Design flaw in Macbook Pro late 2013?

[ntsarb]

Hi,

My Macbook Pro late 2013 (13inch, Model: A1502) has developed a protuberance at the back and an Apple Store (Genius Bar) technician told me that this is a result of "excessive pressure" on the soft aluminium bottom case, resulting in an internal bracket causing an internal dent.

There hasn't been an accident, I surely haven't stepped or sat on my laptop, the only pressure I can think of is when carrying it inside a padded pouch, inside a high quality, laptop-grade double-padded backpack, i.e. under normal everyday use.

This is only a cosmetic issue and can be easily repaired by replacing the back plate (it costs about £90 in the UK), but how excessive is the "excessive" pressure that caused this? Should this happen?

After a bit of research, I think it is a weakness of the device, a design issue. I've explained my findings (so far) and included a photo here:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/6876250

I'd be grateful if other users who may have experienced the same problem -under normal everyday use- come forward and share their experience.

Kind regards.

 

[dyt1983]

edit: To remove personally identifying information not relevant to the thread.

 

[Mr. Buzzcut]

Why do you disagree with the assessment given? Why does damage to one's device always have to mean some sort of design flaw? MacBooks are not toughened. They mostly do not withstand dropping or excessive pressure. There are no high strength case materials or shock absorption systems.

So there is a little deformation on the bottom of the laptop? Why make a fuss about it?

 

[newellj]

Hi,

My Macbook Pro late 2013 (13inch, Model: A1502) has developed a protuberance at the back and an Apple Store (Genius Bar) technician told me that this is a result of "excessive pressure" on the soft aluminium bottom case, resulting in an internal bracket causing an internal dent.

There hasn't been an accident, I surely haven't stepped or sat on my laptop, the only pressure I can think of is when carrying it inside a padded pouch, inside a high quality, laptop-grade double-padded backpack, i.e. under normal everyday use.

This is only a cosmetic issue and can be easily repaired by replacing the back plate (it costs about £90 in the UK), but how excessive is the "excessive" pressure that caused this? Should this happen?

After a bit of research, I think it is a weakness of the device, a design issue. I've explained my findings (so far) and included a photo here:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/6876250

I'd be grateful if other users who may have experienced the same problem -under normal everyday use- come forward and share their experience.

Kind regards.

I carry mine back and forth to work, and carry it around at work, five days a week and haven't had that problem. If it were a design flaw, I think there would have been a lot more reports about that. Coincidentally, I had the bottom off mine this afternoon to check for dust and didn't see anything that looks likely to have caused that sort of damage from the inside (although something obviously did in your case). The bottom is an extremely thin piece of aluminum - I'm actually surprised we don't see a lot more posts about dents on the bottoms.

 

[ntsarb]

I carry mine back and forth to work, and carry it around at work, five days a week and haven't had that problem. If it were a design flaw, I think there would have been a lot more reports about that. Coincidentally, I had the bottom off mine this afternoon to check for dust and didn't see anything that looks likely to have caused that sort of damage from the inside (although something obviously did in your case). The bottom is an extremely thin piece of aluminum - I'm actually surprised we don't see a lot more posts about dents on the bottoms.

I found what exactly caused the dent from the inside and, indeed, I think it must have taken quite some pressure to cause that.

I still think the design of the interior could have been much better, meaning that the backplate is not backed by anything in between and around the batteries; around the batteries there is enough space for a structural element to keep the backplate at the right distance and prevent it from bending inwards, to prevent damaging the backplate and -more importantly- damaging the battery.

By all means, it remains a laptop that was built to a high level of quality standards.

 

[T5BRICK]

I still think the design of the interior could have been much better, meaning that the backplate is not backed by anything in between and around the batteries; around the batteries there is enough space for a structural element to keep the backplate at the right distance and prevent it from bending inwards, to prevent damaging the backplate and -more importantly- damaging the battery.

It isn't a design flaw, the device just isn't designed to withstand impacts with the level of force that yours was subjected to.

 

[GoofyCyborg]

I would agree with everyone else... There is no design flaw here.

Be greatful it's only cosmetic! I don't understand why people are so OCD over the smallest things.