Common problems to look out after purchasing 2017 Macbook Pro?

[HerbertDerb]

Soon going to get my 2017 15"

What are the most common things that might be wrong out of the box. That you might want to check out before return period ends ?

Common things i check first after purchasing laptop:
- Light bleed
- Dead pixels

What i have heard from other users in MBP's:
- Scratches on the Laptop
- Pink'ish tint on the screen
- Keyboard problems

What other problems are "the most common"

And to "Don't be so picky about it". I am giving away 3400€ for this product. Apple ****s EU users in the arse, literally. For this price premium i have right to accept no other than flawless product. (Not perfect, perfectionism is an illusion)

 

[708692]

Tight hinges after a few weeks

 

[New_Mac_Smell]

I've heard yellowish tint too, and red, and trackpads (That magically 'flex' when they're 'not' supposed to), and an array of other fantastical issues. All depends on what plain of existence you find yourself.

Usually just visually check it over for physical defects. Power it on and check the keys work and screen turns on. Use it for a few days. If all is well it will likely stay that way until you break it.

 

[PBG4 Dude]

I don’t know if it helps, but my 2017 MBP has been flawless so far since I bought it last month. I bought the “better” tier, with 460 dGPU and 512GB SSD. So far it’s been everything I expected in a new laptop.

As far as dongles go, I bought the USB-C to USB-A/HDMI/USB-C power port, USB-C to lightning and USB-C external HDD cable so I wouldn’t have to go through a dongle to use it. This added about $100 in extra costs, but I’ve dealt with dongles with previous Apple laptops so I haven’t gotten my knickers in a twist like some people on this board, LOL.

I know this is a “my anecdote can beat up your anecdote!” Type of post but I wanted you to know there are good models that work as expected out there.

 

[WhiteWhaleHolyGrail]

I've heard yellowish tint too, and red, and trackpads (That magically 'flex' when they're 'not' supposed to), and an array of other fantastical issues. All depends on what plain of existence you find yourself.

Usually just visually check it over for physical defects. Power it on and check the keys work and screen turns on. Use it for a few days. If all is well it will likely stay that way until you break it.

I thought the touchpads were supposed to flex a tiny amount? I am sure I read this somewhere...

 

[HerbertDerb]

I don’t know if it helps, but my 2017 MBP has been flawless so far since I bought it last month. I bought the “better” tier, with 460 dGPU and 512GB SSD. So far it’s been everything I expected in a new laptop.

As far as dongles go, I bought the USB-C to USB-A/HDMI/USB-C power port, USB-C to lightning and USB-C external HDD cable so I wouldn’t have to go through a dongle to use it. This added about $100 in extra costs, but I’ve dealt with dongles with previous Apple laptops so I haven’t gotten my knickers in a twist like some people on this board, LOL.

I know this is a “my anecdote can beat up your anecdote!” Type of post but I wanted you to know there are good models that work as expected out there.

Glad to hear that! I am also purchasing the top tier (2.9/512gb 560) model.

First i considered the 13" TB model. But after tinkering in Apple's website and adding 16gb ram and 512gb SSD. the price goes wayyy up. And the price difference between that and the 15" was worth it to me.... "Apple holds us hostage"

But yeah, going to be my first Mac computer. Really tired of Windows laptops... And go big, or go home

 

[New_Mac_Smell]

I thought the touchpads were supposed to flex a tiny amount? I am sure I read this somewhere...

Of course they are. But there still tends to be a thread at least once a week where someone has noticed this flex and concluded it's an issue, then goes to Apple, then suggests defects, then gets it replaced... AKA circle of MacLife...

Anyway, just physical check. Anything more wouldn't be apparent until months of use. When observing screen uniformity, make sure you're looking dead centre as naturally the glass will slightly change the tone through colour shifting when viewing at a slight angle.

 

[lobo1978]

Don't feel offended but it seems you cannot afford this computer (judging only by your initial approach - I hope I am wrong).

Trust me; your life will be hell after purchase as you will constantly monitor for "flaws" starting with fingerprints on a box... (true story - after spending some time here at Macrumors I have a really good laugh at some people freaking out on every single spot, squeak, etc.).

If this computer will not earn you any money but will be a display of your status - quit it for your own good.

Expectations of users that spend the last penny on Apple are usually going through the roof.

 

[ZapNZs]

Beyond the things you would look for with any computer, such as light bleed, dead pixels, poor LCD color temp consistency, unusual fan sounds, and cosmetic defects, the only specific things I would ensure with on that model is seamless switching between the dual GPUs and correct keyboard function. Like with other computers, some defects don't show themselves for long after 2 weeks, so AppleCare or a comparable product may be worth consideration depending upon its pricing, availability, and what consumer protection laws you have (I know EU nations have stronger protection laws than we do here in the US.)

If you do have keyboard issues, you have a few options ranging from an exchange, to a top case replacement, to a shim kit. Most of the high-pitched clicks are only observed when the computer is under load for an extended period (and consequently the heat leads to expansion of the materials used.) I've not personally had these issues with my 2016 and I think the frequency of issues are small compared to the total number of MBPs sold, although numerous Users have indeed had issues and this new keyboard design is definitely more finicky than the generation it replaced.

Most likely, the system will be near flawless and you will be delighted with it. Regarding your expectations, with the price you are paying, near-flawless is a reasonable expectation IMO, and the large majority of Apple products are indeed near-flawless. However, I would not expect it to be 100% flawless because it is a mass-produced product subject to the same QA/QC logistical complications that all mass-produced products are subject to.

 

[lambertjohn]

Tight hinges after a few weeks

you mean the hinges getting tighter with use, or looser??

 

[HerbertDerb]

Don't feel offended but it seems you cannot afford this computer (judging only by your initial approach - I hope I am wrong).

Trust me; your life will be hell after purchase as you will constantly monitor for "flaws" starting with fingerprints on a box... (true story - after spending some time here at Macrumors I have a really good laugh at some people freaking out on every single spot, squeak, etc.).

If this computer will not earn you any money but will be a display of your status - quit it for your own good.

Expectations of users that spend the last penny on Apple are usually going through the roof.

If you have to know:

- Will i be keeping this laptop for the next 2-3 years (at least )? Yes.

- Is this computer going to be part of bigger system i am "building"? Yes.

- In general, if we compare Apple laptops to Window equivalent laptop. Is the Apple laptop gonna hold up better in price and performance compared to Windows one as the time goes by? Yes.

- Is the laptop expensive investment to me? Yes. Do i go bankrupt after buying it? No.

- Will i be purchasing Dbrand skin for it to protect my investment? Yes.

- Do i already hate Windows? Yes, i have been using it for 8 years now.

- Can i get more cheaper Macbook Pro? (If you wan't the new one) Yes. But then there is struggle of 13" size (that i can't stand) And the price difference between the entry level 15" and the model i am going to purchase is so small that its worth it any day.

- Do i expect it to be 100% perfect? No. Like the ZapNZs said (while i was writing this). Near-flawless is reasonable expectation. But there is never going to product that is 100% perfect.

And if you want to know, i have been looking at mac's for the couple of years now. Now i am in position in my life where i can afford to buy that without too much of an hassle.

Hopefully this clears your concern If you want anything else to know about my life, please let me know.
[doublepost=1500911511][/doublepost]

Beyond the things you would look for with any computer, such as light bleed, dead pixels, poor LCD color temp consistency, unusual fan sounds, and cosmetic defects, the only specific things I would ensure with on that model is seamless switching between the dual GPUs and correct keyboard function. Like with other computers, some defects don't show themselves for long after 2 weeks, so AppleCare or a comparable product may be worth consideration depending upon its pricing, availability, and what consumer protection laws you have (I know EU nations have stronger protection laws than we do here in the US.)

If you do have keyboard issues, you have a few options ranging from an exchange, to a top case replacement, to a shim kit. Most of the high-pitched clicks are only observed when the computer is under load for an extended period (and consequently the heat leads to expansion of the materials used.) I've not personally had these issues with my 2016 and I think the frequency of issues are small compared to the total number of MBPs sold, although numerous Users have indeed had issues and this new keyboard design is definitely more finicky than the generation it replaced.

Most likely, the system will be near flawless and you will be delighted with it. Regarding your expectations, with the price you are paying, near-flawless is a reasonable expectation IMO, and the large majority of Apple products are indeed near-flawless. However, I would not expect it to be 100% flawless because it is a mass-produced product subject to the same QA/QC logistical complications that all mass-produced products are subject to.

I live in EU so there is 30 days of return policy. After that 1 year of warranty (Applecare) and within one year you have to purchase the 3 year extra for AppleCare

I 100% agree. There is not any expectation to NOT expect near-flawless product at this price point. And one reason why i am buying it is because Apple does have record of being better QC than matching Windows- machines.

 

[tvith]

I don’t know if it helps, but my 2017 MBP has been flawless so far since I bought it last month. I bought the “better” tier, with 460 dGPU and 512GB SSD. So far it’s been everything I expected in a new laptop.

I got lucky as well. I have the base 15" 2017 and other than a few "clicky" keys everything else has been perfect.

 

[jerryk]

I 100% agree. There is not any expectation to NOT expect near-flawless product at this price point. And one reason why i am buying it is because Apple does have record of being better QC than matching Windows- machines.

I question this. But Apple does provide a good machine.

 

[708692]

you mean the hinges getting tighter with use, or looser??

I've seen a few posts on here with people saying they get too tight after a few weeks. Requires a trip to an apple store to get them adjusted. Doesn't appear to be very common though.

 

[jerryk]

I did not see this, so sorry if it is a duplicate. Some people report a knocking sounds when they tilt they MBPs side to side. This has been occurring since the original retina MacBooks. The story is its is a diffuser in the display shifting slightly.

See https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/dear-2017-mbp-owners-–-do-you-have-that-rattle.2052250/ for a long discussion.

 

[lobo1978]

If you have to know:
Hopefully this clears your concern If you want anything else to know about my life, please let me know.

If you can remain that cool after you actually get it and will not spam this forum with ridiculous xyz-gate accusations - it is more than fine with me

And first of all use and enjoy your new machine!

 

[HerbertDerb]

If you can remain that cool after you actually get it and will not spam this forum with ridiculous xyz-gate accusations - it is more than fine with me

And first of all use and enjoy your new machine!

I will try my best... But can't promise anything ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

 

[New_Mac_Smell]

I wouldn't think of it as an 'investment', it's not going to be worth much in 2-3 years. Don't buy into the notion that "I'll buy it for $3000, then in 2 years sell it for $2500 and only pay $500 for an upgrade!". It's more buy it for $3000, lucky to sell it for $1000 in 2-3 years. You can look on eBay and see plenty of MacBooks on for silly prices, but that's not what people are buying them for.

So honestly just use the thing you brought for a reason. Don't worry about protecting it with some naff cheap skin, all that they do is cause uneven wear and tear when you remove them. If you brought it to work then do your work, if you make $10,000 over the next 2-3 years, then you can buy a new one and not care if your old machine sells for $1000 with a couple of dings or $1100 with a pristine shell.

 

[meboy]

Add to the list for these 2016-17 models

Fan noise.
High pitch or turning on all the time when they shouldn't.

Heat

Battery drain while sleeping

USB c , oh wait...

 

[lobo1978]

Add to the list for these 2016-17 models

Fan noise.
High pitch or turning on all the time when they shouldn't.

Heat
...

Dude - really? Do you own one or you just aggregate crypto-apple-users-from-Dell/just-haters/pseudo-experts "opinions" from Macrumors Forum

Please check review from notebookcheck.net -> https://www.notebookcheck.net/Apple-MacBook-Pro-15-2017-2-8-GHz-555-Laptop-Review.230096.0.html

They are Germans, and they are very serious with testing laptops...

Again - fan noise? Man this is THE quietest laptop on the market with quad-core - you are really hippy and against mainstream with your findings



These are problems from Lenovo, Dell and Razer forums

 

[Sterkenburg]

As others have already said, just do a reasonably thorough physical inspection to check that everything is in good shape and working normally. Many people seem to be on a hunt for minuscule and insignificant issues, avoid jumping on that bandwagon (i.e. don't look at your laptop from weird angles or lighting conditions, shake it or knock it to find weird issues that you can't normally notice).

Keep in mind that forums provide opinions from a very biased sample, several of the issues mentioned here do exist but it's very likely that everything will be fine. If by any chance you find a defect within the return window, Apple will replace your machine. If it happens later on, Apple Care will take care of that. Just spend your time using and enjoying your Mac.

 

[HerbertDerb]

Dude - really? Do you own one or you just aggregate crypto-apple-users-from-Dell/just-haters/pseudo-experts "opinions" from Macrumors Forum

Please check review from notebookcheck.net -> https://www.notebookcheck.net/Apple-MacBook-Pro-15-2017-2-8-GHz-555-Laptop-Review.230096.0.html

They are Germans, and they are very serious with testing laptops...

I just read the review through but it got me worried.... How extend is the 2.4ghz wifi issue? At home i am using 5ghz but on the go, i am usually using 2.4 most of the time to connect my laptop....

Anybody had this problem and has Apple come up with solution to this?

 

[New_Mac_Smell]

I just read the review through but it got me worried.... How extend is the 2.4ghz wifi issue? At home i am using 5ghz but on the go, i am usually using 2.4 most of the time to connect my laptop....

Anybody had this problem and has Apple come up with solution to this?

Nope and no idea.

Reading it in full:

"However, the issue was limited to certain constellations. We noticed connection problems with the Anker Premium USB-C Hub, for example, as well as a maximum configuration with Kensington USB-C Hub, SanDisk 900 USB-C SSD, DisplayPort monitor, USB thumb drive, and other peripherals running Windows (Bootcamp). However, we could not always reproduce the problem, and both the Kensington hub as well as the USB-C SSD worked without problems."

Suggests it's a very niche issue. That really shouldn't get you worried should it? Don't know what's causing the problem, likely cheap USB-C peripherals with inadequate shielding interfering with the radio band, or simply grounding onto the shell and causing communication issues.

If you use a boat full of super cheap accessories then you may experience this maybe once. If you buy a $3000 computer and spend money on proper accessories then you would probably never get this problem.

Are you planning on a $3000 computer and a $1 accessory?

 

[HerbertDerb]

Are you planning on a $3000 computer and a $1 accessory?

Haha no... Offcourse not.

Actually i am not even "mad" (Like some people are) with the Type C -route Apple went. I am more mad about the pricing in the EU.

After the money you spend after this kind of laptop. The thing that you need to spend more money to dongles is negligible IMO. But i do understand why people are mad about this....
"Apple has allready made you bend over. It's better to just relax than fight back at that point... Will be over more quickly."

Little-bit OT but yeah.

 

[kang]

Haha no... Offcourse not.

Actually i am not even "mad" (Like some people are) with the Type C -route Apple went. I am more mad about the pricing in the EU.

After the money you spend after this kind of laptop. The thing that you need to spend more money to dongles is negligible IMO. But i do understand why people are mad about this....
"Apple has allready made you bend over. It's better to just relax than fight back at that point... Will be over more quickly."

Little-bit OT but yeah.

Not sure about pricing in the EU, but pricing in the UK is hideous with the added VAT tax.

Anyways, I got over the price and now have a 2017 15".

It's fantastic so far, although I'm scared of breaking the screen hinge when it tilts past 90 degrees. Track pad is larger but also feels less "smooth", although this could just be due to it being new.