Space Gray MBPro 16" dented on its own.

[StealthWire]

Just a week since I got my Macbook Pro 16" (Space Grey) and there is this very tiny dot dent/scratch or anodisation discolouration, whatever you may call. At first I thought it a speck of dust, but boy I could feel it with my nail, there is a very tiny indentation, about 0.2mm deep. Feels like anodisation has come off.

Worst of all, I did not cause it since I am babying it. The imperfection appeared on its own, nothing ever hit it, not even a feather. I have seen on the web multiple people complaining about space grey chipping off, which is bamboozling since apple does not use paint, but rather anodise it which pretty much means aluminium has to come off along with the colour.

I don't care about it as of now, it does catch the light and the silver beneath it shines, but I have come to terms with it since it's a tool. However, I am bothered if it will spread out with every cloth wipe, or further such indentations can occur. I will leave some more details if it helps.

Environment :

1. Temperature controlled room at 90% of the time, 24 degrees C (75.2 degree F).
2. Humidity below 70%. Non condensing.
3. If I take it out of the room ,I make sure to give it enough time to normalise to avoid humidity condensing on the outside/inside.

Manufactured on : May 2020 (box says so). During the pandemic, (Is it possible shabby work was done?

And yes the imperfection wasn't present when I used it for 3-4 days. I had scrutinised very carefully.



Remedies :

1. Put a sticker? will glue cause more damage?
2. Space grey nail-polish touch up?
3. Ignore

I don't want to claim AppleCare for such trivial thing since it will most likely involve replacing the top case altogether. Apologies for the long post. Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Lobwedgephil]

Seems tiny, but since it bothers you and you’ve only had it a week, why not just return it and get a new one.

 

[puggles]

I could probably ignore that but since it's bothering you I'd return it.

My 16" screen just got scratched to hell from a damn poppy seed that was on my keyboard. 😭. Had my last 15" for 5 years and it never got a scratch. This is only a month old. Still not sure what I want to do.

 

[russell_314]

Just a week since I got my Macbook Pro 16" (Space Grey) and there is this very tiny dot dent/scratch or anodisation discolouration, whatever you may call. At first I thought it a speck of dust, but boy I could feel it with my nail, there is a very tiny indentation, about 0.2mm deep. Feels like anodisation has come off.

Worst of all, I did not cause it since I am babying it. The imperfection appeared on its own, nothing ever hit it, not even a feather. I have seen on the web multiple people complaining about space grey chipping off, which is bamboozling since apple does not use paint, but rather anodise it which pretty much means aluminium has to come off along with the colour.

I don't care about it as of now, it does catch the light and the silver beneath it shines, but I have come to terms with it since it's a tool. However, I am bothered if it will spread out with every cloth wipe, or further such indentations can occur. I will leave some more details if it helps.

Environment :

1. Temperature controlled room at 90% of the time, 24 degrees C (75.2 degree F).
2. Humidity below 70%. Non condensing.
3. If I take it out of the room ,I make sure to give it enough time to normalise to avoid humidity condensing on the outside/inside.

Manufactured on : May 2020 (box says so). During the pandemic, (Is it possible shabby work was done?

And yes the imperfection wasn't present when I used it for 3-4 days. I had scrutinised very carefully.



Remedies :

1. Put a sticker? will glue cause more damage?
2. Space grey nail-polish touch up?
3. Ignore

I don't want to claim AppleCare for such trivial thing since it will most likely involve replacing the top case altogether. Apologies for the long post. Any help is greatly appreciated.

You can take it back but what are you doing to do when in two weeks or a month you notice another scratch or ding? If you're actually using the computer even though you baby it and keep it in a humidity and temperature controlled room it still can scratch. Short of leaving it sealed in the package or building a padded enclosure where you use it with an external monitor, keyboard, and mouse this might happen again.

 

[-DMN-]

Returning it fixes all your problems...so I don't see a problem.

 

[Grohowiak]

The moment you attach it to a external monitor this dent will be the least of your problems

Ultimately I would return it if it bothers you. Myself, I take performance as deciding factor.
The 16" has more issues than a russian submarine and I would give those things a closer look first to make sure you even want to keep this model.

 

[maflynn]

Seems tiny, but then I'm not the one looking at it every day.

 

[StealthWire]

Yes I appreciate everyone chiming in, but I am in India, so we do not have traditional brick and mortar apple stores like US, we have like 3rd party resellers. This one was bought online (imastudent.com), so now it is out of replacement period (it was 7 days) , so for all my issues, I'll prolly have to visit Apple "authorised" service centre (also 3rd party, but overlooked by apple) and having experienced their incompetence before, they won't entertain cosmetic issues and blame it on me, that I have dropped something.

It does not bother me atm, however I am worried in future if more such dents will appear? Is it a sign of shabby assembly?

After all it is extremely tiny and in most lighting conditions is almost invisible. However, my MBPro mid-2012 after 7 years is still fabulous, no immediately visible scratch marks, even after abuse. Maybe space gray isn't as durable.

I guess, I'll just wait it out, and since I have a year before AppleCare expires, I'll ask for a replacement if more such dents auto appear Appreciate all responses.
[automerge]1593107530[/automerge]

You can take it back but what are you doing to do when in two weeks or a month you notice another scratch or ding? If you're actually using the computer even though you baby it and keep it in a humidity and temperature controlled room it still can scratch. Short of leaving it sealed in the package or building a padded enclosure where you use it with an external monitor, keyboard, and mouse this might happen again.

Absolutely true,and it is my work horse, so getting replacement here in India will cost me 10-15 days since my city is on lockdown and shipments aren't almost allowed from China. The top-of-the line MBPro 16" doesn't sell like hot cakes, so dealers don't stock them. I will take your advice and will continue to work with this, since I have already set everything up, bootcamp and my work s/w. Can't go through restoring time machine and la la.😅

 

[darkmatter343]

It's tiny but the sum you paid for the 16" isn't, I'd get it exchanged if it bothers you that much.

 

[Codeline]

That would drive me nuts, take it back as they will be able to see its not malicious damage. Change it.

 

[jpn]

Yes I appreciate everyone chiming in, but I am in India, so we do not have traditional brick and mortar apple stores like US, we have like 3rd party resellers. This one was bought online (imastudent.com), so now it is out of replacement period (it was 7 days) , so for all my issues, I'll prolly have to visit Apple "authorised" service centre (also 3rd party, but overlooked by apple) and having experienced their incompetence before, they won't entertain cosmetic issues and blame it on me, that I have dropped something.

It does not bother me atm, however I am worried in future if more such dents will appear? Is it a sign of shabby assembly?

After all it is extremely tiny and in most lighting conditions is almost invisible. However, my MBPro mid-2012 after 7 years is still fabulous, no immediately visible scratch marks, even after abuse. Maybe space gray isn't as durable.

I guess, I'll just wait it out, and since I have a year before AppleCare expires, I'll ask for a replacement if more such dents auto appear Appreciate all responses.
[automerge]1593107530[/automerge]


Absolutely true,and it is my work horse, so getting replacement here in India will cost me 10-15 days since my city is on lockdown and shipments aren't almost allowed from China. The top-of-the line MBPro 16" doesn't sell like hot cakes, so dealers don't stock them. I will take your advice and will continue to work with this, since I have already set everything up, bootcamp and my work s/w. Can't go through restoring time machine and la la.😅

in India there is no policy to be able to return it within 2 weeks of purchase without a lot of questions asked?

yr analysis of the issue is correct.
this is more of a cosmetic blemish. and doesnt sound like apple care will be of much help to have it replaced at low cost.
i would definitely give it back and get yr money now.

the problem is unfortunately on an area that is impossible to ignore and affects yr ability to smoothly use the trackpad.

 

[StealthWire]

in India there is no policy to be able to return it within 2 weeks of purchase without a lot of questions asked?

yr analysis of the issue is correct.
this is more of a cosmetic blemish. and doesnt sound like apple care will be of much help to have it replaced at low cost.
i would definitely give it back and get yr money now.

the problem is unfortunately on an area that is impossible to ignore and affects yr ability to smoothly use the trackpad.

Sadly no, it isn't like the US where you can walk into a nice glass Apple store and tell them "I don't want it anymore". Here, you have to explain it to them(3rd party stupid apple authorised stores) what is the problem and why you no longer need it. Something like cosmetic damage will be termed "misuse by user" and you "might" be offered a top-case replacement (not a new laptop) but in any scenario you cannot get your money back past the 7 days. And unfortunately, this damage appeared after 7 days.

Also, it isn't on the trackpad, so the functionality isn't affected, however you are correct that it is in the visible region. Only if I see further discolouration or delamination I might head to the service centre, otherwise it isn't worth the hassle, with diminishing returns. I will keep the community posted of any new developments. 😊

 

[Grohowiak]

If the store in India makes trouble you start calling US Apple through Skype.
Document it nicely / zoomed / large resolution pix as this looks like the mold wasn't filled properly / potential air bubble which might have caused it.
Don't let go. Those things are expensive. Don't settle for less.

 

[StealthWire]

If the store in India makes trouble you start calling US Apple though Skype.
Document it nicely / zoomed / large resolution pix as this looks like the mold wasn't filled properly / potential air bubble which might have caused it.
Don't let go. Those things are expensive. Don't settle for less.

That seems like a plan, I'll get hold of Apple through call support. Will keep posted.

 

[UltimateSyn]

Ah, crap. It has started the Imploding Process.

 

[StealthWire]

Ah, crap. It has started the Imploding Process.

Sorry I don’t get you? What do you mean by imploding process? Is it related to the battery?

 

[UltimateSyn]

Sorry I don’t get you? What do you mean by imploding process? Is it related to the battery?

I'm sorry, that was just me joking around, there is no actual Imploding Process and no impending doom awaits your Mac.

What you are showing looks to be a nick in the Space Grey coating. I baby my Macs as well, but these tiny chips and nicks on the coating show up regardless. It's part of the reason my next MBP will be Silver instead of Space Grey. My 2012 and 2015 MBPs never showed an ounce of wear on them, but within a month my Space Grey MBP looked worse than those two ever had. Also shows smudges more prominently.

If you can find it in you to not care about it too much, then just ignore it. More trouble than it's worth to try to hide it or touch it up. In my experience it will not spread.

 

[Madhatter32]

Return it or not. Otherwise, get a dbrand skin and you will never see it again. If you return it, buy the silver MBP. Had you done your research before buying you would have known that marks do not show as easily on the beautiful silver MBPs. I have one from six year ago -- no marks as far as I can tell.

 

[StealthWire]

I'm sorry, that was just me joking around, there is no actual Imploding Process and no impending doom awaits your Mac.

What you are showing looks to be a nick in the Space Grey coating. I baby my Macs as well, but these tiny chips and nicks on the coating show up regardless. It's part of the reason my next MBP will be Silver instead of Space Grey. My 2012 and 2015 MBPs never showed an ounce of wear on them, but within a month my Space Grey MBP looked worse than those two ever had. Also shows smudges more prominently.

If you can find it in you to not care about it too much, then just ignore it. More trouble than it's worth to try to hide it or touch it up. In my experience it will not spread.

oh yes, same story as my mid-2012 macbook pro, no nicks visible whatsoever.

Return it or not. Otherwise, get a dbrand skin and you will never see it again. If you return it, buy the silver MBP. Had you done your research before buying you would have known that marks do not show as easily on the beautiful silver MBPs. I have one from six year ago -- no marks as far as I can tell.

Funny story, i had done my research and watched tons of videos before choosing to buy. I had originally ordered silver but since imports from china were banned in my country, dealers did not have stock and He personally called me offering a discount if i could take up the space grey model.
I had read reviews but did not expect space grey to be this delicate. 😂