12" rMB Creaking

[Trey M]

Hi all,

Picked up a space grey 1.1 model today. Really enjoying the form factor; now I have to sell my old MBA.

I was wondering if anyone has had any issues with the Macbook creaking? When I pick it up or adjust the hinge I sometimes hear a creaking or clicking noise. I'm not positive but I believe it might be coming from the bottom of the case where it is screwed in. Anyone else have these issues? Or anyone know if this issue could be fixed by tightening the screws on the bottom case? Thanks for the help.

 

[wchigo]

Hi all,

Picked up a space grey 1.1 model today. Really enjoying the form factor; now I have to sell my old MBA.

I was wondering if anyone has had any issues with the Macbook creaking? When I pick it up or adjust the hinge I sometimes hear a creaking or clicking noise. I'm not positive but I believe it might be coming from the bottom of the case where it is screwed in. Anyone else have these issues? Or anyone know if this issue could be fixed by tightening the screws on the bottom case? Thanks for the help.

I can't say that I have this issue personally, but I have heard about this from someone who had the same issue with the hinge creaking on a YouTube video review. They personally weren't too annoyed by this and said they were going to stick with the unit they had.

I don't know if it can be fixed per se but since you just got it today, perhaps bring it back and try another unit if it really bothers you.

 

[JLatte]

Hi all,

Picked up a space grey 1.1 model today. Really enjoying the form factor; now I have to sell my old MBA.

I was wondering if anyone has had any issues with the Macbook creaking? When I pick it up or adjust the hinge I sometimes hear a creaking or clicking noise. I'm not positive but I believe it might be coming from the bottom of the case where it is screwed in. Anyone else have these issues? Or anyone know if this issue could be fixed by tightening the screws on the bottom case? Thanks for the help.

I definitely have this issue. It's intermittent but I notice when I am using it in my lap and pick it up from either the top right or bottom right (thumb on top, 4 fingers on bottom and a normal safe grip) it creaks a bit on the shell on the bottom. It seems to be closer to the screws, and I'm going to try to tighten them if they happen to be loose, but I can't tell at the moment. I don't think it's anything bad, but it does make it feel like it's a bit flimsy. I'm not gripping the Macbook in any particular rough or bizarre fashion.

 

[lagwagon]

Don't all the aluminum MacBooks and MacBook Pros do this? It's the bottom plate that screws off shifting ever so slightly. My old 2009 17" MBP does the same thing from time to time.

I'm pretty positive that it's unavoidable and no amount of replacements will "fix" it.

 

[Trey M]

I definitely have this issue. It's intermittent but I notice when I am using it in my lap and pick it up from either the top right or bottom right (thumb on top, 4 fingers on bottom and a normal safe grip) it creaks a bit on the shell on the bottom. It seems to be closer to the screws, and I'm going to try to tighten them if they happen to be loose, but I can't tell at the moment. I don't think it's anything bad, but it does make it feel like it's a bit flimsy. I'm not gripping the Macbook in any particular rough or bizarre fashion.

I agree I think it might have something to do with the screws. I obviously don't have the specific screwdriver so I might take it into the Apples Store and see if they can tighten the bottom shell a bit. I might just go ahead and get it totally replaced since it's a day old and the delete key is a little finicky.

 

[lagwagon]

I agree I think it might have something to do with the screws. I obviously don't have the specific screwdriver so I might take it into the Apples Store and see if they can tighten the bottom shell a bit. I might just go ahead and get it totally replaced since it's a day old and the delete key is a little finicky.

All Apple uni body aluminum Laptops make the sound from time to time. It's the back plate. As it heats up and cools off (expanding and shrinking) because it's basically one giant heat sink for the computer, cause the plate to shift sometimes. No amount of replacements will fix it. It's just how they are and always have been.

 

[Trey M]

All Apple uni body aluminum Laptops make the sound from time to time. It's the back plate. As it heats up and cools off (expanding and shrinking) because it's basically one giant heat sink for the computer, cause the plate to shift sometimes. No amount of replacements will fix it. It's just how they are and always have been.

I had a different 12'' rMB yesterday for a few hours before I noticed a defective key and swapped it. I didn't notice once that Macbook make any sort of noise when I picked it up, and this new one I got basically creaks or makes a noise nearly everytime I pick it up.

I have 2 other MacBooks (Air and rMBP) and although they do make a noise from time to time, it is nothing close to the frequency which this new rMB makes this creaking noise. Clearly the frequency which it is occurring for me is irregular. Though, like I said, the bottom plate may just need to be tightened, it's hard to tell.

 

[lagwagon]

I had a different 12'' rMB yesterday for a few hours before I noticed a defective key and swapped it. I didn't notice once that Macbook make any sort of noise when I picked it up, and this new one I got basically creaks or makes a noise nearly everytime I pick it up.

I have 2 other MacBooks (Air and rMBP) and although they do make a noise from time to time, it is nothing close to the frequency which this new rMB makes this creaking noise. Clearly the frequency which it is occurring for me is irregular. Though, like I said, the bottom plate may just need to be tightened, it's hard to tell.

It's possible the frequency is due to being much thinner. But you're right it's possible that it could be not as tight as it should be. All I was trying to get out is that you probably won't ever get a machine that doesn't do it at all. It's the nature of the design (super thin bottom plate) and that the whole case purpose is to act as a heat sink while also looking good, so things (the plate) can/will make noise. It does have zero fans, so it relies on this more than ever.

 

[JLatte]

All Apple uni body aluminum Laptops make the sound from time to time. It's the back plate. As it heats up and cools off (expanding and shrinking) because it's basically one giant heat sink for the computer, cause the plate to shift sometimes. No amount of replacements will fix it. It's just how they are and always have been.

I understand what you're getting at, but I have to respectfully disagree in this case, mine at least is a different sound than what is normal. From the unibody laptops I've owned or used on a daily basis through work (I'm a developer) a 13" MBP, 2 15" MBPs a 11" Macbook Air and this current 12" MB. None of them have made a noise like this.

I've played around with it in multiple settings, warm when using it all day for work, to using it in the morning and opening it when it's cold. Everyone's results might be different, but I've narrowed down mine at least. I can consistently reproduce the sound when it is sitting in my lap or any surface. If the back of the Macbook is still on the surface as I pick it up with one or two hands by the left and right of the track pad (thumbs on top, 8 fingers on the bottom), it cracks. Especially if you gently apply the normal amount of pressure required to pick up a laptop around the trackpad. Just to clarify, I'm not applying some stupid amount of pressure like people were trying to bend an iPhone 6+. It only happens to the area around the left and right of the trackpad.

I'll try to get a video uploaded tomorrow.
[Edit] Attached a Dropbox link to 3 videos that clearly have the creak / crack. One video has some background noise but you can still hear the cracks. The other 2 are very audible.
Videos Link
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/yqoqnxnrdxbgppl/AABjMWKr6GLuBgspyEk8kSyya?dl=0

 

[Trey M]

I understand what you're getting at, but I have to respectfully disagree in this case, mine at least is a different sound than what is normal. From the unibody laptops I've owned or used on a daily basis through work (I'm a developer) a 13" MBP, 2 15" MBPs a 11" Macbook Air and this current 12" MB. None of them have made a noise like this.

I've played around with it in multiple settings, warm when using it all day for work, to using it in the morning and opening it when it's cold. Everyone's results might be different, but I've narrowed down mine at least. I can consistently reproduce the sound when it is sitting in my lap or any surface. If the back of the Macbook is still on the surface as I pick it up with one or two hands by the left and right of the track pad (thumbs on top, 8 fingers on the bottom), it cracks. Especially if you gently apply the normal amount of pressure required to pick up a laptop around the trackpad. Just to clarify, I'm not applying some stupid amount of pressure like people were trying to bend an iPhone 6+. It only happens to the area around the left and right of the trackpad.

I'll try to get a video uploaded tomorrow.
[Edit] Attached a Dropbox link to 3 videos that clearly have the creak / crack. One video has some background noise but you can still hear the cracks. The other 2 are very audible.
Videos Link
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/yqoqnxnrdxbgppl/AABjMWKr6GLuBgspyEk8kSyya?dl=0

That noise is extremely similar to the one I'm referring to. Though yours probably even sounds louder than the creaking mine makes.

I realize this is a small issue that probably shouldn't be bothering me this much, but when I adjust my rMB in my lap I don't want to constantly be reminded that the product I spent a stupid amount of money on creaks when it really is not supposed to. This purchase was a completely luxury one for myself, and knowing how much I spent on a secondary machine, I want it to be perfect. And this creaking is something that makes me feel my particular device is not perfect. I'll probably look to exchange it unless it's fixed my tightening screws.

 

[seong]

The one I currently have is a second replacement. The first one that got replaced due to "one in a million" Wi-Fi hardware failure didn't have this problem, and the second one I received have the exact same problem as described by the OP. The conclusion was to replace the display entirely, and for that I have to send it in for a week. Kind of a bummer as I can't do that now, but I'm sure it will fix it.

 

[Trey M]

The one I currently have is a second replacement. The first one that got replaced due to "one in a million" Wi-Fi hardware failure didn't have this problem, and the second one I received have the exact same problem as described by the OP. The conclusion was to replace the display entirely, and for that I have to send it in for a week. Kind of a bummer as I can't do that now, but I'm sure it will fix it.

I hope that does fix your problem; like I've said my observing of this problem lends me to think it has something to do with the bottom case being screwed on properly, not the display/hinge itself, but I could be wrong. Let us know if that display replacement solves the issue for you. I'm awaiting a replacement for mine, my local Apple store just doesn't have any more in stock of my particular model atm.

 

[rob.james.arias]

I had the same issue. After reading through this thread it gave me an idea. I took every screw out of the bottom, open and closed the screen a few times, put the screw back in and no more creak! Some of my screws were extremely tight from the factory, some were very loose. I tightened them all to just a bit past snug and now I have silence. If someone else is having the issue it would be great if they could attempt the same process and confirm here for others this may be a working fix.

 

[JKNorth]

I had the same issue. After reading through this thread it gave me an idea. I took every screw out of the bottom, open and closed the screen a few times, put the screw back in and no more creak! Some of my screws were extremely tight from the factory, some were very loose. I tightened them all to just a bit past snug and now I have silence. If someone else is having the issue it would be great if they could attempt the same process and confirm here for others this may be a working fix.

Same thing here. My Macbook developed a creak coming from the corner by the hinge whenever I picked it up from one of the corners. It seemed to be coming from the bottom plate because I could make the sound with the screen entirely closed.

Grabbed a pentalobe screwdriver (I'm in Canada and very conveniently, Canadian Tire includes them in their 'Precision Electronics' screwdriver set), and checked the screws on the bottom plate. Some were tight. Some were alarmingly loose. I loosened them all off, then tightened them to hand snug. The creak came back the following day as I used the laptop, but after a slight loosening (still snug, but not quite as tight), the sound was gone. So it takes a bit of adjustment. I believe the creak comes from actually being too tight. As someone mentioned earlier, the bottom plate is a heat sink and will expand and contract. Leaving the screws snug not not hard tight allows for that expansion and contraction without introducing the torquing that I think caused the creaking.