Mac quality and reliability

[dave-k]

I have read, both on this website and elsewhere, explicit comment on the high build quality and great reliability of Apple gear. Indeed, a recent letter to a UK magazine suggested that corporate IT departments would be decimated by a decision to switch to Apple, apparently (I think) on the basis that both hardware and software performances (in terms of delivery without problems, etc.) would be far greater than the Windows equivalents, so necessitating far fewer interventions by IT people.

I really do hope that this is true, if only for the very selfish reason that I've just purchase my first Mac. However, it does interest me that never once have I seen any actual evidence to underpin claims of this sort. There is just the risk that this becomes more an article of faith than an objective presentation of fact. I'm therefore interested to know what the evidence is.

It's worth commenting that individual experiences are unlikely to be compelling unless there are enough of them to form a statistically significant group. So, they're interesting but little more. After all, I could say (quite truthfully) that I have owned five Dell PCs - four desktops and a laptop - over a period of more than 10 years, and only one has ever developed a hardware fault within its working lifetime (an LCD screen fault in the laptop). On the other hand, I've read of many ex-customers of Dell who would not consider them again.

 

[emptyCup]

My experience is anecdotal but it is based on maintaining 3500 Macs and 5000 PCs for 10 years. We replaced the PCs about every 3 years and the Macs every 5 years. The PCs generally went into the trash while there were always people who wanted our cast-off Macs. This annoyed accounting greatly, as they were never sure this wasn't some kind of scam (the problem was resolved by giving them to charities). Additionally, I've never worked any IT shop that did not have a significantly higher PC:Mac technician ratio.

That said, Apple has switched to commodity parts (and lowered their prices) since my days in IT. Things may have changed. Also, how the statistical balance of things will affect your one machine is random. Buy Applecare and don't worry about it. Most people give up on their current machines before their Macs give up on them. Best wishes.

 

[heatmiser]

Lemme put it simply:

You get a Macbook, it's gonna crack. Probably within the first year. I can't speak for the reliability of the other Intel products, but if I were you, I'd stay away from the Macbook if such things would bother you.

 

[clevin]

its no different than any other pcs.

quality in the middle, reliability in the middle as well.

in my personal experience, reliability is quite bad, but my mb is rev A, so i give it less weight.

 

[Dimwhit]

Lemme put it simply:

You get a Macbook, it's gonna crack. Probably within the first year. I can't speak for the reliability of the other Intel products, but if I were you, I'd stay away from the Macbook if such things would bother you.

Hmm, generalize much? Neither of our 1+ year-old Macbooks have cracked. In fact, they've been fantastic machines for us.

As to the OP, I can only speak for Macs. In the last 4+ years, my office has or has gone through about a dozen Macs. I gave us fits for 3 years before finally being replaced. Another Powerbook had minor problems, and I have a current iMac giving me fits (though that might clear up when I get the RAM upgrade. Other than that, we've had zero problems and almost no money spent to upkeep our computers.

 

[RaceTripper]

My experience with Apple is that build quality (fit and finish, etc) has been high and reliability has been mediocre. This compares favorably to my experience with Dell where build quality has been mediocre and reliability has been abysmal.

 

[Hankster]

Lemme put it simply:

You get a Macbook, it's gonna crack. Probably within the first year. I can't speak for the reliability of the other Intel products, but if I were you, I'd stay away from the Macbook if such things would bother you.

Generalizations come from ignorance.

 

[mreg376]

My experience with Apple is that build quality (fit and finish, etc) has been high and reliability has been mediocre. This compares favorably to my experience with Dell where build quality has been mediocre and reliability has been abysmal.

As a LONGtime Windows user turned Imac user, I can tell you that the reliability of my Imac, in terms of the machine doing what you expect it to do on a daily basis, including functioning after an upgrade, or after installation of software or drivers, is WORLDS ahead of any Windows PC I've ever seen, and I've seen plenty. I've built plenty.

As for general Apple hardware durability and reliability, I have no experience with that. However with Applecare under my belt, and an Apple store a few miles away, I'm feeling' peace.