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Screen hinge tightness test: 13"

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macrumors 68040
Original poster
Sep 29, 2005
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Hey everyone. I just got my 13" MBA in the mail and I really love it. I am coming from a 13" MBP and I am slightly concerned about the looseness of the screen hinge. There doesn't seem to be any play in it from a resting position, but it definitely does not feel as tight as my Macbook Pro. If it's sitting open on my couch and I walk up and pick it up by the base, the screen will open more.

This doesn't have to be a massive thread and I'm by no means complaining, but I'm wondering if a couple people could give me their thoughts on this and tell me if my fears are unfounded or founded. My screen seems to stay where I put it for now but I am worried about it possibly getting worse. If you could have your MBA with the screen perpendicular to the body (90 degrees) and then lift it only by the body and slowly rotate it until the screen faces straight up, please let me know if the screen slowly falls to it's maximum open position or if it stays put. If it stays put, does it seem like it's *about* to move if you do this?

My MBA's screen either moves when performing this motion or it's right about to where even the smallest touch will make it slowly open. In contrast, my MBP hinge feels far tighter.

Thanks
 
No movement at all when the screen is set in position. My 2011 was more loose than this.

EDIT: Tested "proper". Yes, the screen does fall to maximum position if it's lifted and moved like that.
 
I'm a little worried about this to be honest but don't know whether it's worth a return. I don't like the feeling of picking up my laptop by its base from a desk and the screen moving. It stays put in normal use but it just seems looser than is optimal. Will loosen more as time goes on?
 
Funny, because I don't like how tight mine is. When I try to open it with one hand, it is difficult to open. I am used to the heavier MacBook staying flat on the table when opening with one hand.
 
Badandy said:
I'm a little worried about this to be honest but don't know whether it's worth a return. I don't like the feeling of picking up my laptop by its base from a desk and the screen moving. It stays put in normal use but it just seems looser than is optimal. Will loosen more as time goes on?
Click to expand...

Getting into habit of moving it with the lid at <90 degree angle should be easy enough. I always move with the lid closed between places, so haven't encountered this issue as much.
 
mixman said:
Getting into habit of moving it with the lid at <90 degree angle should be easy enough. I always move with the lid closed between places, so haven't encountered this issue as much.
Click to expand...

I think that's a good idea. dcorbin's post makes me wish I had that screen hinge but maybe it's a fairly common issue. There is a massive difference between this and my old MBP.
 
Hi,

I've always worried about "how stiff should the hinge be" as soon as I got the MBA, and although I always wish mine could be even stronger than now, it seems my new MBA hinge is actually pretty good at fighting gravity compared to many people's out there:

IMG_2870s.jpg


It can also stay opened at a 30 or even 15 degrees. Interestingly, if I put one kilogram of weight - which is exactly the weight of the upper part of my Speck case - on it, it WILL become comparably loose, and won't be able to keep the angle mentioned above (that's the reason why I wish it could be stiffer, since now I've wasted 30 bucks on the case :/). Also, compared to my cousin's 2011 MBP, his MBP is much harder to open with.
 
Macbook air Loose Hinge problem!!

Hi Badandy,

The problem you have faced is exactly what i faced with my 13' MBA 2011 model which i bought on June 18, 2012. Apart from the tests that you have mentioned following are the tests that i conducted in addition:

1. Kept my MBA on a table at 90 degree open, then with one hand open it to max 135 degrees, it opens without any issue. However, when i did the same test with a brand new display model, the bottom (keyboard) got lifted.

My take:- the display model MBA has very tight hinges!!

2. Kept my MBA on a table at 90 degree open, then with one hand closed it to 0 degrees, it closes. However, when i did the same test with a brand new display model, the display model MBA moves from its place and refuses to close down.

My take:- The display model MBA has very tight hinges!!

3. Overall the opening and closing is very loose as compared with brand new MBAs.

4. You should refer this article to apple repair center --> http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2948

Then yesterday gave this demo to the apple repair center and after fighting with them got it replaced with a brand new MBA!!

There is definitely a problem of loose hinge, get it to the apple repair centre.,

I hope these tests help you. There is no harm in giving apple the demo of your MBA against their display MBA.

Badandy said:
Hey everyone. I just got my 13" MBA in the mail and I really love it. I am coming from a 13" MBP and I am slightly concerned about the looseness of the screen hinge. There doesn't seem to be any play in it from a resting position, but it definitely does not feel as tight as my Macbook Pro. If it's sitting open on my couch and I walk up and pick it up by the base, the screen will open more.

This doesn't have to be a massive thread and I'm by no means complaining, but I'm wondering if a couple people could give me their thoughts on this and tell me if my fears are unfounded or founded. My screen seems to stay where I put it for now but I am worried about it possibly getting worse. If you could have your MBA with the screen perpendicular to the body (90 degrees) and then lift it only by the body and slowly rotate it until the screen faces straight up, please let me know if the screen slowly falls to it's maximum open position or if it stays put. If it stays put, does it seem like it's *about* to move if you do this?

My MBA's screen either moves when performing this motion or it's right about to where even the smallest touch will make it slowly open. In contrast, my MBP hinge feels far tighter.

Thanks
Click to expand...
 
Your test on 1 of my 2011 13" Air reports the lid does not move at all, I can easily push it backward and it won't open, I have to keep the keyboard tightly for the lid to open further.

I'll try the same test on my second Air (I have no need for both and I'll sell one, by the way) and if it shows any difference I'll report back.

Have a goodnight
 
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