question: checking the mb

[fatties]

hey i'm about to become a switcher!
my parents are buying me a mb for graduation, but they have bought it in hk and are bringing it over. since there seem to be so many problems (mooing, whining, heat, random restart) could anyone recommend somethings for them to do to check that they didn't recieve a super duper heated one (v.s. the possibly more rare normal temp ones), or a dud? my dad is cursed where any computer he pays for is liable (2/3 of the time) to be a dud. as i don't know whether i can do anything once they have it here... and can't return it.

they aren't very good with computers, so downloading any program tests are way beyond their capacity. my mom is quite good at using iphoto and editing pics and making dvds using idvd? and may be playing a dvd/ quick time file at a push. will getting her to do that suffice? or will the thing be super hot once they turn it on etc?

they got me a white 2.0 with 2 gb ram! perfect! as long as i can't use it as a kettle too...

and applecare- so if it does get too hot when i am using it, after whatever they did to it, can i take it to apple to get them to sort it out instead?

also if i do 'invest' in one game, (as i do get obsessed and can't ahve too many or i'll never work) would people recommend buying civ IV or warcraft III?

i am sure these are really really really stupid questions, but i'll appreciate all the help i can get as i am not exactly technically inclined.

thank you so so so so much!

 

[jacobj]

I believe that Apple's warranty for Notebooks is global and you should therefore be covered.

In terms of checks, it depends how technical your dad is!

To be honest I agree that the MBs and MBPs run a little too hot to be considered reasonable my most sane people. If however Apple had said to me we can make it run cooler, but you'd lose some power I would tell them to go away.

So what I am really saying is that, don't worry as your warranty will cover you wherever you are (check that: US One here) and even then it is not really as big an issue as people sometimes like to make out.