Do you carry your notebooks with you and use soft case or something that allows any even slight pressure on the display lid? Seems to me there is very small gap between display and keyboard so it is important to avoid putting any weight on the display lid. Or if using vertical stand for clamshell mode, I'd avoid ones that put pressure keeping lid closed (some seem a bit tight to me). I'm knocking on wood since my soon 4 weeks old MBP 14" is still free from keyboard marks but I fear heat will maybe cause some expansion or bending in parts that might reduce this gap. I have used it only at home and most of the time it has been in clamshell mode used as desktop with external monitor (it is just placed on the stand (not vertical one)).
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MacBook Air M2 Build Quality Issues
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I have to take back some of what I said above. Went to the Apple store again to try the new Air and Pro.
The Pro flexes less than I remember and definitely less than the intel Air's with the plastic Apple logo cut out, but flexes more than my 2016 13" Pro.
The M2 Air felt more solid than the new Pro, and I'd say felt just a tad more flexible than my 2016 13" Pro. But no where near as flexible as the intel Air.
Playing around with the new Air, it's build quality seemed pretty good to me.
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I haven’t seen a lot of real issues with the M2 on here. I have seen a lot of obsessing and people looking for forum created problems perpetuated by many here on the forum
Does it sound like something inside the machine is resonating when you hit those keys with a little bit more force? I noticed that in every demo MBA M2 I tested. That was exactly one of the things I did not like about this model and it made it feel flimsy compared to MBP 14" and to all previous generation models (for example MBA M1 solid in this type of test).
no issues here. this thing feels like a solid block (that's a compliment). no wobbling base, no screen bleed. nothing rattling (i love that someone on this forum 'noticed something inside resonating... etc' in 'every MBA M2' they tested (2? 20? 200,000?).
i like this thing more all the time, glad i went for it.
i like this thing more all the time, glad i went for it.
Well, since I was talking about demo units amount of them is obviously not 200,000 but every one that was on display that I tested myself. But from my experience, demo units around my local shops are always very good units, they do not put ones that have obvious build quality issues or inferior screens on display. Of course it is not impossible there could be issues in one unit but when I noticed the same thing in different shops, IMHO it was not just some odd unit with build quality issue.
Probably we are seeing here people with different standards. Since we see some people mentioning the same things I have seen myself, only confirms that in my opinion. I happen to be type of person that is cursed to notice even smallest issues with every device if there are such to be found.
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I have had a lot of Mac's over the years. In the Intel models I purchased BTO they almost always had some build quality issue. The keyboard backlighting being uneven and very noticeable to backlight bleed. The Macbook Pro 16" and 14" I ordered BTO from Apple had no quality issues at all. I returned the 14" and later bought the 16".
I am hoping that the new M2 Air's have the same build quality that the M1 MBP's had. Ultimately I think it is just luck and lottery. Any device being mass produced in huge factories whose primary focus is producing as many units as possible in as fast a time as possible are going to have defects. I think the factories where these are built are more concerned with churning out as many devices as possible and defective units are just part of the cost of manufacturing like they do. Apple probably knows this and is why they have a decent return policy. I do wish they gave us a 30 day return period as 14 days is not enough to really know a device.
I am hoping that the new M2 Air's have the same build quality that the M1 MBP's had. Ultimately I think it is just luck and lottery. Any device being mass produced in huge factories whose primary focus is producing as many units as possible in as fast a time as possible are going to have defects. I think the factories where these are built are more concerned with churning out as many devices as possible and defective units are just part of the cost of manufacturing like they do. Apple probably knows this and is why they have a decent return policy. I do wish they gave us a 30 day return period as 14 days is not enough to really know a device.
so, how many M2 airs have you checked exactly? and what percentage of all the M2 airs out there do you think you've checked? the odds are there are flawed units, that's not a surprise. but your observation is still... one person, looking at a tiny tiny percentage of all the M2 airs, so... whatever 🙄
As I said I tested my local shop demo units and they all were the same. I understand there could have been one or two faulty units but when all are exactly the same, I don't think so. Anyway, I see no point arguing this with you since you claim you don't see them and there is no way we two could test the same unit (I mean it would be interesting if I had a chance to take a look at your unit
).
yeah, i'm actually using it, as it works really well; it's quiet, efficient. bright, fast. nothing rattles when i shake it (which i never do generally).As I said I tested my local shop demo units and they all were the same. I understand there could have been one or two faulty units but when all are exactly the same, I don't think so. Anyway, I see no point arguing this with you since you claim you don't see them and there is no way we two could test the same unit (I mean it would be interesting if I had a chance to take a look at your unit
how many M2 airs did you say you've 'tested'?
Not keeping count but plenty enough for me to assure it is not just faulty unit. I know from my personal experience that when ever I notice some issue and most others claim don't see it and I then go in to the endless exchange roulette only to find out they are all the same and I'm just one of the cursed ones that notice such issue. About this issue I mentioned here, there are some people on this forum noticing it and I've seen similar issue mention in some Youtube reviews too. That is enough proof for me.
" I'm just one of the cursed ones that notice such issue" 🤯
ok. so you and a few people on the forum have seen this issue. what percentage of M2 air owners is that? still infiinitely small. remember, you don't speak for everyone, only yourself (and the other 3 or 4 people on this forum with similar issues).
No, but those are ones who can notice and pay attention to issues like this. Not all test their units like this. Ignorance is a bliss.
If you're going to break out cute little maxims, then here's another one for you:No, but those are ones who can notice and pay attention to issues like this. Not all test their units like this. Ignorance is a bliss.
"You see what you want to see."
Why not. It is obviously the case here. You see what you see and I see what I see.
My saying "ignorance is a bliss", was not meant sarcasm or offensive (I realize it may sound that) but just something I have learned the hard way myself after chasing a "unicorn" device (countless times) that was supposed to exist based on some other people comments, only to learn they do not exist.
As for the issue mentioned, I just visited one store today and while walking by Apple demo units, I tried again one demo MBA M2 and had the same findings as I did before.
what does this mean (seriously, am asking):
"chasing a "unicorn" device that was supposed to exist based on some other people comments, only to learn they do not exists."
Sometimes there is a characteristic of a device that bothers some people and not others. The people who aren’t bothered sometimes cannot see the problem at all and claim their device is perfect. If you are the type of person who is bothered and will naturally notice the issue then trying to return over and over again will be to no avail.
The iPad mini 6 jelly scroll issue is a good example. All iPad mini 6 show this characteristic of somewhat wobbly scrolling in portrait. Yet there are people who insist that their iPad mini doesn’t have this issue and are perfect. Their device definitely has the problem because it is in the nature of the hardware design so if you go chasing a perfect, non-jelly scroll iPad mini 6 you are just wasting time and money. They don’t exist.
OK, fair enough, my post was much too vague if you don't know me.
JdB8167 got my meaning and very well explained in detail what I meant.
Anyway, just to confirm, I have gone thru countless times situation where I bought device "X" and then found an issue "Y" and/or "Z" (or more). Then I asked from the manufacturer support and other people who own the same model if they see issues "Y/Z" in their units and nearly all say "NO, mine is perfect, you got a lemon exchange it to a new fault free" or something like that. Then there could be a small number of people in the same discussion seeing the same issue, usually number of those is very low, like percentage you can count with one hand fingers or so (sometimes no one at the time sees it but much later on there might be posts appearing in the same discussion people reporting seeing the same). Anyway, in the past (say in duration of 20 years or so including Video Projectors, TV's, Monitors, Laptops, Phones, Tablets and so on) I have started exchange process, or simply return/rebuy many times in a row only to get unit after unit with the same issue (might have been very slight variation between units but all practically having the same issue that was disturbing me).
Then after several units either I have returned unit for a refund and got something else, or if kept it too long I complained manufacturer and they investigated the issue commenting in the end, this is normal feature of the product and seems we cannot satisfy your requirements of quality and offer you a full refund... Just as a couple of examples.
Just in the past year or two, I have tried to force myself understanding the fact my standards for any product are much different or higher than normal people and I try to avoid entering this vicious stressing exchange roulette trying to find an "unicorn" unit that simply does not exists in a form that fulfills my standards. Also trying to do my "homework" by checking many demo units using my standards to determine their quality beforehand, so that I know what to expect if I buy one.