Video Suggests Screws in iMac Pro's VESA Mounting Kit Are Prone to Break When Unfastened

[macsrcool1234]

Wow! Sick burn, bro! I might just never recover.

I did answer your question by saying that whining here does literally nothing because just as the feedback form might be a “black hole” (it’s not), forum posts here are even more hysterically useless. Posting a video to a YouTube channel known for Apple videos with hundreds of thousands of subscribers? Try and tell me that has the same level of impact as any post ever made on this forum.

I get the sense that you’re the “intentionally dense” type of MR user intent on sowing discord by repeatedly missing the point, so I’m not spelling this out any more clearly than I already have. Have a good night.

Careful, you might cut somebody with that edge.

If you have a problem with 'whining' then don't click it.

It's not that complicated.

 

[eliahchen]

Quinn Nelson, host of the popular YouTube channel Snazzy Labs, has shared a new video that appears to suggest the iMac Pro's user-installable VESA mounting kit uses cheap screws that are prone to break when unfastened.

For background, the kit enables users to replace an iMac Pro's stand with a VESA mount adapter, allowing the computer to be affixed to any VESA-compatible wall mount, desk mount, or articulating arm. Jason Snell of Six Colors provides a good overview of the installation process in the video below.

Nelson installed the adapter without issue, but ran into difficulties when he went to remove it a few months later:Nelson acknowledges that the adapter is probably not designed to be taken on-and-off repeatedly, but Apple never warns against doing so, and switching back to the traditional stand at least once seems reasonable.

Unable to remove the adapter, Nelson said he contacted Apple by phone, explained the situation, and was told that Apple could not provide support because the adapter is manufactured by a licensed OEM, despite being sold by Apple with Apple-branded packaging and documentation.

The support representative then declined to provide the name of the OEM or their contact information, according to Nelson, who gave up on the phone call and decided to visit the Genius Bar at his local Apple Store.

Unfortunately, the Genius Bar was not very helpful, as apparently only the Head Genius at that store was trained to service the iMac Pro. Nearly two weeks and one failed repair later, the iMac Pro was finally fixed and ready for pickup, with a new VESA mount adapter installed and the saga seemingly over.

Upon leaving the store, however, Nelson discovered that his iMac Pro's stand had been significantly dented and scratched. The damage prompted him to carefully remove the VESA mount adapter yet again, to see if the iMac Pro itself was damaged, and he encountered similar scuffs on the chassis of the machine.

Moreover, while attempting to unscrew the Apple-installed replacement adapter, another screw broke off, suggesting that Nelson's experience wasn't a one-off situation, and that the screws are in fact prone to break.

All in all, there are two separate issues here: the fragile screws and the un-pro-like customer service that was provided by Apple. And, unlike his fellow YouTube creator Linus Sebastian, Nelson did not disassemble the iMac Pro or perform any other action that would appear to violate Apple's warranty.

Importantly, after the video, Nelson says the Apple Store has since offered to replace the entire iMac Pro free of charge. He was also contacted by Apple's Executive Relations team, which wanted to ensure everything was okay and requested that he send the VESA mounting kit to Apple for its engineers to examine.

​

While this doesn't appear to be a widespread problem, and might not ever be given the steps to reproduce it require mounting and demounting a minimum $5,000 computer, the simple solution could be stronger screws.

MacRumors has reached out to Apple for comment on the matter. We'll update this article if and when we hear anything back.

Article Link: Video Shows iMac Pro's Mounting Kit Screws Appear to Break Easily When Unfastened

I been saying it over and over. RIP Steve Jobs.

Tim Cook undid everything Apple was about. I bought a MacBook pro and I been complaining for years. I purchased it when I went under the knife for surgery thinking I would be dead. But I wanted reason for me to live and made purchases. After a year I got better and used it, but Apple said they would not warranty it even though it had extended warranty. They said they didnt' care about my disability and that I should of come in sooner with the problems. I had wifi and slow down problems.

Same thing with my IPhone. But I could barely travel cause I was too sick. I also had a seizure and threw my phone. They said I had a seizure on purpose! And that it would be out of warranty. Also my battery after they announced issues, went from 68% to 96%! Now the last update its at 92% So after keeping it for 6-7 years. The battery improves with every update! WOW! Cause yeah WOW!

P.S. to make matter worse, they said I never called in for complaints. They said I called in to praise Apple. They are now in the business of making fake reviews and lying to customers. Its really sad.

 

[Zeitkind]

Well, I'm not surprised. Apple vs Screws have a long history of fails and vexations. Starting with the terrible SE screws ("MacOpener"..) to dozens of different screws in a single product (Powerbook 190 & others and thus later offering "screw identifying help pages" to print out..) to non standard Philips-like Mac Pro design-screws that got screwed easily (metal with the approximate hardness of a doughnut) to the Pentalope-bs on iPhones to again non standard Philips-like screws on iMac's RAM doors etc. pp...
It's just bad design and bad engineering and the quality of Apple products is even getting worse, get used to it. Buy different..

PS: My first "Mac" was a ][e..

 

[x-evil-x]

One thing that's clear from the video: he was the only person breaking the screws when attaching/detaching the mount. The Apple Store was successful in putting it on without breaking the screws, then he broke a screw taking it off again.

Maybe he just needs to watch a video on how to properly position the monitor before removing or adding the screws?

you obviously didnt watch the whole video. report back when you do.
embarrassed somebody responds without watching what apple actually did to the mount and his computer.
[doublepost=1527597115][/doublepost]

Obviously this guy doesn’t know how to use a screwdriver...this sounds like something Tim “the Tool Man” Taylor would do.

and whats your excuse for apple scratching the hell out of his computer and look at his old mount they mauled. Soooo who doesnt know how to use a screwdriver now?

 

[sracer]

Remember - send an email to Tim Cook, the advisory board, and others working on the Apple executive team to give direct feedback. Let them know that you'll take your business elsewhere if they don't produce pro machines with pro support. Complaining here is not as effective!

I contend that sending an email to Tim Cook threatening to take your business elsewhere is not any more effect than complaining here.

Do you think that Tim Cook is unaware of the quality issues with Apple products? He knows. Tim Cook and Apple knows (because they've done their market research) that they're not currently in danger of losing any profit as a result of these things. An overwhelming majority of threats are empty. And for the handful that do follow through, the loss in revenue and profits is nothing more than a "rounding error" on the ledger.

Do you really want to continue to do business with a company that must be threatened into doing "the right thing"? Is it acceptable to pay a premium for a product and still have to "ride herd" on them?
[doublepost=1527599632][/doublepost]

I been saying it over and over. RIP Steve Jobs.

Tim Cook undid everything Apple was about. I bought a MacBook pro and I been complaining for years. I purchased it when I went under the knife for surgery thinking I would be dead. But I wanted reason for me to live and made purchases. After a year I got better and used it, but Apple said they would not warranty it even though it had extended warranty. They said they didnt' care about my disability and that I should of come in sooner with the problems. I had wifi and slow down problems.

Same thing with my IPhone. But I could barely travel cause I was too sick. I also had a seizure and threw my phone. They said I had a seizure on purpose! And that it would be out of warranty. Also my battery after they announced issues, went from 68% to 96%! Now the last update its at 92% So after keeping it for 6-7 years. The battery improves with every update! WOW! Cause yeah WOW!

P.S. to make matter worse, they said I never called in for complaints. They said I called in to praise Apple. They are now in the business of making fake reviews and lying to customers. Its really sad.

Without knowing what Jobs' business plan was for the future 10+ years, I think it is premature to place the blame on Tim Cook. It is quite possible that it was Jobs' intention that at some point in the future, Apple would begin to "cash in" on all the hard work they put into their reputation and brand.

Quality is on the decline, but profits are on the rise. Riding on the momentum of their historical track record and reputation is bringing them to record profits. Apple is and always was, a business. It isn't some humanitarian endeavor. And Steve Jobs was certainly concerned about profits. Masters of marketing, they've created an image about themselves that is very convincing to those who aren't looking at the man behind the curtain.

Apple likes to present an outward-facing image of being peace, love, and happiness in a 1969 Woodstock sort of way, but inwardly, they are so buttoned down that they make classic IBM look like a hippy commune.

 

[citysnaps]

Curious if the screws were cross-threaded somehow. Snapping or stripping the head is often the next thing to happen. If the chassis material is aluminum, then the material of the screw is also important to avoid cross-metal bonding. Hard to know what the actual problems are based on one anecdotal experience, so I guess that’s why Apple asked for the mount.

Exactly. My money is on unintentional user abuse. Just another opportunity for people to get frothed up over essentially nothing.

 

[jlc1978]

And I won’t be surprised. The Chinese have no problems switching to out of spec materials to save cost, and sometimes things slipped. Hope Apple can sort this out.

Very true, which is why you have to do good QC to catch that. Some manufacturers are very much driven by schedule, and will do whatever they must to met a schedule, quality be damned.
[doublepost=1527600310][/doublepost]

Having to replace an entire $5000 computer because a .02 cent mounting screw broke off pretty much summarizes the world of AIO iMac.

But the VESA mount and mounting hardware wasn't designed by Apple. It's a third party product. Busted fragile screws are the mount manufacturer's fault. No Apple's.

If Apple sells it under their logo it's irrelevant who is the OEM, it's their product. Using your argument, a car manufacturer should blame a brake failure on the brake supplier and bear no responsibility for it.

 

[kemal]

Just to throw out a guess. The screws might be 304 stainless which cannot be hardened and they’re being driven into aluminum. This is a recipe for galling. The problem should be solved with some anti-seize compound. A little moly fortified grease should be enough for an iMac.

 

[lodolfo]

After Bendgate, Throttlegate, keyboardgate and now this. What has happened to quality at Apple?

I really hope the next Apple scandal has something to do with water.

 

[gnipgnop]

you obviously didnt watch the whole video. report back when you do. embarrassed somebody responds without watching what apple actually did to the mount and his computer.

Watching "what Apple did"? There's no video from the Apple Store repair. There's only a YouTube video of someone claiming that the Apple Store did certain things. It might be accurate. It might not be accurate.
[doublepost=1527604655][/doublepost]

Just to throw out a guess. The screws might be 304 stainless which cannot be hardened and they’re being driven into aluminum. This is a recipe for galling. The problem should be solved with some anti-seize compound. A little moly fortified grease should be enough for an iMac.

Interesting idea. A lot of aluminum parts for computers tend to be anodized though, which doesn't have that issue.

 

[jlc1978]

Just to throw out a guess. The screws might be 304 stainless which cannot be hardened and they’re being driven into aluminum. This is a recipe for galling. The problem should be solved with some anti-seize compound. A little moly fortified grease should be enough for an iMac.

Sounds reasonable. It's certainly possible that a combination of quickly turning the screws and some force results in galling. I'm guessing now that Apple did not include grease out of a fear the "If one tiny drop is enough a huge gob is even better" mentality would result in paste ingress onto the mobs and problems, especially if it is conductive.

We used to use pure deionized water on valve caps to prevent galling. Imagine the threads if Apple included a vial of taht with each mount...

 

[gnipgnop]

I'm guessing now that Apple did not include grease out of a fear the "If one tiny drop is enough a huge gob is even better" mentality would result in paste ingress onto the mobs and problems, especially if it is conductive.

No need to include anything if the aluminum is anodized.

 

[HacKage]

In the thread there are quite rightly people annoyed at Apple's apparent penny pinching in the name of profits. In almost every other thread it is people using Apple's rising stock value and huge profit announcements as justification for what they are doing and how it is right, regardless of what we think.

 

[nia820]

Apple's quality is really going out the window with their desktops and laptops. It's bad enough they made macbook pros with stiff ass keyboards. Now imacs aren't even safe.

 

[Darmok N Jalad]

Apple's quality is really going out the window with their desktops and laptops. It's bad enough they made macbook pros with stiff ass keyboards. Now imacs aren't even safe.

MBP keyboard issue sure sounds significant, though my opinion there is based on the number of stories and comments I’ve seen about it, not statistical data on failure rates. This VESA issue, so far, is isolated to one story. Hard to make the conclusion that the desktop line is in peril relative to the 2017 MBA issues.

 

[jlc1978]

No need to include anything if the aluminum is anodized.

Agree, however it appears the problem is not the actual VESA mount but the apparently unanodized mounting plate integral to the iMac Pro. Which makes me wonder why it is an issue with the VESA mount but not the stand. I would think if it was a galling problem with the built in mount people would have it when the remove the stand as well; and with other iMacs if the mount design is the same. Different screws? Other cause?

 

[locavada]

The same issue happened on my 2013 imac.

Had to go back to apple store and get a replacement imac.

Its not fun to carry such a large machine in the mall

 

[MadDawg2020]

So what did this guy to to his mount to make it break? Going by other post where similar bloggers intentionally tear apart and stress components of machines until they break - Im going to throw a guess out there that he intentionally stressed this mount to the point where it broke, otherwise we would have heard about far more of these complaints! Something just smells about Nelson's story...

Just like all the idiots who intentionally bend their phones in half using a vice or drop them off a roof and then whine that they break.

Quinn Nelson, host of the popular YouTube channel Snazzy Labs, has shared a new video that appears to suggest the iMac Pro's user-installable VESA mounting kit uses cheap screws that are prone to break when unfastened.

For background, the kit enables users to replace an iMac Pro's stand with a VESA mount adapter, allowing the computer to be affixed to any VESA-compatible wall mount, desk mount, or articulating arm. Jason Snell of Six Colors provides a good overview of the installation process in the video below.

Nelson installed the adapter without issue, but ran into difficulties when he went to remove it a few months later:Nelson acknowledges that the adapter is probably not designed to be taken on-and-off repeatedly, but Apple never warns against doing so, and switching back to the traditional stand at least once seems reasonable.

Unable to remove the adapter, Nelson said he contacted Apple by phone, explained the situation, and was told that Apple could not provide support because the adapter is manufactured by a licensed OEM, despite being sold by Apple with Apple-branded packaging and documentation.

The support representative then declined to provide the name of the OEM or their contact information, according to Nelson, who gave up on the phone call and decided to visit the Genius Bar at his local Apple Store.

Unfortunately, the Genius Bar was not very helpful, as apparently only the Head Genius at that store was trained to service the iMac Pro. Nearly two weeks and one failed repair later, the iMac Pro was finally fixed and ready for pickup, with a new VESA mount adapter installed and the saga seemingly over.

Upon leaving the store, however, Nelson discovered that his iMac Pro's stand had been significantly dented and scratched. The damage prompted him to carefully remove the VESA mount adapter yet again, to see if the iMac Pro itself was damaged, and he encountered similar scuffs on the chassis of the machine.

Moreover, while attempting to unscrew the Apple-installed replacement adapter, another screw broke off, suggesting that Nelson's experience wasn't a one-off situation, and that the screws are in fact prone to break.

All in all, there are two separate issues here: the fragile screws and the un-pro-like customer service that was provided by Apple. And, unlike his fellow YouTube creator Linus Sebastian, Nelson did not disassemble the iMac Pro or perform any other action that would appear to violate Apple's warranty.

Importantly, after the video, Nelson says the Apple Store has since offered to replace the entire iMac Pro free of charge. He was also contacted by Apple's Executive Relations team, which wanted to ensure everything was okay and requested that he send the VESA mounting kit to Apple for its engineers to examine.

​

While this doesn't appear to be a widespread problem, and might not ever be given the steps to reproduce it require mounting and demounting a minimum $5,000 computer, the simple solution could be stronger screws.

MacRumors has reached out to Apple for comment on the matter. We'll update this article if and when we hear anything back.

Article Link: Video Suggests Screws in iMac Pro's VESA Mounting Kit Are Prone to Break When Unfastened

 

[redheeler]

Agree, however it appears the problem is not the actual VESA mount but the apparently unanodized mounting plate integral to the iMac Pro. Which makes me wonder why it is an issue with the VESA mount but not the stand. I would think if it was a galling problem with the built in mount people would have it when the remove the stand as well; and with other iMacs if the mount design is the same. Different screws? Other cause?

In the video he mentioned being told the VESA mount (and accompanying screws) was manufactured for Apple by someone else, and branded as an Apple product. Presumably the screws on the stand are of better quality as that is an Apple-made part (ordered directly from the factory with oversight of the manufacturing process), rather than an Apple-branded third-party part.
[doublepost=1527631087][/doublepost]

So what did this guy to to his mount to make it break? Going by other post where similar bloggers intentionally tear apart and stress components of machines until they break - Im going to throw a guess out there that he intentionally stressed this mount to the point where it broke, otherwise we would have heard about far more of these complaints! Something just smells about Nelson's story...

Just like all the idiots who intentionally bend their phones in half using a vice or drop them off a roof and then whine that they break.

Did you actually watch the video? His complaints look legitimate to me, and certainly hint at problems beyond some faulty screws, such as inadequate training of Apple technicians to work on a $5,000 product.

Edit: Though I do agree that YouTube channels sometimes do those kinds of things for more views, and The Apple Store Genius Bar Broke My $5,000 iMac Pro is a title clearly intended to attract clicks, which sadly only subtracts from the validity of his complaints.

 

[sracer]

In the video he mentioned being told the VESA mount (and accompanying screws) was manufactured for Apple by someone else, and branded as an Apple product. Presumably the screws on the stand are of better quality as that is an Apple-made part (ordered directly from the factory with oversight of the manufacturing process), rather than an Apple-branded third-party part.
[doublepost=1527631087][/doublepost]
Did you actually watch the video? His complaints look legitimate to me, and certainly hint at problems beyond some faulty screws, such as inadequate training of Apple technicians to work on a $5,000 product.

Edit: Though I do agree that YouTube channels sometimes do those kinds of things for more views, and The Apple Store Genius Bar Broke My $5,000 iMac Pro is a title clearly intended to attract clicks, which sadly only subtracts from the validity of his complaints.

It doesn't detract from the validity of his complaints, IMO. Would titling it, "My wonderful Apple Store Genius Bar Experience" be a nicer, softer way to do it?

It's not clickbait if it is true.

Is there ever a situation when the title "The Apple Store Genius Bar Broke My $5,000 iMac Pro" is appropriate without being accused of being clickbait?

 

[CosmoCopus]

you obviously didnt watch the whole video. report back when you do.
embarrassed somebody responds without watching what apple actually did to the mount and his computer.
[doublepost=1527597115][/doublepost]
and whats your excuse for apple scratching the hell out of his computer and look at his old mount they mauled. Soooo who doesnt know how to use a screwdriver now?

The guy that made the video .... and I’m not making any excuses. Comprende?

 

[redheeler]

It doesn't detract from the validity of his complaints, IMO. Would titling it, "My wonderful Apple Store Genius Bar Experience" be a nicer, softer way to do it?

It's not clickbait if it is true.

Is there ever a situation when the title "The Apple Store Genius Bar Broke My $5,000 iMac Pro" is appropriate without being accused of being clickbait?

I'd think less of it if he'd used the word Damaged instead of Broke. As long as the iMac boots up and functions as intended it's not broken, and there was nothing in the video to suggest that it wasn't booting following the repair.

 

[CosmoCopus]

Edit: Though I do agree that YouTube channels sometimes do those kinds of things for more views, and The Apple Store Genius Bar Broke My $5,000 iMac Pro is a title clearly intended to attract clicks, which sadly only subtracts from the validity of his complaints.

Exactly.

 

[lec0rsaire]

& they replaced the whole freakin mechine, free of charge, after fixing the broken screw. I just dare one of these guys to take a HP machine in the same condition to an HP store ........ (ohh they can’t) but, even call HP or any other PC manufacture, they will get hung up on instantly. lol, to say Apple did bad in any way with this situation is insane . Damed if u do man wow.

I totally agree. I was one of those people who trashed Apple in the past as overpriced stuff for trendy people and artists who learned how to use Adobe software on macs and that’s all they knew.

While I already owned an iPod I bought in ‘04, my first real Apple product was the iPhone 3G. I had been using the Razr for a couple of years and they kept breaking down. I went through 3 of them in 2 years at $300-400 a pop. When the mute switch snapped off my iPhone, I made an appointment and the genius inspected in for water damage and gave me a brand new replacement. I couldn’t believe the sort of service I was receiving. Most companies would tell you that you’re SOL.

Samsung is one of them. I bought a $3k TV back in ‘08 and it was dead by the middle of ‘09. I opened it up and immediately I saw a bunch of blown caps. I looked online and this was happening to lots of people. On top of this, the company I bought the TV and warranty from either went bankrupt or disappeared off the face of the earth. I had to hassle Samsung’s customer service for 3 weeks before they finally sent a tech over who admitted these cheap caps shouldn’t be used in expensive products.

After that minor issue with the 3G I have never had problems with any Apple product that I’ve owned throughout the past decade. I’m more than happy to pay a premium for well-built products and excellent customer service.

 

[droog]

I guess P.T. Barnum's philosophy has permeated the pro development meetings. The pro moniker is just smoke and mirrors at this point. I hope the ship can be turned around if this really is an indication of quality assurance.