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hajime

macrumors 604
Original poster
Jul 23, 2007
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Hi, to those who have been using their Space Black MacBook Pro for a year and not touching it without washing hands after meals, does it still look new?
 
I am concerned with discoloration especially in the palm rest area.
For some people, a little bit of wear will evenly show on the left and see right palm areas due to ether continual rubbing or due to the natural oils of he hand. This kind of thing has been occurring for decades with the Macs. It's not a defect of the coloring process. Try to stop obsessing. It's just a tool. No matter how many times you wash your hands before using your Mac, hand oils will slowly start to show on the keys and palm areas. I had it happen with me on my MPB in 2012 etc. Either use the Mac in clamshell or get aBluetooth keyboard, if you are going to obsess.
 
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I want to know this too. I'd like to get the Space Black for my next one, but I may well get silver instead if the Space Black starts showing wear after a year or so. Hopefully we get some real first-hand accounts other than "let me tell you why you shouldn't be worried about this" — because some of us are going to worry about it anyway.
 
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I want to know this too. I'd like to get the Space Black for my next one, but I may well get silver instead if the Space Black starts showing wear after a year or so. Hopefully we get some real first-hand accounts other than "here's why you shouldn't be worried about this".
There is no inherent problem with the Space black and it doesn't wear any faster than the other colors.
 
The space black anodized MBs are around for about 10 years. No issues if u don’t drop it

I am confused. I read that Apple added a new coating this year to reduce fingerprint. So earlier space black anodized Mac may be different from the ones produced within the recent two years?
 
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I am confused. I read that Apple added a new coating this year to reduce fingerprint. So earlier space black anodized Mac may be different from the ones produced within the recent two years?

Reduce fingerprints, huh? I just got a new Space Black M4 Pro and this thing is crazy magnetic to fingerprints.

I haven't tried wiping it down yet though. It could be that the coating makes it less likely to absorb the oil, but my new laptop looks like it's been passed around like a petition!
 
I am confused. I read that Apple added a new coating this year to reduce fingerprint. So earlier space black anodized Mac may be different from the ones produced within the recent two years?
Thought that was for the midnight on the Air.
 
How about a little patina pride?
Here's my MBP silver after three years of daily use, IOW: if not the palm rest area, then the keys :p

MBPpatina.jpg
 
I want to know this too. I'd like to get the Space Black for my next one, but I may well get silver instead if the Space Black starts showing wear after a year or so. Hopefully we get some real first-hand accounts other than "let me tell you why you shouldn't be worried about this" — because some of us are going to worry about it anyway.
First hand account can tell u there was no discoloration with 3 MBs in 10 years
 
Mine still looks brand new. I got the M3 a few days after release... I use it and carry it around with no case... and am guilty of using it while eating and having greasy hands sometimes when I am on the run...... So far no discoloration, no scratches, no fading.... Looks absolutely flawless.
 
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There must be batches that are prone to discoloration. My wife and I have been through 5 Space Grey Apple laptops between the two of us and the only one that got discolored palm rests was my M1 Pro MBP, which was surprising because I would have guessed it'd be one of the Intel tbMBPs as those got so hot my hands would sweat.

My new Space Black M4 Pro is my 6th modern MBP and the palm areas are already getting shiny after only one week of use. I just gave it a good wipe down with lens cleaner I use on my camera lenses and I can still see very light shine marks.

That said, I went to my M1 Pro and gave it a really good wipe down and the lighter shine marks all got wiped away. It's only the palm areas that I can't wipe clean. Then again, if you're gonna freak out about shine, you've probably already passed out from looking at the keyboard. I really wish that Apple will figure out how to use PBT plastics in the laptop keyboards some day.
 
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How about a little patina pride?
Here's my MBP silver after three years of daily use, IOW: if not the palm rest area, then the keys :p

View attachment 2463058
I've had MBPs for six and seven years and they're never showing anywhere this level of damage. I don't think I baby my machines either.

This is like seeing everyone with frayed lightning cords while I still have a drawer full of them that are fine.
 
I am concerned with discoloration especially in the palm rest area.
Don't worry about discoloration at all. There's no "paint", it's real anodized metal. The darker color comes from an etching process, that's the actual surface of the device.

I seem to be cursed with oily wrists, I have to clean the space around my trackpad once a week or so… but it's no worse than the Space Grey or Silver models.

Dust around the speaker grills is maybe a little more visible. I've come to hate those faux holes (they're not real except for a dime-sized space at the bottom, just for looks).

I put it in a bag that had a steel zipper inside once and thought "I should be careful about this, that could scratch," and there was indeed a visible scratch as soon as I took it out >_<

but basically it's gorgeous and such a nice change, just get one.
 
I've had MBPs for six and seven years and they're never showing anywhere this level of damage. I don't think I baby my machines either.

This is like seeing everyone with frayed lightning cords while I still have a drawer full of them that are fine.
FWIW, this was the infamous butterfly keyboard.
 
Mine is turning 1 in 5 days.. daily use and it still looks as it did the first day. I don't baby it but I am very careful when using it and I clean it once a week with a slightly damp (almost nothing) microfiber.
 
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