Open & check out a rMBP Xmas gift or leave sealed?

[koa]

I got my daughter a rMBP from Best Buy for Xmas. She is on the mainland and my wife is flying over on Xmas day and will carry it over and give it to her.

I'm inclined to leave it all sealed but was thinking maybe I should open it up and make sure it works.

If I did open it, is there any particular test to run to make sure it's fully functional?

If there is something wrong with it I'm pretty sure she can exchange it at a BB on the mainland after Xmas.

 

[maflynn]

I personally would open it up to do a quick test to make sure it all works. That way if you see something that isn't right you can easily get it replaced before you leave.

 

[iAppl3Fan]

It's a gift, so if you're daughter is computer savy then I would leave it sealed.

 

[Ccrew]

I'd leave it sealed personally. Any BB will take a return from any other BB store, it doesn't have to be returned to the same BB store if there's an issue.

 

[ducatiti]

BB has an extended return policy during the holiday season. Any purchase after 11/1 can be returned by 1/15/14. Hope this helps.

Opening a brand new sealed laptop will be gratifying

 

[matasar]

I think if I were a kid, and given an opened laptop by my parents as a gift, I'd assume that they put a keylogger on it because they didn't trust me.

YMMV

 

[jmoore5196]

I'm not sure where "mainland" is, but if your wife is flying back with the computer, via Hawaii or another US-controlled place of entry, TSA will make her open it.

You might as well beat them to the punch, if that's the case. If you have a slip-type case, you can give that to your wife to put the laptop in and take through security; TSA will also make her take the laptop out of the box.

 

[koa]

I'm not sure where "mainland" is, but if your wife is flying back with the computer, via Hawaii or another US-controlled place of entry, TSA will make her open it.

You might as well beat them to the punch, if that's the case. If you have a slip-type case, you can give that to your wife to put the laptop in and take through security; TSA will also make her take the laptop out of the box.

We are in Hawaii and daughter is in CA. Are you saying TSA will make my wife open a sealed computer box for a flight between two domestic airports?

To some of the others that responded... I am aware of the Jan 15 return window so she would have plenty of time to check it out before returning.

I don't think my 23 year old daughter would even consider I would put a key logger on her gift and I see no need for one.

 

[Jnesbitt82]

Leave it sealed. Let her have the glory of being the first to see it. TSA won't make you open a factory sealed computer box.

 

[jmoore5196]

Are you saying TSA will make my wife open a sealed computer box for a flight between two domestic airports?

That's right.

If there's anything else in the box with the laptop, TSA will require her to open it for inspection. The easiest thing to do is to prepare for this in advance: Remove the laptop from the box, put the laptop in a sleeve to prevent it being scratched or marred, and have your wife send it through the x-ray that way. Make sure nothing else is in the sleeve, so she won't have to take out the laptop.

The box can go in her checked luggage (I'd remove the power supply and put that in your wife's purse) but she'll obviously want to carry the MacBook on the aircraft. TSA won't care whether it's brand new or not; they'll make her take it out of the box.

 

[michelg1970]

I am just back in Holland (Europe) after a short trip to the USA. I brought a rMBP for a colleague and did not have to open it for TSA....

They were satisfied with me taking it out of my bag and putting the whole box into the x-ray....

That was in Baton Rouge airport.

Good luck.

Back on topic: i would like to receive a present when it is not yet opened. Warranty is no issue as Apple provides warranty world wide.

 

[GSPice]

In my opinion, you should not be so worried as to open a brand new Apple product just to see if it works.

 

[jmoore5196]

I'm the first to admit that TSA regulations seem to vary from airport to airport ... well, the regulations are supposedly the same, but they are enforced in varying ways.

That said, I've learned to prepare for the worst.

Even though the 11" MacBook Air is supposed to be able to fly "in the bag," I've been required to take it out of the bag at every airport I've flown through.

 

[scbond]

I'm sure your daughter is capable of testing it herself.

 

[smoking monkey]

She's 23. I really don't think she'd care if you opened it and checked that it worked fine and the screen was good. I think she'd just be absolutely stoked to get a 1,500 dollar computer for zippo. I know I would.

But, getting it unopened would also be nice.

As for TSA and airport security. Who knows what they will do. It seems to be all on a whim and how they are feeling and who is working, what you look like etc. They have guidelines but each situation is different.

 

[Stunned Monkey]

Part of the fun of getting something like this is the unboxing, at least to me. No way would I open it up, especially for a 23 year old. I'm getting one for Christmas. I'd be crushed if my wife opened it to check it out before giving it to me.

 

[Acronyc]

A few years ago I was flying back to Tokyo from DC with a Mac mini for a friend of mine. TSA made me open the box and take the mini out to put in the tray by itself. Could just be because it was an international flight, though.

 

[koa]

My wife flies a lot and is known to many of the TSA agents but based on some of the comments here I decided to open the box and wrap the box lid and bottom separately so my wife can easily open it for TSA if need be and then tie a satin ribbon on it on the plane.

Thanks to all and Happy Holidays!

 

[Hockin]

Don't open it! It's brand new, what would be wrong with it?!

 

[MCAsan]

Leave it sealed!!!

 

[thekb]

Have you considered calling TSA first to see what their policy is?

 

[Adonys]

well I guess too late I would have left it sealed.

 

[koa]

The problem checking with TSA is it doesn't matter what they say, it comes down to the individual agent at the time of screening. My wife travels enough that she has precheck or prescreen but even on TSA website it says random checks will still be done. You're not going to want to argue with an agent saying "But TSA told me..."

So I decided to cut open the plastic on the box on the bottom and wrap the two separately so if needed the the computer and box can be scanned separately, quickly and conveniently with the least amount of handling by TSA. I left the factory plastic wrapping on the computer hoping that TSA won't require it to be opened and turned on.

I didn't open the laptop either, just fully charge the battery with it closed.

 

[twingo]

I opened my retina in the store, but as a present for someone else, i would leave it untouched.