With the laptop open and sitting on a flat surface (granite countertop), I can press the lower left corner of the laptop down about 0.5 -1 mm and the computer wobbles a bit. It seems that the little black feet are not the same thickness all around. I am really surprised because Apple is so fanatical about having such low manufacturing tolerances... yet they somehow overlook the feet. Anyone else out there having this issue on their brand new unibody Macbook Pro? Does this go away after the feet have time to wear down a little?
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Uneven feet on 15" unibody Macbook Pro
- Thread starter Peterwdmd
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dont be fooled by Apple's lines about being "Fanatical about the tolerances" & "Concerned about the details"
truth is apple has slipped way down in quality control. i have purchased every version of every notebook for the last 2 years, (divorced and make decent money) and EVERY purchase has been exchanged atleast twice because of defects that should not have made it out the door.
they are looser on their quality because they know that 90% of consumers don't care about the little stuff. so it is cheaper to ship the defects and do multiple exchanges for the 10% that wont accept it, than to toss out ALL the bad ones at the factory & make sure every one that leaves the doors are perfect.
I guarantee that if u take it to a genius, he will tell you it is "within Apple's specs" and if the things like this are indeed within specs, then the tolerances must be HUGE!!!
truth is apple has slipped way down in quality control. i have purchased every version of every notebook for the last 2 years, (divorced and make decent money) and EVERY purchase has been exchanged atleast twice because of defects that should not have made it out the door.
they are looser on their quality because they know that 90% of consumers don't care about the little stuff. so it is cheaper to ship the defects and do multiple exchanges for the 10% that wont accept it, than to toss out ALL the bad ones at the factory & make sure every one that leaves the doors are perfect.
I guarantee that if u take it to a genius, he will tell you it is "within Apple's specs" and if the things like this are indeed within specs, then the tolerances must be HUGE!!!
A 0.5 mm "wobble"? I'd be embarrassed to take it back to the store and even ask them to replace it for that.
second.
What you could do is remove the backplate and reattach it, maybe it's the screws that aren't putting even pressure.
Really?
I'd be embarrassed that I paid a lot of money for a defective laptop. If typing on the mbp is affected, that's a real problem.
I'd be embarrassed that I paid a lot of money for a defective laptop. If typing on the mbp is affected, that's a real problem.
I know it's minor... but a brand new MBP shouldn't do that. It's like eating at an uneven-legged wobbly restaurant table!
I was thinking... with the new unibody cases having essentially zero flex, it makes small things like this more apparent. Before the unibody, the case would just flex and hide any irregularities.
i've posted this solution before - it's good if apple won't exchange yours for a new one, or if you don't wanna risk worse defects as this is fixable.
My front right foot sat 1-2mm off a flat surface. I took of my bottom case (1 piece in for mid 09 uMBP) and this sat perfectly flat. I noticed that the bottom right screw was tougher to remove than the others, and on closer examination - the lower right bracket on which the screw sits in was slightly higher than the others. since the bracket is part of the unibody (aluminum and flexible to a degree) i applied pressure to the bracket, pushing it down by 1-2mm. After putting the base back on the mac sat perfectly fine!
Here are the steps
1.) Take off your bottom case noting the affected corner
2.) Apply pressure on the bracket affected - do NOT push too much, worst thing that could happen is that you push it too far and the other corners are higher and this corner doesn't rest on the table.
3. Put on the bottom case
4. Be happy
My front right foot sat 1-2mm off a flat surface. I took of my bottom case (1 piece in for mid 09 uMBP) and this sat perfectly flat. I noticed that the bottom right screw was tougher to remove than the others, and on closer examination - the lower right bracket on which the screw sits in was slightly higher than the others. since the bracket is part of the unibody (aluminum and flexible to a degree) i applied pressure to the bracket, pushing it down by 1-2mm. After putting the base back on the mac sat perfectly fine!
Here are the steps
1.) Take off your bottom case noting the affected corner
2.) Apply pressure on the bracket affected - do NOT push too much, worst thing that could happen is that you push it too far and the other corners are higher and this corner doesn't rest on the table.
3. Put on the bottom case
4. Be happy
I am currently having this problem with my 13 inch. unibody mbp.
a while ago I had the tech center at my school tighten the back plate so I wonder if that has anything to do with it or if it's just a defect. I don't remember it doing that when I first got it so I'm assuming that it's something to do with the plate.
Next time I bring it in (monday) i'll ask and repost if anyone is interested.
I had this happen to my early 2008 and I was able to get them to replace the bottom and top case. It's nothing to be embarrassed about - this should not happen with such an expensive machine.
Same Situation here
I bought my 2011 13" from Amazon and it's only been about a week.
Today I was using it at work on my desk and my desk has a glass cover so I know it's flat. I have tried many surfaces with same results.
The bottom right corner does not settle and the laptop wobbles. about 1mm or slightly more.
when I take my palms off (after typing), the laptop wobbles, I put them back on it wobbles.
Question is...it's less than 14 days old... do I have to send it back to Amazon?
I bought my 2011 13" from Amazon and it's only been about a week.
Today I was using it at work on my desk and my desk has a glass cover so I know it's flat. I have tried many surfaces with same results.
The bottom right corner does not settle and the laptop wobbles. about 1mm or slightly more.
when I take my palms off (after typing), the laptop wobbles, I put them back on it wobbles.
Question is...it's less than 14 days old... do I have to send it back to Amazon?
2011 13" Macbook pro - also wobbly: SOLUTION
I just bought it today from the Apple store in Ottawa. I sat it down and was transferring my data from my old macbook. Hours later it finishes and I start using it on my lap. Obviously didn't notice.
I set it down on the table, and whenever I clicked, the thing wobbles. Tried the floor, same thing. There is space in the lower left corner. I checked and all four rubber pads are there. None are missing.
SOLUTION (OPEN THE DISPLAY BEFORE DOING THIS - so you're not pressing on the LED display or Glass) : I figured the rubber pieces may not be all pressed in to the same level. So I just pressed down firmly (DON'T go putting your whole body into it) on all 4 corners and in seconds, and the wobble was gone.
I eyeballed the back plate of the macbook pro and it looked level. It's just the rubber pads in my opinion. Now let's how hope they stay balanced and the rubber doesn't "expand" back so that the unbalance returns. If I don't post, it means my fix continued to work.
I just bought it today from the Apple store in Ottawa. I sat it down and was transferring my data from my old macbook. Hours later it finishes and I start using it on my lap. Obviously didn't notice.
I set it down on the table, and whenever I clicked, the thing wobbles. Tried the floor, same thing. There is space in the lower left corner. I checked and all four rubber pads are there. None are missing.
SOLUTION (OPEN THE DISPLAY BEFORE DOING THIS - so you're not pressing on the LED display or Glass) : I figured the rubber pieces may not be all pressed in to the same level. So I just pressed down firmly (DON'T go putting your whole body into it) on all 4 corners and in seconds, and the wobble was gone.
I eyeballed the back plate of the macbook pro and it looked level. It's just the rubber pads in my opinion. Now let's how hope they stay balanced and the rubber doesn't "expand" back so that the unbalance returns. If I don't post, it means my fix continued to work.
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I would find any wobble to be really distracting while typing.
I just had the bottom cover off of my 2010 13" MBP the other day, and although mine does not wobble, I can imagine the fix described by Bigabouli working after having seen some of the little screw backers. As he/she stated, it might be worth investigating if you love the machine otherwise (because who knows what flaws you might get on another one!).
OTOH, I think it would be perfectly reasonable to return it. A keyboard should not wobble while you are typing on a brand new machine.
Miss Terri
I just had the bottom cover off of my 2010 13" MBP the other day, and although mine does not wobble, I can imagine the fix described by Bigabouli working after having seen some of the little screw backers. As he/she stated, it might be worth investigating if you love the machine otherwise (because who knows what flaws you might get on another one!).
OTOH, I think it would be perfectly reasonable to return it. A keyboard should not wobble while you are typing on a brand new machine.
Miss Terri
The 17" I got yesterday wobbled too. However, after removing and reattaching the bottom cover (in order to upgrade the RAM), it no longer wobbles. I'm assuming the bottom cover just leveled out, or maybe gravity did it's part and the machine just leveled out. However strong these structures are supposed to be, they're still metal. Metal bends. Maybe there's a little bit of flex in the unibody (I've heard this from others before).