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Refreshed MacBook Pros show slipping standards at Apple?

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macrumors 6502a
Original poster
May 12, 2009
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iDeaded myself
Interesting article:
http://www.computerworld.com/s/arti...terworld/news/feed+(Latest+from+Computerworld)

Apple's new MacBook Pro has some quality-of-build problems that shouldn't be seen in a notebook that costs $1,800, a teardown expert said today. While disassembling a 15-in. MacBook Pro, iFixit.com -- a site that regularly tears down electronics and publishes do-it-yourself repair guides -- found several signs of substandard assembly
Click to expand...

Among the findings were an unlocked ZIF, stripped screw near subwoofer enclosure, and unusual amounts of thermal paste applied to both the CPU and GPU.

:eek:
 
So they have come to the conclusion that apple as a company are slipping as a company based on ONE new laptop? Give me a break.

If they find that say hundreds of them are like this and over multiple product lines then maybe they can talk but until then they should probably stay quite.
 
This is nothing new to me.. I think that Apple's quality control has been going downhill for a few years now. It's always a bit of a lottery, especially with the first batches of products (weird glitches, high pitch noises, dirt and scratches straight out of the box etc.), but I would still never go back to Windows because I prefer Mac OS X. Let's gamble!
 
aurichie said:
Interesting article:
http://www.computerworld.com/s/arti...terworld/news/feed+(Latest+from+Computerworld)



Among the findings were an unlocked ZIF, stripped screw near subwoofer enclosure, and unusual amounts of thermal paste applied to both the CPU and GPU.

:eek:
Click to expand...

Isn't it a bit early to be making sensational titles like that? So far we have a sample size of two or three (between iFixit and these forums). I'd hardly say that was conclusive. We also don't know how heavily retooled the product lines were, or where these machines were produced (new plant?). It is quite likely that these are teething pains, Apple is aware of them, and they will be rectified before too long.
 
Hahaha...

At what price is it commonly acceptable to leave loose screws in any electronic device?

It's one unit anyways..
 
Several people on these boards have mentioned the thermal paste issue. I would also imagine that ifixit would have torn down more than just a single computer. ifixit are pretty reputable, so I would tend to believe them. It becomes even more believable when you consider that ifixit is entirely based on Apple products, and they have praised them in the past.


Evil Spoonman said:
Isn't it a bit early to be making sensational titles like that? So far we have a sample size of two or three (between iFixit and these forums). I'd hardly say that was conclusive. We also don't know how heavily retooled the product lines were, or where these machines were produced (new plant?). It is quite likely that these are teething pains, Apple is aware of them, and they will be rectified before too long.
Click to expand...

How many consumers do you expect to tear into their brand new computers?
 
2contagious said:
This is nothing new to me.. I think that Apple's quality control has been going downhill for a few years now. It's always a bit of a lottery, especially with the first batches of products (weird glitches, high pitch noises, dirt and scratches straight out of the box etc.), but I would still never go back to Windows because I prefer Mac OS X. Let's gamble!
Click to expand...

Agree there are plenty of examples out there of quality control going downhill. I had issues with both my most recent iMac (display defects), and MacBook Pro hard drive (click, beep, freeze). My MacBook Air has been flawless so far as far as I know, but I know many others had issues with the first batches off the production lines.

Almost all users won't tear their machines down to look for production issues like this story. So we're never going to know how widespread the problem is. But it is a legitimate concern that a product this expensive had so many build problems, especially given what Apple's reputation is built on.

mikeo007 said:
Several people on these boards have mentioned the thermal paste issue. I would also imagine that ifixit would have torn down more than just a single computer. ifixit are pretty reputable, so I would tend to believe them. It becomes even more believable when you consider that ifixit is entirely based on Apple products, and they have praised them in the past.
Click to expand...

I hadn't seen others on here raise the thermal paste issue before. So that's interesting. ifixit are generally very good, but your credibility is always going to be called into question when you dare criticise Apple; among the fans who want to believe the company they love can do no wrong.
 
Pfft, my Core Duo MBP suffered from "unusual amounts of thermal paste." That's nothing new.
 
aurichie said:
Agree there are plenty of examples out there of quality control going downhill. I had issues with both my most recent iMac (display defects), and MacBook Pro hard drive (click, beep, freeze). My MacBook Air has been flawless so far as far as I know, but I know many others had issues with the first batches off the production lines.

Almost all users won't tear their machines down to look for production issues like this story. So we're never going to know how widespread the problem is. But it is a legitimate concern that a product this expensive had so many build problems, especially given what Apple's reputation is built on.
Click to expand...

This has frequently been the case, but more people are now coming to the table as there are more buyers and users in general.

Surely it has increased to some degree, but not anything to be worried about when ordering a product, as even if it is defective, they'll gladly replace it, even for a microscopic...thing. They know how some people are.
 
gramw said:
So they have come to the conclusion that apple as a company are slipping as a company based on ONE new laptop? Give me a break.

If they find that say hundreds of them are like this and over multiple product lines then maybe they can talk but until then they should probably stay quite.
Click to expand...

^^^
apple apologist
 
This is nothing new in my opinion as well. Quality control has been going down in the recent years. I have owned three Apple products and 2 of them were below acceptable and had to be returned for another. iMac had display/hard drive problem, and MacBook Pro had battery issues.

What is new from this finding is that many of the defects were due to the components that other companies developed such as the screen and hard drive but this finding is interesting in that it gauges the decrease in assembly quality which is 100% Apple's part.
 
ddoolin0 said:
This has frequently been the case, but more people are now coming to the table as there are more buyers and users in general.

Surely it has increased to some degree, but not anything to be worried about when ordering a product, as even if it is defective, they'll gladly replace it, even for a microscopic...thing. They know how some people are.
Click to expand...

Maybe if it was one item but that is a pretty long list. Apple clearly has not learned from the pasted when it got burned on over use of thermal paste. I know a lot of OEM use lower grade thermal paste but Apple is using way to much of that crappy paste. In thermal paste more is not better. You need just enough to fill in tiny gaps between heat sink and cpu. Any extra hurts plus is a waste.
 
Rodimus Prime said:
Maybe if it was one item but that is a pretty long list. Apple clearly has not learned from the pasted when it got burned on over use of thermal paste. I know a lot of OEM use lower grade thermal paste but Apple is using way to much of that crappy paste. In thermal paste more is not better. You need just enough to fill in tiny gaps between heat sink and cpu. Any extra hurts plus is a waste.
Click to expand...

Yes -- I agree that was so overdone, and in multiple computers, too! Wow, they must honestly think they're applying it right. That sucks because it's a horrible job and a waste of money, really. Even crap-grade paste comes at a price and using that much is using what could be used on 2 other computers.
 
Even with these small issues, it's QC is beyond that of a PC. Not that it's an excuse or anything.
 
I don't see this level of quality control as anything new. I've never gotten an Apple product that didn't have a problem the first time around. My Quicksilver tower had a dead hard drive. PowerBook 15" did not power on, and the power cords consistently broke at the converter. MacBook Pro Unibody arrived with corrupt video memory, and even dumped a SuperDrive. It chewed through batteries at a lighting rate because of how I used it. Only this latest Mac Pro has been flawless.

So one has to ask, why do I keep buying Apple products if they keep breaking?

Well it's really simple. Every single time I have had a problem, Apple has taken care of me with professionalism, expediency, and apology. They have always made it right quickly. They immediately replaced my HDD on the Quicksilver machine in-store. Cross-shipped me a new PowerBook, constantly replaced my power bricks free of charge or hassle. They immediately cross-shipped me a new MacBook Pro, repaired the Superdrive overnight, and have been giving me free new batteries every time I take it in because I get a "Service Battery" indicator.

***** happens, the difference between an amateur and a professional is what happens next. Apple are professionals, they take care of things properly. That is worth paying for. I have built and bought many PCs in my day as well, customer service is a nightmare, results are often half-ass, you have to fight for your repairs. If PCs didn't break that would be fine, but truth be told they break just as often.
 
Just got the new MacBook Pro 13" today, no heat issues (CPU Idles at 38C, my 2010 13" idled at ~42-45), no problems so far. (KNOCK ON WOOD)
 
I've been very lucky with apple products, except for the shippings, needed to wait 1 month for my 2010 MBP due shipping problems.. But every products that I've got from apple are 100% perfect.

I find the apple qualities always the best.
I haven't got my hands on the MBP 2011 so, can anyone tell me what's wrong with the build quality? I thought it was exactly the same as 2010.
 
Apple's quality has always been "slipping". From 2005:

laptoprepairs.png


If you weren't around for the great iBook logic board debacle, you think every release shows quality going down.

brentsg said:
Hahaha...

At what price is it commonly acceptable to leave loose screws in any electronic device?

It's one unit anyways..
Click to expand...
Where does it say anything about a loose screw (stripped != loose)?
 
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and yet apple's costs are decreasing while their profits increase. That's nice for them I guess lulz
 
vincenz said:
Even with these small issues, it's QC is beyond that of a PC. Not that it's an excuse or anything.
Click to expand...

Did you just use the term PC as a catch all, referring to quality control, without mentioning any specific manufacturer out of the 100's of computer manufacturers? Yikes...
 
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