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2yrs on - here's a list of why I probably won't buy a MacBook Pro

J

joefinan

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Sep 14, 2007
595
0
Kingston-Upon-Thames, UK
I've had my PowerBook G4 for just over 2 years. It cost me £1,450 and would be considered a professional laptop computer. However, in that time there has been a number of problems:

- The 'R' key popped off after a matter of weeks but was not covered on the warranty - that cost me £28.

- Dust is managing to get in behind the LCD display causing shadowy specks.

- I've needed to reinstall the Mac OS on four occasions.

- After just a year, the internal fan started making a loud rattling noise - infuriating!

- My HD icon recently vanished from my desktop so will need to reinstall a 5th time.

- iCal suddenly lost ALL my events and I never got them back.

- One of my USB ports works intermittently.

- For the last few months, the LCD flickers and sometimes goes altogether... and this is the final straw.

So I need a new computer - but will I buy a Mac? Probably. Will I buy a MacBook Pro? Probably not. Will I consider returning to Windows? I feel I have to.

For a professional laptop to get such light use and have so many problems is unacceptable. I saw my PowerBook as an investment - if I pay more I'll get a machine that will last me longer. My crappy Toshiba PC laptop lasted me well over 4yrs. Bad show, Apple.
 
How many Macs have you ever owned? If just this one, how can you justify going back to a windows-based system because one computer had some problems? Have you ever had a windows system that had no problems?
 
Sorry you had so many issues. It sounds like you'd be better off with a Windows machine.

My Powerbook G4 bought in October 2003 is going strong, runs Leopard nicely. It is the best computer that I have EVER bought.

Good luck in the Vista world......
 
joefinan said:
Fair point - but a windows-based laptop would be around £1,000 cheaper.
Click to expand...

Understandable. I just hate to see people bash anything that they only try once. These things (computers in general) are the same as any other piece of electronic equipment... most are good, some turn out bad. Its the manufacturing process, the design flaws, etc - whatever you want to put it on. Ive had 3 Macs as of right now - a PB G4 12" (that I got when it was 2 years old) had that for ~9 months and upgraded to my current MBP. I also have a Mini 1.83 C2D that I bought refurbed. The only hardware issue Ive had was on my MBP - a MONTH after I stinkin got it... the HD crashed, lost everything on it (of course, being a IT admin - I had it all backed up). So, the only issue was with my newest (& brand new) system! Oh well... a year later... the MBP is running awesome and I love it! Converted 4 people now and counting!
 
I am using a 4yr old pb that has been dragged all over the world. It has been bashed dropped knocked (all while in my briefcase) but still, this thing has been a workhorse. All I do with it is email, spreadsheets real basic stuff.

I have never had to do a reinstall on any mac that I have ever owned (going back to the original 128K Macs). Although I tend not to install a bunch of weird third party apps, just the mainline stuff (flip 4 mac etc.). The fact that you have done so 4 times is a bit unusual, but consider how many times you would have had to done so with a windows laptop.

Your problem with the vanishing HD icon is a simple fix, go to finder preferences and select it to show up on the desk top.

I am assuming you did not purchase apple care as many of the items you mention would have (should have) been covered under apple care (fans, USB port, display issue). The $350 investment (i think that is what it is for the laptops) is in my opinion, a good value.

Good luck with your next purchase. Based on what you have stated as "light use" there should be no reason why you would need to spend the money on a MBP. A MB should suit your needs just fine.
 
Get it replaced, nobody's expecting every single one to be perfect.
If you'd sorted it, you'd be owner of a PowerBook in great condition still.
 
My Take

I purchase my 1.5 Ghz, 12" Powerbook G4 in July of 2005.

In that time, it has been used every single day. It has traveled with me to Seattle, California, New Mexico and New York. It has been lugged from countless coffee shop to coffee shop. It has produced countless stories for the two magazines I work with, dozens of ring tones, plenty of iMovies.

It has served as a mini-theater, a game playing machine and untold hours of entertainment.

I've not had one single problem with it, and I'm the very definition of a heavy, heavy user.

While I understand that some people have issues with their purchases, I think far more people are like me. While I can't attest to the quality of Macbooks and Macbook Pros, I can say that every Mac I've owned (three G3 iMacs, one G3 tower, one flat-panel iMac, one G4 Tower, an iBook and three Powerbooks) have served me extremely well. I've never had to toss a broken Mac or replace one due to anything faulty (I sold the iMacs, the iBook and two of the three powerbooks, the G3 tower was tearfully retired).

I would say your situation, while unfortunate, is certainly not the status quo.
 
It's a crap shoot. If you get a $1,500-$2,000 Apple Laptop and it's wonderful then you're going to keep coming back for the next model. However, if it's riddled with problems then you're most likely going to look elsewhere or be much more hesitant to get another one. Apples Pro machines are a lot of money and when a lot of things go wrong it can leave a sour taste in your mouth.

I don't blame you for being pissed off, it was a very expensive computer. I'm not going to going to tell you I've never had to reinstall the OS or replace this or that because we all have different experiences with different machines and my old PowerBook was by no means perfect. I've had great Apple experiences in the past but I understand joefinan's frustration.

Nothing else runs Mac OS and if you love it, as most of us do, then I'd give the MacBooks/MacBook Pros a chance. Good luck with your purchase.
 
~J~ said:
How many Macs have you ever owned? If just this one, how can you justify going back to a windows-based system because one computer had some problems? Have you ever had a windows system that had no problems?
Click to expand...

I've had several Windows PCs that have had no probs at all - save for the usual MS crashes. Hardware has been very reliable. Only had one hard drive failure in one PC. All the others have worked flawlessly, both desktops and laptops.
 
~J~ said:
How many Macs have you ever owned? If just this one, how can you justify going back to a windows-based system because one computer had some problems? Have you ever had a windows system that had no problems?
Click to expand...
I've had four Macs, and three of those went bad before they should reasonably expect to have. Meanwhile the two MS Windows based PC's I've had never had any problem other than I didn't like their OS. It didn't screw-up at all, but I don't like some aspects of it. At work we only use MS Win. and the only problem I can recall in all that time was with one faulty Dell docking station/laptop.

In my experience Apple's hardware quality is at best no better than anything from the big players in the MS Windows camp.
 
I would have to agree that Apple's hardware is no better than any PC companies. I've owned three macs now and every one of them has had to go back at least once because it's died upon or arrival or two days later. My MBP, the favorite machine of mine, had to be replaced three times before I got a good one. However, the fourth one of that batch has lasted me two years with absolutely no problems whatsoever.
 
Ok, I'm going to be straight forward and tell exactly what I think, Suck it up buy a new one boo hoo! it could happen with a PC as well so don't throw that one. Mac's use the same hardware and apple doesn't make this hardware so don't blame them a key fell off oh well it happens. If you really didn't like the computer or the OS then buy a pc but the same problems are certainly possible.
 
For a different perspective, I just lent my 2001 500mhz G4 laptop to my friend because her two year old Toshiba died. She's going to borrow it until Macworld because she's thinking of switching to Mac.

My old laptop is like the energizer bunny. I thought of dumping it on eBay to make a hundred bucks, but it's more valuable as a backup machine, or something I can take to a coffee house and not freak out if it got stolen. Apple makes good machines but a lemon now and then is bound to slip by QA.
 
Laptops are a different animal. Every computer (Mac or Windows) might have problems. I have had hard drives go out on Windows machines very quickly and I have a Toshiba that didn't work out of the box (should have taken it back immediately, my bad because I thought I could fix it). I still have the Toshiba, but have to re-install at least once a year because there is some kind of issue with the software. My point is that any machine can have problems, but the bottom line is that I enjoy working with my Mac OS so much better than Windows that I think I will continue to buy Apple products. I don't hate Windows XP, I just don't like it as well as Tiger and that's the bottom line for me.
 
My G4 PowerBook, Feb 2005, is absolutely flawless, and is still in mint condition. Not a hitch with this machine.

But regardless, it's a shame to lose you and 'Good luck' maintaining your Windows computer.
 
joefinan said:
- I've needed to reinstall the Mac OS on four occasions.
Click to expand...

Have fun with Windows then, because you'll probably have to do a clean format & install monthly to keep it from getting bogged down.

I don't know why you had to reinstall, but it was probably an easy fix (see HD icon below) and you didn't try to figure it out :/

- After just a year, the internal fan started making a loud rattling noise - infuriating!
Click to expand...

Get a new fan? That would be covered under warranty..

- My HD icon recently vanished from my desktop so will need to reinstall a 5th time.
Click to expand...

Finder Menu > Preferences > Show hard drives on desktop

- iCal suddenly lost ALL my events and I never got them back.
Click to expand...

iCal isn't just going to lose events randomly.. you probably did something wrong. Anyways, Time Machine on Leopard would be good in this situation.

- One of my USB ports works intermittently.

- For the last few months, the LCD flickers and sometimes goes altogether... and this is the final straw.
Click to expand...

Warranty... get it fixed.

Consumer reports still says Apple makes the most reliable computers.
 
crobbins said:
I would have to agree that Apple's hardware is no better than any PC companies. I've owned three macs now and every one of them has had to go back at least once because it's died upon or arrival or two days later. My MBP, the favorite machine of mine, had to be replaced three times before I got a good one. However, the fourth one of that batch has lasted me two years with absolutely no problems whatsoever.
Click to expand...

In the past few years I have purchased around 35 imacs, emacs, and ibooks for my school. No problems no returns on any of them. I own 3 imacs ( 1 new) and an ibook G4. No problems no returns. I'm not saying there can be no problems with your Macs but, wow, don't go buying any lottery tickets! :eek::D
 
Interesting.

5 Years I owned a PowerMac G4 867.

Never HAD to reinstall OS X, only reason I ever did was to update when the new systems were launched.

And I dont see how moaning about hardware issues and then buying a PC laptop will change anything?

Foxconn do alot of the PC laptops parts too, both will have problems.

Just get a MBP. Mines perfect. And so its 99% of other peoples. There are alot of bad threads on here because no-one starts a "I love my MB/P".


Owned a 1.42 iBook too, perfect apart from a dead DVD drive 6 months in which was replaced under warranty.

Buy another mac, enjoy it.

Job Done.
 
joefinan said:
I've had my PowerBook G4 for just over 2 years. It cost me £1,450 and would be considered a professional laptop computer. However, in that time there has been a number of problems:

- The 'R' key popped off after a matter of weeks but was not covered on the warranty - that cost me £28.

- Dust is managing to get in behind the LCD display causing shadowy specks.

- I've needed to reinstall the Mac OS on four occasions.

- After just a year, the internal fan started making a loud rattling noise - infuriating!

- My HD icon recently vanished from my desktop so will need to reinstall a 5th time.

- iCal suddenly lost ALL my events and I never got them back.

- One of my USB ports works intermittently.

- For the last few months, the LCD flickers and sometimes goes altogether... and this is the final straw.

So I need a new computer - but will I buy a Mac? Probably. Will I buy a MacBook Pro? Probably not. Will I consider returning to Windows? I feel I have to.

For a professional laptop to get such light use and have so many problems is unacceptable. I saw my PowerBook as an investment - if I pay more I'll get a machine that will last me longer. My crappy Toshiba PC laptop lasted me well over 4yrs. Bad show, Apple.
Click to expand...

Did you just never even bother to ever call apples support line the first year when you had applecare (or I guess go to an apple certified retailer or store) It sounds like almost all your problems would have been covered and resulted in fixes or a replaced computer.

I'm never really sure why people complain without actually thinking that MAYBE apple or whatever company will FIX the issues. You clearly got a bit of a dud. You are a not the majority, you are the minority. Every apple i've ever owned or my family has owned (included a ti book that lasted and was still going strong for 5 years I had it and after as well as a 17inch powerbook and a 15inch powerbook aluminum) have been great machines. Every minor pproblem (ibook at one point had a bad USB port) has been covered under applecare (within the 1 year comp support)

You should always get some sort of extended care on electronic expensive purchases like computers. Whether it's the extended applecare or a coverage by your credit card company or home owners insurance or any other place. It has paid off, and when it doesn't it gives you a piece of mind. Like everyone else said, apple's hardware is the same as others.

I still don't understand why you didn't take time to get apple to make those repairs. Even OUT of warranty sometimes they will help with stuff that shouldn't be going wrong. THey have been great about that for me. I still don't understand your complaints about much of this stuff, but it's sad to lose someone from teh apple side, but chances are you will be back if your PC happens to be an unlucky one and crap out on you.

edit: how was the R key popping off not covered by warranty? Did you actually talk to anyone at apple about it? If they said no did you get transfered and speak to someone else? That would cleraly be covered by warranty unless you dropped it or banged it or it fell off when you were messing with something and that was obvious to a repair technician. Otherwise it should be covered. I had a stuck key and part of my keyboard where the things that kept the keys on were really loose and constantly coming up and apple just swapped the keybaord on my ibook. That sounds like a bit of a lack of asking on your part, or there is something you aren't telling us abut why it came off.... and 28lbs???? how the heck did it cost that much? A whole new keyboard?
 
Funny, a crappy Toshiba laptop is precisely what pushed me into purchasing a MBP.:p
 
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