBP a more solid computer than its plastic predicessor. If the MBA doesn't have such a good reputation for durability, I'm having second thoughts about owning one. The problem is, I need a new Mac laptop right now, and don't want a MBP (due to its noisey cooling fan). Plus I really dig the form factor of the 11" MBA. I would probably give up a little weight savings to have a less bendable, less dentable MBA.
So I saw this posted yesterday and got to thinking. I checked out all of my aluminum iDevices, 17" MBP, 13" MB from 2008, three iPads, no dents. No cases either, we just throw them in our regular briefcases. So today in the office, I asked a bunch of lawyers, all travelers to show me their Airs. 11 assorted Airs, all of them several months old or more. We put them all together and found one real dent and a few (3) tiny knicks. The one real dent came from dropping it on a concrete bench at an airport and nobody had even noticed they had the knicks. My admittedly anecdotal experience would say that aluminum macbooks are amazingly durable and denting is of much less concern than one might imagine from observing this thread. Sorry Cap. Please don't go all crazy on me. I am not calling you out. Just saying. I guess me and my friends are just pretty lucky to be mostly dent free.
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