MacBook Returned - Sadly (Now With Replacement Pictures!)

[Locker]

I received my MacBook today but decided to return it and get a replacement due to slanted keys. To be honest it was quite a tough decision, but two things made my mind up:

1) I saved hard and paid a lot of money for this laptop, and a lot of my friends have cheap ones which don't have such defects. I know it's a Rev A product, but it's clear that there are some 'perfect' ones out there - so why should I have one which isn't?

2) The main reason I was hesitant to return was that I may get a worse machine back. One with either the same issue or something like a loose battery case. If you think about it, I should not have to worry about that at all - I should expect the battery case to fit correctly and for the keyboard to be set straight - especially on what I'd describe as a high end product.

For those interested, here are a couple of pics:





Now all I can do is hope & pray that my replacement is as it should be. I had kind of convinced myself a little that it'd be a small percentage of people with the defect, but I guess the issue is real!

Also, I must say that the after sales team were fantastic over the phone and got a replacement organised in about 20 mins. They were very apologetic about my experience too.

 

[silverblack]

Your replacement could be a lot worse... didn't hear about dead pixels, and people went through 5 macbooks in store and couldn't find one that's perfect?

Just kidding. We (teachers) have a famous phrase, that is, "5% of the class creates 95% of problems". In this case, perhaps, 5% of customers floods 95% of this forums with their negative experience?

 

[Locker]

In this case, perhaps, 5% of customers floods 95% of this forums with their negative experience?

That's what I was hoping - but I guess I got unlucky

I'm certainly not starting off another topic moaning about the problems either - just sharing my experience. Apart from the keys it's a fantastic product - I hadn't actually had the chance to use one until today and I see no problems with the screen at all - looked good to me!

Apple were great about it too, so I'll still be very happy if my replacement rectifies the issue.

 

[clyde2801]

third time was a charm for me.

My second replacement (original had horrid display, first had slanted keys) is great. Suggest you get on other forum threads and grab a color profile that works for your screen.

Only other thing I may do now is find a good deal on a 7200 rpm or ssd drive.

 

[Tosser]

Your replacement could be a lot worse... didn't hear about dead pixels, and people went through 5 macbooks in store and couldn't find one that's perfect?

Just kidding. We (teachers) have a famous phrase, that is, "5% of the class creates 95% of problems". In this case, perhaps, 5% of customers floods 95% of this forums with their negative experience?

Or 5% of the customers get 95% of the problematic computers?

Or 5% of the recipients of faulty computers voice their opinion 95% of the times?

 

[foodle]

slanted function keys ... the horror ...

 

[Locker]

slanted function keys ... the horror ...

If you wouldn't be bothered by it then fair enough - but I don't see why I should have one with this issue when not all of them do. Having the keyboard set straight isn't too much to ask is it? If you were to spend over £1000 on a new laptop I'd be surprised if you weren't a little bothered by it.

 

[clyde2801]

don't belittle, dude

slanted function keys ... the horror ...

I think that this is similar to dining at a restaurant and being brought food that had a hair in it. It's a personal preference with no right or wrong answer. Some would send the entree back and wait another 10-20 minutes, others may shrug, pull the hair out, eyeball it carefully and eat it.

It's a personal preference with no right or wrong answer.

 

[milani]

I think that this is similar to dining at a restaurant and being brought food that had a hair in it. It's a personal preference with no right or wrong answer. Some would send the entree back and wait another 10-20 minutes, others may shrug, pull the hair out, eyeball it carefully and eat it.

It's a personal preference with no right or wrong answer.

Are you suggesting people would willingly eat someone else's hair ?

Just kidding, I understand/agree with what you're saying.

 

[clyde2801]

huh? squinting...AAARRRGGGGHHHH

Are you suggesting people would willingly eat someone else's hair ?

Just kidding, I understand/agree with what you're saying.

Wonderful! You made my day!

 

[Diversion]

My Macbook has slanted keys as well.. but everything else is perfect so far.. (As perfect as the 9C89 screen can get that is).. I'd rather deal (not an issue for me anyways) with the slanted keys versus having a problematic/worse looking screen or other issues with the unit.

Jay

 

[foodle]

If you wouldn't be bothered by it then fair enough - but I don't see why I should have one with this issue when not all of them do. Having the keyboard set straight isn't too much to ask is it? If you were to spend over £1000 on a new laptop I'd be surprised if you weren't a little bothered by it.

Well, I did spend more than £1000 on my MB (2.4GHz baseline model + 4GB Crucial RAM + Intel X25-M) and I do GASP have slanted function keys. And I could not care less about them given how great the machine performs.

 

[GUILTIE]

Well, I did spend more than £1000 on my MB (2.4GHz baseline model + 4GB Crucial RAM + Intel X25-M) and I do GASP have slanted function keys. And I could not care less about them given how great the machine performs.

Same situation here. Judging from some of the problems I've read about, I got off easy with my slanted function keys!

 

[HoldFastHope]

slanted function keys ... the horror ...

Slanted keyboards are definitely unusable, everything would come out in italics

 

[dlamin517]

You pay over $1000 bucks for a laptop, it better be dam perfect.

 

[Demosthenes X]

You pay over $1000 bucks for a laptop, it better be dam perfect.

I don't care how much your MacBook cost, if you throw it in the river and expect it to stop the water flowing, you're just fooling yourself.

 

[embalmess]

I think I would be bothered by slanted keys... I would feel bad that if I spent a lot of money on something, I would want it perfect!

I am annoyed that there are icky fingerprints all over my blackmac, it felt dirty and used the day I brought it home

 

[dlamin517]

I don't care how much your MacBook cost, if you throw it in the river and expect it to stop the water flowing, you're just fooling yourself.

pfff ahahha

op: what do you have to lose from returning it until its perfect? maby some time?
u saved your money, your laptop is worth it

 

[Locker]

My Macbook has slanted keys as well.. but everything else is perfect so far.. (As perfect as the 9C89 screen can get that is).. I'd rather deal (not an issue for me anyways) with the slanted keys versus having a problematic/worse looking screen or other issues with the unit.

Jay

Of course, like I said in my original post, that's what made me hesitant - the thought of getting something worse! But really, we shouldn't have to worry about that. A £1,149 laptop should not have an incorrectly set keyboard, loose battery case or any other such issue. I didn't know what Apple support would think of my reasoning for a replacement, but they empathised and said that I must have been really disappointed to have received it in that condition. That made me realise that I am, and at the end of the day it's a faulty unit - it's not supposed to be like that.

Well, I did spend more than £1000 on my MB (2.4GHz baseline model + 4GB Crucial RAM + Intel X25-M) and I do GASP have slanted function keys. And I could not care less about them given how great the machine performs.

Fair enough then, can't argue with that. If you're happy, great, but with everything considered I'd like my keys to not look like they're semi-pressed in on one side.

Same situation here. Judging from some of the problems I've read about, I got off easy with my slanted function keys!

Again, you shouldn't have to put up with wonky keys though... Apple aren't meant to set the keys like that, it's a manufacturing error on their part, and if it bothers you at all then they should provide you with an issue-free unit.

 

[eshroom]

Just go to the "how to fix slanted keys..." thread. Not ideal but a vast improvement.

 

[Locker]

Just go to the "how to fix slanted keys..." thread. Not ideal but a vast improvement.

I did see this but I don't like the idea of straining the plastic underneeth in order for a fix. Also, I imagine the keys would then sit slightly higher than the rest. Plus, there's a risk of me breaking the key - I'd get no replacment then! Thanks for the suggestion though.

 

[urbanj]

It's still a mass produced product. Go take a ruler to your brand new car and measure all the gaps in the hood, doors and trunk. Check the seams between the tail lights and head lights and the body. I guarantee that they won't be perfect.

People have to stop complaining about minor things that do not effect the function of the machine.

Do you return the car you buy because the cigarette light doesn't fit snugly into it's recepticle.

Mine has slightly slanted function keys and it's still perfect and SUPERIOR to other machines on the market.

FTW

 

[Locker]

It's still a mass produced product. Go take a ruler to your brand new car and measure all the gaps in the hood, doors and trunk. Check the seams between the tail lights and head lights and the body. I guarantee that they won't be perfect.

People have to stop complaining about minor things that do not effect the function of the machine.

Do you return the car you buy because the cigarette light doesn't fit snugly into it's recepticle.

Mine has slightly slanted function keys and it's still perfect and SUPERIOR to other machines on the market.

FTW

I don't think the comparisons you've made are fair. Why? Well, a keyboard is kind of an important part of a computer – and several of the keys look like they’re semi pressed in on one side. Comparing that to a not so snug cigarette part, which I’d never use, and is tucked away within the cars design just isn't the same in my book.

 

[clyde2801]

happened to me

I bought one that had the slanty keys and promptly took it back. The person looked at the keys, saw the defect immediately, gushed apologies, and replaced the machine within ten minutes.

If the keys were cosmetic or immaterial to Apple's own standards, I think they would have told me to bugger off...

 

[eshroom]

It's still a mass produced product. Go take a ruler to your brand new car and measure all the gaps in the hood, doors and trunk. Check the seams between the tail lights and head lights and the body. I guarantee that they won't be perfect.

People have to stop complaining about minor things that do not effect the function of the machine.

Do you return the car you buy because the cigarette light doesn't fit snugly into it's recepticle.

Mine has slightly slanted function keys and it's still perfect and SUPERIOR to other machines on the market.

FTW

Ummmm..... American cars are built so you have to buy a new one in 5 years, so they have to be made shabbily. Macs are like the European car of computers.

But, having just slated 90% of this community's automobile industry, I must agree with you. Besides, we all know what to expect when we buy a rev. A apple product, so why complain?