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I’m worried to buy a MBP 2018

Adeel_

Adeel_

macrumors member
Original poster
Aug 1, 2018
65
32
Hi everyone,

I need to buy a new MBP and I was looking for the 2018 models but I’m really worried about these 3 issues :

-Kernel Panic
-Audio crackle
-Thermal issues (some users are reporting very high temps)

So I don’t really know if it’s safe to buy a MBP now. Do you think Apple is going to fix these issues soon ?

I can wait 1 month maximum... But I’m really concerned about all of this.

:(
 
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Why not buy it and try it out. If it doesn't work out return it. I bought the i9/32GB/1TB expecting issues since everyone on this forum seems to think the 2018 MacBook Pro is full of issues. Performance is way better than the 2015 MacBook Pro. I own both the 13 and the 15 from 2015. This is the nicest MacBook Pro I've ever used.
 
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Adeel_ said:
Hi everyone,

I need to buy a new MBP and I was looking for the 2018 models but I’m really worried about these 3 issues :

-Kernel Panic
-Audio crackle
-Thermal issues (some users are reporting very high temps)

So I don’t really know if it’s safe to buy a MBP now. Do you think Apple is going to fix these issues soon ?

I can wait 1 month maximum... But I’m really concerned about all of this.

:(
Click to expand...
Well, what exactly do you mean by "safe"? Most people won't run into any of these issues (I didn't, for example), but if one of these issues does turn up, then you can always return the machine or ask to exchange it for a new one, so there's no real risk involved.

It's also worth noting that "very high" temperatures in itself also shouldn't pose any issue as the MBPs never exceed the chip manufacturer-suggested maximum temperatures, so it's not like your MacBook Pro can suddenly break from getting too hot as it is all within safe temperature ranges. There is a bit of talk about how higher temperatures might negatively affect the longevity of the machine but there's very little substantiated evidence so I wouldn't worry about it. So that leaves you with Kernel Panics and audio crackles on your list of possible issues, both of which should become noticeable within the first 30 days.
 
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I hear there is also the "coil whine" in the list.

Are there any published references or guidelines on how high the temperatures be so that the longevity of the computer can be substantially longer than the 3 year AppleCare period ?
 
I get it... all the negativity really makes one wonder whether they should buy. BUT I think you need to remember that literally THOUSANDS upon THOUSANDS of machines have been built and bought without incident. It's always the angry minority that make it seem like the norm. Certainly there are issues, but don't be fooled in believing these issues turn up in the MAJORITY of purchase... I would hazard a guess and say less than 2% of these machines are experiencing any issues at all. Just my .02
 
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I just upgraded from a 2012 MacBook Pro to the new 2.6 GHz i7. It is sure nice! A wonderful upgrade. I have had it for 2 weeks now and no problems at all. I really wish it had the MagSafe but it doesn't look like that is going to come back. It is a great machine and I am very happy that I purchased it. Remember that you can always return it within the first 2 weeks if you decide you don't like it.
 
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Adeel_ said:
Hi everyone,

I need to buy a new MBP and I was looking for the 2018 models but I’m really worried about these 3 issues :

-Kernel Panic
-Audio crackle
-Thermal issues (some users are reporting very high temps)

So I don’t really know if it’s safe to buy a MBP now. Do you think Apple is going to fix these issues soon ?

I can wait 1 month maximum... But I’m really concerned about all of this.

:(
Click to expand...

I have not encountered any of those issues with my 2018 MBP 13" i5. It does however have a tiny dust particle trapped between the LCD panel and the surface of the display in the top left corner. I don't see a lot of people complaining about trapped dust particles or dead pixels, but it still sucks.

What I'm trying to say is that buying something like this is always going to be a lottery. A lottery that you will have to endure if you want such a device. That's why it's crucial that you buy from a place where you can easily return the product or at the very least exchange as many times as needed without you having to pay extra for every exchange.

I'm still within my 2 week return period from Apple and although the speck of dust is in a spot where it's not really visible, I'm considering a return out of principle. It's a premium product at a premium price after all, so isn't it fair to expect premium quality control?
 
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canteenboy said:
Why not buy it and try it out. If it doesn't work out return it. I bought the i9/32GB/1TB expecting issues since everyone on this forum seems to think the 2018 MacBook Pro is full of issues. Performance is way better than the 2015 MacBook Pro. I own both the 13 and the 15 from 2015. This is the nicest MacBook Pro I've ever used.
Click to expand...
Same config as mine, and I got one with crackling and more.

I was where OP was. I thought: “ah, I shouldn’t be so pessimistic, what are the odds?” The odds were against me :rolleyes:. Scored at least 4 bugs. Gonna ask for a replacement of my one week old MBP.

There’s never a 0% or 100% chance of getting a faulty unit, but I still got a faulty unit. You can also argue that a random number generator that’s producing 6’s all the time is running correctly and is just having a bad patch.

My suspicion that this generation of MBP’s is worse is also based on the fact that two of mine’s bugs, and the other peoples’ kernel panic are issues that were already seen in the last years, like the iMac Pro’s “crypto_val” disk warnings. So there are bugs that the MBP inherited from other products, known bugs. And Apple still rolled with it.

Most of those bugs might end up being fixed with software or firmware updates eventually, but who knows when. It also took them 3-4 weeks to fix the speaker crackling in 2016 that flat out destroyed the speakers in Boot Camp.

If you absolutely have to get a new laptop now, then go ahead and hope you get a good sample. If you can wait, wait for software updates, and your chances of having a good experience with a new machine can probably only go up.
 
Adeel_ said:
-Kernel Panic
-Audio crackle
-Thermal issues (some users are reporting very high temps)
Click to expand...

I have a 2.2 machine, and I don't have any audio issues, and so far (knocks on wood), no KPs. The laptop does run hotter thanks to the two additional cores, and there's little you can do other then manually throttle the computer. For example, I use the Volta app to lower the wattage used by the laptop, balancing my needs for performance and heat. I'm pretty happy with the results. Being in the dog days of summer, my laptop is running in the mid 50s while the ambient temps are in high 20s. The Mac does some really nice thermal control while on battery, my temps seem to be in the 30s to 40s.

If you need one now, then I suggest you get one, if you get one now under the education store, you can score a pair of Beats headphones as well.

I don't know what to say about the issues, clearly many people are enduring various problems, but I believe like myself, many people are not. My recommendation is to buy the model you need that best fits your needs, and try it out for 14 days, you'll know fairly quickly if the MBP you get has any of those listed problems.
 
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I understand what your saying, in the same boat, am going to buy the 2018 macbook pro this month, been reading about some of the issues some have been experiencing, but I bet some were talking about defective units with last years model as well and mine was perfect so I guess its just the luck of the draw, with any electronic device, you are going to have some that are lemons and some that are perfect
 
Faelan said:
I have not encountered any of those issues with my 2018 MBP 13" i5. It does however have a tiny dust particle trapped between the LCD panel and the surface of the display in the top left corner. I don't see a lot of people complaining about trapped dust particles or dead pixels, but it still sucks.

What I'm trying to say is that buying something like this is always going to be a lottery. A lottery that you will have to endure if you want such a device. That's why it's crucial that you buy from a place where you can easily return the product or at the very least exchange as many times as needed without you having to pay extra for every exchange.

I'm still within my 2 week return period from Apple and although the speck of dust is in a spot where it's not really visible, I'm considering a return out of principle. It's a premium product at a premium price after all, so isn't it fair to expect premium quality control?
Click to expand...

I know I sometimes make light of complaints on here but I would take it back for the dust under the screen. It is not acceptable and unlike a blemish on the casing will be noticed regularly. If it was Tim Cook's laptop I don't think he would accept it and neither should you.
 
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Just chance it, and buy it. Like what everyones saying, you can return it. Apples pretty good at that considering theyre well aware of the issues. I ordered a BTO that shipped from China to Hawaii, and no problems so far. It also helps that you have an Apple store near by. It'll make the return promise a bit easier.
 
PhilMacbook said:
I know I sometimes make light of complaints on here but I would take it back for the dust under the screen. It is not acceptable and unlike a blemish on the casing will be noticed regularly. If it was Tim Cook's laptop I don't think he would accept it and neither should you.
Click to expand...

You're right. It's going back. Tim Cook needs to spend more on quality control. Surely they can afford it?

It's not just because of the dust particle though. When I got the machine, I compared the display to my old mid 2014 MBP and although I wasn't 100% satisfied with the display uniformity on the 2018 MBP, it was still better than my old MBP. Uniformity is something I see a lot more than a dust particle in a corner, but hey - if it's better than my old machine, it's okay - right? It was when I out of curiosity compared it to the 2017 12" MB that my wife uses that I came to the conclusion that it's not okay. Uniformity is darn near perfect on her machine and it's almost half the price of my 2018 MBP.

I'm returning it for a full refund. While that's taking place, I'll consider whether to try again or just stick with my old 2014 model which is still a surprisingly fine machine when compared to the 2018 model. Yes, the 2018 model is without doubt better, but considering the 4 year difference and substantial price increase, I was sorta expecting more, but I would have kept it if the dust particle hadn't been there and the display uniformity had been better.
 
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Adeel_ said:
Hi everyone,

I need to buy a new MBP and I was looking for the 2018 models but I’m really worried about these 3 issues :

-Kernel Panic
-Audio crackle
-Thermal issues (some users are reporting very high temps)

So I don’t really know if it’s safe to buy a MBP now. Do you think Apple is going to fix these issues soon ?

I can wait 1 month maximum... But I’m really concerned about all of this.

:(
Click to expand...
I hear you. I’m in a similar situation. The first two bugs really bug me. The thermal issues seem to be due to a design and engineering choice. That’s only addressable in software to a point (less throttling, more aggressive fan curves, etc). There’s not really enough cooling to run one of these CPUs full tilt for an extended period without thermal throttling it.
 
For the moment i'm holding my purchase.
The more I read the reviews and the less I want to buy...

Is there anyone who don't have any issues at all? (no crackling, kernel panic...)
 
Adeel_ said:
The more I read the reviews and the less I want to buy...
Click to expand...
Well you need to be at peace with your purchase, its a sizeable investment - well it is for me.

Adeel_ said:
Is there anyone who don't have any issues at all? (no crackling, kernel panic...)
Click to expand...
There's already a handful of threads stating many of us are not dealing with any of those issues. I mentioned in this thread my MBP is problem free (knocks on wood). There also a number of members in this thread that posted they're problem free.

I believe the recommendation of trying, and then returning it if you don't like it is the best approach. You can get worked up over some of the stuff on the internet but its not affecting everyone. It may be a small minority, who knows. If you don't give it a shot, you may lose out on getting a fantastic computer.
 
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RegularGuy09 said:
OfSteel? If so, love your videos!
Click to expand...

Haha, it's not me :)
[doublepost=1534849089][/doublepost]
maflynn said:
Well you need to be at peace with your purchase, its a sizeable investment - well it is for me.


There's already a handful of threads stating many of us are not dealing with any of those issues. I mentioned in this thread my MBP is problem free (knocks on wood). There also a number of members in this thread that posted they're problem free.

I believe the recommendation of trying, and then returning it if you don't like it is the best approach. You can get worked up over some of the stuff on the internet but its not affecting everyone. It may be a small minority, who knows. If you don't give it a shot, you may lose out on getting a fantastic computer.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your advice. Maybe I'll pull the trigger soon... (2.2/555x/16gb/1tb)
 
maflynn said:
There's already a handful of threads stating many of us are not dealing with any of those issues. I mentioned in this thread my MBP is problem free (knocks on wood). There also a number of members in this thread that posted they're problem free.
Click to expand...

Plus consider this:
Most folks whose systems are working fine for them don't go out of their way to post about it.
Someone who *is* encountering an issue is far more likely to seek out MR to ask for help. Folks whose systems are working fine typically aren't looking for a forum to announce that fact on...

So, in a forum like this you will tend to see a distillation of issues -- a much higher concentration than exists in the outside world.
 
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I upgraded from a 2013 Macbook Air to the 2018 Macbook Pro 15"i7. Have not had a single issue thus far, it runs great. I just feel the price tag does not rectify what you get for it.
 
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