Props to people still giving Apple their money for the 2016-2018 MacBooks

[Non-Polar]

It's just hilarious to me how many people are still recommending to put down thousands of dollars for these faulty devices.


AASP tech outlining all of the issues of the MacBooks, stating that it's inevitable for the problems to keep resurfacing (Even after getting it "fixed" through Apple): https://old.reddit.com/r/apple/comm...hind_macbook_pros_stage_light_effect/eepf7j9/

(I hate the -gate titles) The already well known issue of the display cable getting worn out:

https://www.theverge.com/circuitbre...20/apple-macbook-pro-lighting-screen-flexgate
https://www.cnet.com/g00/news/macbo...r=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8=&i10c.dv=12

And of course the keyboard issues that are starting to pop up in the 2018 MacBooks.

I didn't even bring up the T2 chip issues. Seriously, the mental gymnastics to purchase these faulty products.

 

[MacDawg]

Not sure why a person's choice of equipment to buy would be hilarious, but OK
Personally, I haven't every really paid much attention at all to what other people buy
Nor do I care what they think about what I buy

 

[Stephen.R]

Pretty much every generation of Macs has some issue that affects a small % of customers. I had the mainboard in 2007 and 2011 17” MBPs replaced 3 or 4 times each, because the dGPU had crapped out.

If you feel your money is better spent on a windows laptop or if it’s somehow finally the year for Linux on the desktop then good luck to you.

Most of us are more productive/prefer to work on Macs. No one here is forcing you to buy or use one, so why is it your concern what other people buy?

 

[Paradoxally]

It has become increasingly clear that whoever chooses to purchase a new MacBook Pro in 2019 knowing full well about the issues that have occurred for years has no idea what they're buying.

I have a 2014 rMBP and once this becomes obsolete, I will continue buying Macs (Mac mini, iMac, etc.) because I'm an iOS dev. However, definitely not a MacBook Pro until Apple sort their manufacturing defects out. It's not hard to make a laptop as good as the 2014-15 models: stop obsessing over thinness and put proper keyboards and display cables in your laptops.

 

[Non-Polar]

I've been waiting to purchase a new MacBook Pro for some time now. In that time, I've been waiting patiently, sitting on the sidelines to see how people review the MacBooks. I'm a type of person to spend more time than usual before purchasing an expensive item, so I noticed that these issues were popping up more frequently than usual. Yeah, I had the experiences with the 2011 dGPU, but between 2012-2015, the rMBP's were pretty solid aside from the stains.

We're not talking about a small % of customers being affected by the flexing - this is an inherent problem that is caused by wear, and is only a matter of when. I would've expected people speaking with their wallets for Apple to improve and move away from these faulty designs, but clearly not when people are still trying to say that these are such small issues that they don't matter.

 

[Paradoxally]

these are such small issues that they don't matter.

Exactly. They are not small and they should not be treated as such.

When Apple introduces a third generation of the worst keyboard ever to grace a laptop and it STILL has the same defect as v1, this is a sign of a hardware department that has absolutely no clue what they're doing.

 

[SDColorado]

I am among the guilty who keeps giving Apple my money. Despite having past issues such as a couple of screen replacements on my 2013 due to "stain-gate" and despite being on unit #5 of the 2018 version after several returns due to various problems within the return period. Why do I do it? Not because I am unaware of the issues, but because when it is working, I really like the MBP and it works well for my needs. And because I have purchased/used several PC's that just didn't work quite as well for me. So I haven't found one that I prefer yet. But do I feel like a POMA (Prisoner Of Mother Apple)? Yeah, sometimes I do and I keep looking at new PC releases and thinking years MBP will likely be my last without evidence of a major overhaul.

I do agree with @Paradoxally that these issues are not small and it is a little tiresome reading some of the claims from folks who haven't had issues (yet) that they are "overblown." They certainly are not. If anything I think Apple does their best to suppress and claims every issue they have to be a "small number" or a "small percentage" without releasing any actual figures.

 

[Non-Polar]

I am among the guilty who keeps giving Apple my money. Despite having past issues such as a couple of screen replacements on my 2013 due to "stain-gate" and despite being on unit #5 of the 2018 version after several returns due to various problems within the return period. Why do I do it? Not because I am unaware of the issues, but because when it is working, I really like the MBP and it works well for my needs. And because I have purchased/used several PC's that just didn't work quite as well for me. So I haven't found one that I prefer yet. But do I feel like a POMA (Prisoner Of Mother Apple)? Yeah, sometimes I do and I keep looking at new PC releases and thinking years MBP will likely be my last without evidence of a major overhaul.

I do agree with @Paradoxally that these issues are not small and it is a little tiresome reading some of the claims from folks who haven't had issues (yet) that they are "overblown." They certainly are not. If anything I think Apple does their best to suppress and claims every issue they have to be a "small number" or a "small percentage" without releasing any actual figures.

I agree. When the MacBook works, because of the hardware engineering and software that I prefer over Windows, it's just the best device. It's just a shame because I truly think that Apple doesn't care for its Mac customers anymore (It's now focusing more on iPhones/Services/Health) and is just relying on this "abusive" relationship for customers to keep coming back, despite these inherent flaws.

 

[lJoSquaredl]

Well my 2016 MBP still works fine and I have work to do which a 2018 would make faster.

Compare that with my 2nd to last Windows PC which was sent to me with 3 bad parts and both the brand and part manufacturers spent a week throwing me back n forth till someone said they’d fix it. My last Windows PC was a gaming PC, was loud and big and creaked like an old chair, and somehow managed to run games worse at times when I updated the Nvidia drivers.

Some people just have different experiences with computers. Apple could be doing better with some stuff, but for me the grass ain’t greener on the other side...it’s dead crab grass over there.

 

[SDColorado]

I agree. When the MacBook works, because of the hardware engineering and software that I prefer over Windows, it's just the best device. It's just a shame because I truly think that Apple doesn't care for its Mac customers anymore (It's now focusing more on iPhones/Services/Health) and is just relying on this "abusive" relationship for customers to keep coming back, despite these inherent flaws.

I don't disagree with any of what you said and I guess that I am proof that their abusive relationship works. I am also convinced that Apple has passed on the job of QC to the consumer. One of the issues I had (unit #2) was several sharp nicks along the left speaker. It was absolutely not damage caused through shipping, and never should have made it to the consumer, but that seems to be typical these days. The current one arrived with a series of what looked like scratches and scuffs all over the body, but they all rubbed off with some elbow grease and iKlear. Likely adhesive residue? Seriously Apple, WTF?

 

[BenTrovato]

Bought the 2016 launchday MBP and I loved it! Loved the space gray, loved the new keyboard. I was high on Apple kool aid. Then one day I started thinking how nice it would be to have a "faster" system and built a windows computer. My mouth wouldn't close for how much faster it was for 25% of the price of a MBP. Sold my mint condition MBP to someone else who wanted it and have never been happier. I did like the MBP but the prices are outrageous. Grass isn't greener on this side, it's rainbow brite and better than I could have ever imagined IF Apple doesn't lower iPhone prices in 2019, the ecosystem is saying goodbye to me. I don't want to leave but Apple is holding open the door kicking me with their gold boots

 

[SDColorado]

Grass isn't greener on this side, it's rainbow brite and better than I could have ever imagined

I tried several PC's before ultimately going back to the MBP and I didn't find the grass any greener on one side or the other. Just different. Maybe one is Bermuda grass and the other Bluegrass. Personal preference and perhaps dependent on which works best for your needs and region

I have no problem with PC's or Windows, I just didn't find a PC laptop I liked more than the MBP this year. Next time around may be a different story. Really more a preference for MacOS than anything, there isn't much difference in hardware these days.

 

[lJoSquaredl]

Bought the 2016 launchday MBP and I loved it! Loved the space gray, loved the new keyboard. I was high on Apple kool aid. Then one day I started thinking how nice it would be to have a "faster" system and built a windows computer. My mouth wouldn't close for how much faster it was for 25% of the price of a MBP. Sold my mint condition MBP to someone else who wanted it and have never been happier. I did like the MBP but the prices are outrageous. Grass isn't greener on this side, it's rainbow brite and better than I could have ever imagined IF Apple doesn't lower iPhone prices in 2019, the ecosystem is saying goodbye to me. I don't want to leave but Apple is holding open the door kicking me with their gold boots

Get what you need that’s what’s I always say. I need Apple, you needed a Windows PC. I need mobility, FCPX, a simple design, silence, iCloud, I can’t get a lot of that with a desktop Windows machine.

Also why are people so astonished that a gigantic custom built PC with cheapest quality parts available in a big rickity case is cheaper than an Apple laptop. Just cheapin out on the SSD saves you a ton of money, but i’d rather have the 2-3k speeds instead of slightly faster than HDD speeds most SSDs use.

Different strokes different folks tho. Nothing wrong with Windows if that’s what you want/need, but i’m glad we have options that aren’t just more Windows based options.

 

[SarcasticJoe]

The way I see it, the biggest issue with the MBP from 2016 onwards is that the stupid touch bar they added for no discernible other than to have some unique feature, is both a waste of money and the already limited space inside of the thing. As for the keyboard, while I personally dislike it to the point where I replaced my previous one with a second hand one rather than a brand new machine, it's kind of minor considering the GPU issues Apple struggled with for quite a few years.

Of the 3 different 15" MBPs that I've owned over the years literally all of them have had the motherboard replaced at least once because of a GPU failure. Thankfully all of those have been covered under warranty or insurance, but the second replacement for my 2011 machine had it's fault-specific warranty extended only after my insurance saved it from being stripped and sold as spares while the 2013 machine was fixed under the reseller's own warranty.

 

[sunapple]

If you've got the choice, sure, skip the 2016-2018 MacBooks. But if you're in the market for a new laptop, you'd be kinda mad buying a 2015 model just because some people are experiencing these problems. I'd love to see the percentage of machines that actually have the problems mentioned.

 

[revmacian]

It's just hilarious to me how many people are still recommending to put down thousands of dollars for these faulty devices.


AASP tech outlining all of the issues of the MacBooks, stating that it's inevitable for the problems to keep resurfacing (Even after getting it "fixed" through Apple): https://old.reddit.com/r/apple/comm...hind_macbook_pros_stage_light_effect/eepf7j9/

(I hate the -gate titles) The already well known issue of the display cable getting worn out:

https://www.theverge.com/circuitbre...20/apple-macbook-pro-lighting-screen-flexgate
https://www.cnet.com/g00/news/macbook-pro-screen-cable-issues-spawn-flexgate-petition/?i10c.ua=1&i10c.encReferrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8=&i10c.dv=12

And of course the keyboard issues that are starting to pop up in the 2018 MacBooks.

I didn't even bring up the T2 chip issues. Seriously, the mental gymnastics to purchase these faulty products.

I recently purchased a refurbished 2017 MacBook Pro. It has been the best purchase I have made in years and the machine has been the best computer I have used in years - and I used to build my own desktop computers.

I couldn't care less what others, especially tech reviewers, say about a product. If it works for my needs then I'll continue using/buying the product.

 

[Non-Polar]

I recently purchased a refurbished 2017 MacBook Pro. It has been the best purchase I have made in years and the machine has been the best computer I have used in years - and I used to build my own desktop computers.

I couldn't care less what others, especially tech reviewers, say about a product. If it works for my needs then I'll continue using/buying the product.

It's not a matter about what reviewers say - it's that there's flaws with the product that will show up inevitably regardless of what happens, and then you'll have to pray that Apple opens up a repair/replacement program unless you want to pay $700-800.

 

[macintoshmac]

I am among the guilty who keeps giving Apple my money. Despite having past issues such as a couple of screen replacements on my 2013 due to "stain-gate" and despite being on unit #5 of the 2018 version after several returns due to various problems within the return period. Why do I do it? Not because I am unaware of the issues, but because when it is working, I really like the MBP and it works well for my needs. And because I have purchased/used several PC's that just didn't work quite as well for me. So I haven't found one that I prefer yet. But do I feel like a POMA (Prisoner Of Mother Apple)? Yeah, sometimes I do and I keep looking at new PC releases and thinking years MBP will likely be my last without evidence of a major overhaul.

I do agree with @Paradoxally that these issues are not small and it is a little tiresome reading some of the claims from folks who haven't had issues (yet) that they are "overblown." They certainly are not. If anything I think Apple does their best to suppress and claims every issue they have to be a "small number" or a "small percentage" without releasing any actual figures.

Ouch. Unit number 5 already? It is just six months since they were released, right?

 

[Ploki]

Exactly. They are not small and they should not be treated as such.

When Apple introduces a third generation of the worst keyboard ever to grace a laptop and it STILL has the same defect as v1, this is a sign of a hardware department that has absolutely no clue what they're doing.

The defect of first gen butterfly is Dirt -- Dead keyboard.

I've speculated that issues with 2018 keyboards is different; shoddy quality control, because people who developed issues developed them very soon (matter of weeks or months) and they all exhibit exact same problem; i think it's a manufacturing issue regarding the silicone membrane.

Why does this matter - we can't know unfortunately, how the new keyboards will hold in the long run,but i suspect that if you don't get issues in the first month or two (well within warranty), that with normal use you should be good to go.

that of course, doesn't change the fact about other issues.

I'm guilty. I needed new machines, my 2012 simply didn't have enough power anymore, and this was the only option. Oopsy.

 

[Costino1]

I just purchased a 2018 MacBook Pro after Christmas. Works like a dream just like my 2015 did for quite a while.

Im experiencing no issues with my unit and am very pleased.

 

[SDColorado]

Ouch. Unit number 5 already? It is just six months since they were released, right?

Yeah, well #2 with the sharp nicks I didn’t even bother to turn on. Apple offered to credit me $200 if I was willing to live it with it. Thanks but no thanks.

 

[Non-Polar]

I don't disagree with any of what you said and I guess that I am proof that their abusive relationship works. I am also convinced that Apple has passed on the job of QC to the consumer. One of the issues I had (unit #2) was several sharp nicks along the left speaker. It was absolutely not damage caused through shipping, and never should have made it to the consumer, but that seems to be typical these days. The current one arrived with a series of what looked like scratches and scuffs all over the body, but they all rubbed off with some elbow grease and iKlear. Likely adhesive residue? Seriously Apple, WTF?

You have a patience of a saint to go through all of that and stick with Apple lol

 

[Ploki]

I've speculated about this as well, but i think apple figured that if a unit comes with a few nicks or glue, 30% (making this up) of purchasers will replace it, compared to 100% of these unit being tossed at QC.

Since chinese labour has gotten more expensive, apple is struggling (i cant find a better word) to keep their luscious profit margins, so they have a leaner QC now.

Results is less consistent build quality and in the long term, damaged company image, but in short term they will make more money.

 

[aggie99]

I just purchased a 2018 MacBook Pro after Christmas. Works like a dream just like my 2015 did for quite a while.

Im experiencing no issues with my unit and am very pleased.

Bought mine 1/5 and love it. No issues here either. HOWEVER, display issue is due to a flawed manufacturing process and will take time to manifest itself with normal use. Sure it's not an issue on a brand new machine but after a year of use and opening the display daily those fragile cables are bound to wear out. I don't want to return my 2018 15" to Best Buy but i'm strongly considering it and ordering a Dell XPS 15 similarly spec'd. I guess I could get Apple Care for ~380 for additional peace of mind but that's another huge expense on top of the $2799 + tax I already paid. If Apple would publicly acknowledge there is an issue and offer a replacement program I would be willing to keep it as I far prefer Mac to Windows and I'm heavily invested in the Apple ecosystem and it just fits better with my day to day usage (Homepod, iPad Pro, 4x Apple TV's, iPhone, etc). Got a few days left to decide.

 

[Dave245]

It is definitely an interesting point, personally I got fed up with Apple’s laptop range and brought a Surface Pro 6 during the Black Friday deals. After months of using it I do like it, HOWEVER I still prefer MacOS much more! I’m still keeping my surface pro 6 around as I love to use it for Windows gaming. The simple fact is that a lot of people (myself included) stick with Mac’s because of the OS.

That being said I don’t plan on buying a new MacBook this year, an iMac yes (to update from my current 2012) when Apple actually update them that is. While I’m happy with the Surface there are many things I prefer with the Mac and MacOS.

The thing is as well the Surface Pro isn’t a good tablet and so I’m still using my iPad Pro alongside it.