I've had my BlackBook for almost two years now and it hasn't given me any problems. The case still looks great, no cracks or other blemishes and the performance has been great too. No complaints from me.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Is the MacBook a piece of junk?
- Thread starter doctor pangloss
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
No it's not the way I care for it. I've taken extremely good care. In fact I've hardly used the MacBook since I bought it because I found it difficult to break away from the trusty little PowerBook which I really like and is over 4 years old now without any significant quality issues
Seems like I'm not alone with this issue.
It's incomprehensible to me that a company which made fine products like the IBook and PowerBook starts pumping out a piece of crap like this MacBook.
No it's not the way I care for it. I've taken extremely good care. In fact I've hardly used the MacBook since I bought it because I found it difficult to break away from the trusty little PowerBook which I really like and is over 4 years old now without any significant quality issues
Seems like I'm not alone with this issue.
It's incomprehensible to me that a company which made fine products like the IBook and PowerBook starts pumping out a piece of crap like this MacBook.
I have a Core Duo and I've had to replace my battery, power adapter and superdrive. A new battery is necessary again and the superdrive still fails to read the majority of media i throw at it, with no brand being consistent (sometimes even media successfully burned on the MacBook won't read later). If it wasn't for my nearly 5 year old trusty Compaq laptop, most of my optical media would be useless.
BUT...do i think the MacBook is crap? no.
I DO think Apple needs to seriously improve their QC and reconsider where they get some of the components or who manufactures them.
Will I buy the new MacBook when it comes out?...not until a good long year of customer reviews has passed. Rev A problems are pretty much guaranteed with Apple these days.
i got a piece of crap iPod about a year ago it even said on the screen to take it to a repair store or something like that and they still insisted that nothing was wrong with it. i guess that apple makes a really faulty model of something every once in awhile.
NOOOOOO!
I've worked on enough MacBooks to tell you first hand that they are the Best Apple EVER!!! I also have the Powerbook and Apple say's the MacBook's a little faster, but I don't notice it. It's not like its LIGHTING FAST, OMG, but it looks hip like badass!
- How's your topcase doing? Is it still white, lol?!?!
- CD/DVD drive still work?
- Do you have your headphones plugged in because FANS are LOUDER than THE SPEAKERS?!?!
- The strobe light show th LCD puts on is so rad!!!!1
All I can speak from is personal experience.
My friend and I both bought the MacBook when it was first released in June '06. Both of us got Black ones.
Hers has never had a problem. Mine has gone through 2 batteries, 2 power adapters, 3 top cases, a Superdrive, an Airport card, and an inverter cable. And now the top case is cracked again.
Do I think it's crap? Some of them. But everyone has lemons. Look at the Xbox 360, king of failure rates. Some people, me included *knock on wood* have never had a problem, others have nothing but problems. Thems the breaks.
I'd still recommend Apple to my friends, but not without AppleCare. You're stupid if you don't buy it, especially on laptops.
My friend and I both bought the MacBook when it was first released in June '06. Both of us got Black ones.
Hers has never had a problem. Mine has gone through 2 batteries, 2 power adapters, 3 top cases, a Superdrive, an Airport card, and an inverter cable. And now the top case is cracked again.
Do I think it's crap? Some of them. But everyone has lemons. Look at the Xbox 360, king of failure rates. Some people, me included *knock on wood* have never had a problem, others have nothing but problems. Thems the breaks.
I'd still recommend Apple to my friends, but not without AppleCare. You're stupid if you don't buy it, especially on laptops.
The customer service here in Phuket is exemplary. Certainly they will manage to turn this lemon into lemonade.
The cracked keyboard cover was a common issue with the first ones out. For some reason the one I got must have slipped through the cracks.
I purposely waited to buy a MacBook for that very reason of not wanting the early gestational issues.
I still think it's junk. To have issues like this cracked keyboard Mac has really dropped the ball. R&D on this model is severely lacking. I'd never buy a Mac the first year out.
I remember all the horror stories of the MBP when it first hit the street.
The cracked keyboard cover was a common issue with the first ones out. For some reason the one I got must have slipped through the cracks.
I purposely waited to buy a MacBook for that very reason of not wanting the early gestational issues.
I still think it's junk. To have issues like this cracked keyboard Mac has really dropped the ball. R&D on this model is severely lacking. I'd never buy a Mac the first year out.
I remember all the horror stories of the MBP when it first hit the street.
How exactly? If they choose not to buy a mac (which probably how no problems) how will this help them, or apple, or the rest of us ???
Really?
Well, if that's not damning with faint praise, I don't really know what is. Nobody should have to buy extended warranties on any product, if the manufacturer implements decent designs and exercises a modicum of QC over the manufacturing process.
The fact that you do not trust Apple to produce a reliable laptop without additional insurance cover speaks volumes.
I had a problem with the plastic splitting after about 18 months. I didn't have Applcecare, but Apple still repaired it free of charge.
It's now about 2 years old, and has had no other problems. Apple has sold millions of Macbooks now, and their profits certainly haven't suffered from doing too many free repairs, so it can't be all bad!
It's now about 2 years old, and has had no other problems. Apple has sold millions of Macbooks now, and their profits certainly haven't suffered from doing too many free repairs, so it can't be all bad!
Sorry about your problems, I bought a refurbed BMB 2.2, I have had zero issues, NONE, In fact it has been the best computer I have ever had in my 60 years on this planet, My i-Phone 3G performs flawlessly,Most of my music is on my 32GB i-Touch which has never let me down, even my 4 year old shuffle has been washed and dried in the laundry 4 times, continues to work.
My point is, sometimes you'll have problems with stuff you buy, if it's under warranty, take it in, Apple will fix it. Agreed repairs are a PITA, but Apple is decent, they will take care of this if it's under warranty.
My point is, sometimes you'll have problems with stuff you buy, if it's under warranty, take it in, Apple will fix it. Agreed repairs are a PITA, but Apple is decent, they will take care of this if it's under warranty.
Absolutely, though some of the replies here don't help.
Some of the replies (plus, it definitely has to be said, some of the OP's responses) seem to be excerpts from some kind of asshat convention.
I've had a refurb 2.16 macbook for most of this year, and my experience has been mostly positive, despite a couple of issues with it. I had to get a display flickering issue corrected at the beginning. My 'book's case also has a flaw around the hinge--when the laptop is closed, the inner part of the hinge sticks out slightly from the outer part, preventing it from being a flat edge (doesn't bother me too much).
My brother, who's got the same model macbook, had his HD die recently, and needed to get it replaced.
While I don't feel as jerked around as the OP, I do agree that there are some hardware design/quality issues that Apple will hopefully fix in future models. Even though I'm willing to put up with those issues for the OS, apps, etc., I do feel the OP's pain... I don't want to have to "put up" with hardware issues in order to experience my preferred computing experience.
My brother, who's got the same model macbook, had his HD die recently, and needed to get it replaced.
While I don't feel as jerked around as the OP, I do agree that there are some hardware design/quality issues that Apple will hopefully fix in future models. Even though I'm willing to put up with those issues for the OS, apps, etc., I do feel the OP's pain... I don't want to have to "put up" with hardware issues in order to experience my preferred computing experience.
I don't care what brand it is. A laptop is mobile and takes a beating compared to a desktop. The cost of fixing any brand of laptop out of warranty most likely far exceeds the cost of insurance (aka applecare). Some people inherently like to gamble. I prefer to consider "what if" and be covered.
I think the case issues are effecting some people, certainly more than enough to "count" as a problem. I hope we'll see a proper solution to them in the future.
Things like hard disks failing... while they are a royal pain in the hoop, they are "just one of those things", can happen with any computer at any time, and I'm not sure really can be counted as an issue with any particular brand of laptop.