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New 2016 13" tMBP noise when moving?
- Thread starter hawkeye_a
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Both my 2015 rMB and my 2016 15" MBP do this. I asked in a authorized service provider, they said it's the "display mechanism" and nothing to worry about.
@mrex
I initially thought it was in the body of the laptop, but upon further inspection, its from somewhere in the screen. I tried pinching the screen and shaking, and there was no sound, so i *suspect* its something within the screen.
@Ulenspiegel
It seems like people who got replacements units, or even the screen replaced are having the same issue. On top of that the new unit could have something else wrong with it, and could get damaged/scratched/etc if they want to open it up, etc.
There's at least one(i think mrex) who doesnt have it, I was hoping some others who own this machine would chime in as well.
Cheers
I initially thought it was in the body of the laptop, but upon further inspection, its from somewhere in the screen. I tried pinching the screen and shaking, and there was no sound, so i *suspect* its something within the screen.
@Ulenspiegel
It seems like people who got replacements units, or even the screen replaced are having the same issue. On top of that the new unit could have something else wrong with it, and could get damaged/scratched/etc if they want to open it up, etc.
There's at least one(i think mrex) who doesnt have it, I was hoping some others who own this machine would chime in as well.
Cheers
A couple of friends of mine checked their rMBPs and confirmed there isnt any sound.
I ordered my tMBP from B&H. I'm thinking of taking it into the local Apple store to see if they can do anything about it.
Is there any procedure to do so? Do i need to make an appointment, etc?
I ordered my tMBP from B&H. I'm thinking of taking it into the local Apple store to see if they can do anything about it.
Is there any procedure to do so? Do i need to make an appointment, etc?
Haven't had any noises from my 2016 MacBook Pro while moving it, which I've seen quite often on MacRumors Forums. But mine will periodically make a popping sound, akin to a piece of plastic separating from adhesive. It seems to be coming from the palmrest area, typically on the right.
Well, i figure I should try and get it replaced.
What's the procedure for doing this? Should I call AppleCare or just walk into an AppleStore?
Cheers
[doublepost=1483078001][/doublepost]Can anyone please answer my latter question? How do I go about bringing this to Apple's attention? Do i Call AppleCare, or do I walk into an Apple store?
What's the procedure for doing this? Should I call AppleCare or just walk into an AppleStore?
Cheers
[doublepost=1483078001][/doublepost]Can anyone please answer my latter question? How do I go about bringing this to Apple's attention? Do i Call AppleCare, or do I walk into an Apple store?
Just figure it out.. if you close the lid and shake it it still rattles.. keep closed the lid and press a little bit hard above the apple logo.. shake it again no rattling.. wtf is inside or above the apple logo in the display????
Took it into an Apple store as a walk-in, and the genius acknowledged the noise, and compared it to the display units. The display units were not making any noise.
He suggested an exchange.
They speculated that something *could* have become loose during shipping.
Cheers
He suggested an exchange.
They speculated that something *could* have become loose during shipping.
Cheers
Just tested mine, it's almost certainly the fans. Amazing a device can be so quiet you even notice such a tiny little noise. If it truly bothers you then sure, get it replaced. But you'll likely find your replacement has the exact same 'issue'.
Edit: I have the 15" not the 13". Seeing as both devices do this, one would imagine it is not a manufacturing 'defect' as the circuitry is different design.
Edit: I have the 15" not the 13". Seeing as both devices do this, one would imagine it is not a manufacturing 'defect' as the circuitry is different design.
It might be the fans on your specific unit.
I tested some of the display units @ the Apple store while i was there, and there was no such noise/noticeable weight shift. As stated earlier, it seems to effect retina screens (MBA, MB, MBP).
A friend who got a nMBP, also confirmed that his machine does not make that noise.
How would you explain one unit making that sound and another not? It might not bother you that there's something loose and moving around in your MBP, but it does bother some people(me included).
I tested some of the display units @ the Apple store while i was there, and there was no such noise/noticeable weight shift. As stated earlier, it seems to effect retina screens (MBA, MB, MBP).
A friend who got a nMBP, also confirmed that his machine does not make that noise.
How would you explain one unit making that sound and another not? It might not bother you that there's something loose and moving around in your MBP, but it does bother some people(me included).
I watched the videos, my computer makes the exact same noise. I determined the fans because that is the only moving part, it is that or likely a small BB used to determine falls that I can hear knocking (Likely the bearing within the fans). It is not coming from the hinges as holding the display replicated the same result. There is not something loose and moving around as continued shaking would change the sound or remove it over time, it would also only be a result of tilting it, not shaking the device.
Also as has been stated by others, this is something that previous generations of MBP have had, so it is nothing new. As the results are so easily replicated and consistent, I would determine that there is nothing wrong.
Now I could be wrong, but there are no other moving parts on the device. At worst the next possible target would be a loose battery which is knocking. However, anything that is genuinely loose would produce sound whilst shaking the device in any orientation.
I've given it a good logical test here. And at least mine (Which again seems to be the same as the videos), definitely sounds like the bearing on the fans. If this is something you were familiar with you'd probably come to the same conclusion, as it's quite a distinctive 'feel' when something is mechanical or loose.
I admit that I am not 100% sure what was causing it, or even if it is within spec; which is why i took it into the Apple store in the first place.
All I know are the 'symptoms' I observed on my specific machine. I noticed that moving the unit laterally along only one axis produced the sound. And I noticed that gently pinching the display and then shaking, didnt produce any sound in my specific case.
If it is within spec, the 'genius' could have said so, and that would have been that.
All I know are the 'symptoms' I observed on my specific machine. I noticed that moving the unit laterally along only one axis produced the sound. And I noticed that gently pinching the display and then shaking, didnt produce any sound in my specific case.
If it is within spec, the 'genius' could have said so, and that would have been that.
I admit that I am not 100% sure what was causing it, or even if it is within spec; which is why i took it into the Apple store in the first place.
All I know are the 'symptoms' I observed on my specific machine. I noticed that moving the unit laterally along only one axis produced the sound. And I noticed that gently pinching the display and then shaking, didnt produce any sound in my specific case.
If it is within spec, the 'genius' could have said so, and that would have been that.
Right. Mine also goes away when pressing on the screen. I'm now searching for a teardown of that component to work out what it could be. But again, it does not sound like something is loose.
Also of note: those 'Geniuses' rarely know detail such as a problem like this, it is going to be such a niche complaint that they won't have many examples. As in reality, who is shaking their expensive laptop around? That's why they would probably shrug or book it in, but offer little explanation.
[doublepost=1483987214][/doublepost]Here's a video of a 12" doing the same thing http://tinypic.com/player.php?v=2zz4ymh&s=8#.WHPUSbaLSsx
a 2015 13"
I couldn't find any Airs doing the same thing, although a similar sound can be heard here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPXAhfwKa3Q which is the fan getting stuck in that case, but again similar sound.
I had a look to see if I can find a windows laptop that generates a similar sound, but there's a whole heap of other issues related to 'knocking' sounds from them...
So in the case of the MBP it's possibly not the fans, and as you mentioned pressing the screen resolves it, it is likely there somewhere. Most devices have an SMS or gyroscope, which often cause a knocking sound (Shake your smart phone and you'll hear one), this is just a ball bearing shaking in a loop or a reed switch (Basically just a metal object inside an EM field). I'm struggling to find any teardown or schematic of what's behind the screen, but off the top of my head there's usually a magnet at the top which triggers sleep when closed, this could be old tech though.
I do not believe there is a fault with the actual screen itself, however there does appear to be different manufacturers of them. Perhaps some knock from one source and others don't, which could be causing confusion. There shouldn't be any loose components behind it, and again it would not be so easily replicable if something was loose.
So my best guess is there's a sensor or something behind the screen, I'll continue looking for a schematic to try work it out. But what I'm trying to do is assure you that there is nothing wrong with your computer, and that it's not worth going through the hassle of a replacement. Look at the previous devices to know this is an ongoing thing, and hopefully that puts you at ease somewhat.
My speculation:
From my frantic research, the theory had been put forth that Apple switched from screwing all the panels in the display to using glue in order to make the display thinner. So, it is possible that one of those panels comes loose during shipping. You wouldnt notice anything different on the display as said panels are presumably uniform in color.
One symptom I forgot to mention, FWIW, is that the noise was difficult to reproduce on a cold morning(and the machine had been shut down for the night). As soon as it warmed up, it was easier to reproduce. YMMV
But as you have probably seen by now, it's not isolated to the 2016 models. However, as mentioned before, it does seem exclusive to retina displays. And yeah, it was totally by chance i noticed this "issue" as I was inspecting the unit for scratches when I received it. Most people probably wouldn't notice it during the life of the machine either.
It could be within spec for the machine, and have no negative effects down the line. Had the 'genius' said so, I would have taken their word for it, but as you said...the issue was new to them as well. The response from different stores/geniuses has been all over the board as well.
Cheers
From my frantic research, the theory had been put forth that Apple switched from screwing all the panels in the display to using glue in order to make the display thinner. So, it is possible that one of those panels comes loose during shipping. You wouldnt notice anything different on the display as said panels are presumably uniform in color.
One symptom I forgot to mention, FWIW, is that the noise was difficult to reproduce on a cold morning(and the machine had been shut down for the night). As soon as it warmed up, it was easier to reproduce. YMMV
But as you have probably seen by now, it's not isolated to the 2016 models. However, as mentioned before, it does seem exclusive to retina displays. And yeah, it was totally by chance i noticed this "issue" as I was inspecting the unit for scratches when I received it. Most people probably wouldn't notice it during the life of the machine either.
It could be within spec for the machine, and have no negative effects down the line. Had the 'genius' said so, I would have taken their word for it, but as you said...the issue was new to them as well. The response from different stores/geniuses has been all over the board as well.
Cheers
Here a thread on Apple's support forums regarding this issue....
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7148183?tstart=0
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7148183?tstart=0
Right. From reading that I see a few people mention OCD, and a few whine about paying $XXXX for a computer that makes a slight noise. Importantly, no one is complaining that that rattle is actually causing any problems what so ever. Now, the difficulty of saying "It's normal" is that you can argue that any rattle is not normal. But crucially, remember that this is not causing any issue with the device.
Again from reading through I did a bit more research, this seems to be the offender:
The 'Light Guide Plate'. So I would guess, as this is behind the screen and pressing on the screen removes the rattle, that this is the cause of the problem. As to why it rattles, is could be due to slight manufacturing tolerances. I mentioned before about different manufacturers, and this could be why some rattle and others don't. The engineering on MacBooks is very precise, so the slightest difference could cause an issue here. Also, I seem to remember you saying before that it was either not present or present from a cold morning start? If this is the case, I would imagine the heat of the screen would be enough to slightly change the dimension of the panel and cause the rattle.
So that's my best guess as to what is causing the 'problem'. Remember that it in no way impacts the service of the computer, and that you may be able to get a repair/replacement for it but you may experience the same problem. So if you do get it replaced and have the same issue, just realise that and don't get wound up with OCD!
Anyway, hope that calms some nerves!
They all do it to some extent. As well as rattling when you shake it left and right, if you hold it so that the lid is parallel with the floor rather than upright, you'll find it rattles when you shake it in all four directions. So, yes, it's definitely some part of the screen.
It is not by design. Not all MBPs have it.
It is the hinge though. I have gotten some with it, and some without it. Yes, all thoroughly tested, and there are units out there that do not have any loose rattling noise.
It is a defect, plain and simple. Just because a lot of units have them at a certain point does not mean it is normal. It means they all came with the same defect.
YOU are the one that said they all have loose hinges.
I said only some do.
You aren't making any sense.