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Macbook Pro unibody, edges' paint is wiped out

Darn, I am dissapointed to realize that the MBP is anodized. I had wondered if it was coated in any way but for some reason thought it wasn't (should have researched/thought about that more).

I just bought an MBP - have not even used it yet. I received a unibody plastic replacement for my early 2008 Macbook (numerous logic board failures), and I missed Firewire and the external battery monitor so much that I decided to buy a new MBP, even though I really like the plastic cases better.

I know I'm probably going to sound way too fussy, but ever since the iBook, I have not really liked the edges of the top case. For some reason the way I place my hands/wrists on the computer gives me these "sharp" dents in my wrists there because of the sharp edges.

I had been thinking "Oh good, MBP, one solid block of aluminum; I can wetsand the edge and ease that sharp corner." Obviously I won't be doing that since it is anodized. Maybe I will keep the plastic one and learn to live without Firewire and the external battery monitor. Sigh.

I'm not a metallurgist - or even close - but I work in boating and sailboat masts are often anodized aluminum. It definitely wears down (or deteriorates) in places where it is rubbed. As far as I know there is no real way to repair it (save for re-anodizing). In the case of boats, when they get too unsightly people usually choose to paint them with something like a two-part LPU coating (a hard shiny "paint"). Not practical for a computer though.

Darn.... I have not ever even opened the lid on the MBP, but I did open the plastic at the store just to make sure nothing was scratched or misaligned on the outside of the case (after living with a protruding battery door on the iBook for ten years... should have checked that one).

Terri
 
Adidas Addict said:
I think Apple have some serious issues lately with the quality and finish of their anodising. I recently returned two brand new MBP's (my main issue was actually misalignment) both had really shoddy anodising, on one of them you could actually see the shiny finish of the bare aluminium through the anodising! The 2 we had bough in the previous year were of a much higher standard of finish, I hate to admit it but I think Apple's quality has taken a real downturn with its popularity rising over the last few years.
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Sounds likely the macbook in question came from a bad batch. I hope mine doesn't end up like this!

I have an idea...they should take a cue from the iphone 4 and coat the next macbook pro completely in gorilla glass!
 
Did anyone contact Apple about this?

I'm having the same problem with my 2010 MBP and would like to find out if Applecare will cover it. The finish is wearing away as shown in the photo. I keep the MBP in a soft-case and I don't wear a watch.
 

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My 15" mbp I got back in april is doing the same thing in the same area. But it is almost one year old and everything gets wear and tear so it really doesn't bug me that much.

Sure it cost near $3,000 but you don't return a car 8 months after owning it because it gets a scratch.

Here is mine:

http://i.imgur.com/glAao.jpg
 
Hi everyone,

I have exactly the same issue like most of you.
But what is most terrible in my case is that I bought MacBook Pro 15" 1 day ago, and I have noticed that there is issue on the edges.

I saw that some of you were planning to complain to apple, any success with it?
Anyway, I'm going to complain for sure, since it's brand new product, and this shouldn't be there.
 
I'm interested to know as well...same issue here...started about 3-4 months after purchase with a little scrape like that...I thought somehow I had scratched it (even though I don't wear a watch or bracelet)...and now after about 14 months of owning it spread like the pics above....

I'd like to know what Apple is saying about this if someone has asked them...whether they will just tell you to F-off or be helpful?
 
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I also have this issues and it's more bad, i don't think apple will replace it easily. :(

 
I'm going to call them tomorrow and I will update you guys.
But honestly, I don't think they will accept complain.
 
miles01110 said:
If you skip to 2:51 in the video with the worker turning the unibody, does yours have a metallic reflection like that? No, because it's powder coated.
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I thought the Unibody's aluminum shiny surface was bead blasted, to remove the shine and give it a texture.

I am also disappointed that it is anodized.
 
OllyW said:
If it wasn't anodised you'd be complaining about black stains on your hands every time you used it. ;)
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Well, true, since it is aluminum they have to do something, and any coating can chip. In my line of work, if anything is going to have a finish (anodizing, paint, varnish), we do everything we can to avoid a sharp edge. That's always where a coating will fail. So we make sure to make things as rounded as possible, and where there are corners or edges they are "eased" or rounded. That makes a big difference.

So yeah, if I were designing the MBP case it would have rounded edges (my wrist would also be thankful when I am surfing/using trackpad). Heck, I would much prefer plastic if it were a nice, classy design. I'm typing on my 11-year-old iBook right now and the edge is comfortable and not worn off.

I'm not quite as fond of the MB unibody's look (somehow the plastic looks more one-dimensional to me, and I don't really like the "rubberized" aluminum bottom piece), but I still would have bought it in a heartbeat if it had had Firewire and/or the external battery monitor. I could have ponied up for 2 more gigs of RAM later.

They just make it hard *not* to buy the MBP now with all the advantages it has over the MB, for only a couple hundred dollars ($100 if buy at some places):

Firewire (my main reason, which my iBook and previous Macbook had - I just hate to give up Target Disc Mode)
External battery monitor (iBook and previous Macbook had - I use it all the time)

Less important but still there:
Infrared for remote (previous Macbook had)
2 more gigs RAM
Better speakers
SD card slot
Backlit keyboard (one thing I had always envied :cool:)

For those reasons I went aluminum, but with some regret. I've already bought a Moshi Palmguard and I may run a strip of tape over the front edge. Sad really, to have to cover up a "better" laptop, when I never put any sort of cases or covers on my iBook or Macbook.

I'm hoping there will be some re-design or improvement that will call to me in the next year, in which case I'll switch (to a different Mac I mean; I'm a Mac die-hard :))

I've been surprised that the edge design has stayed "sharp" for so long now; I held out with my iBook waiting for that to change but eventually I had to give in and buy a Macbook (the Macbook was plastic but also had a sharp edge).
 
Miss Terri said:
I've been surprised that the edge design has stayed "sharp" for so long now; I held out with my iBook waiting for that to change but eventually I had to give in and buy a Macbook (the Macbook was plastic but also had a sharp edge).
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Is it me or the edges of my new macbook pro are much smoother than those shown in the pics in this thread? (see my pics). They apparently did an inconspicuous re-design, after all...
 

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That edge does look eased, as compared to the others.

I checked a number of MBP's on display at the Apple store, and there was a fair bit of variation in the edge smooth/sharpness, and in the overall smooth vs. textured feel of the aluminum (say, on the palm rests). At least to my detail-oriented eye.

I actually returned my initial MBP as, not only were the edges sharp and the palm guard a bit rough, but the edges actually had a bit of a "hook" to them. Say, if you ran your fingernail up the sides of the top case they would "catch" when they got to the top where joins the palm rest and sides of the keyboard. It was as if the top case were unmolded but that last little bit of "swarf" was not smoothed off before the anodizing.

At first the Apple store people were like "well this feels fine to us," but then after we checked another one (which was quite a bit smoother), they said "Oh wow, you're right.... that one is much rougher and we can feel the hook." I wasn't really concerned about the palm rest flats, but they were noticeably smoother as well.

I had been concerned that that extra "hook" would wear off/down prematurely and cause the anodizing to fail (sooner). The machine was brand new at the time, and I had not used it more than ten minutes. They said that, well, there must be variation in different manufacturing plants, but no-one knew for sure.

I don't know that I would say the edge is as eased as yours is, but it's hard to compare mine "life sized" to yours in a somewhat macro looking photo. It's definitely much smoother than the first one was (but not really "eased" - more just smoother overall, with less "grain" to the aluminum and no "hook" on the 90 degree edges).

Miss Terri
 
OllyW said:
If it wasn't anodised you'd be complaining about black stains on your hands every time you used it. ;)
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Then I'm wondering what kind of coating is on my Aluminum ladder, because it doesn't give me black stains on my hands when I use it.
 
I replaced my MacBook Pro with new one today :)
In Apple store they were polite and said "Sorry because of this"

Anyway, I think that they replaced my MBP only because it was just 3 days old, after 4 months they wont replace for sure.
Because as one of guys in Apple store said "Well, it's alu, it has to end like this"... After this it's pretty disappointing for me.

I could take some Toshiba or HP for even less money and this would never happen to me. Apple should make such terrible mistake ;(
 
INEEDANOTEBOOK said:
Is it me or the edges of my new macbook pro are much smoother than those shown in the pics in this thread? (see my pics). They apparently did an inconspicuous re-design, after all...
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wow, this looks totally different then mine...
When did you get this mbp?
 
nateo200 said:
Everyone clear coat there MacBooks or at least the area where your palms rest. /Thread
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Can you elaborate a bit on what type of coating you're suggesting? I'm not an anodized aluminum expert, but in my experience it is not a surface that lends itself well or easily to re-coating. So I'm interested in the details of your process.

My MBP is fine right now, but I would like it to stay that way.

Thanks,
Miss Terri
 
Palm Rest Protector

The first thing to buy after you purchase a new Macbook Pro is a palm rest protector and a track pad protector. I got both at the Apple store. The palm rest protector sticks on both sides of the trackpad and it feels like a soft silver-colored material. The track pad protector also adheres to the trackpad, but it is clear and invisible once applied. I put them on my computer the first day because I've read that the oil and sweat from your hands can pit the aluminum over time. The material also enables me to use the mouse on it.:)
 
Miss Terri said:
Can you elaborate a bit on what type of coating you're suggesting? I'm not an anodized aluminum expert, but in my experience it is not a surface that lends itself well or easily to re-coating. So I'm interested in the details of your process.

My MBP is fine right now, but I would like it to stay that way.

Thanks,
Miss Terri
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I was mainly being sarcastic but I'm interested in figuring that out as well. ive seen the nasty palm marks on laptops and there just...nasty
 
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