Poll: Is buying Rev.A really a bad idea

[chaos86]

It seems that there has been a running debate between those who swear off any Revision A hardware, and those who don't have a problem being early adopters.

This is of personal intrest to me because I'm in the market for an MBP for myself and a Mac Mini for my fiancée, but I also think this would be a beneficial thread for many buyers.

Fill out the poll, and post your Rev.A horror stories (this is you Artful Dodger) or your love stories about your perfect Rev.A hardware.

 

[chaos86]

I guess I should tell my story.

I have had a Rev.A eMac (700mhz G4) with no problems whatsoever (thought it did but it was a magnet distorting the CRT).

Now I'm on a Powerbook G4 Rev C (I think) and it has/had four problems: the hinge is so stiff that when adjusting the screen angle it sometimes jars the optical drive so hard it has to realign; it forgets it has a bluetooth module a lot after restarting, only a couple of restarts fixes it; and the wrist rest has deteriorated from sweat (I think this was isolated to a material used only briefly in this PB revision); and the power cord's insulation tore (replaced out of warranty because it was a 'safety issue').

 

[ncook06]

Whether it's a Rev. A or Rev. Z, there are going to be problems. It's best to buy regardless of revisons - unless there is a rumor of a really awesome revision that's coming soon.

 

[QCassidy352]

I've only had one rev. A product, my powermac G5 SP 1.8 Ghz, and it was perfect (until it was crushed under a forklift by the USPS...). But my brother had a 700 mhz rev. A imac G4, and that was flawless too.

I've had minor hardware issues with:
- 600 mhz ibook G3 (rev. B, I guess)
- my current ibook G4 (rev. D)

I had no issues at all with:
- imac G3 (dunno what rev. but not A)
- ibook G3 900 mhz (rev. D?)
- powerbook G4 12" (rev. B)

Sure, you can point to some rev. A's that have had big problems, but so have some later rev. machines. (rev. E 15" powerbook was loaded with problems!) I'd have no hesitation buying a rev. A or recommending one to someone else.

 

[Koodauw]

yeah those mbp's sure do suck. i'd rather stick with a G4

 

[runninmac]

(until it was crushed under a forklift by the USPS...).

Care to elaborate? You say it so casually

 

[mad jew]

My iBook G4 was one of the first and I've never had any problems with it. I think you have to pick your new technology. I would have been surprised if Apple didn't have trouble with the first Intel laptops. Having said that, they've come off quite well IMO.

 

[MacRumoron]

i bought a iMac G5 rev. A and the main problem was and still is the fan noise

i also had to take it into the apple store to replace the logic board because my screen got all glitchy and weird

also on occasions it makes a REALLY LOUD beep noise that scares the **** out of me and the volume of this sound doesn't matter how high or low your speaker is set to.

then i bought the MBP rev A and so far the only problem is the CPU noise which isn't really a big deal

 

[Acehigh]

I had a PB TI 887 15" not sure if it was Rev A (aug 2002) but it was sent back 3-4 times in 3 years. I sold it last month since the warranty expired Aug 2005. Brought a MBP a few days ago since I needed a computer and people wanted insane prices for used PB 15" 1.67.


Of course after i brought MBP somebody on craigslist sold PB 1.67 Combo with 20" Apple monitor 1 month old (new version) with 2.5 yr left on applecare for $1900!

 

[iHeartTheApple]

(until it was crushed under a forklift by the USPS...).

I would really like to hear the story behind this one... I can't even imagine.

 

[Max on Macs]

My very first mac (though it wasn't mine, it was bought for me to use) was an iBook. I believe it was a G3, but I wasn't bothered about macs back then so I don't know. All I know is that it was the very first 14" version of the white design (not the coloured ones). That never had any issues at all. I only had it for a year and a half (gave it back to the person who bought it for me to use for that amount of time) but while I did it was running 9 til 5 Mon til Fri 36 weeks of the year without anny problems.

My second mac in March 2003 was the first one that I bought myself, as I'd decided by this point that enough was enough and that I needed to start looking at alternatives to my Win dows machine. This was a rev B PowerBook G4 12-inch I believe, or it may have been the first one with the aluminium rather than titanium, I can't remember. But either way, it had no issues running 10 til 4 Mon til Thu while I was working and a lot during my leisure time too. But a couple of weeks ago, only 2yrs 11mnths since I bought it, the hard drive packed up and died.

My next purchase involved a variety of Rev A machines just in these last couple of weeks. They are a MacBook Pro, an iMac Core Duo and a couple of Mac mini core duos. All Rev. A products (although no new designs but that doesn't make a difference right) and all running brilliantly so far.

 

[jer2eydevil88]

Bought a Rev (a) mac mini and it was problem free, I also bought a PB 15" 1.67ghz after the revision in October. The Powerbook LCD had lines and the Superdrive broke on me.

 

[bousozoku]

I had a revision A blue and white PowerMac G3/400 and had no problems with it but then, it was a floor model so any possible problems had already been worked out.

My dad had a revision A blueberry slot-loading iMac G3/350 and it was full of hardware issues but I'm not sure that it had anything to do with being revision A because the G3 iMacs were constantly being sold as refurbs.

Remembering the first PowerPC Macintoshes, I wouldn't buy the first group of Intel Macintoshes because Apple changed a lot of details that have lasted since then. Still, they already introduced the PCI Express architecture, so maybe there won't be quite as many changes soon.

 

[eXan]

I have never had a single hardware issue with my rev.A eMac, nor rev.B iMac G5

 

[generik]

Buy a Thinkpad, you will have no problems, apart from that one big problem

 

[iMeowbot]

Yow, only 22% so far haven't had any hardware issues? I know that Apple quality can be hit or miss, but that's extraordinary if it stays at those proportions.

 

[mad jew]

Yow, only 22% so far haven't had any hardware issues?

It could be a bit of a statistical anomaly though because generally people with no problems are less likely to vote.

And congratulations on becoming a 601 too.

 

[.Andy]

Yow, only 22% so far haven't had any hardware issues? I know that Apple quality can be hit or miss, but that's extraordinary if it stays at those proportions.

I'd say 100% of people will have had issues with their hardware from any manufacturer at one time or another. Goes with the teritory of using technology. Batteries and harddrives inevitably fail, backlights fade, ports become loose, hinges get broken etc etc. It's only a matter of time before something goes wrong. I'm suprised it was as high as 22%.

 

[Morn]

then i bought the MBP rev A and so far the only problem is the CPU noise which isn't really a big deal

It's extremely annoying to me. And it's such shame that we don't have a better software solution yet than the mirror widget.

 

[Raukodur]

IMO, best to buy Rev. B, always.

Why?

Well, Rev A. are new machines on the block, it is tempting to go out and get one straight away. But i wouldnt. For one, it can have some problems (of course it is possible it wont have any) but there is a higher likelihood it will have issue which rev B and C will have fixed in them BECAUSE of those problems having been found in Rev A.
And, perhaps the more important point, the Rev. B machines usually have some very nice upgrades from the Rev. A machines, not necessarily huge upgrades in performance but addition of 'fun stuff' as well.

The reason why i promote Rev. B and not Rev. C, is because the next step after Rev. C is Rev A. of the next major upgrade in the system in question, and so its not nice to buy a machine and then have major changes made to the system. And if you are buying the machines on a cycle of the same Rev in each set (A, B, C) then you will also have to wait a long time with your 'old' type of machine before you get the 'new' type of machine, only for the next 'new' machine to be unveiled after.

However, with Rev. B, you might not have the advantages a Rev. C machine has, but you know that soon a large change in the machine will occur, and so it isnt that bad, and you dont have too long to wait before the next cycle Rev. B is revelaed which you can snap up.

This probably sounds very convoluted, dunno if it makes sense with all the talk of Rev this and Rev that. This is the point of view i take