Any MacBook Pro failures since M1 Pro? AppleCare + need?

[Lucas Curious]

Wondering if any of you have had M chip failures since the M1? I bought the M1 Pro on release day but it runs like new 2 years later and battery sits at 84% life after 275 cycles. I thought maybe I'd at least get a battery swap out of the $400 I spent on the warranty but it seems I only got it in case I drop it on concrete.

Since the New M3 chips run even cooler, there is less risk of thermal damage so I'm wondering if it's even worth buying the warranty again. I've been buying MacBooks since 2010 and never broke any. My 2012 got a new battery and hinge replacement right at warranty end and my 2017 12" got a new battery but I put 700 cycles on it and used it on battery 99% of the time. It seems to be harder to wear the M battery since they last all day. I even have it plugged into the Studio display 70% of the time.

I'll get the 14" this time around because I dont take the 16" out of the house, not even for travel, which I regret cause I got last min jobs while away. Since I dont take the 16" out of the house, there is a small chance it would ever get damaged.

 

[gpat]

You can bet that the Mx Pro/Max will be vastly more reliable than any Intel laptop with a dedicated GPU.
dGPU is pretty much a timebomb for any portable computer. It always fails before any other component and drags down the whole system with it.

 

[magbarn]

I haven't really heard significant failures on the M1 Macs. Unlike the horrible dGPU Intel models like gpat said. Here's my string of Apple Logic board failures: 2008 MBP 15, 2010 MBP 15, 2012 rMBP 15, 2016 MBP 15, and finally 2019 MBP 16. Every single one had a Nvidia or AMD dGPU. If you use the dGPU heavily in gaming or productivity like I did, expect a short lifespan. I recently sold my 2019 MBP 16 after it was repaired.

 

[darkmatter343]

Any laptop around $1k… okay—maybe bypass the AC+ but…

There is no way in hell I’d purchase a $2,3,4K laptop without AC+. For one after that one year IF something did die on the logic board, the screen etc… you’ll be in a world of hurt. So while the upfront cost of $2-300? seems steap, it’s a lot cheaper than possibly having to replace a logic board or LCD assembly. A logic board on a new 16” would probably cost north of $1500.

Plus let’s not forget the accidental damage and while there is a deductible, I’d rather pay a few hundred dollar deductible, than shell out another $2-3-4k for a whole new laptop, especially if you’ve only had it for 1-2years.

So $300 up front or $100 yearly would be wise IMO. (Source: 25yrs in the PC repair industry)

I understand why people are reluctant though, dropping $2-3k on a laptop you expect it to be top quality and have zero issues. Unfortunately that’s not the world we live in, where manufacturing corners are cut to save a buck on each computer. Even if Apple was world class in quality, stuff happens and electronics die, even with the most expensive stuff. Why risk it, even if you have the cash to replace the laptop, pay a few bucks more for peace of mind.

But again—$1000 MBA, probably not.

 

[lambertjohn]

My 16" M1 Pro has been working great since I bought it 18 months ago. Zero issues. Battery healthy. Screen awesome! Keyboard, a joy to type on.

 

[CPmav]

My concern is more with my cats knocking it off my desk lol

 

[4743913]

all my laptops get it.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP asks:
"Wondering if any of you have had M chip failures since the M1?"

A coincidence that you're asking that.

Just yesterday, I had my 2021 MacBook Pro 14" "go dark" on me during a software upgrade.

I still have 12.7 Monterey on it (which was running fine).
Software update said there was a 12.7.1 update waiting, so I decided to install it.
Put the charger on it, software update went to work.
I walked away to do something else.

When I came back, the screen was dark. I thought that it might be a firmware update in progress, so I just "let it be".

But an hour later, it was still sitting there, dark.
Firmware updates DO NOT take THAT long.

I pressed the power on button, nothing.
I tried putting it into recovery mode:
- I get the "loading startup options", then after a couple of seconds, the display goes dark and stays dark.

I kept fooling with it, and at one point got a circle with an exclamation point inside and the URL to contact Apple support.

I tried connecting it to my 2018 Mini, and then using Apple Configurator 2.
Again, no response, the DFU mode screen won't come up.

Taking it to the genius bar this afternoon to see if THEY can revive it.

 

[ColdCase]

The M1s are subject to T2 chip corruption in low power conditions, sometimes power is irrelevant. I've had my M1 Air motherboard replaced twice as it was not recoverable after low power shut downs. The M2s seem to be solid. M3, who knows, it is a different architecture.

You can think about a highly discounted M2 pro vs the new M3 pro. The M2/M3 Max versions have some noticeable performance improvements, but the M2 pro vs M3 pro is not that different. I bought a M2 pro mid configuration at a $660 discount. I would buy apple care regardless.

 

[ColdCase]

Taking it to the genius bar this afternoon to see if THEY can revive it.

I'm sure you are aware that, if they can't revive it, and then repair they will install Ventura and there is no going back.

 

[Fishrrman]

ColdCase --

I'm aware of that.

After repeated tries, I finally got an upgraded Apple Configurator 2 to recognize the MBP.
Oddly, it would not do this UNTIL I plugged my backup SSD into a free USBc port.

First, I tried the "revive" option.
It goes through several steps:
- downloading new copy of OS
- unzipping new copy of OS
- installing the OS
It got to the last part, went part way, and then threw up an error message:

The System cannot be restored on this device
Failed to restore device in recovery mode, libusbrestore error: 21
[com.apple.MobileDevices.MobileRestore - 0x15 (21)]

So I tried the "restore" option (even though this would not revive my copy of Monterey).
Same as the first time, same or very similar error message.

I tried the "Erase all content and settings" option (again, in Apple Configurator).
Wouldn't work either.

I'm wondering if the error had anything to do with trying to restore an m-series Mac from an Intel Mac (2018 Mini), even though it was running the latest release of Ventura.

Heading for the Apple Store in a while.
Perhaps they have tricks I don't know about (I hope so).

But I'm thinking, "internal SSD failure".

It's out-of-warranty. I'm really not interested in paying for a new motherboard.
May have to consider other options.

 

[Apple_Robert]

ColdCase --

I'm aware of that.

After repeated tries, I finally got an upgraded Apple Configurator 2 to recognize the MBP.
Oddly, it would not do this UNTIL I plugged my backup SSD into a free USBc port.

First, I tried the "revive" option.
It goes through several steps:
- downloading new copy of OS
- unzipping new copy of OS
- installing the OS
It got to the last part, went part way, and then threw up an error message:

The System cannot be restored on this device
Failed to restore device in recovery mode, libusbrestore error: 21
[com.apple.MobileDevices.MobileRestore - 0x15 (21)]

So I tried the "restore" option (even though this would not revive my copy of Monterey).
Same as the first time, same or very similar error message.

I tried the "Erase all content and settings" option (again, in Apple Configurator).
Wouldn't work either.

I'm wondering if the error had anything to do with trying to restore an m-series Mac from an Intel Mac (2018 Mini), even though it was running the latest release of Ventura.

Heading for the Apple Store in a while.
Perhaps they have tricks I don't know about (I hope so).

But I'm thinking, "internal SSD failure".

It's out-of-warranty. I'm really not interested in paying for a new motherboard.
May have to consider other options.

What you described definitely sounds like a SSD failure.

 

[Lucas Curious]

ColdCase --

I'm aware of that.

After repeated tries, I finally got an upgraded Apple Configurator 2 to recognize the MBP.
Oddly, it would not do this UNTIL I plugged my backup SSD into a free USBc port.

First, I tried the "revive" option.
It goes through several steps:
- downloading new copy of OS
- unzipping new copy of OS
- installing the OS
It got to the last part, went part way, and then threw up an error message:

The System cannot be restored on this device
Failed to restore device in recovery mode, libusbrestore error: 21
[com.apple.MobileDevices.MobileRestore - 0x15 (21)]

So I tried the "restore" option (even though this would not revive my copy of Monterey).
Same as the first time, same or very similar error message.

I tried the "Erase all content and settings" option (again, in Apple Configurator).
Wouldn't work either.

I'm wondering if the error had anything to do with trying to restore an m-series Mac from an Intel Mac (2018 Mini), even though it was running the latest release of Ventura.

Heading for the Apple Store in a while.
Perhaps they have tricks I don't know about (I hope so).

But I'm thinking, "internal SSD failure".

It's out-of-warranty. I'm really not interested in paying for a new motherboard.
May have to consider other options.

Fisherman I always see you on these forums giving very clear input. You sound like the type of person who has worked with computers as a career and listens clearly to what people are saying and then responding clearly without diverting to other ideas. something about your posts that screams "logical rational person."

 

[anshuvorty]

Nope....very reliable...