Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

2011 MBP Sharp Edges?

P

ProMactive

macrumors newbie
Original poster
The unibody MBP design is beautiful and symmetrical. It might be the cleanest industrial design ever. But the edges are too sharp.

So I'm wondering if anybody has gotten to feel the new 2011 MacBook Pros to see if they have been manufactured with smoother (less dangerous) edges.

Please let me know.
 

Attachments

  • design_unibody.jpg
    design_unibody.jpg
    29.5 KB · Views: 234
Last edited:
Its exactly the same as the 2009 and 2010 model. I like to use it as a straight edge. It comes in hand when tearing paper.
 
I have the new 13" Macbook Pro i5, and YES I can confirm that the edges are more smooth then previous versions - in other words, less sharp 🙂
I hope it answered your question.
 
Pesper said:
I have the new 13" Macbook Pro i5, and YES I can confirm that the edges are more smooth then previous versions - in other words, less sharp 🙂
I hope it answered your question.
Click to expand...

Really? That is excellent news. I hope we can get further confirmation from other posters. Thank you.
 
Pesper said:
I have the new 13" Macbook Pro i5, and YES I can confirm that the edges are more smooth then previous versions - in other words, less sharp 🙂
I hope it answered your question.
Click to expand...

Are you sure about this? I haven't heard this at all.
 
Well... I'm writing on a 2011 13" right now, I'll take a photo if you want to.

I have not compared to a 2010 MBP (with the 320m), but my friend have a 2009 one here next to me - and we just compared. The difference is very slight but really noticeable. It is.
 
I think it's possible you might simply be noticing the difference between various computers, regardless of year.

Here is why I say this:

The first MBP 13" I got (late 2010) had relatively sharp edges. There was even a slight "hook" at the top corner (like if you ran your fingernail up the side it would "catch" slightly as it came to the top edge). Also the palm rest was ever so slightly "rough" (more textured, you might say).

I took it back and went around the Apple store checking out all the MBP's they had on display. While the basic design means they are all somewhat sharp, some were sharper/rougher/less sharp/smoother than others.

I exchanged mine for another one (fingers were tightly crossed) and the new one was much smoother and no "super sharp" edge. Just the basic desgined in sharpness. These were both late 2010 13"ers.

Whenever/if the design actually changes to a more-rounded one, I will be first in line to buy one. Meanwhile, there does seem to be some variation in individual computers, even in the exact same iteration.
 
Last edited:
I have 2008 MBP and 2011 MBP just released today.

My 15" 2011 MBP is definitely less sharp than 2008 model.

I don't know about 2010 model though.
 
I recently just switched from a 2009 unibody MacBook and so far the edges feel exactly the same.

They've never bothered me that much as I usually have sweaters or a long sleeved shirt on (Good ole' New England.)
 
Haha I was just looking at this - My new 2011 15" is significantly less 'sharp' than my 2010. they look the exact same, but there is most definitely a difference! I'm so excited 🙂
 
Not a joke from my perspective - just gave it the wife test. It was as clear as night and day to her. It looks the exact same, but they're different.
 
Have both sitting next to each other... the new one is smoother. No doubt. But maybe its just within spec? idk.
 
That's similar to the experiendce I had between two different 2010 MBP 13's. I got one late in 2010 and the edges, were, to my mind, unacceptably sharp (well, I mean they all are, design-wise, in my opinion, but I mean even within that this one had really sharp edges).

I took it back to the Apple store and two guys at the genius bar felt it and said they didn't notice anything. Regardless, they were going to let me exchange it, so it's not like they were trying to sway me -- they just thought it seemed fine.

So I opened the new-new one (another 2010 MBP 13" exactly the same model) right at the genius bar and, lo-and-behold, it was considerably smoother and less sharp. I was very pleased 🙂 I then asked them to compare, and after checking them both side-by-side even they said "Oh yeah, I see what you mean, this one is much smoother."

Now, if they have re-desinged the edge, great, I'll not only be thrilled but will run out and buy one. But, my guess is that different plants/machines/or people (?) (not sure if people touch them) treat the edge slightly differently between the machining and when it gets anodized. And/or the metal blank is slightly different to begin with -- on my "sharper" one, the whole metal was just a tiny bit "grainer," if that makes sense. Very noticable on the top of the palm rests.
 
So I gather it has to do with the edge curve tolerance specified by Jony Ive et al. I hope they've changed it!
 
This is my first macbook, and I can't believe how sharp these edges are, truly painful. Love the machine, but the edges make it a pretty painful experience 🙁

Has anyone figured out a way of dealing with this problem?
 
I agree, even if you get one with "smooth" edges (which I managed to get on my second round), the design is still a sharp, 90º type angle. Wasn't always this way: my old iBook is nice and rounded.

Some people have sanded or ground down the edge to make it smooth and rounded (which it did), but that entails cutting through the anodizing. There's a fellow who posted pics, etc. on his website, which I imagine you could find by Googling. He says he has had no problems, but obviously there are strong opinions about it. Be prepared.

Others have taped something over the edge....... not the most elegant

One idea I thought of was to use a hard case such as a Speck See-Thru. They have a plastic edge that comes right up to the top of the sharp edge. It is sharp too, but I wouldn't hesitate to smooth that edge off and it should not be very difficult with something like some wet-dry sandpaper. Then you would have a rounded plastic edge instead of a sharp metal one, but not have to do anything to the case of the actual computer.

At least for now, I decided I didn't want to have to add the 1# plus thickness of the hard case to my laptop, so I try to keep my arms off it, which is kind of like trying not to touch the steering wheel on your car, but until the design is changed, what can you do. Also, I had a year of practice on my plastic Macbook, which was also quite sharp (I did "ease" the edges of my brother's "Blackbook*" with very fine sandpaper, and it worked quite well, but I hadn't got around to doing mine before it died prematurely).

*not anodized though; rather, solid plastic.

Granted if you are typing at a table and with proper posture it's not a problem, but there are always those times you use the computer while lying on a couch or something. And even if you always type perfectly, I find that when I'm just web surfing -- with my right hand on the touchpad -- there's almost no way not to rest my hand/wrist on the computer (and why shouldn't I? It's a palm rest after all).

Sorry not to be more helpful. I still like the Mac better than other computers, and I pretty much have to have a laptop. That said, when there is a re-design, I hope it is more rounded. I'll be first in line to buy one, if so. This case has been around for three years or so now, so there is hope, since styles always change eventually.
 
Last edited:
Possible solution to sharp edges

The edges are too sharp. If you're typing in a less than ideal typing position as we often do with laptops you wrist and inner forearm come in contact with the edge. It is uncomfortable and can make red marks in your inner forearm or wrist if you type enough. Very uncomfortable.

I've written Apple about it with no reply, posted here and on the Apple forums, allows hundreds of views/reply's, there's MANY people who think Apple should just round the edge a little. It's a design flaw ... as an Industrial Designer myself, yes I have the right to say that 🙂

I've read about people filing the edges themselves, if you google it you'll find photo's and instructions on how to do it, that never interested me. Others have used electrical tape, vinyl tape etc.

The best solution I've found is the invisibleshield material like you can buy from Zagg etc. I use their product on my notebooks and had some scraps left over. I had enough to cut out two strips about 5" long x 1/2" wide.

I applied each strip over the sharp edge on either side of the trackpad. It does take the edge off and it's less irritating for sure, definitely noticeable and preferred over an uncovered edge.

I did this recently and have also written Zagg suggesting they make some kind of shield to solve the problem. We'll see if them or any other manufacturer decides it's worth it to manufacture.

Hope that helps.
 
Miss Terri - I see we typed similar words, just a few minutes apart, lol.

I wish Apple would act on this, sending frequent emails to Apple, bringing attention to it and posting forums I hope helps them solve the problem...

A year or so ago someone one was trying to collect support for a class action law suit in the Apple forums ... not sure what became of it, not really my style....
 
Interesting idea!

I just put a bestskinsever (similar to an Invisible Shield) on my MBP last night, and followed it up with a Moshi Palm Guard. So I do have leftover material that would have been the bestskinsever palm guard.

That said, I can't really stick it on now with the Moshi there, so I'll try it as I have it for awhile. Good idea though - thanks for posting it.

I think it would have taken minimal rounding to make it so much more comfortable (before anodizing it, I mean). It doesn't seem like it would compromise the look of the design. I'm typing on my iBook right now and while the edge is totally rounded and comfortable, it is still basically 90º but just slightly eased at the very corner. World of difference.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back