Just browsing all of these threads makes me tremble. I am a student and have finally made the decision to get my first Mac, but from what I've read there's a much greater chance of me getting a lemon notebook from Apple then from a Windows based company. My biggest fear is being stuck without a computer for a few days/weeks while Apple fixes their problem. Am I just worrying, or is this something I actually need to think about?
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Scared to buy a Mac
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The threads on this forum are extremely biased toward pointing out the bad things (mainly because people come here to ask for help)
However, there are many people (such as myself) who are completely happy with their products; but don't tend to speak up about them on here.
However, there are many people (such as myself) who are completely happy with their products; but don't tend to speak up about them on here.
The reason you only see posts about "lemons" is that the people who got computers with no problems don't care to post "Everything is fine. Nothing is broken." ad infinitum. Get a Mac. You'll be amazed at what you can't do, as "nothing" used to be what you could do.
The chances of getting a lemon are probably the same as getting a bad windows based machine. If you only took notice of forum/internet gossip you'd think Apple had 75% of their products going wrong.
Apple's QC has gone downhill in recent years but you have to remember no-one really talks about their Apple if it doesn't go wrong.
Apple's QC has gone downhill in recent years but you have to remember no-one really talks about their Apple if it doesn't go wrong.
Get a Mac, you'll be fine.
The only issue I've had with an Apple notebook was my 1st generation MacBook Pro. I've learnt to never buy 1st gen hardware, but now that the MacBook and MacBook Pro designs are very mature and very reliable (my current MacBook Pro is flawless, as is my dad's MacBook).
The only issue I've had with an Apple notebook was my 1st generation MacBook Pro. I've learnt to never buy 1st gen hardware, but now that the MacBook and MacBook Pro designs are very mature and very reliable (my current MacBook Pro is flawless, as is my dad's MacBook).
I have bought 1st gen products ever since the transition to Intel and have had no problems whatsoever. But then again I don't go installing all those crazy apps a lot of people do..
Best rule in my book is not to install apps that are of dubious distinction.
Best rule in my book is not to install apps that are of dubious distinction.
I have bought boatloads of Macs and Apple products for over 10 years, and never had an issue with one (yet.) I might add that better than half of the things I've bought from Apple were refurbs, so that should increase the potential for me getting something that is goofy, I would think.
And yes, the reason you see the bulk of the comments going negative is because this is a place where people come for answers in many cases, so the ones with problems or issues are going to be somewhat exaggerated here.
Go for it - you won't be sorry. And even if you do have a problem, Apple customer service is consistently rated well above everyone else. For example:
I ordered a book through Apple's photo services using Aperture. I received the book ahead of schedule. When it arrived, the inner box was rattling around inside the outer (shipping) box. As a result, the inner or presentation box had a dent in the corner. The book itself wasn't damaged, but had been knocked around during shipment enough that it caused the seam on one side of the cellophane wrapper to split open. Again, the book was in no way damaged.
I sent an e-mail to Apple about the condition of the book, mainly as feedback, not asking for anything in the process. I did remark that it was purchased as a gift, and had it been damaged by the questionable packing methods I would have been in a real pinch.
The next day I got a FedEx Overnight package with a brand new copy of the book, properly packed.
That's the sort of service you expect from Apple. n
MacDann
And yes, the reason you see the bulk of the comments going negative is because this is a place where people come for answers in many cases, so the ones with problems or issues are going to be somewhat exaggerated here.
Go for it - you won't be sorry. And even if you do have a problem, Apple customer service is consistently rated well above everyone else. For example:
I ordered a book through Apple's photo services using Aperture. I received the book ahead of schedule. When it arrived, the inner box was rattling around inside the outer (shipping) box. As a result, the inner or presentation box had a dent in the corner. The book itself wasn't damaged, but had been knocked around during shipment enough that it caused the seam on one side of the cellophane wrapper to split open. Again, the book was in no way damaged.
I sent an e-mail to Apple about the condition of the book, mainly as feedback, not asking for anything in the process. I did remark that it was purchased as a gift, and had it been damaged by the questionable packing methods I would have been in a real pinch.
The next day I got a FedEx Overnight package with a brand new copy of the book, properly packed.
That's the sort of service you expect from Apple. n
MacDann
You'll be fine. Like previously stated, most posts are from people who have trouble with their comp, but im sure if people would post how much they love their mac and how great it is, it would almost double, if not triple, the posts now. Just buy it, and if you don't like it, return it.
Same with me.
Absolutely nothing wrong with my mbp. OP, you'll be fine. Go and get your Mac and be happy with it.
Don't worry about what could remotely go wrong; if you do, you'll just drive yourself crazy.
I have had my first Mac for about 3 years now and I haven't had one single problem with it since I bought it. I'm sure there are many people that have machines just like me, but there are always the few with problem that post to complain about them. If the problems were that numerous, I don't think you would see people still buying from Apple in great numbers.
I agree with what everyone said above. You'll be fine, especially if you get any of the current Apple products, which have already worked through their version 1 issues (excepting the MacBook Air). I bought a 2 year old iMac and new MB. No significant issues.
I think Apple also suffers from expectations of perfection. When my Windows XP registry crashed twice last spring, there was no Windows forum that I could go to and get answers on the hardware/software issues I was having. The HW people said it was Windows, and Microsoft said it was the hardware. My brother and a tech support person from my work helped me get it reasonably back together. After the second time, I went Mac. When Windows machines have an issue, we all shake our heads and go "well, that's Windows." When a Mac has even a small issue we go "Holy Cow! I can't believe it! What's going on!"
We get so used to effortless computing, we forget what it's like to run Windows!
Bought a brand new PowerMac G4 in Nov 2002 - was perfect up until sale in Nov 2007
Bought a brand new MBP Oct 2007, been perfect since.
GET ONE!!!!
Oh and btw, we need a poll of:
1. My MBP has been perfect
2. My MBP has been perfect with some small system issues which were resolved
3. My MBP has been perfect apart from system issues
4. My MBP was rubbish, sold and got a PC.
and then sticky it.
Give a more accurate representation of the users tbh.
Bought a brand new MBP Oct 2007, been perfect since.
GET ONE!!!!
Oh and btw, we need a poll of:
1. My MBP has been perfect
2. My MBP has been perfect with some small system issues which were resolved
3. My MBP has been perfect apart from system issues
4. My MBP was rubbish, sold and got a PC.
and then sticky it.
Give a more accurate representation of the users tbh.
My Mac developed a couple of issues over time... I have a Macbook Pro and when I installed Leopard it had a nasty habit of having neither the keyboard nor the trackpad work for over an hour on a startup.
Annnyhow, if you're worried about getting a lemon, go into an Apple Store to buy your Macbook and open it up right there to make sure it's in working order.
Annnyhow, if you're worried about getting a lemon, go into an Apple Store to buy your Macbook and open it up right there to make sure it's in working order.
Here's an article you might find to be of interest,( quote and link below).
Don't be misled by all the bi...er....complaining you see here on the forums. Apple laptops still rank tops for customer satisfaction AND reliability.
"A lot of companies make both notebooks and desktops. Alas, few do both well. For example, Lenovo/IBM scores terribly with desktops yet does very well with laptops. Apple is the exception, as usual. Scores for the Cupertino, California–based company in both categories are outstanding.
Apple's overall notebook scores are, in fact, identical to last year's, with the exception that it has fallen one-tenth of a point (to 8.4 out of 10) in tech support. This year enough readers volunteered info to give Apple a score for the quality of its repairs; at 8.1, it's still eight-tenths of a point better than the nearest repair score. And readers scored Mac notebooks a full 100 percent for ease of setup. Simply amazing."
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,2184105,00.asp
Don't be misled by all the bi...er....complaining you see here on the forums. Apple laptops still rank tops for customer satisfaction AND reliability.
"A lot of companies make both notebooks and desktops. Alas, few do both well. For example, Lenovo/IBM scores terribly with desktops yet does very well with laptops. Apple is the exception, as usual. Scores for the Cupertino, California–based company in both categories are outstanding.
Apple's overall notebook scores are, in fact, identical to last year's, with the exception that it has fallen one-tenth of a point (to 8.4 out of 10) in tech support. This year enough readers volunteered info to give Apple a score for the quality of its repairs; at 8.1, it's still eight-tenths of a point better than the nearest repair score. And readers scored Mac notebooks a full 100 percent for ease of setup. Simply amazing."
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,2184105,00.asp
I'm writing this on a Rev A MBP that hasn't given me a single problem. In my study, I've got a Rev A Mac Pro that's worked perfectly since day one. I don't think Rev A machines are any more likely to have problems than any other to be honest, it's just that the focus is on them more as they are a brand new product.
i'd say whip out that plastic and enjoy.
i've had better luck with my macbook than ANY of my windows-based computers.
i've had better luck with my macbook than ANY of my windows-based computers.
We switched last year, August for me when I bought my iMac, and Thxgiving for my wife when I bought her a MB and we are both extremely happy.
We have 1 more machine or should I say 2 more machines to replace (one each for our kids) and we're going iMacs when we can afford it. They're to young to spend that kind of money but they will be getting macs soon as we can.
I've suffered through the graphics update but that didn't bother me since I knew it would be fixed.
I'm 100% happy with my choice to go mac.
We have 1 more machine or should I say 2 more machines to replace (one each for our kids) and we're going iMacs when we can afford it. They're to young to spend that kind of money but they will be getting macs soon as we can.
I've suffered through the graphics update but that didn't bother me since I knew it would be fixed.
I'm 100% happy with my choice to go mac.
Go ahead and make the plunge, buy that Mac.
You will hear about defects way,way,way more than you will hear praises. Most of the problems are isolated to a small handful of hardware, unless of course you are planning on buying a old iBook G3. Of the list of computers I have my signature the only one I have had problems with is the ibook g3.
You will hear about defects way,way,way more than you will hear praises. Most of the problems are isolated to a small handful of hardware, unless of course you are planning on buying a old iBook G3. Of the list of computers I have my signature the only one I have had problems with is the ibook g3.
Another working perfectly story - over 2 years and never had to have my PowerBook repaired, and I'm sure it'll continue that way for a long time.