Does your 11.6" Air have a floppy screen?

[Nautigar]

Bug or feature?

Hi everybody,

mine shows the same behavior. Yet, I do not know whether this really is a bug. Thanks to the not-so-tight hinge, it is easy to open the computer with a single hand. If the hinge was tighter, it would be necessary to hold the bottom part while lifting the lid.

 

[bmat]

my screen it tight. 11.6 ultimate.

I can't open with one finger, in fact. it moves the base of the laptop. Perhaps it will get less tight over time.

 

[WardC]

I have some good news to report. I just went to Best Buy and checked out their 11.6" MacBook Air on display and the hinge seemed pretty stiff and secure. This is good news. Looks like the floppy screen issue is an isolated issue and not with all units. I'm still waiting for mine, getting ir delivered on Monday. I hope mine has one of these "good hinges"

 

[kathfern]

I'm about to purchase a 11" and I'm a little concerned after playing with them in the Apple Store. The screens seem to be unusually floppy for a MB.. When I picked it up off of the table the screen flopped back completely. Is that the norm for your 11" Air?

I purchased my macbook air 11inch yesterday and do notice that is flops back a little sometimes, doesn't bother me a great deal though at the moment.

 

[alphaod]

It's a little looser than I'd like, but it's okay on mine. The one in the store was a bit loose. I recall reading the the reviews that said their units were a bit loose as well.

 

[gwsat]

Why is it that so many of the 11 inch MBA's seems to suffer from loose hinges but the 13 inch model, apparently, does not? I have inspected the hinge assembly on my 13 inch and appears to be sturdy. I can't imagine why the 11 inch should have more trouble but I haven't looked closely at an 11 inch model's hinge assembly.

 

[freitas]

11.6 Ultimate. Hinge is just fine.

 

[flexpinoy]

hi, I just bought my first mac the macbook 11 with 128g ssd. I fell in love with this thing when I checked it out at the apple store. Wow, no wonder this thing is expensive. It's a work of art and exudes unmatched quality. Anyways, the hinge on my MCA 11 is kinda loose but it doesn't bother me. I love love this tiny mac. How do I check for dead pixel? TIA.

 

[yanksrock100]

I didnt notice a problem, but if people at the Apple store go "A laptop! Let me play with it!", something is bound to break. So if you buy one and dont go around playing with the hinge, you will be fine.

 

[ITASOR]

I think Apple purposely designed the 11.6 hinge to be less-stiff so that the base of the MBA doesn't move when you adjust the screen.

 

[iRun26.2]

I think Apple purposely designed the 11.6 hinge to be less-stiff so that the base of the MBA doesn't move when you adjust the screen.

That makes sense...but, even if that were true, everybody's hinge should behave the same (yet they don't seem to be).

 

[catalyst6]

11.6 MBA "ultimate" with no hinge issues here....actually can't open it with 1 finger without it sliding around on the table

 

[TxMacAddict]

Thanks for all the feedback.. however I decided to go with the 13" Air after spending a lot of time in the Apple store comparing Apples to Apples. Thee 11" is so cool but ultimately I just decided it wasn't the one for me.

 

[yanksrock100]

Thanks for all the feedback.. however I decided to go with the 13" Air after spending a lot of time in the Apple store comparing Apples to Apples. Thee 11" is so cool but ultimately I just decided it wasn't the one for me.

I think i would have the same choice

 

[kas23]

I went to the Apple Store this weekend and the floppy hinge was the first thing I noticed on the 11 inch. I only tried two, but should've tested them all. Basically, upon opening screen to 90, while holding the base with two hands, I would give just a tiny jolt and the screen would move all the way open or all the shut. Not good considering it is such an awesome computer.

I doubt I handled "defective" 11 inchers. They likely have to make it this way because the base is so light, making it more difficult to open. But, this is likely a subjective thing and others may not be able to notice it. Maybe I'm just used to my 13 in MBP, which I find very tight. Due to this reason only, I'm would have to go with the 13 incher.

 

[rhinosrcool]

I went to the Apple Store this weekend and the floppy hinge was the first thing I noticed on the 11 inch. I only tried two, but should've tested them all. Basically, upon opening screen to 90, while holding the base with two hands, I would give just a tiny jolt and the screen would move all the way open or all the shut. Not good considering it is such an awesome computer.

I doubt I handled "defective" 11 inchers. They likely have to make it this way because the base is so light, making it more difficult to open. But, this is likely a subjective thing and others may not be able to notice it. Maybe I'm just used to my 13 in MBP, which I find very tight. Due to this reason only, I'm would have to go with the 13 incher.

Since the first run mbas suffered from loose hinges, you would think that Apple would have solved this. Unfortunately, the scary thing is if the problem worsens over time.

 

[nidserz]

So I got my 11.6" replaced once for a hinge, and then I got a creaking one with a good hinge... The genius swapped my creaking 11.6" and now I just opened up my new one, and guess what... floppy hinge.
I have come to terms that I won't get a perfect MBA. I wish they spent more time making sure this wouldn't happen. I don't want to go exchange it, because what if I have other problems with my next one, more creaking, etc. The Genius probably hates me by now too. Swapped 2 or 3 MBAs (one unopened due to specs).

 

[Dammit Cubs]

yeah my hinges are loose than previous macbooks i have owned. it stays at the angle i want when i'm using it but when i pick it up. it will flop back. thats probably because you are causing a dual torque on the hinge. so this is a sign of a less resistive torch but flopping back is only natural depending on how fast you pick it up and what direction the pick is at.

 

[nidserz]

yeah my hinges are loose than previous macbooks i have owned. it stays at the angle i want when i'm using it but when i pick it up. it will flop back. thats probably because you are causing a dual torque on the hinge. so this is a sign of a less resistive torch but flopping back is only natural depending on how fast you pick it up and what direction the pick is at.

yeah that is true. it will stay, but when i pick it up it flops back, especially is there is any "speed" on my pick up.
this didn't happen with my creaking MBA. oh well, guess i will have to live with it.

 

[steve31]

Mine is ok.

 

[Over Achiever]

Mine's pretty stiff, I haven't any problems with the screen moving when moving the laptop around.

 

[iRun26.2]

I'm about to purchase a 11" and I'm a little concerned after playing with them in the Apple Store. The screens seem to be unusually floppy for a MB.. When I picked it up off of the table the screen flopped back completely. Is that the norm for your 11" Air?

I would say that is not normal. I tested out four 11.6" units at the local Apple Store me and they were all nice and stiff. My 11.6" arrived on Monday and I couldn't be happier with it. It's screen is stiff, yet moveable. If I lift it by the keyboard side, the screen always stays where it was previously set.

I think I'd return yours, if I were you.