Fellow member needs your opinion.

[Boxer]

Ok so here's the situation. I purchased my 15'' MBP 2.16 2GB RAM 100GB 7200 RPM HD, at the end of August. Since then I have had three logic boards, two bottom cases, two top cases, and three un-needed trips to the apple store for repairs that were required because they didn't but the computer back together correctly. Once, they forgot to hook up the keyboard, second they forgot to tighten the case properly and third they actually scratched up my imaculate unit very badly.

Ok now to the current situation. I finally had enough and called the apple care tech support to get the number to customer relations. If anyone has it please let me know so I don't have to jump through hoops anymore. A customer relations agent agreed that my unit was a lemon and needed to be replaced. I am unfamiliar with the normal process, and wanted input from those of you that have been in a similar situation. As he was looking through his computer trying to see if he had a comparable system to mine he said that they no longer make the MBP with the 7200 HDs and only have the 120, 160 and 200. Which he agreed to bump me to the 160 to offset the extra cost I spent for the 7200 back when I purchased it. He said that they would be overnighting me a comparable system with the 2.16 and the 2gb ram and the 160 gb HD instead of the 7200 since they don't have any more of those.

My question is this. Will I be getting a CD or C2D. I really don't care that much since I originally paid for the CD and would be totally satisfied if I recieved a CD that actually worked and had no problems. My CONCERN is that if they do UPGRADE me to a C2D, then I would be getting the 2.16, which has the 128 VRAM. I had the 256VRAM in the CD 2.16 MBP and I need that extra VRAM for my job. Plus the fact that I think the graphics card is more important than the upgraded processor. Anyway what are my options???? Can I request they upgrade me to the 2.33 C2D because it comes with the 256VRAM and that is what my original system had. The customer relations specialist said that they system should be comparible in price to what I spent, not necasarily the technology. So I should have no problem. My concern is that they will tell me that I can only have the 2.16 because that was what my old system was, and they will argue that they are already upgrading my processor to the C2D.

My other question to you is what would you rather have. The 2.16 CD with the better graphics card, or the C2D chip with the lower graphics card? Or am I just missing the point becuase the newer C2D chip makes the 128 graphics card just as good as the old 256 graphics card???? I am really conufsed as to what I am entitled to and what others in this community would do. Your comments/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks guys. Sorry it was so long.

 

[clevin]

C2D is not GPU, and it won't magically make a 128VRAM graphic card works as good as a graphic card with 256VRAM.

if u ask me, can't you just ask them to make sure C2D and 256VRAM graphic card both installed? u can pay the price difference, can't you?

if you have to choose one of them, then by the way you described your work, graphic sounds more important to you.

 

[Eraserhead]

Ok so here's the situation. I purchased my 15'' MBP 2.16 2GB RAM 100GB 7200 RPM HD, at the end of August. Since then I have had three logic boards, two bottom cases, two top cases, and three un-needed trips to the apple store for repairs that were required because they didn't but the computer back together correctly. Once, they forgot to hook up the keyboard, second they forgot to tighten the case properly and third they actually scratched up my imaculate unit very badly.

Didn't they test the laptop in store in front of you? Thats what happened when I collected my Macbook after CD drive repairs a couple of weeks ago.

EDIT: If they upgrade you you'll get the high end 15" MBP, in fact if they don't give you that you can complain as it doesn't have at least the same specs as the old one.

 

[Boxer]

Yes I am aware of the CPU being different from the gpu. I was just wondering what you thought I was entitled to. I definatly need the 256 because my old MBP had that. But the thing is the only way to get the 256 is to get the 2.33 C2D instead of the 2.16. The rep said that I was to recieve a 2.16. But at that time It did not occur to me that the 2.16 only comes with the 128 gpu.

I believe I would be justified in asking for a unit with the 256 gpu, which will have to be the 2.33 higher end MBP C2D. Unless for some odd reason they go out of the way to make my replacement MBP a 2.16 with a 256. Which I highly doubt they would do because that would be more work. At least I would think so. I wouldn't really care seing as the 2.16 is just as nice as the 2.33. I just have a bad feeling that I will get screwed over and they will say that I have to have the 128 with the 2.16.
Oh well I will deal with it when the time comes. They still have to send me the return label by email then I ship my old one back to them and email them the tracking info. Then they will release the replacement for shipping.

 

[ChrisA]

..... I would be getting the 2.16, which has the 128 VRAM. I had the 256VRAM in the CD 2.16 MBP and I need that extra VRAM for my job.

What do you do that requires the 256MB of VRAM. Something to do with 3D graphics I assume? The extra RAM is typically only useful for games that use it to cache texture maps but you said you needed it for you job. So you have me curious

If you have an application that absolutely requires 256MB then you should tell them that you need this feature and offer to trade something else for it.

As for the 7200 RPM drive. The new 160GB drives spin slower but are overall faster then the old 7200rpm drives if you are dealing with large sized files. The reason is that speed is a product of the bit density in bits per inch times the tangental speed of the disk in inches per second. The product is bits per second (inches cancel) It turns out the new drives get their higher capacity by packing more bit per inch. Spinning slower is not a bad thing. It means less noise, less power and less heat and more battery life. If they can get this without loosing speed you can see why they switched drives. (But if you are running a database server you care more about seek time then bits per second but few people run DBMS servers in a notebook.)

 

[rock6079]

My other question to you is what would you rather have. The 2.16 CD with the better graphics card, or the C2D chip with the lower graphics card? Or am I just missing the point becuase the newer C2D chip makes the 128 graphics card just as good as the old 256 graphics card???? [/QUOTE]

You said you needed 256 for your job. So what would I do depends on what exactly ur job is and what you use it for. If your job is using photoshop and motion and AE on ur laptop, then 256 will probably make a significant difference (especially for photoshop i would presume since it is still using rosetta).
I'd also have to say that the C2D does not make the 128mb GC equivalent to a 256mb GC just becuase the computer itself has a better processor.
I'll be interested to see what you get in your replacement. Was the upgrade to the 256 graphics card a BTO option or it came standard? If it was BTO then you should definatelycall apple and tell them that when you paid for a computer from them, you chose to build it to your specifications because it was the exact type of comptuer u needed. If they cannot replace the one that YOU purchased then they should give you one that can still do what you paid money to have done. Thus if you need 256mb graphics card then u get on the phone and make sure uget one.

 

[FFTT]

Apple should be replacing your system with the same mid-level model
with C2D 2.33 GHz 256 MB VRAM, and the 160 GB perpendicular HD.

You need to make it clear that 256 MB VRAM is a primary system requirement for your needs.

Most likely after all this hassle, Apple will send you a 2.33 GHz model.

If for any reason they wish to charge you for upgrades, it should be kept
to a minimum.

Apple Customer Relations people are very fair when it comes to recovery of
a Lemon.

As long as you keep your cool, I have every reason to believe that you'll
be more than satisfied with the replacement.

 

[Boxer]

Well just got off the phone with customer relations. Its set. I am getting a new C2D MBP with 2.33 and 2GB ram and the 160 GB hard drive. I am happy. I just wanted to make sure I got the 256 VRAM. But like you said they have to go by what the apple store has for configs.