Damaged mini (Pics included) Am I being fussy?

[Ifti]

One thing I like about Apple is the quality of their products, and I maintain this quality by keeping it in mint condition.

I received my new Mac Mini today (specs in sig) and unboxed it. Was about to upgrade the RAM and saw an imperfection above the power button. It almost looks like it has been dropped slightly and has a flat edge where the aluminium has been indented.

As I have been waiting ages for this, I would have let it pass, but it bothers me that you can actually see the imperfection from the top as well as the back.

Contacted Apple who will send me a replacement within 7 days as priority, but am I being fussy here??

[pollaxe]

If it bothers you, then it's an issue.

Are you being fussy? Possibly, yes, but if my Mini had damage on it like that, I'd probably do something about it too.

[noteple]

It's the old we're there's smoke there's fire.

If what you can see is messed up what about the things you cannot see.

If it looks like impact damage I would swap it.

[wgnoyes]

If they're happy to send you a replacement, let them. You spent too much on it not to be 200% delighted with what you got.

[Westyfield2]

No, you're not being fussy.

Apple charge a premium for their products, and I expect them to be 100% perfect.

If it's reduced then fair enough - I've bought some stuff off the Dell outlet before (business grade Latitude laptops) listed as "scratch and dent" with equal damage in them... was listed as half price due to the damage, and still had the 3yr NBD warranty.

[borostef]

You should absolutely get a replacement! If that is impact damage who knows what damage that impact may have done inside...

[Garden4Gods]

You're not being fussy.

Considering the cost of the Mini, an imperfection like that is unacceptable.

I don't know how that got through QC, unless it happened afterwards somehow.

[enroh]

I would ask for a replacement - as another poster wrote...its what you cannot see. Better safe than sorry.

[Ifti]

Thanks for the reassurance! Looks like most others would do the same!
It does look like impact damage, like its been dropped very slightly on its corner which is whats caused the very flat indentation. I doubt anything would have happened or come loose inside, but as you say, you never know!

Couldn't have happened during transit as the box itself was in perfect condition.

Ive packed the system away and will go ahead with a replacement. I don't want to turn this unit on or mess about with it - doesn't seem fair if Im returning it anyway! They will probably repackage it in a new outer shell and stick it on the refurb store I guess? Maybe someone else will get lucky and pick up a new 2012 server cheaper

Now for another week's wait!

[That-Guy]

I would send it back too, but I am fussy like that

Sorry you have to wait another week but it will all be worth it when a new shiny Mac Mini turns up

[rkahl]

Call AppleCare and talk to a CSR and tell them your story. I'm pretty much an early adopted for all apple products, so waiting for your item twice is not fun. I actually have a defective unit also, but I talked with a senior advisor who is going to mail me my Mac mini before I mail back the defective mini.

[Ifti]

Originally Posted by rkahl

Call AppleCare and talk to a CSR and tell them your story. I'm pretty much an early adopted for all apple products, so waiting for your item twice is not fun. I actually have a defective unit also, but I talked with a senior advisor who is going to mail me my Mac mini before I mail back the defective mini.

I have spoken to them. As I have my MacBook I dont need a Mini urgently. They said they would get a replacement out to me within 7 days as priority and collect the current mini within 3-5 days.
I would have tried taking it to a store but since they usually only have base models and I upgraded the CPU I doubt they would have any in my spec to replace with.
TBH I dont really want to set up the new mini and then have to repeat everything again - I guess I could set it up and create a clone onto external HDD, but I'd rather just wait for the next one - hopefully that one will be OK!

[kappaknight]

So let me get this straight. You came to a forum of whiners and asked them if they would whine and get a replacement over something as small as that?

I don't know what kind of answers you'd expect to get other than get a replacement.

Honestly, I tuck my mini away so I don't even see it. Unless the hardware breaks or the software doesn't work as intended and I need to pull it out to check up on it, I would have forgotten about that tiny cosmetic defect within a few days.

[kdoug]

Originally Posted by kappaknight

So let me get this straight. You came to a forum of whiners and asked them if they would whine and get a replacement over something as small as that?

I don't know what kind of answers you'd expect to get other than get a replacement.

Honestly, I tuck my mini away so I don't even see it. Unless the hardware breaks or the software doesn't work as intended and I need to pull it out to check up on it, I would have forgotten about that tiny cosmetic defect within a few days.

I'm with this guy, that wouldn't bother me in the least. My Mini is tucked towards the back and it would never be noticed and probably forgotten.

[radiohed]

It's a tiny dent, but just knowing it was there would annoy me. You paid good money for it, so let them replace it.

[macman05]

I find any defect in a brand new Mac Mini to be totally unacceptable. If I were in your shoes I'd return it.

[dasx]

Go to the iPhone subforum. People are swapping devices for stuff you wouldn't imagine, such as a 1mm tiny little kind of scratch only visible under a magnifying glass.

So if it bothers you... (it would probably bother me tbh) go get it replaced.

[Micky Do]

As long as something works properly, I would have thought, "Who cares?"

Dunno why, but (going by the responses to this thread) a lot do. Thankfully there are a less fussy few who have a life......

Originally Posted by kappaknight

So let me get this straight. You came to a forum of whiners and asked them if they would whine and get a replacement over something as small as that?

I don't know what kind of answers you'd expect to get other than get a replacement.

Honestly, I tuck my mini away so I don't even see it. Unless the hardware breaks or the software doesn't work as intended and I need to pull it out to check up on it, I would have forgotten about that tiny cosmetic defect within a few days.

Originally Posted by kdoug

I'm with this guy, that wouldn't bother me in the least. My Mini is tucked towards the back and it would never be noticed and probably forgotten.

[Ifti]

Originally Posted by Micky Do

As long as something works properly, I would have thought, "Who cares?"

Dunno why, but (going by the responses to this thread) a lot do. Thankfully there are a less fussy few who have a life......

Excuse me?
Ive spent just shy of £1k on a new unit which is supposed to be machined from a block of aluminium, from a company who strive to deliver goods of impeccable quality.
Ive received something which has clearly been dropped or knocked somewhere along the line before being packaged. I had second thoughts to begin with, but the more I think of it, the more I'm glad I'm having it replaced. I shouldn't have to keep any kind of defect with a new product - Apple appreciate this, which is why I have been offered a straight replacement without quibble.
If you, on the other hand, are fine with receiving a less then 100% quality item, so be it. To each their own.

[theRAMman]

by less than 100% you mean 99.9999999% then sure

[SandboxGeneral]

Originally Posted by Ifti

but am I being fussy here??

In my personal opinion, yes you are being fussy. I could easily live with those minute imperfections. But, if you're not happy, and Apple is willing to swap it out for you, then go for it.

[motrek]

Originally Posted by borostef

You should absolutely get a replacement! If that is impact damage who knows what damage that impact may have done inside...

In general, computers are full of solid state parts and if they are working, they will continue to work.

Computers are not like cars where you can have some "hidden" damage that can get progressively worse and cause a catastrophic failure.

The two exceptions in the Mini's case might be the hard drive and the fan. I wouldn't worry about the hard drive since it's a laptop hard drive, and they are designed to withstand impacts from being dropped. If it's working now and not making any unusual noises, I would expect it to keep working as long as any other new hard drive. I wouldn't worry about the fan either since the blades etc. are so lightweight that they can probably withstand enormous shocks without anything bad happening to them. Besides, both the hard drive and fan are cheap and easy to replace so if anything eventually does go wrong it should be no problem.

[eutexian]

I wouldn't be happy with that. The Mini is not a cheap device and is sold on its design and good looks as much as its performance. If it were me i would have returned it immediately. I have no doubt that it will end up in the refurb store or sold by the store as a factory 2nd. Someone else can live with the damage.. and be happy with the discount it gave them.

everyone wins.

[philipma1957]

the mobo has solder joints. if the mini was dropped fully assembled a solder joint can have a micro fracture that kills the machine off in 2 ,3 , 4 days weeks months. so since you the new owner does not know when the shell was bumped (empty or full) send it back.

simple question simple answer nuff said


Note ; this answer applies to those that want the op to keep it.

[kappaknight]

Originally Posted by philipma1957

the mobo has solder joints. if the mini was dropped fully assembled a solder joint can have a micro fracture that kills the machine off in 2 ,3 , 4 days weeks months. so since you the new owner does not know when the shell was bumped (empty or full) send it back.

simple question simple answer nuff said


Note ; this answer applies to those that want the op to keep it.

You're assuming this was dropped after it was assembled when it doesn't even look dropped at all. Metal is not perfect and it could very well be chipped or flaked during the machining process - but that doesn't mean the computer was tossed around like a ball, dropped then shipped.

Just admit it, you guys are whiners. 80% of this forum now whines about every little thing and 90% of them are cosmetic related stuff. It's hard to even find quality threads on this forum any more.