Recap on common issues affecting the latest unibody MacBook Pros

[shoppy]

Because one of the listed "problems" is a blu-ish screen.

Cheers Alphaod, and the original poster asked about screens and listed that as one of the considerations.

 

[brentsg]

Cheers Alphaod, and the original poster asked about screens and listed that as one of the considerations.

Again... the only "bluish cast" issues I have seen documented with the new MBPs were simple matters of calibration, or of profiles not being loaded by the machine.

This has what to do with manufacturer of the panel?

 

[Zoowatch]

Well I would prefer that Apple pre-load colour profiles onto my MBP, rather than needing me to do the calibration myself.

To be honest, I don't really have the expertise to do colour calibration and if I'm not wrong, colour calibration hardwares can be rather expensive.

At the same time, I don't want to see blu-ish tint on my MBP screen, that's because it's quite expensive for notebook.

 

[Zoowatch]

I visited an Apple Store today and spent quite a bit of time with 2 of the 17-Mbp on display. The screen is simply stunning... No dead pixel as far as I could see. There was a slight bluish tint on the glossy display, less so on the anti glare.


Howevere my biggest concern was that both 17-mbp, when closed, showed an obvious sign of the screen panel bow/curve outwards, particularly when you look at it from the side.

Anyone here using the 17-umbp care to check your own mbp to see if this is a common problem? Both display models in the store are bowed, so it may be a widespread QC issue.


By the way, I tried the screenshot test running at higher performance on battery. Both display mbp froze for about 1 minute or so, then worked normally again.

 

[RKpro]

My first 15 inch MBP screen one was completely flat, but my February replacement 15 inch model's screen is slightly bowed out at the sides as well. I thought this was intentional because it picks up much less fingerprints from the keyboard like this.

 

[iLog.Genius]

I haven't seen one perfectly flat lid. All of them seemed to be curved, some worse than others. That is something I definitely wouldn't be picky about.

 

[HarleyMan]

My 2 month old REFURB 15" MBP has none of the mentioned problems, and it's used every day, for hours, and I do graphics work, and maintain streaming audio all day.

 

[Zoowatch]

Also, while I was playing with a 15" MBP (2.66 Model) in the apple store... i tried to download and play a HD trailer (Pixar's "Up") with 1080 width on it.

Although the video clip had been downloaded completely, i can see a slight jitter / lag when the trailer was played on the 15" (QuickTime, full screen)

the same was done with the 17" MBP, the trailer ran very smoothly... i thought that HD trailers wouldn't be an issue with any current Mac, let alone a flagship MBP?


Anyway, with the new graphics firmware update for MBP 17 released, is the screen flickering issue more or less gone?

 

[procyonx86]

Fan problems

Mine has a problem with excessive vibration caused by the left fan. Even at 3000 rpm, you can feel significant vibration on the left side of the chassis and keyboard. At 5000 rpm, the whole thing shakes like a jelly. At 6200 rpm, it goes silent except for the whoosh of the fans.

Must be a fan-chassis resonance issue, because the AASP technician said he took apart and re-placed everything (and changing the fans) 3 times over, making sure to tighten each and every screw each time. Problem stays. Fired off an e-mail to Apple yesterday. I expect a chassis replacement at the very least.

 

[Troodon]

Sounds like the 17"-MBP needs to wait until a second revision before the manufacuring process can be perfected. I thought that the main selling point about unibody is (A) strength / rigidity and (B) precision. Talking about (B), the downwards bow which you have described may actually be a design 'flaw' which we will have to wait until rev B for a real fix.

Thank you for compiling the list. How often do Apple typically release revisions? The new 17"-MBP seems to have been out for a few months now? Are Apple likely to release something soon?

 

[McGiord]

How about the 15"? Are the problems affecting 15"-MBP mostly ironed out by now?

Any of the following complains on the 15"-MBP?
1) loud fan
2) graphics card over-heating
3) battery not holding full charge
4) screen colour cast (blueish-tint or colour inconsistency problem)
5) unreliable bluetooth / wireless signal
6) unexplained, reproducible freezing / random kernel panic
7) anything you would like to add?

Thanks for sharing!

Hi, resurfacing this old thread.

I have a late 2008 MBP, I waited some time to let fix its act, and bother about taking my MBP to get things fixed, I will take to my local Genius Bar soon.

From the list above my MBP is currently like this:
1) loud fan
2) how do you check this?
3) drains quickly and I had done several calibrations already
4) 5) 6) doesn't have them

The issues I add to the list are:
7) loud trackpad click noise, very annoying, it wakes up my 1 year old daughter...
8) extremely noisy superdrive
9) loose battery cover
10) screen hinge doesn't hold in position
11) when moving the MBP and it is on the fans sound like a laserblade.

Have you got your MBP fixed for these issues?

Any advice, suggestions and check procedures are welcome.

Many Thanks!