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Is it possible that a brand new MacBook Pro with only 1 battery cycle count is used before and repackaged?

emraha06

emraha06

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Dec 1, 2017
288
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As you know from my other threads, i had noticed a ding and a scratch on my new MacBook Pro 2019 out of box but my Best motivation source about laptop is: i am the first user of it because the battery cycle count was only 1 at opening. When my one of friends saw the ding and scratch, he told me that my laptop may be used by someone before.

Is that possible to reset battery cycle count and repackage it as a new device?
 
It could be a refurbished device with a new battery. But if you bought it as new directly from Apple, then its new.
 
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Brian Y said:
Highly unlikely if it was bought new from Apple. It could just be a manufacturing defect on the case - it does happen.
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Thanks for reply. Did you notice same kind of cosmetic defects on 2019 models?
 
SDColorado said:
I had those kinds of defects on a 2018 model. A series of 3 or 4 dings along the left side grill. A couple of them kind of sharp. I returned it for another.
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I have replaced 4 times because of other functional problems, light bleeding and dead pixel. This one is very good but there are 2 minimal tiny scratch and ding so i am very tired worried and confused to make another replecament. If i am not wrong 2018 and 2019 models chassis are made with same machines and method, do you agree?

By the way if i send these pictures could you please tell if the defects are similar
5872E3BD-C812-4802-8C28-7D388EB3158D.jpeg
A717BEB9-ECAD-43B8-A582-01547A6D8BCA.jpeg
 
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emraha06 said:
I have replaced 4 times because of other functional problems, light bleeding and dead pixel. This one is very good but there are 2 minimal tiny scratch and ding so i am very tired worried and confused to make another replecament. If i am not wrong 2018 and 2019 models chassis are made with same machines and method, do you agree?

By the way if i send these pictures could you please tell if the defects are similarView attachment 865722View attachment 865723
Click to expand...
I hear ya. I stopped at 5 and still have had some issues with this one and have had to have several keys replaced. Eventually it just wears you down :)

If the damage you are referring to is in those photos, it isn't near as bad as the one I sent back was. That one had some dings along the edge that were sharp and would catch the fibers of my sleeves.
 
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i have had my 2014 MBP since new, i use it everyday, have not replaced battery yet, cycle count is 132.

because i'm using it connected to the charger most of the time.

so cycle count only increases when you go below a certain battery charge value i think
 
I will definitely get that unit replacement you paid top dollar for a MacBook just pickup a MacBook air 2019 base model from eBay brand new £860 sealed August built machine. Everything is perfect no dings,yellow screen/light bleed,dead/stuck pixels very happy unit came with 3 charge cycles.

I usually have to exchange well over 4-5 units with Apple.
Apple products these days is a lottery ticket sometimes you strike perfect unit.
I had to exchange two airpods 2 wireless this year due to a defect on the left ear with large gaps badly sealed.
 
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emraha06 said:
I have replaced 4 times because of other functional problems, light bleeding and dead pixel. This one is very good but there are 2 minimal tiny scratch and ding so i am very tired worried and confused to make another replecament. If i am not wrong 2018 and 2019 models chassis are made with same machines and method, do you agree?

By the way if i send these pictures could you please tell if the defects are similarView attachment 865722View attachment 865723
Click to expand...

Since the unit is working great and you've already had to replace so many times, I would see if the retailer would offer a reasonable discount for the dings, which look very minor but you shouldn't have any out of the box. If they don't agree to a partial refund, I'd get it replaced.
 
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CE3 said:
Since the unit is working great and you've already had to replace so many times, I would see if the retailer would offer a reasonable discount for the dings, which look very minor but you shouldn't have any out of the box. If they don't agree to a partial refund, I'd get it replaced.
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That's a good point. I purchased mine directly through Apple and they offered a partial refund due the damage. I probably would have taken them up on it with minor damage like that. But mine was worse and the dings sharp around the edges, so I opted for an exchange.
 
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SDColorado said:
That's a good point. I purchased mine directly through Apple and they offered a partial refund due the damage. I probably would have taken them up on it with minor damage like that. But mine was worse and the dings sharp around the edges, so I opted for an exchange.
Click to expand...

was there only one damage or multiple damages? and also did you notice scratches on usb c ports?
 
emraha06 said:
was there only one damage or multiple damages? and also did you notice scratches on usb c ports?
Click to expand...

I had a series of nicks along the edge near the left speaker grill. Obviously a defect from manufacturing because the packaging was all pristine as was the protective material between the keyboard and screen, but the nicks were beneath that material. No scratches near the USC-C ports, but based on what I saw from mine, I would say damage to any part of the surface is possible during manufacturing.
 
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I believe most MBP purchased do come with 1 cycle charge out of the box. At least 3 of the one I purchased all came with 1 cycle and manufacture build date was weeks apart as well. I only kept 1 and return the other. The one I kept is perfect in every way, still came with 1 cycle but didn't care.

Also, just an FYI, If you return a product back to Apple, they never repackage them to be resold to other customers, meaning they don't sell open boxed items. And returned items are typically sent back and those are then are sold as refurbished. So those marking/scraches/dents likely came from the manufacture.
 
I just powered mine brand new and not connected to charger yet. 4 cycles sympo battery . All good.
 

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My 2017 MBP 13' TB had 3 charge cycles ... and I ordered it online with Apple - and watched it ship from China to my house. It was factory sealed and brand new.

All normal.

As far as the scratches... I've used my MBP for 2+ years now... heavily. These things are tools... I have dings, scratches, and my USB C ports are less than pristine. I think worrying about stuff like that is going to detract your enjoyment of the product significantly.

And I baby my laptop. I got a nice sleeve, a radtech keyboard cover cloth, etc. :p
 
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BigMcGuire said:
Well now that's interesting. I always wondered about the accuracy of that. Hmmm.
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Yep. Wasn’t connected to charge. Device was approx 71% charged out of the box and then run the Catalina updates which eventually took it down to 54%. After updates were finished and MBP still not connected to power showed 5 cycles. Even in the actual system information screen.
 

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Should cosmetic defects bug you, I suggest to return / getting replacement, since it brand new. You paid for a new machine, those defects seems ok for refurbished one, but not okay for new laptop.
 
BigMcGuire said:
My 2017 MBP 13' TB had 3 charge cycles ... and I ordered it online with Apple - and watched it ship from China to my house. It was factory sealed and brand new.

All normal.

As far as the scratches... I've used my MBP for 2+ years now... heavily. These things are tools... I have dings, scratches, and my USB C ports are less than pristine. I think worrying about stuff like that is going to detract your enjoyment of the product significantly.

And I baby my laptop. I got a nice sleeve, a radtech keyboard cover cloth, etc. :p
Click to expand...
BTW mine didn’t have any scratches I think I accidentally hijacked OP thread, although it’s dated almost a year ago.
 
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