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

Are the latest Unibody Macbook Pro screens still lose?

W

wankey

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Aug 24, 2005
601
296
One of the biggest reasons why I didn't go for the unibody mbp is because the screen is very loose in my opinion. So loose that when you orient the laptop more than 50-60 degrees vertically, the screen will automatically start folding on itself (which it then stops when the screen reaches a 30~ish degree difference from the bottom)

I like to use my laptop a lot in bed so it is one the biggest gripes. Have Apple come to their senses and tightened the screen?

Ironically, the Apple store representative gave me the biggest BS excuse for this, they told me it was so that the laptop would not lift if you open the screen up.

That is great *BUT* the screen actually gets STIFFER as you move it more towards the base rather than looser which it should be. It's loose from about 30-110 degree, and then from the 0 to 30 degree it's pretty stiff, enough to laughably lift the device. I showed how stupid his logic was by showing him this problem on one of the devices at the store and he's like, well I don't know then.

Anyone with the latest unibody can attest to any change? This isn't a singular problem as I've found it on every single 15 inch macbook pro.

Oh I forgot to mention, this problem only affects the 15inch and maybe 17inch mbp (I haven't tested it on the 17 so I wouldn't know)
 
I know what you mean - I have a last gen 15" unibody and felt the screen was a bit flimsy. Now I have a thinkpad and the comparison is night and day - the thinkpad screen doesn't budge without some muscle.
 
So can anyone give me a short answer or do I have to visit the Apple store on my way to school tomorrow lol?
 
i have a mid-2009 15" mbp and i have this 'design feature'... makes using my laptop in bed a real pain.
 
I have the new 13" MBP and the screen hinge is very strong. It takes a lot of effort to make it move on it's own. It won't move while lying down using it unless I attempt to shake it very hard.

Unfortunately I tried out the new 15" and all of them at the Apple store were loose. I picked a couple of them up and titled them towards me only slightly and they screens dropped forward. The glass is very heavy so I guess Apple doesn't want to tighten the hinges too much as it might put stress on the hinge and damage over time. Just my guess.
 
How are you guys using these laptops? Are you typing on them upside down or something? I haven't experienced any problems with my hinge being loose.
 
I have a 13" MBP, hinge is rock-solid and screen will not fall unless it is about 2" from being closed. Even then it takes about 3 minutes to slowly fall shut.
 
wankey said:
Try tilting it, does the screen ever fall on its own? (it should never ever fall, ever)
Click to expand...

My June 2009 17" MBP's screen falls when tilted. It's a behemoth of a screen...no wonder it falls due to the sheer weight.
 
I tried all three.
13" is the tightest among them, 17" comes second, and 15" is no doubt the worst one.
13" does not fold itself at all even put it vertically, 17" folds, but not as fast as 15" goes.
That's why I finally settle for the 13" one.
 
I have a Dec 2008 :apple: *Collectors Edition ;)* Aluminum MacBook 13" and it doesn't fold onto itself and I use it atleast 50% of the time laying down.

One thing I do not like is the fact when it's closed, it's not tightly closed, if your holding it horizontally and not holding it closed it opens about a 1/4 maybe slightly more.

I also have a Swiss Army Laptop Backpack and it sits in the laptop compartment vertically. If I set it down I always am careful that I lean my bag the right direction so it does not open even a bit. It rarely happens day since you have to hold it a certain way for it to do it but when it's closed it should STAY closed.
 
like whats been said on this thread, i love my 13' it doesnt fold at all. maybe im lucky but i think its just a great build.
 
spaceboots06 said:
No. It shouldn't ever fall. My Dell Inspiron 6400 falls. Are laptop screens supposed to fall by themselves???
Click to expand...

It doesn't fall by itself in normal usage conditions. You're not supposed to hold a notebook computer at a 45 degree angle to see if the display will begin to close over automatically. That's called gravity.

I'm quite happy that Apple chose to design it this way, but then again I don't use my MBP at 45 degree angles.

I don't want to have to use force (relatively, of course) when opening the display. I want it to be a soft, fluid motion which, thankfully, it is.
 
Girlfriend's 15" uMBP is floppy and she complains about it.

It's funny, because I hate that about my 2007 17" MBP too.

My Thinkpad is rock solid at all 180+ degrees - the way a hinge should be.
 
My 13" UMBP is rock solid as well - it takes an extremely unusable angle (couple inches from closed) before it will start to move itself.
 
The hinge of my January uMBP 15" is slight loose. Let's say if I wanted to transport the opened laptop and I walk with it, the hinge will extend back a bit. Very annoying.
 
I have the June 09 unibody and I can sadly confirm this happens to me as well. I can't use it in bed like I did with my wintop, instead making adjustments to my position and angle to make it work. It's not bad at all now, you just need to adjust. In all honesty, the new position is probably better on my back anyhow.
 
I have an old Toshiba (~8 yrs), Sony Viao (~6+), eeePC100H (1.5 yrs) and now my whitebook... the whitebook hinge is the most lose out of the 4 units and its the newest... I hope it lasts as well as the others have...
 
This news is disappointing. I had hoped Apple improved the hinge to be more stiff. Oh, well. I'll wait till Arrandale I guess.
 
wankey said:
One of the biggest reasons why I didn't go for the unibody mbp is because the screen is very loose in my opinion. So loose that when you orient the laptop more than 50-60 degrees vertically, the screen will automatically start folding on itself (which it then stops when the screen reaches a 30~ish degree difference from the bottom)

I like to use my laptop a lot in bed so it is one the biggest gripes. Have Apple come to their senses and tightened the screen?

Ironically, the Apple store representative gave me the biggest BS excuse for this, they told me it was so that the laptop would not lift if you open the screen up.

That is great *BUT* the screen actually gets STIFFER as you move it more towards the base rather than looser which it should be. It's loose from about 30-110 degree, and then from the 0 to 30 degree it's pretty stiff, enough to laughably lift the device. I showed how stupid his logic was by showing him this problem on one of the devices at the store and he's like, well I don't know then.

Anyone with the latest unibody can attest to any change? This isn't a singular problem as I've found it on every single 15 inch macbook pro.

Oh I forgot to mention, this problem only affects the 15inch and maybe 17inch mbp (I haven't tested it on the 17 so I wouldn't know)
Click to expand...

my 15" 3.06 is tight and not flimsy at all
 
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