Is the screen on the 16" supposed to be so frail?

[iemcj]

I'm currently on my trusty 2011 13" macbook pro and this thing is solid. It's been 10s of thousands of miles bike commuting with me, been on dozens of airplanes, it's literally seen the world. Today at costco I went to play around on the 16" macbook pro and it's shocking how flimsy and flexible the screen was.

Holy cow! Just pulling it open or closed with one finger on a corner is enough to actually make it flex, does costco just have a defective unit or something? This doesn't seem right, my current screen is solid and I need to actually exert a fair bit of pressure to get any sort of flex or bendyness on the screen but that 16 inch I can twist with complete ease, that just has me incredibly worried that with a single drop off a couch the whole thing could get mangled. Are they really all so frail now?

 

[loui100]

I'm not sure what you mean about flex but it definitely feels more loose and wobbly - when I just touch it with my finger or even lean on the desk hard, it starts to wobble a bit. It's not a deal-breaker but my old Mac was super solid. However, I went to the apple store and both units on display were similar, so I think it's just how they are designed...

 

[iemcj]

I'm not sure what you mean about flex but it definitely feels more loose and wobbly - when I just touch it with my finger or even lean on the desk hard, it starts to wobble a bit. It's not a deal-breaker but my old Mac was super solid. However, I went to the apple store and both units on display were similar, so I think it's just how they are designed...

Well frail as in I can with a single finger on the corner bend/twist the screen when it's open. I cannot do that with my 13" older mpb.

With one finger on both corners of the screen I can push in different directions with a decent amount of force on my current laptop and it stays rigid. When I did that in the store, it took VERY little force to bend the entire screen enough to distort the image.

It's just extremely off putting that it's so frail, surely that can't be normal? Isn't the whole point of this cool 'unibody aluminum" design so that it's not frail like cheap plastic?

 

[loui100]

Well I can confirm to you my unit is exactly the same, and the ones I tested in the store were similar. I even asked the genius bar employee about it and he did a comparison and said it was "comparable". So annoying, yes. But most likely within the norm. Might be to do with the fact the panels are thinner and bigger.

 

[Nacho98]

the hinges are noticeably less tight on the 16" than all prior models, every single one is this way by design.

it was offputting to me at first too but now realizing i never need to worry about the lid also pulling up the base of the computer from the table before the magnet lets go, or the computer sliding on the desk, is sort of nice. with the 16" you know the lid and only the lid are going to move when you go to open the machine, so i now get why they did that

 

[venom600]

Well frail as in I can with a single finger on the corner bend/twist the screen when it's open. I cannot do that with my 13" older mpb.

With one finger on both corners of the screen I can push in different directions with a decent amount of force on my current laptop and it stays rigid. When I did that in the store, it took VERY little force to bend the entire screen enough to distort the image.

It's just extremely off putting that it's so frail, surely that can't be normal? Isn't the whole point of this cool 'unibody aluminum" design so that it's not frail like cheap plastic?

Go to Best Buy and take look at a plastic PC notebook or Chromebook, then walk to the Apple department and feel the Macbook Pro. I doubt you'll find it so flimsy then, and people use those for years without issue. The screen on your old computer is probably twice as thick as the 16. There's a lot more material there to resist flexing. It's a non issue.

 

[bernuli]

The 2011 13 is a solid machine for sure.

However, with the bigger screen laptops you should lift the screen from center. This happened naturally when Apple laptops had a lid lock that was on center. Your hand would be on center to release the lock then it was a natural lift from center.

I'm currently on my trusty 2011 13" macbook pro and this thing is solid. It's been 10s of thousands of miles bike commuting with me, been on dozens of airplanes, it's literally seen the world. Today at costco I went to play around on the 16" macbook pro and it's shocking how flimsy and flexible the screen was.

Holy cow! Just pulling it open or closed with one finger on a corner is enough to actually make it flex, does costco just have a defective unit or something? This doesn't seem right, my current screen is solid and I need to actually exert a fair bit of pressure to get any sort of flex or bendyness on the screen but that 16 inch I can twist with complete ease, that just has me incredibly worried that with a single drop off a couch the whole thing could get mangled. Are they really all so frail now?

 

[iemcj]

Go to Best Buy and take look at a plastic PC notebook or Chromebook, then walk to the Apple department and feel the Macbook Pro. I doubt you'll find it so flimsy then, and people use those for years without issue.

I did, this was *noticibly* the flimsiest laptop screen they had out. Hence the entire point of the post asking about it.

The screen on your old computer is probably twice as thick as the 16. There's a lot more material there to resist flexing. It's a non issue.

Woh woh wait, first you're saying that it's only half as thick as it used to be and then saying it's a non issue? That's a total contradiction, this screen is significantly bigger and that's a lot more surface area to catch on, if it's thinner that's a huge risk.

 

[nhkdarkevil]

i currently have the 15 2019 and the hinge is not fully tightened, that's why the screen feel wooby and not feel stable to use ( at least for me ), took it to Apple and they tell me it's normal ( i don't think so ) and they will not tight it for me, so i went to the local store to fix it in 5mins for free. It's feel so much better after.

 

[throAU]

Go to Best Buy and take look at a plastic PC notebook or Chromebook, then walk to the Apple department and feel the Macbook Pro. I doubt you'll find it so flimsy then, and people use those for years without issue. The screen on your old computer is probably twice as thick as the 16. There's a lot more material there to resist flexing. It's a non issue.

So you're saying that just because PCs costing half as much (or less) are flimsy, the 16" Macbook Pro should be too?

People "don't use these for years without issue" because the 16" has only been out a couple of months (if that).

 

[venom600]

Woh woh wait, first you're saying that it's only half as thick as it used to be and then saying it's a non issue? That's a total contradiction, this screen is significantly bigger and that's a lot more surface area to catch on, if it's thinner that's a huge risk.

Yes, I'm saying it's a non issue. You're making absolute statements. Other than your feeling, what are you basing your conclusion on? You don't know what the tolerances are that Apple may have engineered into the product, do you? All I see is conjecture.

Until you can show actual damage being caused by this design or prove (with facts, not opinion) that it has been poorly engineered, it's a non issue.

So you're saying that just because PCs costing half as much (or less) are flimsy, the 16" Macbook Pro should be too?

No, i'm saying it isn't flimsy at all and that you need to recalibrate your expectations.

 

[matram]

I have been travelling a LOT internationally during the last 15 years. Never had a problem with any of my MBP: 2011, 2016 and 2019 16".

Before that I had several Lenovo Thinkpads (T and X series) where the chassis physically broke. The Thinkpads I generally had to replace after 2 years. My 2016 MBP still feels like new after 3 years.

The one thing I am careful about is no "pointy objects" agains the screen side of the MBP when in my backpack. Otherwise the MBP seems to travel well.

 

[jr69]

I made a thread of this earlier:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/macbook-pro-lid-wobbles-when-opening-it-lack-of-qc.2214566/

It seems that I am not the only one being delusional about this. Thanks for confirming OP!

 

[4sallypat]

Go to Best Buy and take look at a plastic PC notebook or Chromebook, then walk to the Apple department and feel the Macbook Pro. I doubt you'll find it so flimsy then, and people use those for years without issue. The screen on your old computer is probably twice as thick as the 16. There's a lot more material there to resist flexing. It's a non issue.

Agreed, the 2010-2012 MBP had twice the thickness, thicker aluminum, and larger display bezel which all contributes to the stiffness of the display lid.

I am currently on a 2012 MBP used as a desktop in clamshell mode w/ 27" TB display that has been a workhorse but then I don't travel with it anymore....

At work some employees got the new 16" and I noticed it has much less material on both sides that gives it a flex.

I like the lightweight lid & increased flex on the 16" as it does not wear on the hinges as the older designs had.

Weight savings, more durable, and thinner design all contribute to the new 16" design - so much more superior than my other co workers': flimsy/cheap Chromebooks, Dell plastic Latitudes, chunky Toshibas, etc...

 

[Fishrrman]

Compared to a 2011 MBP, the new models ARE considerably more "fragile".
That's a price to be paid for "slim-ness" and "light-ness".

Also, the surface of the retina display uses a VERY fragile sprayed-on anti-glare coating. One must be VERY careful about touching and cleaning the display, lest this surface coating begin to flake and wear off -- hence, "StainGate".

If you do move up to the 16" MBP (or to the 2020 13/14" MBP), you may have to pamper it a little more, to get it to last.

 

[iemcj]

Compared to a 2011 MBP, the new models ARE considerably more "fragile".
That's a price to be paid for "slim-ness" and "light-ness".

Also, the surface of the retina display uses a VERY fragile sprayed-on anti-glare coating. One must be VERY careful about touching and cleaning the display, lest this surface coating begin to flake and wear off -- hence, "StainGate".

If you do move up to the 16" MBP (or to the 2020 13/14" MBP), you may have to pamper it a little more, to get it to last.

Ugh. That's a bummer to hear on a computer I'm about to spend 3 thousand dollars on is flimsier than my older laptop. :/

 

[venom600]

Ugh. That's a bummer to hear on a computer I'm about to spend 3 thousand dollars on is flimsier than my older laptop. :/

You don't know how good you have it. I'm guessing you never had a Titanium Powerbook G4. That thing was the definition of flimsy. You had to baby it and be very gentle and you'd still end up with scratched paint, cracked frames, broken hinges, and warped screens. Then there was the original plastic Macbook that had a case that was prone to cracking and breaking on its own. The 16" Macbook Pro is a tank compared to those things.

 

[Camarillo Brillo]

I know what you mean. I also have a 13” from 2011 and it’s a tank, I love how solid it is.

I know this has been said a million times but I really wish Apple would offer something like the 2015 model or even the older unibody style with upgraded tech and ports. Maybe would have enough room to breathe and stay cool, way more durable, could easily fit more newer technology, better batteries inside, and room to upgrade the ram ourselves for a true pro MacBook. No real ‘pro’ user would sacrifice the things Apple has sacrificed for thinness and a less sturdy build. A 15-16” laptop isn’t all that portable anyway, that’s what a 13” or the MacBook Air is for. The 16” should prioritize functionality over thinness.

As for the above post, fair enough, but we’re comparing it to a 2011 MacBook Pro which was probably indisputably sturdier than the current mbps.

 

[Falhófnir]

Been that way since the 2016s; not heard of too many spontaneously shattering displays, though.

 

[-Shock-]

My impressions- larger screens will be flimsier, more surface area to exaggerate "flexibility" or "twisty-ness".

All MacBooks from recent years have a looser hinge from what I can tell, the object is to be able to open the lid with one finger without lifting the bottom chassis.

My 13" early 2015 has stiffer hinge (which I prefer) but it is definitely not a 1 finger opener.

 

[7even]

Not sure how y’all are treating your laptops but my 2016 and 2018 15” MBPs were no more fragile than my older 2008 and 2012 models both in terms of build and antiglare coating. The 16” is no worse than the 15” in this respect. No issues with antiglare coating wearing off, but I only used random microfiber cloths and screen cleaner wipes to clean it, nothing harsher.

 

[iemcj]

You don't know how good you have it. I'm guessing you never had a Titanium Powerbook G4. That thing was the definition of flimsy. You had to baby it and be very gentle and you'd still end up with scratched paint, cracked frames, broken hinges, and warped screens. Then there was the original plastic Macbook that had a case that was prone to cracking and breaking on its own. The 16" Macbook Pro is a tank compared to those things.

Dude I totally used to have that G4, the big white plastic one right? That's what I came off of before my 13" macbook pro and this thing is amazing. I've literally accidentally stepped on it in the middle of the night and it's just fine. With the 16" I was messing with at costco the whole screen area is just super flimsy and flexi, it feels like it's made out of plastic rather than high end aluminum. :/

 

[mightyjabba]

I think the issue here is perceived flimsiness, rather than actual fragility that could lead to damage. I don't think there has been a sudden increase in damage to MacBook Pros since the new design. Realistically, you have to be careful with any computer like this.

 

[venom600]

Dude I totally used to have that G4, the big white plastic one right? That's what I came off of before my 13" macbook pro and this thing is amazing. I've literally accidentally stepped on it in the middle of the night and it's just fine. With the 16" I was messing with at costco the whole screen area is just super flimsy and flexi, it feels like it's made out of plastic rather than high end aluminum. :/

Did you seriously just ask if the Titanium Powerbook G4 was made of plastic? Uh, no. That was the iBook. The iBook was semi ruggedized to deal with being used by kids. I'll say it again; your expectations are out of line with reality.

 

[iemcj]

Did you seriously just ask if the Titanium Powerbook G4 was made of plastic? Uh, no. That was the iBook. The iBook was semi ruggedized to deal with being used by kids. I'll say it again; your expectations are out of line with reality.

Well whatever it was I still have the plastic one here in my office. After playing around with this 2 decade old plastic body the screen is more rigid than the flimsy one that was at the store. The one at the store was barely as sturdy as 3 pieces of cardstock.

My expectations are hardly unreasonable, wanting a brand new 3000 dollar laptop to be at least close to as durable as the 8 year old model is "out of line with reality" to you? I'm not sure if you're joking or you simply haven't touched other mid to high end laptops lately because comparing it to any random 1200 laptop at best buy, this screen is remarkably fragile.