MBPr... much more fragile than the MBP

[73CortinaV8]

After having my MBPr for some weeks, I feel this thing is very fragile. If you squeeze the bottom of the case even a tiny bit, it creaks and bends. I feel like I have to be very careful how I pick this thing up or else I'm going to crush it. The aluminum seems to be more prone to scratches, too.

My old MBP felt like it was a solid brick of aluminum. Never got a scratch on it, either.

I'm really worried about how the MBPr will hold up.

 

[GGJstudios]

So take it back and get what you want.

 

[Queen6]

Have Late 2011 2.4 i7 15" & Retina build quality is identical, if anything the Retina a little more so. The 2011 MBP does feel more solid and realistically this is simply due to it`s mass, the only aspect of the Retina i feel you need to be a little more careful with is the display, however this is no worse than the majority of notebooks on the market, I certainly don't feel that i need to be any more careful with the Retina than any previous Mac portable

 

[stuaz]

Perhaps I am lucky, but mine doesn't make a sound and feels solid. At least the same as my 2009 13" MBP.

 

[swordsmn]

So take it back and get what you want.

I'm new around here, but that reply, two minutes after OP seems a little crass.

The OP was remarking on his observation. I found it as a good data point as wife has a MBA & I'm thinking abt a rMBP for heavy vmware use (16gig ram).
The solidity of the MBA turned me on to MAC in recent years.

I spend a lot of time in other forums, but is that kind of reply typical of this forum?

I like to think "Would I say this to the person if we were at a convention, just met & were chatting casually." My sense is GGJ, you would not snipe like that were you FTF

sorry that just rubbed me the wrong way.. It's easy to be wude at a keyboard...

 

[GGJstudios]

I'm new around here, but that reply, two minutes after OP seems a little crass.

My reply was neither rude nor crass, and the timing of the post is irrelevant. If you buy a product that you're not happy with or worried how it will hold up in the long run, returning it and buying something that satisfies you is a no-brainer. It's just common sense. I would offer the same advice in person as I would online.

 

[Dark Void]

I don't think returning it is an option at this point. I believe you will be turned down if you are not within the first 14 days of ownership.

It seems like you're stuck with it. I doubt it's suppose to creak or bend though, maybe something needs to be repositioned or tightened. However, if that's the case you still cannot get a refund, only a replacement.

 

[swordsmn]

My reply was neither rude nor crass, and the timing of the post is irrelevant. If you buy a product that you're not happy with or worried how it will hold up in the long run, returning it and buying something that satisfies you is a no-brainer. It's just common sense. I would offer the same advice in person as I would online.

And I guess I gave the guy credit for having such common sense. I took his OP as an observation, seeking out opinions if anyone else had noticed a rigidity decrease. Sorry, I just read your intent wrong I guess.

 

[twietee]

So take it back and get what you want.

I'm new around here, but that reply, two minutes after OP seems a little crass.

I'm rather new here too, but GGJstudios is known to be fast.
That said I wonder if s/he will be faster than OP some day...

 

[Queen6]

My reply was neither rude nor crass, and the timing of the post is irrelevant. If you buy a product that you're not happy with or worried how it will hold up in the long run, returning it and buying something that satisfies you is a no-brainer. It's just common sense. I would offer the same advice in person as I would online.

Agreed, albeit rather abrupt, OP has "what he wants" he/she simply has concern and is likely looking for comparisons or validation of a non issue. Crass no, curt yes.

 

[jterp7]

After having my MBPr for some weeks, I feel this thing is very fragile. If you squeeze the bottom of the case even a tiny bit, it creaks and bends. I feel like I have to be very careful how I pick this thing up or else I'm going to crush it. The aluminum seems to be more prone to scratches, too.

My old MBP felt like it was a solid brick of aluminum. Never got a scratch on it, either.

I'm really worried about how the MBPr will hold up.

coming from a MBA, this thing is still thicker. On the creaks, have your local apple store reset the screws or if you don't trust them, buy a pentalobe and do it yourself.

 

[GGJstudios]

And I guess I gave the guy credit for having such common sense. I took his OP as an observation, seeking out opinions if anyone else had noticed a rigidity decrease. Sorry, I just read your intent wrong I guess.

As the OP has already voiced concerns about their purchase in other threads (scroll lag, trackpad, etc.), I read it as more than a simple observation.

I have to say, I'm not very pleased after spending $3000.

It appears the MBPr may not be the ideal choice for them. It doesn't make sense to spend the next few years unhappy with a computer, when returning or selling it and buying a different model may be the best decision.

 

[leman]

Perhaps I am lucky, but mine doesn't make a sound and feels solid. At least the same as my 2009 13" MBP.

Same here. Maybe the screws in the OP's laptop are not properly tightened? It happens from time to time.

 

[heisenberg123]

GGJ is correct if you dont like it bring it back, not key stroke combination or software will change your feelings to the physical characteristics of the mbp, should we try and convice the OP its something he doesnt think it is?

now if he was having software issues we might convice him he is doing it wrong and thats why he doesnt like it but we should change his mind on how well its built

 

[terraphantm]

How something feels, and how durable it is in reality are not always the same. Think about it - the rMBP has no moving parts. The logic board is mounted to a solid piece of aluminum (like other macs). Its hinge is more or less the same design as on other MBPs. If you drop it, chances are it'll be just fine asides for a ding here or there. The most fragile part of the computer is going to be the display, and even that will be no worse than any other MBP.

A standard MBP on the other hand likely has a platter based harddrive and a superdrive. Those are much more likely to fail due to physical shock.

If your rMBP creaks, I highly recommend taking the back panel off, and carefully tightening the screws back to the same torque in a criss-cross manner to best distribute the load. Should it have been properly installed from the factory... yes. But it isn't always the case, and the fix is easy enough .

 

[doug in albq]

My reply was neither rude nor crass, and the timing of the post is irrelevant. If you buy a product that you're not happy with or worried how it will hold up in the long run, returning it and buying something that satisfies you is a no-brainer. It's just common sense. I would offer the same advice in person as I would online.

However, your reply is somewhat a shutting down of the discussion and the potential truthfulness of the OP.

No offense, GGJ, but generally your posts do have a bit of an "apologist" tone to them...and I am not new here. And you do seem to live here at MR...

 

[rrm998]

Well, there's always my path to the rMBP. After having a Sony Vaio Z2 for year, the rMBP seems as solid as a aluminum block to me. It's all relative, I guess.

 

[GGJstudios]

However, your reply is somewhat a shutting down of the discussion and the potential truthfulness of the OP.

My post in no way suggested shutting down any discussion, nor did it suggest anything about the OP's truthfulness. The OP expressed worry about how the MBPr would hold up, after expressing other concerns in other threads. I did not suggest that those concerns were not truthful. I offered a recommendation to return it and buy something that would be more satisfactory. If others feel like they need to refrain from posting their views or suggestions because someone else has posted, the problem is theirs.

No offense, GGJ, but generally your posts do have a bit of an "apologist" tone to them...and I am not new here. And you do seem to live here at MR...

My posts are either stating facts or my opinions, and are as valid as anyone else's posts. To answer your off-topic comment, I don't live at MR. My total time here amounts to a very few hours a day, while multitasking other activities. There is no rule or limit on forum activity or participation.

 

[bwhli]

Mine creaks a bit too, but it's not enough to warrant going through the process of replacing and setting up a new computer.

 

[Dark Void]

In order to add a bit more, it's all about your mindset. Creaking and what not may not bother others but that shouldn't really convince you that it shouldn't bother you.

I'll stop italicizing that now.

My point is if it truly bothers you no matter how small or meaningless it may seem on paper, then it bothers you. It's hard to come to terms with things like that, and the thing is that you don't have to. You have the option to attempt to resell it and put that money towards something else that won't generate such feelings or compulsions, if you will. Not diagnosing you or even suggesting that you are taking it that seriously - just that if it bothers you then it does, and you should look into your options rather than settling.

 

[Macral]

Creaking is an issue for some rMBPs. It's not about fragility. The screws on yours might not be tighten up properly.

 

[AzN1337c0d3r]

I have large concerns about the screen and whether it will stand up to someone accidentally stepping on the clamshell back now that the front display cover glass is gone. I had a friend where that piece of glass saved her behind because it cracked that instead of the actual LCD.

 

[IllmasterMath]

I'm new around here, but that reply, two minutes after OP seems a little crass.

The OP was remarking on his observation. I found it as a good data point as wife has a MBA & I'm thinking abt a rMBP for heavy vmware use (16gig ram).
The solidity of the MBA turned me on to MAC in recent years.

I spend a lot of time in other forums, but is that kind of reply typical of this forum?

I like to think "Would I say this to the person if we were at a convention, just met & were chatting casually." My sense is GGJ, you would not snipe like that were you FTF

sorry that just rubbed me the wrong way.. It's easy to be wude at a keyboard...

It's an Apple thing. We attract a particularly arrogant crowd. Add the anonymity of the internet and you have a recipe for, well...

See the Greater Internet ****wad Theory

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_disinhibition_effect#Popular_culture

 

[Weaselboy]

It's an Apple thing. We attract a particularly arrogant crowd. Add the anonymity of the internet and you have a recipe for, well...

See the Greater Internet ****wad Theory

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_disinhibition_effect#Popular_culture

Thanks for the link... good read and right on target. Quote from the article:

"There’s a large crowd and you can act out in front of it without paying any personal price to your reputation,” which "creates conditions most likely to draw out the typical Internet user’s worst impulses."

 

[bill-p]

Well, to get back on topic...

Yeah, I agree with the OP. It does feel like there is a drop in rigidity. It's more fragile than the MBP I had last year for sure. Specifically, the display assembly doesn't feel as rock solid as the old MBP, and plus the glass layer seems thin enough that I can see the liquid inside the display wave about as I exert slight pressure on the screen. That gives me a bit of concern while cleaning the screen... as the old MBP required a lot more pressure until I could see the same waves.

However, since I baby both my old MBP and my new rMBP, I don't think I have to change my usage habits at all to adopt to the new computer.

Maybe other people are more rough with theirs but... not me. I want to keep this computer in as good a condition as I possibly can so that one day, I can pass it on to my relative and get a better one that Apple will likely make.