Macbook Pro keyboard backlight problem

[cathy88]

Hey,

I just received my 3 days old Macbook Pro 17" and currently have problems.
The keyboard back light has serious problems, the "5" key is noticeable brighter (twice as bright as others). And few keys around it are slightly brighter as well. However from the left side of "5, T, G, B all the key on the left side of this area are brighter then all the keys on the right side.
I know it might be small problem but I did spend 4200 NZD on this.

This is my 3rd Macbook Pro, as you can see Im picky on these.

First one: Power Socket had faults, when the plug gets suck onto the macbook pro mage safe socket, it wont recharge I have to force the plug inwards then it starts charging.

Second one: Space key was broken, something to do with the spring it makes huge noise.

Third one: Keyboard brightness as described here. Also my track pad feels weird like something is loose, if you softly tab on the bottom left corner you can feel the whole track pad movie (this is a soft tab down not a tab click).

Should I ask for another replacement? Each replacement takes freaken 2 weeks to get to me ....

This is a BTO one with SSD and anti glare so they get send from China, which takes 5-7 days to get to me depending on which day they get sent out. Also takes them 3 business days to make this, so its been like a month first my first mac.....

 

[SideStepSociety]

My 5 key is bright as well. Unless it really bothers you, I'd let this one slide. It's the lesser of two (or three in your case) evils.

Who knows, you may get another "lemon" and have to wait another 4 weeks, which, if you really need the computer, can be a helluva long time.

I thought mine would bug the hell out of me at first too. Not going to lie, definitely quite anal about these things, but you really don't notice it after awhile.

Consider your Mac unique.

 

[8CoreWhore]

Definitely call Apple....

 

[Michael383]

I'd ask for another replacement and hope for the best. Hopefully the fourth ones the charm for you. Good luck.

 

[AnonMac50]

I think you should call Apple. But the keyboard backlight brightness, that's a hit or miss (my Early 2008 is like that), but because it is combined with the trackpad, I recommend you contact Apple.

 

[thermodynamic]

My 17" 2011 MBP also has the '5' overly lit. Silly placement of the underlying LED, but that's the fault of the company Apple outsources manufacturing to. Not Apple's, apart from the fact they choose to outsource and hope somebody else doesn't tarnish their reputation for them. But maybe Apple can impose better QC, assuming the company they use tolerates it...

My trackpad is fine, however. (my previous MBP, mid-2009, had a stiff trackpad, but it was no big deal.)

As much as the unevenly lit keys bothers me, I've had no other problems and, so far, the unit runs wonderfully cool. But I do understand your desire to exchange units.

 

[cathy88]

To be honest I am quite pissed. That keyboard just bothers me right now I cant even be bother using the laptop because I know its there. I know if I start using it i will eventually not bother with that problem. But the track pad seems weird too. This is so stupid, Im thinking just going to buy a cheap HP laptop 1k and keep replacing this until i get one that is at acceptable standard.

By acceptable standard I am willing to accept small scratch or poor little dot painting which I have had in last few ones. But things like dead pixel, poor keyboard or track pad is pretty bad as I would be using them all day

They had offer to give me 100 dollars for the trouble they have given me.
But to me 100 dollars is not worth me waiting for a laptop for 4 weeks

 

[iMackPro]

is this just on the 17s? its the only size ive seen threads about.
but i wouldn't worry about fixing it, id like to have super bright keys lol better than dim ones! but thats just me.

 

[cathy88]

is this just on the 17s? its the only size ive seen threads about.
but i wouldn't worry about fixing it, id like to have super bright keys lol better than dim ones! but thats just me.

Well the problem is you have super bright "5" but the others are not super bright and the left side is brighter then the right side

 

[iMackPro]

Well the problem is you have super bright "5" but the others are not super bright and the left side is brighter then the right side

ohh just some some of them, i gotcha. well TBH it still wouldn't bother me, maybe a little but i wouldn't risk getting a new mac that come be DOA or something. Mine came with a ding on the bottom and figured wth it works still looks amazing and i have no plan to return it for a diff one.

but i do understand that people expect perfection when they spend this kind of money, but we all must remember these things are massed produced and there will be flaws every now and then

 

[cathy88]

ohh just some some of them, i gotcha. well TBH it still wouldn't bother me, maybe a little but i wouldn't risk getting a new mac that come be DOA or something. Mine came with a ding on the bottom and figured wth it works still looks amazing and i have no plan to return it for a diff one.

but i do understand that people expect perfection when they spend this kind of money, but we all must remember these things are massed produced and there will be flaws every now and then

Yea I understand the risk, thats why Im still thinking if I should replace it. Maybe if they had offer me free apple care I would settle with this one. To be honest I will be selling this at the end of year and buy a new one again when new revision come out so thats why I am thinking of resell value

 

[Hitchophilia]

Im thinking just going to buy a cheap HP laptop 1k and keep replacing this until i get one that is at acceptable standard.

By acceptable standard I am willing to accept small scratch or poor little dot painting which I have had in last few ones.

Exchanging a $4200 laptop because a key (or three) is brighter suggests the risk/reward ratio for you is not right.

Save your money (and time). Buy the throw away HP.

 

[thermodynamic]

ohh just some some of them, i gotcha. well TBH it still wouldn't bother me, maybe a little but i wouldn't risk getting a new mac that come be DOA or something. Mine came with a ding on the bottom and figured wth it works still looks amazing and i have no plan to return it for a diff one.

but i do understand that people expect perfection when they spend this kind of money, but we all must remember these things are massed produced and there will be flaws every now and then

True, and at times there will be imperfections. But it's the same keyboard used in all the MBPs (one design to save money instead of laptop size-specific keyboards.)

And we know they are mass-produced. The cost of Apple's products only adds to a belief they are of higher quality.

What we must remember is, any flaws are not as much Apple's as they are the fault of the contracted manufacturing company. Foxconn, if I recall rightly. I think Apple needs to do another investigation and maybe, just maybe, find a new manufacturing partner, where people are paid enough to not want to engage in passive-aggressive antics such as "little design flaws", if that indeed is what is going on.

 

[thermodynamic]

Exchanging a $4200 laptop because a key (or three) is brighter suggests the risk/reward ratio for you is not right.

Save your money (and time). Buy the throw away HP.

And then make up for saved time by trying to install Hackintosh, which is also illegal (if Apple opted to pursue that avenue as well.)

And, please, the word is "throwaway". I'm not a major in written linguistics*, but basic grammatical skills are simply nice to have and use.

* there's no money in it