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Are Apple Store Associates Stupid or Brainwashed? What would you do?

Freewayjim

Freewayjim

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 2, 2008
222
0
Metro Atlanta
I went in to my local Apple Store at Lunch to check out the new MacBook Pro's, I must say I was more impressed with it after playing with it for a few minutes than I was based on everything I had read in advance.

That being said I am torn between a new MBP and the updated 17" MBP so I asked the associate at the store if the Nvidia 8600M GT issue had been fixed for the updated 17" models.

At first looked at me like I had 3 eyes and and claimed that never heard of any issues with MBP video cards then he checked to see exactly what GPU was in the 17" (duh), then checked to see if it could be configured with a different GPU (double duh), he was a nice guy but no help at all, or has Apple had told their people to "play dumb" I don't know.

He did say however that the updated 17" MPB's were all brand new machines that had just arrived Monday and that all the other 17's were shipped back to Apple. So I'm wondering, would Apple knowingly put a faulty GPU in a "new/updated" computer?

I'm torn between the new 15" MBP and the Updated 17", I like the new design and features of the 15" but can/do use the variety of Ports availabe & like the Hi-Res screen that the 17" offers but am a little spooked about the issues with the 8600 (Money is not a factor in the decision)

I mostly use my current MBP for Final Cut Express 4, Photoshop Elements 6 & MS Office, Windows XP via Parallels and maybe a little low end to mid-range gaming.

What would you do/buy?
 
Since you are asking us whether this guy is "stupid or brainwashed", I would love to see him respond here and tell us exactly what his opinion of _you_ would be. I'll bet you would come off worse. :D

Won't happen, they are too professional for that.
 
gnasher729 said:
Since you are asking us whether this guy is "stupid or brainwashed", I would love to see him respond here and tell us exactly what his opinion of _you_ would be. I'll bet you would come off worse. :D

Won't happen, they are too professional for that.
Click to expand...

What does that mean? I wasn't rude to him in any way it just seemed odd that I seemed to know more about his product than he did. He could have very well been trained to "play dumb" on that issue, I thought it was interesting.

To ggstudios: They did update the 17", yes, it's the same look but the specs were indeed upgraded, it comes standard with 4GB ram, 320 GB HD and a 1920x1200 Hi-res screen.

http://www.apple.com/macbookpro/17-inch/

Geez, I ask for a little advice and get this, nice!
 
Freewayjim said:
To ggstudios: They did update the 17", yes, it's the same look but the specs were indeed upgraded, it comes standard with 4GB ram, 320 GB HD and a 1920x1200 Hi-res screen.
Click to expand...
That's not a change in specs. Those were available already as options, just not standard.
 
I shop at the Apple Stores in Walnut Creek, CA and Pleasanton, CA.

I also find that the employees just don't know much about the products they're selling. That's not a problem, but what is a problem is the way the employees ACT like they know what they're talking about.

Having worked retail before, and realizing how much the public sucks, I always give retail workers a break and avoid confrontation.

However, I find that Apple store employees tend to have a know-it-all attitude, or even worse, a "you don't know anything" attitude.

I just go in and play with the products and buy what I need, but I don't go to the Apple Store for any kind of information or help.
 
ggjstudios said:
That's not a change in specs. Those were available already as options, just not standard.
Click to expand...

Technically you are correct.

The Apple associate told me that they were "new machines" just built, that why I was wondering if the GPU issue was possibly fixed.

I'm still wondering, would Apple knowingly put a faulty device in a $2799 laptop?
 
Freewayjim said:
Technically you are correct.
The Apple associate told me that they were "new machines" just built, that why I was wondering if the GPU issue was possibly fixed.
I'm still wondering, would Apple knowingly put a faulty device in a $2799 laptop?
Click to expand...
Not all the GPUs are faulty. Only a small percentage of them are. And yes, the same GPU is in all the 17" MBPs. That has not changed.
 
While I would expect an Apple Genius to know the answer to your questions, it's unfair to expect a regular sales associate to know everything about technology failures, etc. for a small percentage of users. Remember, not everyone reads MacRumors.
 
Freewayjim said:
What does that mean? I wasn't rude to him in any way it just seemed odd that I seemed to know more about his product than he did. He could have very well been trained to "play dumb" on that issue, I thought it was interesting.
Click to expand...
Thing is, Apple retail employees are told to stay away from Mac forums and rumor sites. They're also specifically told not to speak to any Apple information that isn't already listed on apple.com.

So if Apple didn't send out an iCommunicate to the Specialists stating that they released a KB article mentioning the issue with the graphics cards, then this guy probably really didn't know about it. If any update was sent, it was probably to the Geniuses.
 
I think what Freewayjim means is since Apple has "addressed" the faulty GPU (Nvidia GeForce 8600M GT), will the GPU in the updated 17" be "fixed" as in Nvidia changing their manufacturing process eg: Have different die material or different solder which has been talked about in various articles. If they are still "faulty", isn't Apple breaching the law, knowingly selling bad hardware , even after announcing it!?!
 
aristobrat said:
Thing is, Apple retail employees are told to stay away from Mac forums and rumor sites. They're also specifically told not to speak to any Apple information that isn't already listed on apple.com.

So if Apple didn't send out an iCommunicate to the Specialists stating that they released a KB article mentioning the issue with the graphics cards, then this guy probably really didn't know about it. If any update was sent, it was probably to the Geniuses.
Click to expand...

That makes sense! he immediately went to Apple.com to look up some things.

Good to know, thanks.
 
JavaWizKid said:
I think what Freewayjim means is since Apple has "addressed" the faulty GPU (Nvidia GeForce 8600M GT), will the GPU in the updated 17" be "fixed" as in Nvidia changing their manufacturing process eg: Have different die material or different solder which has been talked about in various articles. If they are still "faulty", isn't Apple breaching the law, knowingly selling bad hardware , even after announcing it!?!
Click to expand...

Yes, that's exactly what I meant, thanks.

I'm assuming Apple recently built these "updated" 17's from the ground up, I was hoping somebody might have some insight on these machines released on Tuesday specifically.
 
From my experience, the majority of people who work at Apple stores are not as knowledgeable as mac geeks who frequent the forums and stuff. That is, I'll know more than the associate by doing research on the notebook i want online.

But there is no reason for you to call them brain washed or stupid.
 
The NVIDIA GPU in the 17" has a very small failure rate, but Mac fanatics don't tolerate any failure well. And I include myself in that category, too. The problem was never even close to being as bad as you may have read. I know quite a few graphics pros who have bought a bunch of 17" MBP in the last year, and not a bad one in the bunch. It seems any small deviation from perfection is met with a firestorm of complaints from us fanatics. I have always wondered why? I am going tonight to look at the new MacBooks and the MacBook Air. I feel the "need" for a new notebook coming on....
 
zer0tails said:
From my experience, the majority of people who work at Apple stores are not as knowledgeable as mac geeks who frequent the forums and stuff. That is, I'll know more than the associate by doing research on the notebook i want online.

But there is no reason for you to call them brain washed or stupid.
Click to expand...

After further review...yeah maybe I was a bit harsh with those comments.

I've usually had very good luck with getting what I felt was good information from those folks so what I encountered today was a bit startling.

To BanjoBanker: Thanks for the insight.
 
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