Is it OK to stack things on top of a closed lid MacBook Pro?

[Scott M]

How did it turn out?

It was my 13 inch 2015 MacBook Pro.

Basically before setting off on my commute, I had noticed a mark on my windscreen that the wipers and screenwash weren’t shifting. So I got out the car, opened the boot and removed my bag containing my MacBook, iPad and other things and placed it onto the floor, leaning against the car, so that I could get to the compartment at the bottom of my boot that contained my window cleaner and cloth. I cleaned the mark off the windscreen and returned the cleaning stuff to the compartment, shut the boot, got back in my car and reversed over the bag that I somehow completely forgot about. It felt like I had reversed over an animal or something.

The MacBook and the iPad both suffered virtually the exact same damage. Pressure marks on the screen. The MacBook screen obviously had several marks from being squished against the keyboard, I’m assuming. Somehow, apart from that, they survived and worked perfectly fine. I continued to use them for another 2-3 years before I finally sold the iPad and upgraded to an M1 MacBook Air. It wasn’t a fun time as I tend to baby my stuff and they were both absolutely pristine before this happened, but at least I didn’t care about that for the next few years, I guess. Whereas with my current MacBook Air I am right back to babying it and worrying about it getting a scratch, etc.

I’ve attached a picture of what the pressure damage looked like on the MacBook Pro. You could only see it on dark backgrounds, really.

 

[hagjohn]

I haven't seen this discussed anywhere, and was wondering if it's OK to stack things (books, keyboards, etc...) on top of a closed lid MacBook Pro? I have a 14" MBP and always put things like multiple books on top of it.

I guess it doesn't hurt the computer?

Does anyone know the weight limit? Do you also stack things on your MBP?

Thank you!

The answer is noooooooooooo.

 

[jav6454]

Years ago a co-worker came over to my desk and put he rested his head in his hand to look at a report I had on my screen. I looked down and he was resting his elbow just above the Apple logo on my months old 2012 15” retina MacBook Pro. I was furious with him!!! Big dent on top lid and tons of dead pixels… luckily for him Apple covered it with no questions. No AppleCare. Just under the one year warranty. In the end he did feel bad and bought me a 1st gen iPad mini. After that I would barely put a sheet of paper on a closed lid lol

Lucky you weren't charged for the repair.

 

[jav6454]

I know. Well my coworker was lucky lol. I was even honest with the tech at Apple and he was like “it’s covered” I was taken aback by the comment. I still remember the warranty repair was for $690.

Holy cr**, almost the price of a new MBA.

 

[chrono1081]

Noooo dont do that! I've seen many a computer from many different brands with permanent etchings in the screen from the keyboards.

 

[jav6454]

I know right! The local Apple Store in my area always, in my experience, seems to side with the consumer.

Indeed, I have found experiences vary from store to store and I will even go as far as to say that Apple stores within malls are worst in terms of customer service.

 

[orionquest]

Sure you can use your MacBook Pro to level your couch, it's made out of metal right?

 

[thefourthpope]

Wow not a single pro stacker here. I guess I was the only one stacking but should probably stop.

I put things on it, not as a habit or anything but I know I do and I don’t think twice about it. I don’t see any difference between that and putting it in a backpack sleeve…which I also do.

Slight digression: I put an old MacBook Air (whatever year was the last with MagSafe) into a shoulder bag (ok, ok, reusable grocery bag) with some books to pop across campus for a meeting. I was on my fixie bike rather than my usual cruiser, and the shoulder bag kept slipping. I put the handles around the handlebars. The bag swung and the MBA went between the spokes of my bike. Brought me to a complete halt. I was sure I’d ripped it clean in half.

Nope. One USB post stopped working and there was a dent in the lower chassis. This was years ago. We still have the machine and it still functions.

Back to the topic at hand: These things are tools and I treat them as such. I am aware that part of this is the privilege of my holding a university job with grants and additional funding streams that make even high end devices easy to obtain at no financial cost to me, but I was this way in grad school and undergrad (the clamshell iBook with the handle! I spilled ramen on it like week two…never missed a beat) as well.

 

[jav6454]

Sure you can use your MacBook Pro to level your couch, it's made out of metal right?

Or to hold a supercollider pilar.

 

[SocialKonstruct]

Sit on it or even just place four textbooks on it

 

[canuckRus]

Limit reached just before you hear the screen crack sound, followed by ChaChing!

 

[BeatCrazy]

Eh. Had a Dell back in the stone-age that developed the same problem, and that one was built like a tank. Never had that with a Mac.

Guess royal we have a tendency to flip up the lid quickly and or until feel the hard stop, adding a little extra flex into it. Pushing from one side vs center might add some extra stress as well.

I don't think the MacBook Pro screen cracked from flipping the lid up. More likely something was stacked on top of it, possibly with some debris (a screw? who knows) in between the keyboard and the screen.

 

[chengengaun]

I have used my MBPs as trays to carry mouse, water bottle etc. from one meeting room to another, so far without problems. But I will hesitate to stack Phaidon coffee table books on top of MBPs.

 

[NY Guitarist]

Wow not a single pro stacker here. I guess I was the only one stacking but should probably stop.

Why would you even want to stack things on top of your laptop? That idea makes zero sense to me.

 

[biffuz]

My old fat cat sleeps on my '13 MBP 15" all the time...

 

[GoldPunch]

Sometimes my cat sits no problem so far.

 

[Madhatter32]

Last time I did something like that inadvertently, I was left with a laptop screen with many faint squares imprinted on it. It looked like keyboard subtly embossed on the screen. Luckliy the stuff I put on top were pretty light weight otherwise my screen would have probably ended up with a permanent keyboard tattoo in the middle of it.

 

[PBG4 Dude]

Sometimes my cat sits no problem so far.

Same here. Keep finding my cats snoozing on my laptops.

 

[PBG4 Dude]

I have used my MBPs as trays to carry mouse, water bottle etc. from one meeting room to another, so far without problems. But I will hesitate to stack Phaidon coffee table books on top of MBPs.

I do this with my iPad when moving around the house. With the cover on, I’ll use it like a waiter’s tray.

 

[spiderman0616]

Never. I know MacBooks are able to take quite a bit of wear and tear and still work, but keep in mind that inside that laptop's "lid" is a very advanced display that does not respond well to excessive pressure.

 

[macar00n]

Bunch of amateur stackers in this thread - as an expert, let me weigh in (pun intended).

The way that others have gotten key imprints on their screens is by stacking things on the center of the closed-lid computer, causing inward bowing of the lid. You can get away with light items this way (glasses, phone) but anything heavier and you'll be pressing the screen against the keyboard and getting key imprints on it.

The right way to stack is by distributing the weight uniformly across the lid of the computer, including its structural edges. For example, if the first item you place on top of the closed-lid computer is a book that is larger than the computer, it will spread the weight of anything stacked on top of that evenly including across the much stronger structural edges of the computer.

I have a special "stacking tray" that is simply a flat tray that is larger than my 14" MacBook Pro. Everything I want to stack on top of the computer, I put on that tray and it distributes the weight evenly. I have stacked books, moving boxes, car parts, air conditioners, anything that I wanted to stack on top of my computer I have been able to stack using this method. I even had a bet with my friends that I could stand on top of my computer with my full weight using this method and not cause any damage to it. Whether I won the bet or not isn't important, what's important is that we can stack to our heart's content and if the computer breaks or is damaged, at least we lived and did all of the stacking that we wanted to do.

 

[JahBoolean]

I have stacked books, moving boxes, car parts, air conditioners, anything that I wanted to stack on top of my computer I have been able to stack using this method.

 

[Fishrrman]

NO !!!

Do not do this !!

It could become "the fast track" to a damaged display.

(did I make my opinion clear?)

 

[orionquest]

NO !!!

Do not do this !!

It could become "the fast track" to a damaged display.

(did I make my opinion clear?)

Should have been obvious in the first place 🤷‍♂️ But then again people need to be told and we get signs like this
Does Apple need to put a sticker on the packaging to tell people.

 

[MikeDr206]

I've actually done this once...

Ok, you can’t leave us hanging… why? How did it turn out?