Does Apple fix problems in newer Macbook Pro 16"s?

[fandy]

Is it similar to Tesla, where hardware that is manufactured months after the initial release can be improved over the initial batches? Or are all the units in the same model the exact same?

I bought a new 16" MBP instead of a refurb last week and am regretting not saving 15%... but if buying it new has a greater chance of it being more reliable (in terms of being a later batch shipment), then I'm happy with that. Otherwise it seems like an absolute no brainer to get the refurb, because it's cheaper than new AND at higher specs.

 

[CWallace]

Unless there is a critical design failure, there does not seem to be any real quality improvements between the first and last builds of a series in terms of the hardware. The components themselves might go through minor process improvements (like CPU / GPU yields), but overall it is not like buying a new model three months after release will be any different than one bought three days after release.

And if anything, refurbs should be even more reliable since they go through a second QA process when they are returned (and I expect the vast majority are returned within the 15 day window and not due to a major component failure).

 

[JPack]

Nearly every manufacturer updates a product over time, even if the manfuactuer is silent about it.

Look at the Apple Exchange and Repair Extension Programs. They often have a date range.

13-inch MacBook Pro (non Touch Bar) Solid-State Drive Service Program
Affected drives were sold between June 2017 and June 2018. Production of the model didn't stop until July 2019. The program wasn't announced until November 2018.

 

[fandy]

Unless there is a critical design failure, there does not seem to be any real quality improvements between the first and last builds of a series in terms of the hardware. The components themselves might go through minor process improvements (like CPU / GPU yields), but overall it is not like buying a new model three months after release will be any different than one bought three days after release.

And if anything, refurbs should be even more reliable since they go through a second QA process when they are returned (and I expect the vast majority are returned within the 15 day window and not due to a major component failure).

I heard the 16" had external monitor fan problems, and was hoping that buying it new this long in the cycle should guarantee I wouldn't run into the same.

 

[CWallace]

I heard the 16" had external monitor fan problems, and was hoping that buying it new this long in the cycle should guarantee I wouldn't run into the same.

The cause of that is an interaction bug with the Radeon Pro 5000M series GPUs that causes them to quadruple their power draw (from 5W to 20W) when an external monitor is plugged in and this causes the fans to kick in harder to dissipate all that extra heat.

I would expect it to be (eventually) fixed either through an update to macOS (if a software bug) or via a firmware update (if a hardware issue) unless it is an actual design problem in the AMD GPU which would then likely be handled under a Hardware Replacement Program (like the Nvidia issue of years back or the current Butterfly Keyboard).