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Has the Rev. B MBA's line issue sorted out?
- Thread starter jjahshik32
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Well, if my MacBook Air which I purchased within the last 4 weeks is any indication, then the answer is no. I have no way of quantifying the frequency of occurrence, so things like "most still have" is a bit loaded. The best way to look at it is you still have a "non-zero probability" of encountering the issue.
I don't know if it is most.....
According to the informal poll done here at MacRumors Forums - less than 30 people were affected by this....
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/608263/
Also - the official Apple support forums sure were NOT buzzing about this issue. There have been a few threads there but nothing major. The main thread there hasn't seen much activity in the last 4 months....
There was a 25 page thread about this here - but about 80% of the posts were from the same 5 or 6 vocal people.
It DOES still exist - but not in most of the MBA's out there....
So - BUYER BEWARE!
According to the informal poll done here at MacRumors Forums - less than 30 people were affected by this....
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/608263/
Also - the official Apple support forums sure were NOT buzzing about this issue. There have been a few threads there but nothing major. The main thread there hasn't seen much activity in the last 4 months....
There was a 25 page thread about this here - but about 80% of the posts were from the same 5 or 6 vocal people.
It DOES still exist - but not in most of the MBA's out there....
So - BUYER BEWARE!
This really sucks so far Apple's lineup in notebooks are plagued with problems.
1) 15", 17" Unibody MBP and 13" unibody macbooks has problems with blinking screens for some people and for almost all people the 1-3 notches of brightness shows a pulsating slight flickering backlighting.
Not to mention speakers buzzing/rattling noises on the right side on the mbps. Graphics distortion issues on the 17" and lines issues on the MBA.
I would think the 13" unibody macbooks would be the one to buy but their screens are horribly washed out.
I really want a notebook and want an apple brand for OSX but for now.. there is no options!!
I was thinking about a Rev. A MBA but cores shutting down, overheating, fans revving up freakishly loud... no thanks!~!
1) 15", 17" Unibody MBP and 13" unibody macbooks has problems with blinking screens for some people and for almost all people the 1-3 notches of brightness shows a pulsating slight flickering backlighting.
Not to mention speakers buzzing/rattling noises on the right side on the mbps. Graphics distortion issues on the 17" and lines issues on the MBA.
I would think the 13" unibody macbooks would be the one to buy but their screens are horribly washed out.
I really want a notebook and want an apple brand for OSX but for now.. there is no options!!
I was thinking about a Rev. A MBA but cores shutting down, overheating, fans revving up freakishly loud... no thanks!~!
Welcome to my world - the world of picky people. In this particular world all of the Apple machines have their small little imperfections and it's about settling for the one that has the least amount of blemishes.
If you can get your hands on a line free MBA rev B, that's the machine with the least amount of imperfections. Some people have an easy time doing that, and I'm guessing they got lucky and got a good batch of machines in their area. Others, like myself, can't find any line free rev B machines in our area - yes, even to this day.
I'm guessing my area must have gotten a bad batch and hasn't been able to move them since.
If you can get your hands on a line free MBA rev B, that's the machine with the least amount of imperfections. Some people have an easy time doing that, and I'm guessing they got lucky and got a good batch of machines in their area. Others, like myself, can't find any line free rev B machines in our area - yes, even to this day.
I'm guessing my area must have gotten a bad batch and hasn't been able to move them since.
I don't think the lines are affecting many rev B MBAs. I have seen nine perfect rev B MBAs in the wild. My rev B MBA from January 2009 was perfect. Although mine has been stolen, I expect my next MBA to be perfect too.
I wouldn't let lines stop me from buying a rev B MBA. If you are so unfortunate as to get the lines, return it for a refund or exchange it for one without lines.
I wouldn't let lines stop me from buying a rev B MBA. If you are so unfortunate as to get the lines, return it for a refund or exchange it for one without lines.
Sorry to hear about your perfect MBA that was stolen!
Also I'm curious if your new one has lines or not. Can you keep us updated when you do receive one?
If I do decide to buy one, I think I'll order one from Apple.com just to make sure I get the latest versions instead of an older rev. b thats been sitting at the Apple store unmoved due to the economic situation.
a) Not everyone with a problem comes to macforums
b) of those ppl, even fewer participate in polls
c) that thread is one of several indicating it's very widespread, and if you had a chance to read any one of them, the consensus was that there are varying degrees of the problem and most people would just "live with it".
d) the lines issue was big enough on the apple forums that even some news outlets were reporting the problem, including engadget
I know of the exchange deal. In 2007 with the preunibody mbp 15" I exchanged 14 times due to the yellowish tint at the bottom of the screen.
I have 2 local apple stores near me just 15 minutes away and I exchanged 8 times without restocking fee (yes 8 times) at both apple stores.
They sure mark you down as "crazy" or give you that crazy look though. I just feel so uncomfortable exchanging though after doing it so many times in the past! Oh well your right though you paid the $$ and should get what you want.
Apple definitely had some major lines problem at the end of last year.
the bad ones were really awful!!
1st most of us got faint lines, easier to live with, not so easy to get replaced from apple store, or applecare! Or convincing, staff which i have not yet attempted!
2nd problem, within two weeks the internal latch which stops the screen folding back 180 degrees, popped. So now the screen has more play and pushes back to almost flat.
Which is handy? But I plan on selling this at some point so its not ideal!
the bad ones were really awful!!
1st most of us got faint lines, easier to live with, not so easy to get replaced from apple store, or applecare! Or convincing, staff which i have not yet attempted!
2nd problem, within two weeks the internal latch which stops the screen folding back 180 degrees, popped. So now the screen has more play and pushes back to almost flat.
Which is handy? But I plan on selling this at some point so its not ideal!
I recall there seemed to be an association with the screen model used, which itself varied according to what spec you bought. Most of the line-free citations were from the 1.86SSD with the 9C90 display. Also some with the earlier 9C8F variant that was used in the late rev.A's.
Personally, I've now had 3 rev.Bs, 2 x HDD, 1 x SSD, all three have been plagued with lines, and all three have been summarily sent back. Even the one with the faintest lines, I thought the screen was fairly poor quality anyway (significantly worse than my old G4 PB) which suggests to me there's definitely some substandard QC going on in the assembly line.
I've now given up and am going to hold out in hope for a June/WWDC release of the rev.C.
Personally, I've now had 3 rev.Bs, 2 x HDD, 1 x SSD, all three have been plagued with lines, and all three have been summarily sent back. Even the one with the faintest lines, I thought the screen was fairly poor quality anyway (significantly worse than my old G4 PB) which suggests to me there's definitely some substandard QC going on in the assembly line.
I've now given up and am going to hold out in hope for a June/WWDC release of the rev.C.
But what about a rev C??? Really worried that a rev C could be around the corner. With the new SL9600, anything is possible. While I think late Summer seems possible, why wait to upgrade with the SL9600 available now?
T
The Toddfather
Guest
I would argue that the people with issues are far more vocal than people without issues. If one has a problem with a new product, one is more likely to search forums of said product to see if others have the same issue. Those with no issues are less likely to seek help.
It is far more likely that there are fewer line problems that have been reported here, and the numbers here are quite small.
Actually, it is far more likely that the majority of MBA owners with screen lines are not aware they have them, either because they have less than optimal eyesight/attention to minute detail or don't have another point of reference to compare to (i.e. PB, MBP etc.).
Therefore no need to google the problem and end up here at MR because for all intents and purposes, the screen is, to them, 'perfect'.
Ignorance is bliss and I'd say those here complaining of lines, far from representing a tiny minority, are just the tip of the iceberg.
And there we have another group, the "apathetics" (no offence, you get my point I'm sure
)And again here, the other group I alluded to before, those without a comparative point of reference.
Screen lines ARE a relatively significant issue with the rev.B model, Apple wouldn't accept so many returns if not, nor would the issue be so globally widespread even amongst the users on this forum. When I returned my first citing the issue, the Apple Store adviser on the phone accepted it without hesitation and said I wasn't the first, before offering me a slight discount/refund if I accepted the unit.....he even used the phrase "hush money" albeit in the sense of "I don't wish this to sound like hush money BUT.....". Make of that what you will.
I had 3 Rev A's and now a Rev B because of a verity of issues. I wasn't sure, but I am pretty confident that there are very faint gray horizontal lines across the screen, easier to see on plain white backdrops. I thought I was going crazy till I searched for this issue. They are really pale, but it is constantly bothering me. Think it's going back. Time to get a MacBook pro. Shame too, because I love the Air, but I don't think I can take all these problems I've had with the Air.
Scottsdale, this is exactly my dilemma. Grad school starts at the end of August and I am not sure what to do. Throw in the learning curve and I am really in a quandry here. I would be willing to PC it longer (long story, wife's computer) if I KNEW REv C would be available by or around early September.
Having gone through grad school with a mac laptop I had to return 7 times let me try some advice. I was dumb enough to buy apple's first aluminum macbook (before it was called pro). It was the worst product I have ever owned. Finally I received revB of that product and it was ok with its own problems. Apple would not exchange it anymore (fair enough). My wife bought the new macbook pro revC by that time and man it was nice. Me on the other hand was never really pleased with my computer. My advice is wait if it is going to be your only computer for grad school. And may god have mercy on your soul if you are going into graduate school with a macbook air if you plan on anything to do with science. Add the weight and get a macbook pro.
Bioethics. Lots or residencies and travelling from one clinical setting to another. A big reason for MBA. email, Pages, Keynote, web, and some movie watching will be my processsing diet.
T
The Toddfather
Guest
It's very arrogant (and silly) to claim that there are lines on all MBA's, but people just can't see them. I've had two MBA's (revA and revB) and literally hundreds of people have looked at both and seen no lines. I could be just as silly and claim no MBA's have lines and people who have them are imagining them.
If your Air has lines, you should take it back, paying $2500 for less than a perfect computer is ignorant.