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

anyone use their macbook in harsh condition?

S

starixus

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 29, 2010
5
0
hi all,
i am a windows user so far and i am thinking about of buying a macbookpro as my first mac computer. However, due to my work nature (i work in offshore platform or rig) i'm not sure whether i should still go for a macbookpro or keep using windows machine. This is because during work time, everyday my hands will get dirty and sometimes a bit greasy. there are also times where the surrounding is filled with dust and sand. now that if i am to buy a premium machine such as mac, i guess by then i will have to be extra extra careful with it, unlike now with my windows machine i can just simply use it in any environment (but still have to be careful of course). So do you guys think i should still go for it or forget about it...many thanks
 
Off Shore

I'm a SCADA guy in the oil industry and have been off shore as well as in the middle of the desert, I don't get greasy as a general rule but I do take my MBP with me and I have never had any problem but again I'm only in those environments a couple of days a month. Mac's seem to be just as durable as any give HP.
 
If you wanted to be certain something was tough and rugged, you'd have to go with a ToughBook or something like that... but then you're stuck with Windows. :(

However, a MBP with a hard shell case and a keyboard protector should hold up pretty well, I would imagine. Can't comment from experience, though - dirtiest place my MBP goes is to Kindergarten classrooms. :D
 
In those conditions I would have to second the Panasonic Toughbook. Though the shell and skin will add durability to the Macbook it really is not designed for harsh environments. While the Toughbook was specifically designed with that type of usage in mind.

If you must have a Mac I would buy a used model. Then open it up and seal all the seams (except the vent). After which I would add the shell and keyboard skin. That should make it rather durable. Your other option would be to get a Toughbook that works well as a Hackintosh and install OS X.
 
A friend of mine uses his out in Afghanistan, and was also recently using it in the empty quarter of abu Dhabi - no problems.

There was also an article on here, i think, some time ago now about an expedition to the mountains ??Everest, where they took their macs.

I guess you want to look for some sort of case and keyboard cover (there are some silicone ones around) that still enables your mac to dissipate heat, but that also allows you to use it. I presume you can get some stick in plug for the exposed ports etc.
 
I use my Core Duo MacBook Pro in a garage working on Cars and Motorcycles. I don't tend to wear latex gloves (it's a habit) and I do get grease and dirt on the MBP. Any regular degreaser (diluted with water) cleans the MBP off like brand new. The thing you'd worry about is bumps and dings and falling stuff
 
I assume you can use your MBP simply everywhere if you use a latex shell around it and you don't expose it to the rough weather outside. Salty Air can do harm to your MBPs internals but the unibody itself should handle it pretty well. I am not certain how extreme moisture and salty air is inside the oil platform so it's just guessing, maybe you have climate controls and everything is pretty normal in your rooms. Dirt, Oil, Grease can be handled with a Case and Keyboard Protector as already mentioned.
 
hi all..
thanks for all the inputs and comments..really appreciate your efforts. i've been reading some posts in apple forums and found out that the unibody macbookpro seems to have lots of problems like wifi connection issue, ethernet port not working, blank screen issues and so on.. I thought apple is supposed to build a great quality product and now it seems like the quality control has drifted away. With all these problems in mind, i really don't have a great confidence and peace of mind to get a macbookpro. Can you guys give me some comments about this for some assurance to get a macbook pro. thanks:eek:
 
I've got the previous macbook pro with a hard plastic cover. Its been all over the world, working in sand storms, snow storms and rain storms. Its been dropped (numerous times), had a glass of water spilled all over it, and been regularly used and abused by by kids (both small and very small) with their jam and chocolate covered fingers. It travels with me every day, and has clocked up thousands of miles by helicopter, boat, bike, donkey and rickshaw, and its never given me any problems at all. I would think the uni-body macbook pro would be even tougher - certainly none of my colleagues who travel as much as I have ever had problems with them.
 
starixus said:
hi all..
thanks for all the inputs and comments..really appreciate your efforts. i've been reading some posts in apple forums and found out that the unibody macbookpro seems to have lots of problems like wifi connection issue, ethernet port not working, blank screen issues and so on.. I thought apple is supposed to build a great quality product and now it seems like the quality control has drifted away. With all these problems in mind, i really don't have a great confidence and peace of mind to get a macbookpro. Can you guys give me some comments about this for some assurance to get a macbook pro. thanks:eek:
Click to expand...

2.9 million Macs sold in the last quarter, and everybody screaming murder when they have any problem at all, means you will get a lot of complaints about Apple computers. My daughter bought I think a Toshiba laptop, and within two years it just fell apart - major parts of the keyboard missing, battery doesn't work at all. She doesn't complain; it was a cheap laptop and falling apart is accepted as normal.
 
You wont find a lot of positive posts because macs are expected to just work and if it does, no one will be euphoric and write a comment on that. BUT if something (even minor) is wrong hell brakes loose and apple is worst company ever.

My MBP just works. WiFi connection is not as good as in the white macbooks because of the Aluminum Unibody but they addressed it with switching the spot of the antenna. It maybe is solved.

I do not have any complaints ;)
 
Your mac will be just fine. I use mine when traveling all over the hot, dusty, sandy, middle east (where it currently is at now).
 
iPhysicist said:
You wont find a lot of positive posts because macs are expected to just work and if it does, no one will be euphoric and write a comment on that. BUT if something (even minor) is wrong hell brakes loose and apple is worst company ever.

My MBP just works. WiFi connection is not as good as in the white macbooks because of the Aluminum Unibody but they addressed it with switching the spot of the antenna. It maybe is solved.

I do not have any complaints ;)
Click to expand...

Wifi on my new 2010 13" MBP is almost as good as my wife's white Macbook. Not quite, but really close. Much better than my sister's unibody Macbook.
 
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