is the MACBOOK PRO 16" the most fragile notebook ever?

[Juan_MX]

I share with you the worst experience I have had with Mac support. Two months after the warranty expired on my MAcbook Pro 16" and after installing system updates my Mac would no longer turn on. The support center determined that it was an "internal" screen crack. I was offered the alternative of the extended warranty exception and for a moment I loved the MAC support system. However, after a tortuous review process, where the Mac support advisors kept me with a series of unfulfilled promises I was informed that the warranty extension would not proceed. I have several questions about the process that was followed.
1. Why are they offering warranty extension alternatives that they will not honor?
2. Why is it such a disorganized and tortuous process?
3. Why does a company that boasts of being serious not have a structured customer protection plan?
4. How can an "internal" fracture of a screen be conceived?
Coincidentally, it happened 2 months after the expiration date. Doesn't it seem too much of a coincidence?
Finally I ask myself the following question:
5. Is the MABBOOK Pro 16" the most fragile computer ever?
While I decide how to take legal advice, I will be left without being able to enjoy a product that represents a huge investment. The repair they are offering is clearly out of my budget.
I am interested to know if anyone else has had something similar happen to them? It would not be fair for these machines to have problems in their designs that make them the most fragile notebooks ever.

 

[cmaier]

I share with you the worst experience I have had with Mac support. Two months after the warranty expired on my MAcbook Pro 16" and after installing system updates my Mac would no longer turn on. The support center determined that it was an "internal" screen crack. I was offered the alternative of the extended warranty exception and for a moment I loved the MAC support system. However, after a tortuous review process, where the Mac support advisors kept me with a series of unfulfilled promises I was informed that the warranty extension would not proceed. I have several questions about the process that was followed.
1. Why are they offering warranty extension alternatives that they will not honor?
2. Why is it such a disorganized and tortuous process?
3. Why does a company that boasts of being serious not have a structured customer protection plan?
4. How can an "internal" fracture of a screen be conceived?
Coincidentally, it happened 2 months after the expiration date. Doesn't it seem too much of a coincidence?
Finally I ask myself the following question:
5. Is the MABBOOK Pro 16" the most fragile computer ever?
While I decide how to take legal advice, I will be left without being able to enjoy a product that represents a huge investment. The repair they are offering is clearly out of my budget.
I am interested to know if anyone else has had something similar happen to them? It would not be fair for these machines to have problems in their designs that make them the most fragile notebooks ever.

Wow. What a whiny and convoluted post.

My favorite is the ”coincidentally” line - yeah, you are right. Not a coincidence. Apple has a secret cabal of operatives who wait until 60 days after your warranty is expired, and then sneak into your house, disassemble your machine, crack the back side of the screen, then reassemble the machine.

And “coincidence” would be if it happened the day after your warranty expired. 2 months after? Doesn’t even qualify as interesting.

As for whether it is the most fragile computer ever, yours seems to be the only complaint, so I’m going to go with “no.”

 

[Huckebein]

Yes it is quite fragile. Ignore the downright obtuse post above. See my experience.

Mbp 16 screen broke, factory defect? Minuscule dent.

My MBP 16" screen broke. One day I opened up the laptop, the screen turned black and a single hairline crack started growing from one side. Apple claims something probably got stuck in-between the glass and the topcase but I don't think the employee that helped me did their research very well...

forums.macrumors.com

The MBP16 doesn't allow any clearance between the screen and body when closed for muh sleekness. So if any debris get stuck in there, however tiny, it can have grave consequences. When you handle it you notice the thing is so delicate. Knowing that it is also non-reparaible, it really has no place in any serious worksetting.

 

[Shianh]

I share with you the worst experience I have had with Mac support. Two months after the warranty expired on my MAcbook Pro 16" and after installing system updates my Mac would no longer turn on. The support center determined that it was an "internal" screen crack. I was offered the alternative of the extended warranty exception and for a moment I loved the MAC support system. However, after a tortuous review process, where the Mac support advisors kept me with a series of unfulfilled promises I was informed that the warranty extension would not proceed. I have several questions about the process that was followed.
1. Why are they offering warranty extension alternatives that they will not honor?
2. Why is it such a disorganized and tortuous process?
3. Why does a company that boasts of being serious not have a structured customer protection plan?
4. How can an "internal" fracture of a screen be conceived?
Coincidentally, it happened 2 months after the expiration date. Doesn't it seem too much of a coincidence?
Finally I ask myself the following question:
5. Is the MABBOOK Pro 16" the most fragile computer ever?
While I decide how to take legal advice, I will be left without being able to enjoy a product that represents a huge investment. The repair they are offering is clearly out of my budget.
I am interested to know if anyone else has had something similar happen to them? It would not be fair for these machines to have problems in their designs that make them the most fragile notebooks ever.

Sorry to hear about this experience, and hope it works out for you. You just listed the reason why I do not automatically install updates and am glad I didn't get the 16" MBP. I am still using my 2011 MacBrook Pro 17", which yes had its issues (the AMD GPU, which I've learned how to work around), but otherwise performs quite well in High Sierra, and fully replaces a desktop computer, making it a fully mobile workstation (which is the entire point of a large screen laptop).

Speaking of which, it's unfortunate that Apple, for one, decided to make a 16" MBP, which completely misses the mark of what a large-screen laptop is supposed to be, but also decided to make the screen susceptible to damage as per your and others experiences here. I have been waiting for Apple to revive the 17" MBP for now a decade, and at this point very much doubt they'll ever have the sense to do what gave Apple its good reputation in its early years, as the go-to machine for creative professionals who are looking for a top-of-the-line, mobile workstation - and are willing to pay the premium for it. So I'll keep using my 2011 17" for as long as it lives, and will most likely switch over to a 17" Windows machine after that (I also use Windows on my MBP, via Parallels).

My advice: If it ain't broke, don't update your OS, and don't update your machine. I'd sell the 16" and get a more robust MBP, or a used 17" if you can find one and don't need to use Mojave or later.

 

[Andropov]

You just listed the reason why I do not automatically install updates and am glad I didn't get the 16" MBP.

What? What do software updates have to do with the screen cracking?

 

[Kung gu]

I have been using the 16" for over an year now. All good here. I don't baby it too.

 

[tomekwsrod]

You have now learnt that these are fragile machines for the price with a build that makes them hard to repair. One small water spill that gets under your keyboard and you have made yourself an expensive paper weight. It's a super painful loss of money. I'm afraid you might have to get over it.

 

[swingerofbirch]

I share with you the worst experience I have had with Mac support. Two months after the warranty expired on my MAcbook Pro 16" and after installing system updates my Mac would no longer turn on. The support center determined that it was an "internal" screen crack. I was offered the alternative of the extended warranty exception and for a moment I loved the MAC support system. However, after a tortuous review process, where the Mac support advisors kept me with a series of unfulfilled promises I was informed that the warranty extension would not proceed. I have several questions about the process that was followed.
1. Why are they offering warranty extension alternatives that they will not honor?
2. Why is it such a disorganized and tortuous process?
3. Why does a company that boasts of being serious not have a structured customer protection plan?
4. How can an "internal" fracture of a screen be conceived?
Coincidentally, it happened 2 months after the expiration date. Doesn't it seem too much of a coincidence?
Finally I ask myself the following question:
5. Is the MABBOOK Pro 16" the most fragile computer ever?
While I decide how to take legal advice, I will be left without being able to enjoy a product that represents a huge investment. The repair they are offering is clearly out of my budget.
I am interested to know if anyone else has had something similar happen to them? It would not be fair for these machines to have problems in their designs that make them the most fragile notebooks ever.

I had the same thing with my 13" rMBP where they claimed something similar with the display. I had never heard of warranty exception extensions. That must be new. I had AppleCare and was covered, but they would not cover my display because they said the type of issue I had could only have happened from an accident. It didn't make sense because there was no damage to the machine. They said the damage was on the inside and that they could see it but that it wasn't visible (they claimed this once it got to the depot--and the display wasn't what I sent it in for). They would not fix the computer without replacing the display which was going to cost I think $850. I only found out many years later that there was an unannounced display repair program that came out just months after I had to pay for my repair for my exact model. I contacted them about it recently after I found out about the repair program and they swear up and down that it never existed despite me sending them multiple media articles reporting it (including MacRumors articles). They say that they can't rely on third party information. But the problem is the first party (Apple) is lying about the repair program never having existed and also that they never published information about it.

 

[venom600]

Anyone who remembers the 15" Powerbook G4 Titanium knows that the 16" is a tank by comparison. That machine could get damaged looking at it.

 

[powerboy123]

my MBP late 2013 is a tank... any newer MBP are more prone to breakage as cost drives design.

 

[jerryk]

Anyone who remembers the 15" Powerbook G4 Titanium knows that the 16" is a tank by comparison. That machine could get damaged looking at it.

The cube would overheat if you looked at it.