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Cosmetic Imperfections

S

smacman

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Feb 7, 2006
452
2
I think it's fair to say that the majority of Apple customers are perfectionists by nature. As a result of a longstanding commitment to design, Apple has catered to a very quality conscious demographic. My question therefore may not be an easy one to answer.

What level of perfection is fair to expect from a new Apple product? These forums are flooded with people complaining about crooked keys, scratched cases, dead/stuck pixels, dents, etc. I too have just unboxed my new Macbook Pro to find that it has a small dent/chip in the edge of the case near the trackpad. Is it unreasonable to expect a system without imperfections? Should I send this thing back for one small dent/chip?
 
IMO it is absolutely not unreasonable to expect perfection from an apple product. They claim to stand for high quality but their products are kinda lacking in that regard. How would you like to buy a top of the line car and find a chip/scratch in the paint? How would you like it if the door didn't close flush with the body? Would you say, "oh well, the car is otherwise fine." Probably not. I know this car analogy has been used a lot. But seriously for this kind of money for a company that claims to pride itself on quality and innovation cosmetic imperfections in a brand new peice of equipment are absolutely unacceptable. However, if people allow them to get away with their low quality standards by just dismissing their scratches and dents, loose battery covers, and warped lids then apple will continue to make an inferior product. People need to make a stand and not accept an obvioulsy flawed product. I would return your macbook and request a new one. I went through three mbps, all with warped lids, one with a faulty optical drive, and two that had something clunking inside the case when picked up. I decided to get a full refund for my money and walk out of the store with no macbook at all. I'll wait a month or two for the first batch of the product to thin out then try again at a different apple store as I really do want this notebook. I'm just not willing to accept one that is flawed in places where no notebook should be. I have NEVER bought a pc from any company where there were scratches and dents out of the box or a laptop where I had to be concerned over whether I would get one that the lid closed properly. Having to worry about things like that when buying a laptop absolutely ridiculous.
 
i think people need to take a step back and ask if in a mass manufacturing process if its possible to even get prefection every single time. Issues like dead pixels or dents and parts that dont sit flush are certainly worthy of concern. Mere centimeter scratches that are barely noticeable however, are not (in my book at least, id deffinatly take it.)
 
If I can't get perfection every time, then I don't want to pay for perfection every time.

Also, if a CNC and laser are cutting my body and Apple boasts such high standards for tolerances, a dent or something that doesn't fit as it should, are by their standards, defects and not just imperfections.
 
Crash1234 said:
IMO it is absolutely not unreasonable to expect perfection from an apple product. They claim to stand for high quality but their products are kinda lacking in that regard. How would you like to buy a top of the line car and find a chip/scratch in the paint? How would you like it if the door didn't close flush with the body? Would you say, "oh well, the car is otherwise fine." Probably not. I know this car analogy has been used a lot. But seriously for this kind of money for a company that claims to pride itself on quality and innovation cosmetic imperfections in a brand new peice of equipment are absolutely unacceptable. However, if people allow them to get away with their low quality standards by just dismissing their scratches and dents, loose battery covers, and warped lids then apple will continue to make an inferior product. People need to make a stand and not accept an obvioulsy flawed product. I would return your macbook and request a new one. I went through three mbps, all with warped lids, one with a faulty optical drive, and two that had something clunking inside the case when picked up. I decided to get a full refund for my money and walk out of the store with no macbook at all. I'll wait a month or two for the first batch of the product to thin out then try again at a different apple store as I really do want this notebook. I'm just not willing to accept one that is flawed in places where no notebook should be. I have NEVER bought a pc from any company where there were scratches and dents out of the box or a laptop where I had to be concerned over whether I would get one that the lid closed properly. Having to worry about things like that when buying a laptop absolutely ridiculous.
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Have you seen how cars are transported? I wouldn't be surprised to find chipped paint on at least some of them.

Also, mass manufacturing does lead to mistakes. Not ALL the laptops are defective... some are ... but not all. Also, I don't believe I've ever had or seen a "truly perfect" laptop of any brand. Each one has imperfect builds by design or by accident.
 
A lot of good responses. I agree with everything said and I'm so close to returning this thing. My fear however is the next machine they send me will have something worse wrong with it. Without sounding over the top, I simply don't have the time to beta test new products for Apple.
 
smacman said:
A lot of good responses. I agree with everything said and I'm so close to returning this thing. My fear however is the next machine they send me will have something worse wrong with it. Without sounding over the top, I simply don't have the time to beta test new products for Apple.
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Yes but at this point your committed to a sizable investment in a quality machine where you deserve to have one without defects or the ones with them should be sold at scratch & dent discounts like Dell does. Even if you swap a few times to get a good one I would do it.
 
I have decided to live with the minor imperfection. I agree with everyone's points here but for me the decision came down to a personal issue. I am tired of buying devices and not using them to their fullest potential due to my fear of wearing them out. I've done this before and I can see that I was about to do it again. Not anymore... In due time, through the course of normal use, I'll probably end up causing more minor cosmetic marks. Instead of fearing them, I'll think of them as battle scars that add character. For those that do decide to return for similar problems, I can't say I blame you as I have been there myself. Thanks for all the replies, and now I'm off to abuse my new notebook...
 
Your paying a premium for an apple product, do not accept imperfections. Both my friends have recently bought Dells, and hey have no issues with theirs, i am not about to accept imperfections with my Apple. You paying for quality, therefore you should demand it. Anyone who just ignores is must have too much money to care....
 
These imperfections need to get stopped while on the line. For them to show up only when the end user opens the box shows a sever lack in QA on Apples part.

Think about it. Do you think Apple finds it acceptable when parts manufactures send them imperfect products? No, at my last job Apple sent back $470K worth of chips and said "Make it right or we will go elsewhere"

In that batch of chips there were maybe 10% defective ones. Apple does not tolerate imperfections, why should we?
 
synth3tik said:
These imperfections need to get stopped while on the line. For them to show up only when the end user opens the box shows a sever lack in QA on Apples part.

Think about it. Do you think Apple finds it acceptable when parts manufactures send them imperfect products? No, at my last job Apple sent back $470K worth of chips and said "Make it right or we will go elsewhere"

In that batch of chips there were maybe 10% defective ones. Apple does not tolerate imperfections, why should we?
Click to expand...

Actually your spot on.

I have seen the QA process at a Canon Lens plant, its excellent. All parts get checked, and before the lens ships it is completely inspected by a QA officer. I have never received a damage/imperfect lens from Canon. I have had to get a lens recalibrated but never got one that was phycisally damaged in anyway (other then transit damage, but the whole box was broken). To be honest alot of companies have excellent QA and it shows in their goods. Apple frankly has bad QA, and its not the fault of the Chinese workers, its the QA process. No damaged/imperfect notebook should leave the factory.

Back to the Canon example, all their lenses that fail QA are sent to another factory to be completely destroyed. Canon takes big steps to make sure crap does not hit the store. Apple seems to mass produce and hope for the best.
 
That's my current favorite:

vogelzang-newmac-3585.jpg


Two M keys :rolleyes:
 
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