Hi all, Try this: open your rMB and shake it fairly vigorously left and right, horizontally (like this). Hear a sound like an object knocking against the casing? Quite a large object? Mine does this, and so do two others that I tested in an Apple Store, so it's clearly quite common, if not ubiquitous. The funny thing is that sometimes it doesn't do it at all – most of the time it does, though. I'm assuming it's the battery, but anyone got any thoughts? Anyone definitely NOT getting any rattle at all? S_B
Yes, mine does it as well, mostly with the screen open. It does not do it as much with the screen closed. It seems to be coming from the hinge area in the back.
Planning on doing anything about it? I've got a great screen, so given that the chances of getting another rattly one are clearly high if not 100%, I think I'm going to stick rather than twist.
I also have a very good screen as well as good fit and finish. So you say the display models in the store do the same? I went to check my son’s 2013 MBP and it does the very same thing — it rattles when shaken horizontally.
Yep, the 13" MBP I shook in the Store did the same thing too. Like the rMB, the MBP has a glued-in battery, which is what made me think to try it…
Is it safe so say that all laptops do this? Are you sure the MBPs have a glued-in battery? You are right — sometimes it doesn’t rattle at all. It might be the individual cells within the battery casing moving slightly (I’m guessing).
No, the MBA and older MBPs don't seem to. And yep, from the iFixit rMB teardown: "Ugh! Even the center cell of the battery is glued down, and we had hoped the sticky cellswe found in the new 13" MacBook Pro wouldn't be a trend..."
Bottom line, all glued-in batteries must do this. I guess even if you wanted to complain or return you laptop because of this intermittent rattle, your replacement unit would have the very same rattle?
If it's the battery, yeah, although it rather implies that they're not glued in very well if so. :-/ But yes, given my experience in the Apple Store, I'm guessing you'd be highly likely to get the same again in a replacement. Quite surprised more people haven't reported the issue on these and other forums, though…
I took a look at the Jonny Ive promo video of the new rMB. I appears to me that the battery casings are securely glued to the case, but the individual cells within the battery casings are not glued down. That might be for a specific reason that a little movement is required?
To be honest, I never noticed this anomaly until I read your post. Part of me is kinda sorry I read your post because now you can’t un-hear it.
That's OK. At least I know that all rMB models do it along with the newer MBP models. It must be the fact that a little movement has to be allowed due to heat expansion of the individual cells within the glued casing. You say the other rMB models in the store were the same? MBP models in the store too?
I took a look at the pics of the MacBook tear down. It very well could be something other than the battery. It bugs me that after paying over $1700 I have to live with an annoying rattle.
Mine seems to stop rattling when it's been in use for a while – presumably cos it's heated up, so whatever it is that's rattling has expanded a bit. When it's turned off, it rattles every time. Very strange, but I do believe it's widespread, so I'm not going to let it bother me.
My hope is that they’d open it up and tighten anything that’s loose. Mine is a 1.3 BTO, so I’d have to wait 3 weeks for a replacement.
Hey! Mine does this too. I first noticed it just tilting it side to side when open Try this: Open the lid Hold rMB by base Tilt left to right I hear one light "clunk" when I do this, do you? Mine appears to be originating near the hinge area, and I can feel it in my hands slightly. My guess is looseness in the hinge in the pivot direction.