Resilience of paint on the MBP?

[potlatch]

My metal belt buckle scratched all around the latch button on my new MBP. It's really annoying me, so I might look into covering up the scratches on the case a bit, if possible? The worst thing is there's a horrible scratch all along the display release button. It's horrible, and I'm not sure how superficial it is.

My question, I suppose, is to all you seasoned MBP users: should I now expect this paint to start flaking away if I'm not super careful? As in, will it all start flaking off with normal use?

Would it be worth lightly painting over with some protective film? Is this possible? What would I use so it wouldn't be obvious?

 

[Counterfit]

There is no paint.

 

[potlatch]

I saw a post on this board that suggest otherwise. True or false? Not that I don't believe you, Counterfit! Just need corroberation!

 

[Sesshi]

There's paint on some areas of the MBP - for example, the strip under the bottom row of the keyboard. That apparently flakes off pretty soon if you use the keyboard full-time(I don't, since the MBP sits on an iCurve most of the time). The usual Apple engineering genius in using that material combo on the area most subject to wear The rest of the 'paint' is anodised aluminium - which is reasonably hard wearing.

 

[deadpixels]

what were you doing to get your belt buckle so close to your mbpro?

 

[potlatch]

I had it on my lap while watching TV!

That flaking below the keyboard, from what I've read, has to do with pitting as a result of people's sweat being acidic. Apparently.

 

[Sesshi]

I had it on my lap while watching TV!

That flaking below the keyboard, from what I've read, has to do with pitting as a result of people's sweat being acidic. Apparently.

Wasn't that pitting on the palm area, another problem that the Powerbooks apparently have long-term?

The flaking on the area underneath the keyboard is because it is just painted plastic.

 

[DaLurker]

Wait.. i thought the whole mbp is anodised aluminum... ie nothings really painted?!

 

[deadpixels]

Wasn't that pitting on the palm area, another problem that the Powerbooks apparently have long-term?

The flaking on the area underneath the keyboard is because it is just painted plastic.

i believe the top case is aluminium too, can someone confirm this?

 

[Sesshi]

There's one bit which is painted. Which is probably subject to the most contact if you're using the laptop as a laptop. Very smart design

 

[Lucky8]

Wait.. i thought the whole mbp is anodised aluminum... ie nothings really painted?!

I've always thought so too...

 

[Anonymous Freak]

I had the 'below the keyboard' flaking (at the very left edge since I got it, and more recently below 'm'.) That area is very obviously painted. A large enough area flaked off that I saw the shinier metal underneath. I also have a scratch on the very top (back of screen,) that has never gotten worse.

The keyboard area problem was fixed just today. I took it in for repair because my ExpressCard slot's 'retention clip' (for lack of a better name,) had broken, meaning when I put an ExpressCard in, it would immediately pop back out. Plus I had the screen-brightness whine. They repaired both of those, plus the top casing of the main body. (Not the screen casing, though. That was too obviously 'customer abuse'.)

 

[iW00t]

The button where you press to release the latch for the screen is also painted (or chromium coated, not sure which).

There were quite a few cases where the color wears out to reveal grey plastic underneath.