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Do the MBPs still bend?

A

argopelter

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 24, 2010
10
0
I'm considering getting a new MBP. While reading another thread here, I saw a mention of bending and Apple considering lifting the computer with one hand to be "abuse." First, are bends from one handed lifting still an issue? And would that be abuse? I don't generally lift my computers one-handed, but I'd hate to think that a single slipup could end in disaster.

A
 
aluminum is not the holy grail of materials for laptops.

Why? Because it does dent when you drop or bump your computer (and you will, trust me) instead of rebounding back. Think about what an aluminum can does to get an idea of what I'm talking about. I've seen lots of macbook pros with dings and dents. I personally would rather have scraches and chips than an actual dent.

It will shock you when the air is dry. This is annoying and I get shocked alot when touching my trackpack, and it's also probably horrible for your computer.

The unibodies are built better than the older macbook pros, which is what I have.
 
I've also seen lots of plastic laptops with dings, dents and cracks from rough handling.
 
15" i7 here, the laptop is really flexible down the middle...like cheap soda can feel...it is actually one of my greatest contentions besides the constant 68C temperatures. I dont know how they would be able to tell if you pick it up with one hand, but it seems that with enough repeating picking up you might get a bend down the middle

this is also bound to attract apple fanbois sucking at jobs' teat
 
13" 2.66ghz here, and it's stiff as a brick. I get no flex at all, moving it around one handed all the time. I'm guessing it is because the form factor is not as wide, but either way, I'm happy to report no creaks or flexing.
 
My cracked MacBook

My black MacBook (summer 2008) has a crack in the lower right corner, which just happens to be where my thumb goes when I one-hand this puppy from one place to another. Hmmm. Maybe I should try to be as gentle as Mayakowski, who described himself in one poem as "a cloud in trousers."
 
itripped said:
13" 2.66ghz here, and it's stiff as a brick. I get no flex at all, moving it around one handed all the time. I'm guessing it is because the form factor is not as wide, but either way, I'm happy to report no creaks or flexing.
Click to expand...

in the store the MBP13 definately feels stiffer than the 15 - Ive been been numerous times to confirm it - had to order the 15 though, for the matte screen
 
neondrgns said:
15" i7 here, the laptop is really flexible down the middle...like cheap soda can feel...it is actually one of my greatest contentions besides the constant 68C temperatures. I dont know how they would be able to tell if you pick it up with one hand, but it seems that with enough repeating picking up you might get a bend down the middle

this is also bound to attract apple fanbois sucking at jobs' teat
Click to expand...

Im using an i7 17" and there are absolutely no flexing issues what so ever. the thing is solid as a rock. Mine is running at 49 deg, the only time it heats up is when im running a flash game (shocker). The thing runs super cool unlike what some people are saying.
 
booste said:
Hmm... I clicked on this thread because I incorrectly read the title, as I glanced over it I thought it read, "Do the MBPs still blend?"

Understandably, I am now disappointed!
Click to expand...

LOL you joker.

I am also looking to purchase a new macbook pro 2.4 i5. I have a pre unibody macbook pro from 2008 and it has a dent and a few scratches.
 
I was playing with the new MBPs in Best Buy on Tuesday and my findings are pretty similar to what everyone here is saying. The 13" has no noticeable flex at all, the 15" has some when lifting it with one hand while the lid is open. The 17" seemed to have about the same amount of flex as the 15, maybe slightly less.

On a side note, the iPad doesn't have any flex, but it sure feels like it would make a nice frisbee.
 
The new unibody MBPs are a lot more solid and less prone to flex than my non unibody MBP. Still, I have no worries about picking mine up from the corner although I dont do it often.

I wouldn't say aluminium was the holy grail of laptop materials. It may look and feel more expensive but if you drop it and it dents, it will smash whatever is inside. Plastic will absorb the shock and crack.
 
They seem to be more solid than the old MacBook Pros and PowerBooks.

Oh the horror! I lose all bladder control when I imagine what had to have been done to these poor dears to cause such carnage. In my years of repairing them, I've seen some real...uh...

DSC01617.JPG
 
argopelter said:
I'm considering getting a new MBP. While reading another thread here, I saw a mention of bending and Apple considering lifting the computer with one hand to be "abuse." First, are bends from one handed lifting still an issue? And would that be abuse? I don't generally lift my computers one-handed, but I'd hate to think that a single slipup could end in disaster.

A
Click to expand...

"First, are bends from one handed lifting still an issue?"

Only in the dreams of whiners and Apple trolls.

My suggestion is to think about who's posting this sort of nonesense. If that doesn't help you can either check the HW out yourself or go buy something else.
 
This was a concern of mine too because I lift my current laptop by the corner all the time. Its a white plastic 12" iBook G4. Because its plastic it doesn't stay bent, but the casing is now a little creaky. I don't like creaky. So in I trounce into the Apple store to try these out. First off, the aluminum is more soid in general, but it is heavier. The MBA: no felling like its even going to think about bending, and its about the same weight as the iBook. The 13": really a good replacement for the iBook, solid, and slightly heavier. The 15": so heavy I would be a little reticent to lift one-handed, mostly for fear of slipping and dropping. The 17": this one looks rock solid and feels such to, but with that weight I think I caught a hint of considering bending. I would definitely not lift the 17 by the corner. I think the aluminum will outlast any poly case, if you take care of it. As MrCheeto's pic illustrates, dropping a unibody might cause more damage (vs poly) because the aluminum permanently deforms and is incompressable.
 
Thanks for all the great responses!

For what it's worth, I'm basically between a 13 and 15 inch. The potential for bending with the 15 inch has given me some food for thought. I'll definitely go to the Apple store specifically to see if I can detect any flex issues.

If anyone cares, I have a first gen white Macbook, and I'm a big fan of the 13 inch form factor. I'm considering the 15 inch mostly because of the i5, but I also like the larger 15 inch screen, especially if I start doing some more multimedia work and video editing.

The potential for bending is a concern for me because I use my laptops a lot, and while I try to be gentle, I definitely need my computer to be able to withstand being handled on a regular basis.

A
 
I've had a 17 inch Santa Rosa MBP for over two years and used a 17 inch Powerbook G4 for 5 years before that. I am here to tell you that Gargantua couldn't deform the case of either machine. The only possible way to do damage might be to pick it up by one corner of the screen with the lid open. Of course, to manage that you would probably have to be as strong as Gargantua -- and about as smart.:)
 
As someone who had the bending issue with the old design, I am very confident that the unibody has solved this issue. On a side note, I have to metion that apple refused to replaced that defective junk, I was under warranty but they said it was my fault. Well I would like to see where in the Steve Jobs Bible it says "Thou Shall Not Carry Thy Macbook With One Hand...."
 
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