A couple months back, I noticed that the right palmrest of my unibody MacBook had a collection of fine scratches, like someone brushed it with steel wool (it can only be see in certain lighting conditions though). At first I thought that one of my siblings had caused the scratches by wearing a metal bracelet while borrowing my MacBook. However, more recently I've noticed that the left palmrest also now has the same type of scratches. Since I discovered the first scratches I've been careful to make sure that anyone who uses my MacBook takes off any jewelry that might scratch it so I'm sure that that's not the cause. Otherwise I can only think that maybe the moisture or occasional sweat from my hands has reacted in some way with the aluminum. Seems weird but I don't know what else to think. I didn't think aluminum would wear easily either but could that be it? Any ideas would be appreciated.
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Palmrest scratches on unibody MacBook
- Thread starter tsuru
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What's wrong with the pictures. They look about right. I would assume that Apple uses really soft aluminum to make these cases. My M1330 which has a brushed aluminum palm rest shows no signs of wear like that after about a year. Judging by how the Macbook Air bent like crazy in that Airplane crash picture I would assume the aluminum used in the Macbook Alu is the same and is very soft. I would expect it to get worse as time goes by.
Even if Apple did use soft aluminum, how can my palms create scratches like that?
Strange that I haven't been able to find anyone else with the same issue. Considering that I haven't used it roughly but have babied it quite a bit you would expect at least a few others to have similar issues. Hopefully this is just an isolated issue and not like the widespread palmrest crack issue in the last generation of MacBooks.
Strange that I haven't been able to find anyone else with the same issue. Considering that I haven't used it roughly but have babied it quite a bit you would expect at least a few others to have similar issues. Hopefully this is just an isolated issue and not like the widespread palmrest crack issue in the last generation of MacBooks.
maybe someone used it without you knowing and had some jewelry on while doing so. That's the only reason i can think of.
Could be but it just seems really bizarre. My one sibling who borrows it some times never wears anything on her left wrist and even if she did, I think it would take some rigorous wrist movement to create scratches like the ones in the photos. Not very likely considering that the left hand is usually left in one place and ready to type unlike the right hand which one also uses for the trackpad.
What I would like to know if it's possible that there's some type of coating on the aluminum that with use is being worn off.
What I would like to know if it's possible that there's some type of coating on the aluminum that with use is being worn off.
That looks more like peeling than scratching. It looks to me like the aluminum coating is starting to crack and peel. That's strange... Who would've thought that would happen?
but I guess I'm glad i purchased a Palm Guard from Moshi.
My advice is to either get one, or try to call Apple Care and tell them what's going on. It looks more like a defect than you scratching it. I think you have a case.
My only worry is if I take it in to an Apple Store, I may not be able to show where the scratches are since it depends on the lighting. And explaining that would pose as a rather weak argument, which I suppose it is right now, but if the "scratches" or what ever they are have progressed this far, who knows how much further it will progress.
i have a unibody and i always take off my watch before typing. I also try to not rest my palms on the area as well. But it should not be that bad. Try seeing if you can see it under Fluorescent Lights as that is what apple uses in their stores.
Sorry to see that happened! I have a keyboard cover for my mac that prevents scratches and discoloration in that area. It's made out of silicone and it only cost like eight bucks. So hopefully you'll get the scratches, but you could get a cover to prevent it in the future. Also, if the scratches are light enough, this might just cover 'em up. HTH! 
Upon closer inspection I noticed the bulk of where it's 'scratched' is almost perfectly round, to me that doesn't look much like scratched, especially because most of the lines seem to be going the same way, it would have to be scratched on purpose to give that pattern.
It looks like wear to me, like the outer part of your left hand sort of wore away a bit of the top part of the coating, that would explain the round shape too, to an extent. It's strange though.
Yeah, it sure is weird. If you except the scratch theory, then the only thing that could have done it is jewelry but I'm quite certain that that was not the case. Otherwise, there's nothing else that touches the palmrest that might scratch it. So like VSMacOne, I'm thinking that it's some type of coating that's wearing off (why only mine though?).
I took crazyxzer0's advice and checked to see if I could see the marks under fluorescent lighting and I can, albeit only after turning it this way and that to find the right angle. I would feel a little silly though, turning my laptop around trying explain to the Apple Store employees that there are scratches; just only in the right lighting...
I took crazyxzer0's advice and checked to see if I could see the marks under fluorescent lighting and I can, albeit only after turning it this way and that to find the right angle. I would feel a little silly though, turning my laptop around trying explain to the Apple Store employees that there are scratches; just only in the right lighting...
I know this is going to sound stupid, but have you tried cleaning it off? It could just be sweat that dried up. My MB had a similar look to it after typing for a really long time, and it was just sweat. I got a damp cloth and wiped it off.