Scared to buy an aluminum MacBook

[mcguidance]

During grad school I did what you did - take notes via computer. Then I discovered GarageBand. I realized if I sat close to the professor and opened up garageband and recorded what he said, I had EXACTLY what the professor and my classmates (and the professor's reactions) said verbatim. It was a huge help during exams and papers. In fact, I still took notes, except this time, I would look at the screen and note the time stamp, and then going back later I could find it so easily. Jut my two cents.

My advice on your computer, however, is that whatever computer you get make sure you can record, trust me. I love the MacBook ALum it has been nothing but a pleasure thus far. If youre that uncomfortable, don't chance it, get something else.

 

[cellocello]

If you look for flaws, you will find them.

 

[nospleen]

I describe the defect here:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/595722/

Don't get one, I am sure you will find something wrong with it.

 

[robanga]

The new MB is great. Buy it and enjoy. A spate of bad luck on the blackbooks is obviously not indicative of the mathematical failure rate.

...nor are the issues on this forum

 

[themoonisdown09]

If you compare the Macbook to any other PC notebook, I'm sure the Macbook has the better quality build.

Don't get one, I am sure you will find something wrong with it.

Just get a Dell notebook. They are built with better materials and have a better resale value than a Macbook.

 

[shady825]

just go for it. youll be fine.
i know plenty of people who have flawless macbooks. i got mine the day they came out. no problems. i would assume quality control would only improve from launch til now. just buy it, youll be happy!

 

[nospleen]

The new MB is great. Buy it and enjoy. A spate of bad luck on the blackbooks is obviously not indicative of the mathematical failure rate.

...nor are the issues on this forum

I am not sure you would call the mini dvi not 'snapping' into place bad luck. Maybe a little OCD is more like it. I have a macbook that we have been using for almost 2 years. The mini dvi does not snap into place either, but the mini dvi has not once popped out. I mean, it sits on a desk, it is not as if you are jumping up and down with it plugged in...

 

[Grey Mouser]

If a couple of slanted function keys and the possibility of a loose door are going to irk you that bad you've got other things to worry about other than a manmade object, which will be inherently 'defective' by your standards (and in truth, in general).

My f1-f4 keys are slightly slanted and my battery door does not sit precisely flush on the outer edges (slight raise) of the door (where the latching mechanism sits).. but it doesn't prevent me from getting work done or enjoying it.

Also I don't think I have a single dead pixel. I've yet to notice one anyway, same with my iMac, my fiancee's iMac, my brothers iMac...

I've seen a few stuck pixels on my Dell 19" WFP at work and a ViewSonic at work as well..

Please, for the sake of the users sanity here; don't buy one! We don't want any more pissing and moaning users.

 

[chrisiw]

Define defective.

If you tell me you returned it because the function keys are slanted or some other inane reason I will heap scorn on you.

The fact is! there are laptops out there in the market place at one quarter of the price of a MacBook, and "without slanted keys" come on Guys! MacBooks should be perfect, at the premium price they are, so dont lower your expectations, Apple has to get their act together

 

[nospleen]

The fact is! there are laptops out there in the market place at one quarter of the price of a MacBook, and "without slanted keys" come on Guys! MacBooks should be perfect, at the premium price they are, so dont lower your expectations, Apple has to get their act together

I can understand your point. But, perfect will never happen. I could care less about some slanted keys. The crappy display is what would keep me from buying it. The screen isn't even a fabrication error, lol.

 

[xpovos]

Unfortunately with Apple he will get a free replacement. Apples customer service are far too lenient.

I respectfully disagree. The display is the chief component of the entire assembly. The user has to look at it every day. Perfect never happens, but better happens---and there are displays that are better by virtue of having no dead pixels.

Expecting total and absolute perfection from a $1300-$2500 notebook is unreasonable. Expecting better from such a "premium" product is not unreasonable at all.

As far as Apple's customer service is concerned, I've received better treatment from the IRS during an audit. Other users have been treated exceptionally well by Apple's customer service team. The service level is inconsistent, and that's a problem.

 

[Andrmgic]

Mine does not have the loose battery cover, slanted function keys or dead pixels. The fans spin up normally and I've noticed no other issues or defects with the notebook.

I may be lucky, or I may be the norm.. you never know from reading a forum like this one.

If you can buy one locally, go for it.. if you're ordering from apple online you're paying tax anyway.. so it doesn't really make any sense to order from them if you have a local reseller.

 

[esaleris]

You're mixing two different issues.

Your goal is to capture notes from class. That's how you've set up your post. But your criteria for a "defective" product is one of (arguably) asthetics. I would agree they are defects - I would mind those issues. But to be clear, any of the concerns you listed in your second post don't affect your ability to take notes, your primary goal, per your original thread.

Now, if you were to say you have had the hard drive fail, the LCD go out, the keys simply not work, I would wholeheartedly agree that you need a reliable laptop.

At this point, I will simply put that the new Macbook will service your requirements for a functioning laptop to use for notes in class. Whether you want to squander your time and risk your academic success, to chase after each cosmetic perfection - is entirely up to you.

 

[hogfaninga]

Maybe a PC laptop will be better for you. Don't take that as a bash, but it seems you have a bad taste in your mouth for Macs and they won't be able to satisfy you. It is true that Apple's QC (well IMO) has become worse in the last few years, but it is hard for me to believe you had real issues with 3 never used before Macbooks. I guess it could happen, but it is hard for me to believe. You should expect a non-defective product from Apple, but after 3 tries I think you should get your money back (if they will let you--I heard in some cases they will even after the 14 days--complain loud enough) and buy from another company. Kind of like 3 strikes and you are out.

 

[coronel mustard]

I agree with some of the posters here- people are spending more time looking for flaws on their macbooks than actually using them! If you look hard enough you will always find one- good luck in you holy grail quest for the perfect flawless macbook...

 

[roland.g]

August 2007 I bought a new 24" 2.8Ghz Extreme iMac for over $2500 and it had 3 or 4 dead/stuck pixels. I sent it back and received a replacement with one stuck (red) pixel less than 1/2 an inch from the right side, half way up. It wasn't great, but at that point I didn't want to go through the process again and based on its location I don't notice it.

In November I got a new 2.4"Ghz MacBook and expected there may be problems. No dead pixels. No slanted key issues. No trackpads issues. No backlighting issues. Screen is what it is and works for me just fine. Only thing I noticed was that there was the tiniest bit of play on the battery cover and that when I held it tray style in my hand at eye level I could see one corner of the cover dropping away a bit. It didn't click when I used it or typed, but it was there. I opened the cover, slightly bent the last 2 tabs on that side a bit closer to the cover and now when I close it it is pretty much snug tight. I can barely squeeze the foot on that side 1mm back against the case. If that. Doesn't affect my laptop at all. I figure if the problem escalates over time I can get the battery cover replaced and if it really a design flaw Apple will issue a recall and give every MacBook owner a newly designed cover that doesn't budge.

Until then I am very happy with it. Unfortunately I seriously doubt you will be.

 

[dextermorgan]

Don't get one, I am sure you will find something wrong with it.

TITCR

 

[QCassidy352]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 2_2 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/525.18.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.1.1 Mobile/5G77 Safari/525.20)

My advice would be not to buy one. You've already been unhappy with 3 MacBooks, and if you're determined to find something wrong with a macbook, you'll be able to do it, and will then be unhappy.

I get that $1300 is a lot of money to you, but honestly, it's not anywhere near so much that you can reasonably expect "perfection," especially when you consider all that the $1300 buys you.

 

[roland.g]

I think that you should order a MacBook Air.

That way you can call them up and tell them that your air is defective.

You can get replacement air right away. No waiting. It's as simple as breathing out and in again.

 

[silverblack]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 2_2 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/525.18.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.1.1 Mobile/5G77 Safari/525.20)

My advice would be not to buy one. You've already been unhappy with 3 MacBooks, and if you're determined to find something wrong with a macbook, you'll be able to do it, and will then be unhappy.

I get that $1300 is a lot of money to you, but honestly, it's not anywhere near so much that you can reasonably expect "perfection," especially when you consider all that the $1300 buys you.

... couldn't agree more

 

[PhilaScott]

Pfft, just go old school and bring a tape recorder. Then later, you can have an 80's study montage as you cram for a test, complete with A-ha and Duran Duran music playing. Some examples as provided by google: http://www.the213.net/php/article.php?id=1371 .

Ah, yes... you took me back to my undergrad daze!

 

[clyde2801]

God, I just wrote everything down and paid attention. Kind of makes me wonder how I ever got through skool...

 

[Winter Charm]

Since you don't have a location posted in your info, I don't know the feasibility of this- but can you not just go into an Apple store and inspect the one that you would purchase? Several posters have mentioned going through several in a store (the number defined by the level of the poster's OCD) to find one that they were satisfied with.

There do not seem to be an overwhelming number of operational/hardware issues- most of the reported problems seem to be of the cosmetic variety.

Bahahhaha the number defined by the level of the Poster's OCD...

then i would get like a 9 or 10

But then again, i would get a perfect macbook with that.

 

[A7X21112]

Try taking it back for one dead pixel, see how far you get

hmm i think he would actually get relatively far considering i have heard of several people returning it and get a new one for have 1 DEAD pixel. Being one those people i had no problem returning mine when it had a dead pixel with the Apple Store UTC La Jolla CA

 

[wagonofdoom]

no offense but you guys that buy the white and black books kinda piss me off.


You spend the least amount of money possible, and expect more than anyone from waht i have been reading all over the board.

Its like you buy a sportster to say you have a harley, or a 3 series to say you have a BMW.


i have an alumibook and can never be happier.