I haven't heard much about the MacBook Pros lately...Have the issues been sorted out? Is the whine and excessive heat still there? I hear that the heat is still there, but that won't bother me. I am wondering because I am returning my MacBook because of its numerous problems (case warping, moo, whine, kernal panics) and hope to get a flawless laptop this time...So, is there anything I should be worried about besides a little heat?
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MacBook Pro flaws lately?
- Thread starter taybone
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Nobody in the right state of mind is buying a MBP now, with the Macbooks out delivering near equivalent processor power for much less money, and with Core 2 just round the corner. All those as well as the reasons you mentioned, the overheating and whining and mooing, who on earth will buy them now?
I'm pretty sure I'm in my right mind ... but I just got a Week 25 MBP, 2GHz. It was a replacement for one which had the display inverter buzz (among other things ... anyway, Apple claimed to have fixed it, but sent it back and it still buzzed, so I demanded a replacement) - anyway this is one of the newest ones off the line. I know what the whine sounds like, and although it is still there on this new one, it is really much much quieter than my previous MBP.taybone said:
It does still get warm, though - not excessive, but I'm not in the habit of using it on my lap anyway so it doesn't bother me one bit.
Anyway, at this point in time it is probably worth waiting for Core 2 -- though I'm not sure why that would necessarily mean a drop in temperature - just that it will be running quicker at that temperature. Correct me if I'm wrong.
I have a week 22 MBP with no problems at all. It was a tad warm so I broke it apart and reapplied the TIC, problem solved.
mine's flawless
I have a week 22 MBP 17" and it hovers around 47C. I can still use it on my bare legs comfortably and it runs considerably cooler than my 12" PB to the touch. It is running currently at 73C but that's because is under LOAD... running a FCP render and Logic conversion. I love this machine and its a month old... core 2 didn't bother me that much, because lets face it... there's always something bigger and better around the corner... so buy now... it'll change tomorrow... its inevitable in the technology world.
I have a week 22 MBP 17" and it hovers around 47C. I can still use it on my bare legs comfortably and it runs considerably cooler than my 12" PB to the touch. It is running currently at 73C but that's because is under LOAD... running a FCP render and Logic conversion. I love this machine and its a month old... core 2 didn't bother me that much, because lets face it... there's always something bigger and better around the corner... so buy now... it'll change tomorrow... its inevitable in the technology world.
Week 21 15" MBP here with 0 issues at all, it's quiet (nothing but noise computer noise if I put my ear up to the case), and runs perfectly cool... heaps cooler than my PowerMac G4.
???
How cool is yours? I am a bit puzzled by CPU temperatures as reported by iStat Nano and CoreCuo Temp. Contrary to numerous overheating issues reported by many MBP users, I seem to have an exact opposite problem. And my MBP developed a nearly inaudible hum while in battery mode since the OS X 10.4.7 update.risc said:
ScarletRed said:
In normal use say 35'C - 45'C it hits maybe 60'C - 70'C when I flog both cores at 100%. So most of the time the case is barely warm.
OK it seems to be safe to buy these days then...I want to buy one now, as I am making a movie this summer and need final cut, and honestly, there WILL always be something newer right around the corner, it doesn't bother me that much.
Had a week 22 that had to be returned for the whine. It ran cool and didn't moo, though.
I'm not buying again until I'm reasonably convinced it isn't a crapshoot that I won't have at least one (and probably more than one) of the three issues.
I'm not buying again until I'm reasonably convinced it isn't a crapshoot that I won't have at least one (and probably more than one) of the three issues.
That was the reasoning that lead me to purchase my macbook pro. I think it's a good call.
taybone said:
You have to try it out for yourself. For example, if I am using my mbp on my lap, I only use it for web browsing during which the temperature stays in the low 40s (right now it's 41C). I need to use a mouse for anything professional so the mbp has to go on a table. It can get up to 60C when running photoshop, fireworks, flash and maybe several other apps, but the temperature isn't an issue then.
When it stays in the 40s it is warm but not uncomfortably warm. I can easily have it on my lap. I used to have a 12" iBook 1.2Ghz before and it was just as warm. I also noticed that the bottom part of my mbp gets warm in the middle area which isn't in contact with my legs.
The whine I hardly ever notice. Maybe at night only, but if it bothers me I just do the following - run mirror widget, close it, put computer to sleep by closing the lid (I turned safe sleep off, so it only takes a couple of seconds), wake up the computer and the whine is gone. It takes about 20s to do all that, but the computer goes quiet. However I must say, that I hardly ever do this. The whine isn't an issue for me. Computers do make some noise and this whine isn't the worst I heard.
I hear people complaining but I think the problems are exaggerated. Especially the wine problem. You have to be in a dead quiet room to notice it or you just have to look for it. I am sitting in a leaving room right now. No tv, no music. I can hear birds outside. My girlfriend is in the bedroom reading. It is quiet! But I have to put my ear next to the top left corner of my laptop to hear the whine.
I have a week 11 15" MBP, 2.0Ghz, 2GB, x1600 with 256MB. (didn't reapply the thermal paste)
To sum up: It is the best computer I've ever owned and I would recommend it to anyone.
When it stays in the 40s it is warm but not uncomfortably warm. I can easily have it on my lap. I used to have a 12" iBook 1.2Ghz before and it was just as warm. I also noticed that the bottom part of my mbp gets warm in the middle area which isn't in contact with my legs.
The whine I hardly ever notice. Maybe at night only, but if it bothers me I just do the following - run mirror widget, close it, put computer to sleep by closing the lid (I turned safe sleep off, so it only takes a couple of seconds), wake up the computer and the whine is gone. It takes about 20s to do all that, but the computer goes quiet. However I must say, that I hardly ever do this. The whine isn't an issue for me. Computers do make some noise and this whine isn't the worst I heard.
I hear people complaining but I think the problems are exaggerated. Especially the wine problem. You have to be in a dead quiet room to notice it or you just have to look for it. I am sitting in a leaving room right now. No tv, no music. I can hear birds outside. My girlfriend is in the bedroom reading. It is quiet! But I have to put my ear next to the top left corner of my laptop to hear the whine.
I have a week 11 15" MBP, 2.0Ghz, 2GB, x1600 with 256MB. (didn't reapply the thermal paste)
To sum up: It is the best computer I've ever owned and I would recommend it to anyone.
These machines run fairly warm because there is an incredibly fast dual core chip inside -- I don't think that fact is going to change.taybone said:
unless you need a dedicated GPU, bigger screen and/or the Express port, i really recommend the MacBook. Its much cheaper and the middle/top computers have the same chip as the base model MBP.
I don't think anyone would be out of their mind to buy a MBP presently. The coherency of the current customers is what keeps the MBP on the production lines for the future. The problems are blown way out of proportion IMO. They are a solid computer and will have greater solidity and performance as software updates better utilize the system with Apple gaining experience with OS X running on Intel.
I don't believe that Merom will be the long awaited prophet, but I think the mid quarters of 07 are going to bring some exciting developments as the Pro lines might undergo some true revisions in terms of the casing materials and such. Let's hope that their attempts at G5 tower cooling is something they strive for in their portables.
I think Apple should offer an 8 month lease program for those that have to have the latest and greatest. If anyone is holding out for an "end all be all" purchase in the computing market, there isn't one.
I don't believe that Merom will be the long awaited prophet, but I think the mid quarters of 07 are going to bring some exciting developments as the Pro lines might undergo some true revisions in terms of the casing materials and such. Let's hope that their attempts at G5 tower cooling is something they strive for in their portables.
I think Apple should offer an 8 month lease program for those that have to have the latest and greatest. If anyone is holding out for an "end all be all" purchase in the computing market, there isn't one.
lonepilgrim said:
Negative. They run fairly warm because the thermal paste is applied incorrectly
We've been through this far too many times. Those of us that have it running cool didn't use magic or make our dual core chip slower. We reapplied thermal paste (or were darn lucky, though I don't believe risc and his 35C idle temperature is correct -- 43+C running idle is more likely, unless you're taking temperature calcs as soon as you load your MBP from cool).lonepilgrim said:
Sorry, the rest of the PC world has already been putting AMD X2s into laptops way before Apple even got a clue and switched off that inferior PPC architecture.
By your rationale and with Apple superior engineering a AMD64 laptop, if ever conceived, will melt into a puddle of molten aluminium. The Core Duo processors actually has lower amounts of heat generated compared to the previous line, so your reasoning means squat.
Apple probably deliberately squirted in the thermal compounds the way they did to induce premature thermal failure on the MB and MBPs, hey, it does forces people to buy Applecare (basically an extortion of up to 25% the value of your Mac) or even better, buy a new computer altogether!
Look at the bulging batteries and case separation photos that we see from time to time, woohoo, Apple geniuses can easily point on all of these defects and blame the user for physically abusing their macs, and tear up their warranty right in front of their faces!
That's right, always assume your customer is out to get you! Good business policy!
generik said:
I just bought a MacBook Pro (1.83 Ghz, maxed out the RAM myself) and I have to say, I'm in the right state of mind (last I checked).
Most people in the market for a MacBook Pro need the 128MB or 256MB video card that the MacBook sadly lacks. The MacBook's are only a bargain if you don't do power computing on your laptop.
Core 2? Big deal. I'm going to wait at least a year before I just to Core 2 (or whatever chip they have out then). I'm a little put off by the whine and the heat issues the MBP's have; I want to see what Apple does to fix those problems.
FragTek said:
You mean Intel Core Duo?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_Pentium_M
Look what happens after the single core.....