Display Flex 16" MacBook Pro

[Mkinners]

Hi Guys, new to this forum, but not new to Macs.

Just taken delivery of a new 16" pro, but believe it may have a slight issue and wanted to check with others.

Simply put, when the laptop is closed, the left and side of the machine keyboard deck and screen sit perfectly flush, no movement when gripping/holding on that side. The right hand side however has good 1mm+ gap all the way along and when lifting from that side, the gap closes (noise can be heard confirming the gap closing).

I know this sounds like a small gap, but I guess the tolerances are out somewhere which will inevitably places extra stress on to some part of the chassis and potentially lead to issues down the line.

Anyone else experiencing this, or is just my typical luck?

 

[Nick A]

I personally would return it and get a new one. That's not normal and this is an expensive machine to not be 100% out of the box.

 

[Mkinners]

I personally would return it and get a new one. That's not normal and this is an expensive machine to not be 100% out of the box.

Thanks for that. As you say, they aren't cheap machines and ive never experienced this before. I will return this one and hope that the replacement isn't the same.

 

[fehhkk]

Definitely not normal, sounds like either the lid mechanism is misaligned, or perhaps the lid is warped.

 

[Mkinners]

Definitely not normal, sounds like either the lid mechanism is misaligned, or perhaps the lid is warped.

Just had another look at it in better light and although no easy to see, the more I look at it, their is a definite bow in the lid on the right hand side. You can see light passing through from the back of the device when it is closed.

Started the return process so hopefully the replacement comes and is all good.

 

[fokmik]

so you are talking about the gap between the lid and the base? do you see the keys when there is light on the other side?

 

[Mkinners]

so you are talking about the gap between the lid and the base? do you see the keys when there is light on the other side?

The black rubber seal around the edge of the display will usually sit flush with the keyboard deck - this is the case on the left hand side.

If I shine a light from the rear of the case, nothing will come through on the left.

In contrast, on the right hand side, light quite clearly shines out the side from between the screen and the base - this light isn't even all the way along and it shows a larger gap towards the centre. Similarly if I pick up the device in that area, you can feel the screen pinch and close fully as well as hearing a sound of this happening.

 

[Nacho98]

bizarre, apple got the display/body gap so much tighther on the 2016+ models than the 2008-2015, which could range anywhere from awful to pretty good (but even pretty good isnt nearly as tight as your average 2016+ model).

definitely get another one

 

[Mkinners]

bizarre, apple got the display/body gap so much tighther on the 2016+ models than the 2008-2015, which could range anywhere from awful to pretty good (but even pretty good isnt nearly as tight as your average 2016+ model).

definitely get another one

I still have both a 2008 and a 2012 machine, both since new and they are honestly built like tanks. No gaps on any of the edges on these so thats why I wanted to check it wasn't a change in design.

 

[Nacho98]

Just had another look at it in better light and although no easy to see, the more I look at it, their is a definite bow in the lid on the right hand side. You can see light passing through from the back of the device when it is closed.

Started the return process so hopefully the replacement comes and is all good.

so how did the replacement turn out? pics?

 

[Mkinners]

Sorry for the late reply. Took a little while to get the replacement shipped to me. This new unit seems absolutely fine, with zero gaps or movement in/around the display.

Hopefully this short video works - MacBook 16 Screen bend

I know it doesn't appear much but these aren't cheap machines and I have every intention of holding on to it for a good few years and don't want this to cause issues in the future.

 

[Nacho98]

Sorry for the late reply. Took a little while to get the replacement shipped to me. This new unit seems absolutely fine, with zero gaps or movement in/around the display.

Hopefully this short video works - MacBook 16 Screen bend

I know it doesn't appear much but these aren't cheap machines and I have every intention of holding on to it for a good few years and don't want this to cause issues in the future.

dont have dropbox so cant see the video.

one thing ive been noticing with display models is on the right hand side of the machine, the gap between the display and body when closed is just SLIGHTLY worse compared to the left hand side. hard to notice, but its there on a lot of them if you look closely.

 

[chrfr]

one thing ive been noticing with display models is on the right hand side of the machine, the gap between the display and body when closed is just SLIGHTLY worse compared to the left hand side. hard to notice, but its there on a lot of them if you look closely.

It would not surprise me if the display models are bent by people picking them up by one hand. There's no such asymmetry on the one I use at work, and it's never been picked up by one hand as I often see people do when lifting laptops.

 

[Nacho98]

It would not surprise me if the display models are bent by people picking them up by one hand. There's no such asymmetry on the one I use at work, and it's never been picked up by one hand as I often see people do when lifting laptops.

certainly a possibility, and display models are not always the best example when looking for quality control imperfections.

strangely though, it is the right hand side on all of them (5-6 ive looked at) that has a slightly (and i mean slightly) larger display lid/top case gap...not left side on some and right side on others - its always worse on the right hand side from what ive seen.

 

[chrfr]

strangely though, it is the right hand side on all of them (5-6 ive looked at) that has a slightly (and i mean slightly) larger display lid/top case gap...not left side on some and right side on others - its always worse on the right hand side from what ive seen.

Right-handedness is by far more common than left-handedness so it's no surprise that there'd be a bigger gap on the right if people are lifting the computer when it's open.