son of a B***H!!!!! (broken MacBook Pro screen)

[WhySoSerious]

just cracked my 17" mbp screen. listening to itunes via earbuds and phone rang. got up to answer and laid earbuds down (1 on table, 1 on keyboard). as i went to get the phone, i kicked the magsafe and it spun the mbp and caused the screen to jet closed....right on the earbud, cracking it.

should i pay the $700 to replace the screen on my 2+ yr old mbp or just get one of the new ones?

sigh.....

 

[palmerc2]

DAMN!!!!

I don't even own a MBP (yet...), nor have really got the opportunity to play with one outside of the apple store, but isn't the magsafe power adaptor designed to prevent ALL movement?

Sucks though, sell it and get a new uMBP....you'll end up paying 1k more, which is worth the extra 300 methinks

 

[prodigee]

Well that might just be the suckiest thing ever. I say just get a new uMBP that way you dont have to worry about the screen closing by itself any more.

Really it is up to you, do you want drop 2 grand on a new machine or pay 700 to get that screen replaced, because at this point we are taking about how much you want to spend. If it were up to me I would just a new machine, its about time for an upgrade in my eyes.

 

[MasterDev]

I just broke the screen on my 15" today by faceplanting into it

I feel your pain!

 

[dukebound85]

id just use an external monitor and have a desktop. thats the cheapest alternativbe

 

[daneoni]

First off use tIMG...cos your image is too big and sucking un-necessary bandwith/CPU cycle

Second only you can decide if you want to sell the laptop for parts and shell out $2700+ for a new one or just pick up a screen off ebay, use iFixit instructions to replace it. This method will NOT be easy but its not impossible either

 

[js81]

just pick up a screen off ebay, use iFixit instructions to replace it. This method will NOT be easy but its not impossible either

+1, on both accounts. I recommend replacing it yourself it you feel up to it.

 

[felt.]

if it were me I would keep it and just use it hooked up to an external display, then pickup up the cheapest used mbp i could find. or buy a replacement screen online for $450 and do it myself.

 

[dwd3885]

+1, on both accounts. I recommend replacing it yourself it you feel up to it.

i tried doing this on my old 15" MBP. While it's a good idea, it's just hard as hell. You'll end up dinking more things, causing the iSight to not work anymore and then wishing you had another one.

 

[WhySoSerious]

well, my thoughts:

1. to use it as a desktop and get an external: not really my style. i prefer a laptop and use it on the couch/bed/traveling all the time. i have no desire to sit in a chair on a desk to casually use my mac. so i am going to stick with the laptop set-up.

2. the mbp is over 2+ yrs old and with the new mbp's out there, i'd be gaining many new features that i don't get now. new ilife, faster ram, LED screens, glass trackpad, multi-gestures, etc.

3. the magsafe DID work, it was just the force of the "kick/trip" made the mbp spin and inertia caused it to close. oh well, my fault, i should have been more careful.

 

[firewater]

Who the hell ****ing called for you to get up?...That hella sucks.

 

[Richard1028]

You lucky bastard! If I ever heard *the* perfect excuse to get a new MBP this is it!

Note: I'm just pointing out the silver lining here.

 

[WhySoSerious]

You lucky bastard! If I ever heard *the* perfect excuse to get a new MBP this is it!

Note: I'm just pointing out the silver lining here.

13 or 17 mbp?

i don't travel much and am out of school. i watch tons of movies though and if it's itunes music, i use headphones.

 

[brendu]

I just broke the screen on my 15" today by faceplanting into it

I feel your pain!

....how did that happen...

to the OP. Im sorry that is a bummer. Is it still usable or does the damage render it useless? If its the latter id say if you have the cash, the new 17"uMBP is a monster and you would love it... but man that sucks because your machine is still a great one... someone will buy it on ebay for parts though.

and why not consider the 15, thats pretty perfect for movies and still portable, while not becoming TOO expensive. refurb 15's are only 1299

 

[mrj412]

Check out techrestore.com - I haven't used them myself, but I remember hearing good things.

 

[kryptonianjorel]

just cracked my 17" mbp screen. listening to itunes via earbuds and phone rang. got up to answer and laid earbuds down (1 on table, 1 on keyboard). as i went to get the phone, i kicked the magsafe and it spun the mbp and caused the screen to jet closed....right on the earbud, cracking it.

should i pay the $700 to replace the screen on my 2+ yr old mbp or just get one of the new ones?

sigh.....

Must I point out the irony of your username?

 

[shambo]

13 or 17 mbp?

i don't travel much and am out of school. i watch tons of movies though and if it's itunes music, i use headphones.

Why not consider the 15 inch badboy?

 

[iBlue]

First off use tIMG...cos your image is too big and sucking un-necessary bandwith/CPU cycle.

TIMG rescales the image. It doesn't produce an actual thumbnail, so it doesn't save bandwidth or page load time at all. It just saves everyone from viewing an oversized image.

</random FYI>


To the original poster - UGH, rotten luck.

I'll agree with shambo (just this once ) and say 15" For The Win!

 

[maflynn]

That's awful man.

I echo the other statements. Use it as a desktop till you're ready to buy a replacement but also keep an eye out on ebay. You may see a display panel or a MBP parted out for short money.

Good luck
Mike

 

[sushi]

just cracked my 17" mbp screen. listening to itunes via earbuds and phone rang. got up to answer and laid earbuds down (1 on table, 1 on keyboard). as i went to get the phone, i kicked the magsafe and it spun the mbp and caused the screen to jet closed....right on the earbud, cracking it.

should i pay the $700 to replace the screen on my 2+ yr old mbp or just get one of the new ones?

Bummer.

A. If you like your current MBP17, then I say get a new screen for $700.

B. If you are a bit adventuresome, you can always get a LCD display off eBay and do it yourself.

C. Of course, this also provides you a wonderful reason to get a new MBP.

All three are good options IMHO.

 

[kolax]

If you can get a cheap screen, you'd be as well trying to fix it. Then at least you could sell the laptop off or just have it as a spare for whatever reason.

Check out the 15" MacBook Pro in Anti-Glare. No glass, or glossy screen, that crack like yours did Of course the matte display isn't immune to damage like that, but it'd put up a better fight than glass.

 

[WhySoSerious]

Must I point out the irony of your username?

what are you...10? do you not think that "joke" has been used before....? come back with something more original.

 

[hellfire88]

Ah man I shuddered after seeing the picture. OP I feel your pain (although not the same exact thing I cracked an IBM Thinkpad LCD a few years ago). It really stinks. I tried to repair it myself but finding the exact model number etc. on eBay and all the little parts turned out to be too much of a hassle (I'm lazy) so I just eBayed it. I see a lot of people on Craigslist advertising Macbook Screen repair/replacements for like $300 so may want to check that out (of course, standard Craigslist warnings apply like meet in a safe public place etc. etc.).

Even with the crack you can maybe still sell it for $500-$600 and get a refurb 15" Unibody Macbook Pro for $1299 so $600-$700 to "upgrade".

 

[Habitus]

Here's the deal, if you have the funds to purchase a new MBP, why not? I suggest the 13" model; if you're primarily watching movies on your Mac, get the 15."

-Habitus

 

[Greenman85]

Get the 15. Perfect size IMO