Creaking on 15" Haswell MacBook Pro Retina

[macsupah]

Expected more from Apple

Mine is creaking as well. Makes it sound SO cheap. At first I was really annoyed, but I dont know if I can be bothered going through replacement after replacement. Who knows, maybe I will get even a worse model if I go in and complain. Too bad Apple has come to this. I expected more. Cant afford to be without one though. Need it for editing while travelling.

 

[maniamacman]

Well adding to the screen problems I'm discovering in my brand new 2.3 750M, just found out my new machine is also creaking. Don't even have to apply any pressure. Just need to pick up the machine carefully and support it from the middle.

This is the last straw.

Returning this to Amazon (unless Apple will replace a machine bought from third-party retailers)...

i ordered mine last week online from the applestore.
received today its a N and LG perfect screen.
(it was from europe not china)

i have this bottom panel in the middle creaking im sad cuz if not it was the perfection.
if i put in on my legs or on "smooth" support i can hear it creak sometimes if i move. if i pickup my rmbp from the bottom with one hand in the middle i can hear those creaks.

i guess it cant be fixed right? with the machine heat or i dunno if i overloaded it.

its my first rmbp

should i ask for a new one?
imagine if i have a worst display samsung or so with yellowish tint or dead pixels... its kinda lottery

im a bit lost.

can we ask for new one and compare with the old to see which one to keep?

thanks

 

[Baadshah]

i ordered mine last week online from the applestore.
received today its a N and LG perfect screen.
(it was from europe not china)

i have this bottom panel in the middle creaking im sad cuz if not it was the perfection.
if i put in on my legs or on "smooth" support i can hear it creak sometimes if i move. if i pickup my rmbp from the bottom with one hand in the middle i can hear those creaks.

i guess it cant be fixed right? with the machine heat or i dunno if i overloaded it.

its my first rmbp

should i ask for a new one?
imagine if i have a worst display samsung or so with yellowish tint or dead pixels... its kinda lottery

im a bit lost.

can we ask for new one and compare with the old to see which one to keep?

thanks

Yes you can ask for a new one, they will send you a replacement while you the current one until you receive it.

I would say have no tolerence, the machine should be flawless.

 

[trgn]

Creaking three times in a row

I'm on my third rMBP 15". It is my first Apple purchase and I'm amazed by Apple's customer support – and shocked by their quality control.

The first one had severe backplate bending/creaking/clicking issues. The second one creaked around the left palm rest area and clicked in the upper right corner of the bezel.

The current one (P batch) is the first one I received with a LG screen (which to me looks much better than the Samsung screens I received before). It creaks around the left speaker area. The intensity of the creaking seems to be dependent on how warm the machine gets. When really cold it only creaks with medium pressure applied on the speaker area. In normal use it starts to get worse and the backplate area below the speaker gets more flexible an creaks somewhat louder. Under heavy load the area creaks massively no matter where I touch the body, for instance when typing or rearranging the laptop on my desk.

I'm considering to keep this one. On the one hand I'm afraid to score even worse in the next rounds of the lottery (like a bad screen and a bending backplate). On the other I'm hesitant to get past my 14 day return period with a machine that creaks. To my knowledge there is no public reassurance by Apple that they are going to consider creaking as a warrant to service/reseat/replace the body of the machine in the future.

 

[maniamacman]

i think im gonna ask for a replacement. its my first mac too.

i tried quicktime to record a vid and i can hear the creakings its really annoying.

but im very happy with this product i want just a new one hoping be lucky to pick a good one!

i dont want a refund i want a good one plz Apple god

 

[raybies]

There's nothing mechanic, that the creaking is affecting.
Around the trackpad "creaking" is usually just the sticky padding strips, when the unit heats up the glew becomes less sticky so the "creaking" increases.
Around the screen hinge it's the grills of the heat sink.

Some batteries are thinner than others, and they shrink and expand with heat.

If you want it to stop creaking leave in the Sun (Texas) top side down for 4hrs, the battery will expand and the creaking will stop, but may degrade life of battery.

OR open the back and put some good double sided padding strips.

 

[rtr1985]

Even as a very discerning apple consumer, I think it is inevitable that these things will make a little bit of case "noise"--especially when new. It's a very thin, dense product, with tight tolerances, that heats up and cools off. Moreover it's carried and moved around.

I've had a 2011 MBA that creaked and eventually stopped. And a few 2013 rMBP that all made slight noises if really listened close. Now, two 2013 15" rMBP's. The first one returned for the logic board springs squeaking. The one I have now is fine except makes faint cases-noises every now and then. But nothing is consistently reproducible.

Of course, I've seen some videos where it's a definite, reproducible (and loud) popping/clicking/flexing. I think that situation is a whole different story.

 

[amt2002]

Update: I ended up returning my Nov 2013 15" Haswell 2.0/8GB/1TB system due to the incessant case creaking.

The new one arrived a few weeks ago (this time a 'T' rather than 'P' model - i.e. 4 weeks younger (Dec 2013 build)) and the creaking the old model displayed has completely gone! Brilliant.

HOWEVER, after a few weeks of flawless use, there is a now a really severe 'cracking' sound when you pick up the system (applying slight pressure to the bottom plate directly under the palm rest area). You can feel what i believe are the batteries moving up and down - as if the glue has failed and they are essentially resting on the bottom plate.

These RMBPs are starting to make me paranoid... been using mac laptops for 11 years and never had an issue with them before now!

Sending this one back for what will now be my third replacement :-(

 

[Chevelle]

I have some creaking on my 15". I'm not going to return it because I think that's a little too OCD. If I'm going to open the bottom and add some foam strips though what should I be using? I was also going to add some blue loctite to the torx bolts because I've lost a bunch of them on my last MBP and it's annoying.

 

[Nik]

Try this: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1692444/

 

[msavwah]

Ok I ordered online day one and got one with some creaking. I scheduled a visit to the Genius Bar and asked the tech to tighten the screws, because I do not have that tool. He took the bottom plate off and reseated each screw, he understood exactly what the problem was after I showed him. This solved the problem for me. Hope this helps someone.