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Chips in aluminum along sharp corners near trackpad?

I don't think there's anything (within reason) that you can do to fix that. I say that because the aluminum is anodized, and the chips have gone through the anodizing. Anodizing is a sort of chemical process/surface treatment of the aluminum (sorry, I can't explain it like a metallurgist could)

The anodized parts I'm familar with are aluminum boat parts, such as masts. When they get chipped or scratched (and they do) they are usually sanded down and then painted with a two-part LPU paint, but that's not very practical for a laptop.

You might try taking it to a Genius bar at Apple, on the idea that this should not happen to a fairly new machine. I agree with that. On the other hand I can see where the MBP might be prone to the problem because usually with something finished (anodized, painted, varnished) you try not to have a sharp edge or corner but instead to "ease" or round them. Sharp corners on painted or varnished things always wear off first (why you try to avoid having them).

There was at least one other thread with photos of similar problems, if you want to look at it; the title was something like "Paint coming off edges of my Macbook Pro" (of course they are not painted but the person who started the thread did not know that).

I got a Moshi Palm Guard for my MBP right away. It does not actually wrap around the corner but since it goes right TO the edge on the palm rest it does tend to keep skin oil and abrasion off the edge.
 
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No way I would settle for that. I would take it back and raise hell, but that's me.
 
I'm not one of those ocd people who think that just because they paid $2000 on a laptop it won't get wear and tear, but I was just looking for what I could do to prevent any more wear like this or make it happen slower.


It's not Apple's fault that my use of the laptop had worn a little bit so I don't think it deserves the replacement demands like a lot of people do.

But thanks for the information about the anodizing.
 
namtaB said:
No way I would settle for that. I would take it back and raise hell, but that's me.
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I agree.

Is this really common? I have had two MBPs ('08 and '09) plus we have MBPs in our lab that range from '07 through '10 and I have never seen this. The lab is pretty heavily used so if this is common I can't think of a better group of machines that this should appear on.


However, I would take it back.

-P
 
JoshGlzBrk said:
I'm not one of those ocd people who think that just because they paid $2000 on a laptop it won't get wear and tear, but I was just looking for what I could do to prevent any more wear like this or make it happen slower.


It's not Apple's fault that my use of the laptop had worn a little bit so I don't think it deserves the replacement demands like a lot of people do.

But thanks for the information about the anodizing.
Click to expand...

Didn't know you had it a year. I thought it was a new 2011 MBP. I'd chalk it up to wear and tear, but I would call Apple anyway just to see if they cover it which they probably will not.
 
namtaB said:
Didn't know you had it a year. I thought it was a new 2011 MBP. I'd chalk it up to wear and tear, but I would call Apple anyway just to see if they cover it which they probably will not.
Click to expand...


Yea I got it in April 2010 so it really didn't surprise me that much.

But really it's the internal hardware that matters. It still works just as good as it did when it was brand new in April so a few little dings doesn't really matter as much.
 
namtaB said:
No way I would settle for that. I would take it back and raise hell, but that's me.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately it's designed to look good as a first priority. I find it annoying & sharp.

Apple did a far better job on the new MBA. Perhaps they will design the rumored 2012 MBP that way. Then I can dump this uncomfortable model.
 
Since the OP has also suggested that he/she doesn't really mind those "chips" if nothing can be done to "fix" it, I'll like to suggest to him/her that the next time he/she makes a trip to his/her local Apple store, maybe bring along the MBP & see if one of the Genius or the store manager is kind enough to do something about it like replace the top casing (not the whole notebook) & so on. :) If Apple does replace the top casing, then great. If not, at least the OP has made an attempt to have the top casing replaced by Apple. :)

Good luck. :)
 
A few thoughts:

1) I think there is a bit of variation between various individual MBP's, in terms of aluminum/anodizing quality. In some of them the aluminum seems... grainier... and I wonder if they have more (somewhat microscopic) divots along the sharp edge, over which the anodizing gives way first/prematurely.

2) There are web pages of a few people who rounded the edge over, by sanding/filing/etc. This, of course, removes the anodizing entirely in that area. Normally that's not a great idea, but these people do not seem to have had further problems (with it turning black, turning their hands black, or etc.). Maybe that's because the aluminum is not kept outdoors, like much anodized aluminum is.

3) I, too, will be more than ready to buy a new laptop if/when the edges are less sharp (as in, 90º angle). Bring it on! I was hoping for a re-design yesterday. The edges on my old iBook are so nice and smoooth (too bad the computer can barely function with today's demands).
 
To the OP, if that is from wear I would take it back. My 13" was bought in april last year and I saw nothing like that on the edge. If its chipped like that from being banged around then yeah, I applaud your honesty and thank you for not taking it to apple and being ridiculous about damage that you created.
 
pricej636 said:
To the OP, if that is from wear I would take it back. My 13" was bought in april last year and I saw nothing like that on the edge. If its chipped like that from being banged around then yeah, I applaud your honesty and thank you for not taking it to apple and being ridiculous about damage that you created.
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It is solely from hand wear (using it). No banging it against anything at all.
 
Id be willing to bet if you took it in they would replace the top case. We pay too much for these machines to have that sort of thing happen from normal use.
 
I agree, Jason. I mean, of course everything wears out eventually, but less than a year with reasonably careful use seems premature to me. And it's probably good for Apple to see that there are problems (not that it's the OP's duty to go to the Genius bar of course).

If it were mine I would take it in (if there were an Apple store nearby) or else call Apple and show them the problem.

After all, cracking top cases on the last generation Macbooks were all replaced under a "quality control" program even when the machines were well over a year old. This is a Macbook Pro that's 9 months old only. Maybe the problem is not widespread enough for a "program" but the OP's computer is still under the 1-year original warranty.

Can't hurt to politely check it out with Apple.
 
There's a tiny chip where the unibody enclosure meets the bottom plate right underneath the magsafe socket.

Should I just ignore it? I just got this MBP today and otherwise it's ok (fingers crossed)
 
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