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scared to buy MBP

J

jjjaxon

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 16, 2007
5
0
I want to buy a 15" MacBook Pro, but after reading some of the posts on this forum I have to admit I'm really hesitant. With all the posts going around here about yellow screens, screens that don't properly close all the way, and keyboards that sometimes don't register initial keystrokes, the Santa Rosa MBPs sound like awful lemons.

Are these problems that pervasive or is it the unlucky minority posting here?

If I were to roll the dice and buy, would it be best to buy from and Apple Store, the Apple online store, or an online reseller. I'd prefer to buy from macconnection.com since they have the MBP for $1844 and I wouldn't have to pay tax. Is it better to buy from Apple directly in case the MBP has an issue?
 
jjjaxon said:
I want to buy a 15" MacBook Pro, but after reading some of the posts on this forum I have to admit I'm really hesitant. With all the posts going around here about yellow screens, screens that don't properly close all the way, and keyboards that sometimes don't register initial keystrokes, the Santa Rosa MBPs sound like awful lemons.

Are these problems that pervasive or is it the unlucky minority posting here?

If I were to roll the dice and buy, would it be best to buy from and Apple Store, the Apple online store, or an online reseller. I'd prefer to buy from macconnection.com since they have the MBP for $1844 and I wouldn't have to pay tax. Is it better to buy from Apple directly in case the MBP has an issue?
Click to expand...


My MBP is not a SR, but I think it is down to an unlucky minority really. If it was very likely that you would get a MBP with these issues Apple would have had to address it. I have the pre-SR 2.16G MBP. I do not have any issues. The lid closes just fine. I have no dead pixels, nothing. I think you should be safe. I do understand you concern though. It does seem like a lot of them have been flawed, but then again it is really rare to have people post that they're completely happy.
 
I have a MacBook, and it works really well. flopticalcube is right, forums you mostly only hear the negative. Apple has had a few issues, but it's not like they were "recalled"

Not only that, but sometimes Apple users are a lot more picky and the slightest flaw because way exxagerated.

Don't be scared, just buy one.

Edit to add: Also, Apple is selling 10's of Millions more laptops every year over the few hundred thousand they were a few years ago..If you look at how many people have issues..it's not that many...
 
I just bought mine. No yellowing and an amazing laptop.

Every one i've seen (online, in store, mine) has corners that don't meet when they're closed.

Also this bad boy gets VERY hot sometimes.
 
I am a second year graphic design student so Macs are a must. My program requires a MBP for second year students so almost all of my friends have just recently made their first Mac purchase, that being a 15" MBP. Out of the 20 or so that I have personally used (I had to help people setup their wireless settings since they don't know how to read simple instructions :rolleyes:), only 1 had a slight hint of a yellow tint and 1 other was having kernel panic problems. So, 2 out of 20 weren't "perfect" and I would say the only one worth doing anything about was the one have KPs. 5% "failure" rate isn't that high for consumer electronics, especially with a new platform (SR) with new hardware (LED screens).
 
flopticalcube said:
Forums act like problem-magnets and blow things out of proportion. Apple has some of the best rated laptops in the world.
Click to expand...

Mostly I suspect because people are repeat buyers of Apple or they move up from cheap machines so don't know what to expect from a real premium machine. Superior rating by default.

As for being scared - don't sweat it if you need or want to buy it. Just go and buy it. If there are problems get it fixed. And yes, best to buy from Apple for best results. If there's one thing I rate pretty highly it's Apple's in-store support - When I have the time to go down there of course.
 
jjjaxon said:
I'd prefer to buy from macconnection.com since they have the MBP for $1844 and I wouldn't have to pay tax. Is it better to buy from Apple directly in case the MBP has an issue?
Click to expand...
FWIW, Amazon has the same price, isn't likely to have sales tax in your state, and gave me no hassles when I returned a CD MacBook Pro back to them because it ran hot, had the CPU whine and the LCD buzz.
 
flopticalcube said:
Forums act like problem-magnets and blow things out of proportion. Apple has some of the best rated laptops in the world.
Click to expand...

Amen. It's like walking into a hospital and assuming the whole world is ill: bad logic all around. Buy your mbp, enjoy it, and once it's in your hands, forget all about the irrational terror you're feeling now.

PS, I bought my mbp in the first week, and I have had no problems with it:D
 
They are a small number of MBP owners that are having the problems. I have had my MBP for 1 1/2 weeks now and I am completely happy with it. It's by far the best computer I have ever used. Don't hesitate! You take a chance with whatever product you buy. If you happen to get a screwed up one then it can be replaced. Buy one. Now!
 
As opposed to HP and Dell (or even Alienware, Voodoo, etc.) you have just as good a chance of getting a good (or bad) machine if not less. Yes there are problems, there are with any model. If you want one, take the shot. You have recourse (14-day return policy if you can show issues).
 
I don't own one, but a couple I know just bought the 15" as their first computer ever. I spent about 4-hours with them the other night going over it with them. Amazing machine! Absolutely amazing! The screen looks great, it's unbelievably fast, and I had no problems with the keyboard at all. I can't imagine somebody buying one of these and not being 100% happy.
 
eRondeau said:
I don't own one, but a couple I know just bought the 15" as their first computer ever. I spent about 4-hours with them the other night going over it with them. Amazing machine! Absolutely amazing! The screen looks great, it's unbelievably fast, and I had no problems with the keyboard at all. I can't imagine somebody buying one of these and not being 100% happy.
Click to expand...

I could imagine if there's any weight to this yellow screen issue. Just as with any other laptop vendor you can get a bad one, you can get a good one. Just get'r fixed or replaced. Work the system legitimately and it all works out. Remember 95% of all companies (for-profit product producing business) wait until complaints reach a critical mass before acknowledging it. If Apple came on the phone iwth me about the yellowing issue and said "Yea we're aware of it, we're working on it" how many more people are going to find out and call once the word gets around that they told me that. BUsiness strategy....
 
count me in as another happy customer. i've had mine almost a week, everything is perfect, nicest computer i've ever owned. my only problem is that my iMac is getting jealous...
 
BadgerMac said:
You have recourse (14-day return policy if you can show issues).
Click to expand...

You actually don't need to prove there's anything wrong with it in 14 days to get a near full refund. Apple will charge a 10% restocking fee, but other than that, you don't need a reason to return it in 14 days.
 
apple admits MBP have problems...still a good laptop

I ordered my MBP online at the apple store. It arrived with the Keyboard broken. I called tech support and was told that this was a common problem on the new MBP and that they were experiencing an increased rate of failure since the upgrade. They agreed to replace my laptop, which took nearly month, which really pissed me off, but since then the new laptop is flawless.s

So yes they have problems but otherwise they are great. Get the extended warranty and forget about it.

Jason
 
the only reason u hear soo much bad, is because ppl dont post when everything is working as it should....


the main reason to buy one is the updates.... any other laptop u buy, u will be suck with generic windowz updates, and good luck ever getting a hardware update from the manufacture
 
flopticalcube said:
Not yet. ;)
Click to expand...

Well, I had planned on losing it during the first semester of law school. You almost foiled that carefully thought out plan:p

Meanwhile, back to the point of this thread, I don't think the OP has anything to worry about. Like I posted above, you wouldn't walk into a hospital and assume the whole world is ill. It's best to think of this site as a collective healing place for those who have been mishandled by the Mac gods (and trust us, their numbers are few and far between).
 
I bought my SR MBP the first day they were available and have no problems with the screen. No dead pixels, no yellow tint, etc. No crashes, no freezing, stays at a good temperature, overall i'm super happy! The lid is slightly (like 1-2mm) separated when closed but no biggie, I guess that just happens with Aluminum?

I think support forums do make it seem like there are more problems than there really are b/c the people without problems don't always post.
 
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