The C2D MBP Quality Control Thread

[Zadillo]

Indeed. Apple's products are by definition the best. Even if Apple offers a Core Duo 1.66Ghz Macbook Pro with Chimei LCD panels and 256mb of ram for twice the price of a top of the line Core 2 Duo Thinkpad, the Apple is still the best because the Thinkpad is not an Apple!

Anyway your metrics make 0 sense because the "vast majority" of the Apple user base are not even aware of the existence of such websites. Nor are they aware of Apple's 10 day return policies. Nor do they even know better to purchase online. Most likely they walked into an Applecentre and purchased it from there. When they didn't like the screen and brought it back to the genius bar all they will hear is "it is in line with specifications" and they will leave it at that. Then 3 years down the road when the walk past that shiny Vaio with that gleaming screen, they will reflect on their experiences so far (troublesome to get software, massive incompatibility, high quality screen) and guess what they will buy?

I am not looking at this from a "switcher's" perspective, but from a "switcheur's" perspective. Making any statements that this community does not reflect the user base may be true, but it cuts both ways. If anything the members of this community represents the early adopters, the crest of the curve, the well informed, the vocal minorities.

I just had an experience of chatting with a friend I bumped into who was in the market for a laptop some time ago, turned out that she got an Acer 5673. For less money than a Macbook 1.83 she got the same processor, lesser ram, DVD burner, the $1000 x1600 GPU (according to Apple's pricing methology) and last but not least, a brilliant screen. Now, I love my new MBP like the next guy, but the screen is really getting annoying.

Oh yeah, just to add, the Acer had a X1600, with 256mb, for less money, than a Macbook 1.83. Go figure.

Where exactly did they buy that Acer model for $1000? Acer's pricing for that model is closer to the $2000 range, not $1000. $1000 is still an amazingly low price though, as I've seen people selling even that model uses for closer to $2000 than $1000.

I can't tell the current pricing, but Acer's current models in that same line with C2D, etc. are much higher.

Since you seem to be arguing that Acer sells a model with an X1600 GPU for a lower price than Apple sells the base 1.83 GHz MacBook, I think it would help to clarify these things. Acer's pricing as I've seen it is actually pretty close to Apple's.

-Zadillo

 

[Am3822]

Hm. These reports are becoming a bit worrying. So, what's the smart thing to do? Should I wait a couple of weeks for Apple to get their act together?

 

[iW00t]

Where exactly did they buy that Acer model for $1000? Acer's pricing for that model is closer to the $2000 range, not $1000. $1000 is still an amazingly low price though, as I've seen people selling even that model uses for closer to $2000 than $1000.

I can't tell the current pricing, but Acer's current models in that same line with C2D, etc. are much higher.

Since you seem to be arguing that Acer sells a model with an X1600 GPU for a lower price than Apple sells the base 1.83 GHz MacBook, I think it would help to clarify these things. Acer's pricing as I've seen it is actually pretty close to Apple's.

-Zadillo

She purchased it while on a holiday in Malaysia. So if you have an air ticket there perhaps you can research it yourself. In her words it was "a bit less than 5000 ringgit". In contrast the MBP costs "almost 9000 ringgit"

If you are asking me to doubt someone I know vs some published "RRP" from an American online retailer in defence of your favourite brand's pricing, then sorry, can't do. Fact is when it comes to street pricing (read: not RRP) other brands wipe Apple's pricing completely.

 

[Zadillo]

She purchased it while on a holiday in Malaysia. So if you have an air ticket there perhaps you can research it yourself. In her words it was "a bit less than 5000 ringgit". In contrast the MBP costs "almost 9000 ringgit"

If you are asking me to doubt someone I know vs some published "RRP" from an American online retailer in defence of your favourite brand's pricing, then sorry, can't do. Fact is when it comes to street pricing (read: not RRP) other brands wipe Apple's pricing completely.

I'm just asking where you are getting the $1000 price even streetprice for that model of Acer.

I'm not talking about defending a brand's pricing; I think Acer is making some pretty nice stuff. But I haven't seen anywhere where that Acer Aspire model with the X1600 GPU is selling for anywhere close to $1000 US.

That's all I'm asking. If, as you said, Acer wipes the floor with Apple in terms of street pricing, it shouldn't be hard to find a retailer selling that model for $1000 US (or equivalent currency, of course).

I know that they still beat Apple on street price, especially in other countries (where it seems like Apple stuff is especially expensive), but I haven't been able to find any resellers selling that Acer Aspire model (or the current equivalent, which I believe features a Core 2 Duo and GeForce 7600 instead of Core Duo and ATI X1600) for anything close to the MacBook street price.

Btw, I don't think I mentioned any American online resellers. Generally speaking Acer doesn't seem to be as popular or available from American resellers.... I was looking through resellers in Asia and the UK primarily.

 

[Zadillo]

My spacebar on my C2D MBP is making a squeak/squeaky noise every time you tap it on the right. Will be taking it into the store tomorrow night. Here is a thread.
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/220364/

Just an update on this. I took my C2D MBP to the Apple Store today, as I had also started to notice this "squeaky" spacebar issue.

They took it in the back and 20 minutes later brought it back, having replaced the spacebar and I think some of the mechanism underneath. I forget the exact explanation, but they said that there were some sort of clips or something that might have come loose, and were resulting in the "squeaking" sound.

It's no longer making the squeaking sound at all, and the only noise the spacebar makes is a general "clicking" sound if I really bang it hard (I asked them about that, since none of the other keys do that, and they explained that's just the nature of the keyboard....... I notice that my desktop keyboard is also like that, where the spacebar is louder than the rest of the keys).

-Zadillo

 

[Zadillo]

Also, on an unrelated note, I asked the Mac Genius about the screen unevenness, and he did agree that it was noticeable (I demonstrated it by opening two finder windows, putting one in the upper left hand corner and the other in the bottom right hand corner........ this is the most obvious way to see that the right hand bottom corner is a shade or two darker).

He said that I had a few options, which included having Apple take it and see if it was within spec (but he couldn't guarantee anything), exchanging it for another matte MBP, exchanging it for a glossy MBP, or just returning it (he said they would agree that it was considered returnable if it was a problem, and wouldn't incur a restocking fee).

So, I've got until the 19th, so will be thinking about it as I use it for the next week.

-Zadillo

 

[akadmon]

Screen hisses when brightness is turned down

Faulty inverter board?

http://forums.macnn.com/69/powerbook-and-macbook-pro/317097/hissing-15-c2d-screen/

 

[kerisimasi]

another issue unresolved

Graphics card seems slow when not connected to AC power.


https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/249056/

 

[manosaurus]

It wasn't until the exhaustively dark year of 1865 that one Barnum B. Uslem rode his braun stallion through the iron gates of the city Delphi to proclaim, quite brashly, his propensity for the taste of a finely crafted and elegantly presented elderberry pie which, back then in our little circle was known quite well as the "cryhn and bryhn of all man" amongst any household adorned by the fashionable European taste and Northern fortitude which not a few of the then non-natives so lustfully longed after from afar.

-Douche Bag McGee, Esq.
September, 1905.

 

[akadmon]

For the record

I'm sure most everyone reading this has also been the the "grainy" thread, but here it is for the record:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/251352/

 

[akadmon]

Faulty temperature sensor causing the fans to run at full speed most of the time

I know you can't hear it, but that's what it sounds like to me:

http://forums.macnn.com/69/powerbook-and-macbook-pro/317123/mbp-c2d-report-your-fan-behavior/

 

[ntsapp3]

.

 

[Zadillo]

:'( I've waited one year to buy this laptop and now everyone says they ahve problems with them......I don't know what to do

Well, as others have pointed out to me, that isn't really true. "Everyone" doesn't say they have problems with them, in fact a large bulk of people seem to be fine with them.

-Zadillo

 

[iBorg20181]

Well, as others have pointed out to me, that isn't really true. "Everyone" doesn't say they have problems with them, in fact a large bulk of people seem to be fine with them.

-Zadillo

Quite true - I think that a thread like this is good, to have links and references to the different problems people are having, but the vast majority of MBPs are without any of these problems. Based upon my MBP, and those of several friends/coworkers, I heartily recommend these as excellent notebooks, the best Apple has ever built, with the best OS Apple has ever made!



iBorg

 

[Buhbuhb]

Warped body...

Upon arrival of my MBP I found a slight warping that occured above the latch, it did not restrict me from anything in particular other then that it was annoying to look at. I returned it last week and I'm in the process of getting a new one. Fairly frusterated.

 

[akadmon]

MBP C2D 15" display blacks out

So this seems to be isolated to one user:

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=731514&tstart=15

 

[brikeh]

Mine seems to have developed a slight sleep-problem and Now i noticed some light leakage at the bottom of my display, I also just noticed the Dvi-port is a bit "crooked".

Just opened up a case with Apple and this ones going back. Short honeymoon.

So far Ive had to send in:

2 iPod nanos
4 iMac g5s(All declared Doa)
1 Powerbook(The fans went nuts)
1 MBP C2D

If my replacement isnt ok Ill be looking elsewhere....

Oh...the support technician told me that the graininess and uneven lighting was news to him, he checked with his colleagues and came back, Nope....never heard of it. Hmmm.

 

[uv23]

Don't know if it's been mentioned but it looks like my burner is whack. Either that or it's way too sensitive. I've tried to burn three audio CDs onto Sony CD-Rs and they've all skipped. I never burned one bum disc with my PowerBook.

 

[akadmon]

No news is still news

No nuevos problemos reported since this morning on any of the three busiest Mac forums (Macrumors, MacNN and Apple Discussions) I monitor as a free service to all you muchachas y muchachos. I'm begining to feel like the Maytag repairman -- bored an lonely

 

[Yoyodyne]

:'( I've waited one year to buy this laptop and now everyone says they ahve problems with them......I don't know what to do

I have a pessimistic reputation on these boards, but I own a MBP C2D. I cannot explain how happy I am with it. I have had bad luck in the past with QC and service, but I have never owned such a fine computer. Okay, I better stop before I start sounding like a shill.

My point is, you can read these forums all day, every day and there will always be unhappy customers, but it is true that there are more happy customers. It is a necessary process of being a consumer, but there is a point where you have to realize the absurdity of some of these posts. I have to admit that I came straight to the board with problems with an iBook, but it took me longer to praise my MBP. It may be too soon to say so, but my trust in Apple is back.

 

[azzurri000]

Hello everyone! Here are some photos documenting my MBP's uneven case.

I was hoping that I could get some opinions as to whether I should send it in for a replacement before the return period ends (in two days time.)

I feel lucky that my MBP doesn't have dead pixels, but I worked a long time to afford this, and the sight of the uneven case really bothers me every time I look at it.

Thanks in advance

 

[brikeh]

Hello everyone! Here are some photos documenting my MBP's uneven case.

I was hoping that I could get some opinions as to whether I should send it in for a replacement before the return period ends (in two days time.)

I feel lucky that my MBP doesn't have dead pixels, but I worked a long time to afford this, and the sight of the uneven case really bothers me every time I look at it.

Thanks in advance

Thats nothing, I think it looks fine!

 

[MacGuffin]

I feel lucky that my MBP doesn't have dead pixels, but I worked a long time to afford this, and the sight of the uneven case really bothers me every time I look at it.

Sure, I can appreciate that.

You know, F. Scott Fitzgerald once confessed to Hemmingway that he worried about the size of his equipment. Hemmingway went into a bathroom with him and an examination was made.

"You're adequate," said the older writer.

Your MPB case is adequate. ;-)

 

[brikeh]

Sure, I can appreciate that.

You know, F. Scott Fitzgerald once confessed to Hemmingway that he worried about the size of his equipment. Hemmingway went into a bathroom with him and an examination was made.

"You're adequate," said the older writer.

Your MPB case is adequate. ;-)

Hahaha, that is hilarious.

 

[chiefillini]

Just an update on this. I took my C2D MBP to the Apple Store today, as I had also started to notice this "squeaky" spacebar issue.
They took it in the back and 20 minutes later brought it back, having replaced the spacebar and I think some of the mechanism underneath. I forget the exact explanation, but they said that there were some sort of clips or something that might have come loose, and were resulting in the "squeaking" sound.
-Zadillo

Thanks for the update. At least if others or myself have this problem again we know there is a fix besides just giving you a new MBP.