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Apple is high quality!
- Thread starter iW00t
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Just MY opinion
Apple is certainly one of the better computer manufacturers IMHO. I don't think Apple has had any more or less problems than other manufacturers, but when all is said and done, they do offer a far better product.
Edit: I say "a far better product" in terms of design, ease of use, etc.
Apple is certainly one of the better computer manufacturers IMHO. I don't think Apple has had any more or less problems than other manufacturers, but when all is said and done, they do offer a far better product.
Edit: I say "a far better product" in terms of design, ease of use, etc.
I'd say so. I've never had an Apple product break on me, no dead pixels. My PowerBook bought 2.5 years ago functions perfectly as it did on day 1, thanks to the exploding battery issues I even have a 99% healthy battery
On the other hand the last laptop PC I bought was a shambles. The battery no longer works, the HDD has "unreadable clusters", it's too hot, too loud, too ugly...
On the other hand the last laptop PC I bought was a shambles. The battery no longer works, the HDD has "unreadable clusters", it's too hot, too loud, too ugly...
that 'quality' that apple is so blessed with, has been going downhill since the intel switch, not sure why, but the outsourced manufacturers are letting them down recently
magsafe's
power adapter's
batteries
screen's
macbook shut down issues...
the list goes on
magsafe's
power adapter's
batteries
screen's
macbook shut down issues...
the list goes on
i had the random shutdown issue and also the staining keyboard. Apart from those two issues, my MacBook has been the best notebook i've used. I honestly believe that it is the best notebook on the market in terms of cost, performance and features.
My parent's 1.83GHz Core Duo MacBook Pro has been nothing but troubles. Both fans replaced, logic board replaced, screen warping, and it runs insanely hot. I used a C2D MBP in an Apple Center, and it was much better, so i think the aforementioned issues can go down to being Rev A troubles.
Overall, I reckon Apple make good stuff. When they stuff something up, it seems they get it fixed up as soon as possible.
My parent's 1.83GHz Core Duo MacBook Pro has been nothing but troubles. Both fans replaced, logic board replaced, screen warping, and it runs insanely hot. I used a C2D MBP in an Apple Center, and it was much better, so i think the aforementioned issues can go down to being Rev A troubles.
Overall, I reckon Apple make good stuff. When they stuff something up, it seems they get it fixed up as soon as possible.
I think Apple is synonymous with design, and perhaps luxury, but not necessarily quality. High quality is often expected of Apple products, though, as a result.
I don't doubt that quality suffers as a result of needing to manufacture their striking product range at particular price points in order to maintain a good profit margin. I sometimes think that the external material quality excels the quality of the internal components used. That said, thus far the only recent technical issues I have had relate to third party hardware (HDDs, graphics cards).
I don't doubt that quality suffers as a result of needing to manufacture their striking product range at particular price points in order to maintain a good profit margin. I sometimes think that the external material quality excels the quality of the internal components used. That said, thus far the only recent technical issues I have had relate to third party hardware (HDDs, graphics cards).
Absolutely. They used to be made in Taiwan where worker skill levels are significantly higher and general work ethos much better. Once everything moved to the mainland, it went downhill - like most manufacturing there, unfortunately.
During one of their really high points in quality, a few years ago, the bulk of their products were already being built there. Their worst (mid-90s) was when they still had their own factories. There is a lot more than the locations of assembly plants accounting for the ups and downs.
I think their notebooks started being manufactured in mainland China in 2006 - before that, at least their powerbooks were made in Taiwan. Did they move their ibook production to China earlier perhaps?
Of course there's more to it, but skill level and worker ethos is very important during assembly. Also, Chinese manufacturers are known to skimp everywhere they can to save a buck - with or without Apple's knowledge.
I'm pretty sure that at least some PowerBooks were being built in China by 2004. iMacs from 2002/2003ish built there gave us really reliable service, enough that it's hard to decide what to do with them since, while slow by current standards, they're running as good as new. iPods from around then have been good to us too.
A lot of this has to point back to Cupertino, that's where the materials and tolerances and all the other things that people complain about that are "within spec" are settled.
Go to Apple store / retailer, fondle the MBP a bit, specially the screen and its back, knock the machine a bit with hands and try to figure out how sturdy and solid it feels.
Then do the same to Thinkpad T- and X-series machines.
Which one feels more solid and rugged?
IMO Thinkpad wins by a mile or two.
-Tomi
p.s. I wish I had a X61 with OS X and better graphics
Then do the same to Thinkpad T- and X-series machines.
Which one feels more solid and rugged?
IMO Thinkpad wins by a mile or two.
-Tomi
p.s. I wish I had a X61 with OS X and better graphics
Go to Apple store / retailer, fondle the MBP a bit, specially the screen and its back, knock the machine a bit with hands and try to figure out how sturdy and solid it feels.
Then do the same to Thinkpad T- and X-series machines.
Which one feels more solid and rugged?
IMO Thinkpad wins by a mile or two.
-Tomi
p.s. I wish I had a X61 with OS X and better graphics
I totally agree. My ThinkPad X60 is a solid and reliable machine. My MBP will not be traveling with me nearly as much. I've only had the MBP for a few days, and it feels MUCH more fragile. But it sure looks nice.
apple and good design go hand in hand. apple and quality, not so much. perhaps a few years ago, but the last few years i would say their quality control standards have been going steadily downhill. they are no worse than any other companies, but no better either, at least where quality is concerned. they produce lemons, that could easily have been weeded out in a more strict quality control process ( or better qualified workers or whatever). also, the case of the MBP is not as well put together as i expected for the price. with regards to the think pad, here is my opinion, as i have used both. I purchased a new MBP a few months ago, my work mate got a brand new Thinkpad. The MBP is much prettier, sleaker, looks like its a delicate machine to be used gently and appriciated. the Thinkpad is rugged, robust, you could give it quite a smack and it wouldnt scratch or dent. because of this i mother my MBP too much, I dont bring it out unless i really have to, I wipe it down with a cloth after use and check for scrapes. I would love to be able to use my laptop whenever and where ever i want and not worry about it, ( as i used to with my dell, and i could with a thinkpad). but this has nothing to do with quality. people who buy a thinkpad know what they are getting, likewise people who buy a mac know its not a tank they are getting.
quality is still an issue ( as mentioned with the MBP case and hardware failures on previous MBP)
quality is still an issue ( as mentioned with the MBP case and hardware failures on previous MBP)
I think Apple has by far the best overall designs in the hardware business and perhaps the greatest quality in terms of finish and materials. However, I think there is room for improvement when it comes to the internal components used in Apple's computers.
For example, I've now had two new SR MBPs with defective displays. Both were otherwise perfect. In fact, I was extremely impressed with the overall build quality, performance, and shear beauty of these machines. But none of that really matters when the screen sucks.
To be fair, it's not entirely Apple's fault. Apple didn't make the defective LCD panels in my MBPs. Samsung and LG did. Where Apple needs to improve is by demanding that their component suppliers provided grade-A parts. Otherwise, they will never achieve a quality level that's any better than the average PC.
For example, I've now had two new SR MBPs with defective displays. Both were otherwise perfect. In fact, I was extremely impressed with the overall build quality, performance, and shear beauty of these machines. But none of that really matters when the screen sucks.
To be fair, it's not entirely Apple's fault. Apple didn't make the defective LCD panels in my MBPs. Samsung and LG did. Where Apple needs to improve is by demanding that their component suppliers provided grade-A parts. Otherwise, they will never achieve a quality level that's any better than the average PC.
The average PC doesn't seem to have the display problems Apple has had for the past two years. It beat me how Apple has managed to even find such poor displays as the last generation of MBPs! The current crop is so much better than the last generation, but this yellow problem is turning out to be a real issue, it seems.
I've got two Macs and both absolutely perfect.
The Applecare on my ppc Powermac is about to expire and I never needed it once!
The Macbook is a few months old now and is flawless.
So I'm one of those guys that sits back and reads these posts about all these crazy problems....shakes my head and moves on to the next thread...
The Applecare on my ppc Powermac is about to expire and I never needed it once!
The Macbook is a few months old now and is flawless.
So I'm one of those guys that sits back and reads these posts about all these crazy problems....shakes my head and moves on to the next thread...
I've got two Macs and both absolutely perfect.
The Applecare on my ppc Powermac is about to expire and I never needed it once!
The Macbook is a few months old now and is flawless.
So I'm one of those guys that sits back and reads these posts about all these crazy problems....shakes my head and moves on to the next thread...
Good for you! i hope you never need your applecare and that you continue to be able to sit back and look at everybody else's problems...
The Macbook is a few months old now and is flawless.
So I'm one of those guys that sits back and reads these posts about all these crazy problems....shakes my head and moves on to the next thread...
Same here. Never a single problem with iPods or Macs in my own collection or my friends and family. Even in the Apple stores the monitors don't even have dead pixels. It's like they just don't get hurt here!
Same cannot be said for Dell though
their 2005fpw really broke in the most spectacular way and the 2007fpw has a loooovely dead pixel in the middle of the screen.I don't agree. I did some poking around the 'net last night and was able to find a number of complaints about laptop displays. Backlight bleeding, uneven illumination, and poor viewing angles are all too common. I even ran across one really long thread about certain 17" Dells having solid-color vertical lines mysteriously appear right as the machines were going out of warranty.
In addition, I've taken a more critical look at some of the PC laptops around my office. I'm starting to think that the industry-wide quality of TN panels is just plain $#!^. I guess most people either don't notice or simply don't care.
I never even think about Dells, but I've examined many PC laptops at Best Buy and most (not all) have very good displays with even illumination, pure whites, no grain and better viewing angles than recent MBPs. I'm not saying that MBPs are bad and PCs are good, just that I've seen many more good PC displays recently than I've seen good MBP displays. The brands I've looked at are TOshiba, Sony and HP. The latest LED ones are, besides teh yellow tint issue, excellnt IMO. I hope they fix that soon.