So I own a 3 week old 15in unibody macbook pro....I'm a perfectionist when it comes to electronic equipment...and I use a flashlight and do close inspections from time to time. I recently ordered a incase hardshell for my my mac...just to find that it didn't fit quite right....it kept coming into contact with the rear right part of the display assembly...but not the left....so I looked further into this and found that the screen is slightly rotated...barely noticeable by the naked eye, but ever so slightly noticeable with a run by of the finger. one side has a tiny lip, while the other side has a tiny cleft. I did some research and found that many people have experienced the same problem. I decided to go over my mac again and found a small surface imperfection on the right palmrest. It is purely aesthetic, as you can only see it when the light is at a certain angle. There are also a couple tiny scratches in the back near the fan opening from what I would assume to be the assembly procedure. I have read about people having worse manufacturing problems than this...over the past few days, I have been debating whether or not to contact apple for a product exchange, but in all honesty, I don't want to end up with something worse than I started with. I would appreciate some input on this issue. Thanks!
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Unibody Imperfections
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As you have mentioned many people return their product and got even worse than they have. Some hypothesized that apple have underground exchange market where they circulate returned laptops to people who return their laptops. If the problem is purely cosmetic (as you are described, i.e can't be seen easily) and no problem with hardware (which is what really matter) then i would just stick with the machine.
I'd be very, very surprised if those scratches came from the assembly procedure, rather than normal use.
I think that if you had to look that hard to find an imperfection, you are doing pretty good. It could always be worse. No manufacturing process is perfect. I could see there being a problem if there was a huge scratch or dead pixels or something. Even at that you would have to prove to me that it was like that from the factory and not due to the fault of the user.
My advise would be to keep it and never think about it again.
My advise would be to keep it and never think about it again.
I normally post that that buyer spend boku bucks and it isn't perfect to return it. Yet, here I am on the other side of the fence. If you needed to use a flashlight to find/identify any imperfections then personally I don't think you should return it.
If your MBP works as it should and it appears as though it does and your imperfections cannot be seen (or barely) seen with the naked eye, I'd not worry about it. Really, don't sweat the small stuff and this is considered small stuff
btw, I'm just as anal, and have OCD, so I really, really want my MBP to be perfect but I don't go examining with a flashlight, relax and enjoy, life is too short to get worked up about this
If your MBP works as it should and it appears as though it does and your imperfections cannot be seen (or barely) seen with the naked eye, I'd not worry about it. Really, don't sweat the small stuff and this is considered small stuff
btw, I'm just as anal, and have OCD, so I really, really want my MBP to be perfect but I don't go examining with a flashlight, relax and enjoy, life is too short to get worked up about this
Well my unibody's battery case doesn't fit exactly flush with the case. There is about a quarter of an inch gap in the right corner. When I first noticed it, yeah I was disappointed, but it was no big deal to me. To me, if it work perfectly, then small cosmetic blemishes don't matter to me at all. That's just me though and I know a lot of people around here that would disagree with me.
Yep, it's a consumer product. People look at Apple's computers completely in the wrong way. More expensive and aesthetically pleasing they are, hand built in Germany they're not. Let it go and enjoy. @ the OP, a flashlight to check imperfections? That's above the OCD mark. C'mon guy, let it go and enjoy.
Yep, it's a consumer product. People look at Apple's computers completely in the wrong way. More expensive and aesthetically pleasing they are, hand built in Germany they're not. Let it go and enjoy. @ the OP, a flashlight to check imperfections? That's above the OCD mark. C'mon guy, let it go and enjoy.
OCD people like that CAN NOT let it go - they drive themselves and others around them crazy. It is a disease that they try to make light of via admitting it with a emoticon or something.
I guess recession and high price of Macbook pro makes people crazy. If you gonna pay something expensive you expect it to be perfect and flawless. If you go running around with your netbook and checking for imperfection that is something else.
If you go around using a flashlight (or light from a certain direction) to look for surface deviations you are in need of professional help already - nothing to do with the economy.
Agreed. I'm a perfectionist when it comes to my work and of course would love a perfect MBP.
But until you accept the fact that nothing is perfect and stop using a flashlight looking for imperfections, you'll never enjoy your macbook because you're always looking for problems. Even if your MBP was perfect now, who is to say there won't be a problem a year from then. what would you do?
Unless there is an issue that prevents your computer from working or there is a really obvious cosmetic imperfection i would just keep it. Just enjoy your computer, life is too short not to.
I have some imperfections on mine too. I was a bit disappointed but I knew I'd probably run into a few of these. I have a slight "chip" on a corner, the screen has a gap on one end, and the battery cover is ever so slightly lose. I had the first one replaced because of a bad superdrive, but that one also had the battery cover issue and it had more dings on the edges.
There is definitely something happening in the manufacturing process where the edges are being hit. The chip is very very small though and I can live with it.
I think the first few weeks are always the toughest when you have OCD. After a while you just forget about it.
There is definitely something happening in the manufacturing process where the edges are being hit. The chip is very very small though and I can live with it.
I think the first few weeks are always the toughest when you have OCD. After a while you just forget about it.
yeah u forget about it cuz there's nothing u can do if you find some imperfections or find some scratches on it.
All i'm saying is that if I pay $2,500 for a laptop...I expect it to be as perfect as possible.....is build quality not important? I happened to first notice it when I was sitting by a sunny window....and since that, i've only used a flashlight to replicate the conditions. Plus, they call it a PRECISION unibody....if one were to use the engineering definition of precision here, this wouldn't meet specifications.
Yes, it's a $2500 laptop, but it's still a mass-manufactured product of which you can't possibly expect 100% precision.
Eventually everyone's MBP will get scuffs from use and a normal amount of dirt on the screen/ keyboard that will be many times more noticeable than some imperfections that you need a flashlight to hunt out. My UMBP is 2 months old and I really couldn't care less about any imperfections that it might have had but aren't noticeable. I care more on a day-to-day basis of keeping it clean and in avoiding any scratches from normal use.
Can you post some pictures of these imperfections? We'll back off if they're definitely noticeable.
I worked for a while for an aircraft manufacturer ... the tolerances we worked with were in the range of a couple of mil (thousands of an inch). After machining a component, you could see blemishes of such sizes holding them up to light against a straight edge.
I hope it's needless to say, a computer case doesn't need anything near that precision and all you're seeing is normal variation in the milling process.
1/4 inch? Are you sure? That's huge. It's about the line spacing on standard ruled note paper.
I hope it's needless to say, a computer case doesn't need anything near that precision and all you're seeing is normal variation in the milling process.
1/4 inch? Are you sure? That's huge. It's about the line spacing on standard ruled note paper.
You asked for input and you got it - the majority of which suggest your expectations are not reasonable. So what more would you like from this thread?
I know where the OP is coming from.
I have an almost two year old SR MBP, and I use it normally everyday. But after reading this post, I decided to take a flashlight and scour it for imperfections. I couldn't find any at all. Odd, as I have had it for so long, and I don't baby it, or wipe it with the coat of a small, nonstatic, woodland creature.
This wasn't enough, though. So I got a magnifying glass and a high-powered HMI. Still nothing.
Now, I have it under a microscope, and am searching for any and all slight imperfections I can find.
And if I find one, just ONE, I will contact Apple and say to them "HOW DARE YOU SIR? HOW DARE YOU?"
Jesus. Just relax and enjoy the freaking thing.
I have an almost two year old SR MBP, and I use it normally everyday. But after reading this post, I decided to take a flashlight and scour it for imperfections. I couldn't find any at all. Odd, as I have had it for so long, and I don't baby it, or wipe it with the coat of a small, nonstatic, woodland creature.
This wasn't enough, though. So I got a magnifying glass and a high-powered HMI. Still nothing.
Now, I have it under a microscope, and am searching for any and all slight imperfections I can find.
And if I find one, just ONE, I will contact Apple and say to them "HOW DARE YOU SIR? HOW DARE YOU?"
Jesus. Just relax and enjoy the freaking thing.
Another two cents on this recurring theme that "I spent $2,000 or so dollars on this laptop and it should be perfect".
If you want perfection - you get closer by laying down some more serious cash:
Patek Philippe or A Lange & Sohne wrist watches - $25,000 +
BMW M5 or Mercedes AMG - $90,000
Saville Row suit - $3,000
As another poster pointed out - normal cnc milling variances or minor differences due to anodizing are not flaws.
IMO - too many people get their self image and ego wrapped around Apple Computers / wow it is a status symbol / I am what I compute on / whatever.
It will be an outdated tool within 18 months or so - what is important is what you do on it - how you advance your profession - improve your mind - help the world - create beauty - make a scientific discovery - educate others.
If you want perfection - you get closer by laying down some more serious cash:
Patek Philippe or A Lange & Sohne wrist watches - $25,000 +
BMW M5 or Mercedes AMG - $90,000
Saville Row suit - $3,000
As another poster pointed out - normal cnc milling variances or minor differences due to anodizing are not flaws.
IMO - too many people get their self image and ego wrapped around Apple Computers / wow it is a status symbol / I am what I compute on / whatever.
It will be an outdated tool within 18 months or so - what is important is what you do on it - how you advance your profession - improve your mind - help the world - create beauty - make a scientific discovery - educate others.
i thought the same thing. I would be taking it back it I had a gap that big. And I am no where near OCD!
+1 It is a tool. A nice tool but a tool non the less. It doesn't define me. It doesn't make me any better than someone that uses a PC. Although I think it is a better tool than a PC.
Just try to relax and enjoy that MBP. It won't be your last one I am sure.