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What should I do? Im on my 4th Macbook

When I got my Macbook, I followed Albert Tross's tips. Very useful. I'll paste it here and hope it helps you:

1. Look at the serial number on the box ( see below )

2. Once the box has been opened in front of you check to see you have
the following items.. (Apple iMac)

iMac computer
Apple Keyboard
Apple Remote
Mighty Mouse
Cleaning cloth
Power cord
Install/restore DVDs
The Printed and electronic documentation

3. Look the computer over for scratches and marks especially the screen

4. Ask the shop assistant to boot up the computer and take you through
the stages required to setup your initial username, password and create
the Home folder. after this process you will be able to fully use the
computer NOTE ..If the Setup Assistant doesn’t launch when it’s turned
on in the shop, this suggests it’s been switched on previously, which
might set alarm bells ringing (for example, it might have already been
registered with Apple, which could affect your warranty).

5. Once up and running look at the screen for the possibility of Dead
pixels , Note Dead pixels are always black - Stuck pixels are stuck in
one colour go to the System Preferences and to the Desktop/Screen Saver
settings. Select Screen Saver, click on Computer name, then click on
test. This will give you an almost all black background. Take a close
look around for any colored pixels that should be black. If you don’t see
any then you are good to go

6. Bring up a Solid colored desktop or black wallpaper now look at the
screen for a possible problem like this .. Left side of the screen is
bright white, while it’s yellow in the middle and dull on the right. and
see there’s no light at the bottom of the screen creeping onto the
image ( backlight bleed problem evident when the screen is black)

7. Put the computer under some load by Opening every application in the
dock at once, make sure at least ten open also open up lots of files
and applications and make it work. try to push the machine to get it
warm.

8. Play a DVD / CD

9. Play the movie trailers in Front Row and the Arabesque screen saver.
( Two screen freezing
classics )

10. Play with the Mouse and keyboard

11. Try out the remote control

12. When the iMac has been running for a few minuets , listen for any
odd sounds , Noises or
vibrations coming from the inside

13. Try out the iSight camera

14. Check that it goes to sleep and wakes up no problem,

15. Boot the machine several times

16 .Make sure that the back of the computer is not getting too hot

17. Click on the Apple logo in the top left and choose About this Mac.
It will tell you if you have
Tiger or Leopard Etc

18. Go into System Profile check the shown serial number matches one on
packing box

19. Buy Apple Care Protection Plan

20. Get a sales receipt showing the date of purchase, the machine
serial number and
the shop address

....The list may seem a bit over the top, but as I live a long way from an
Apple Store , I would feel better if I could check a few things first
before the long trip home."
Click to expand...

Good luck!!!
 
If this is going to be your fifth macbook, I suggest not trying to waste the time. You can always just return it and buy a used iBook or powerbook for sometimes half the price of a MacBook and still get great quality, or you can buy a new windows with better specs. It's obvious that you're not getting a good product and if it was me, I would've stopped trying after the second.
 
funkybunk said:
If this is going to be your fifth macbook, I suggest not trying to waste the time. You can always just return it and buy a used iBook or powerbook for sometimes half the price of a MacBook and still get great quality, or you can buy a new windows with better specs. It's obvious that you're not getting a good product and if it was me, I would've stopped trying after the second.
Click to expand...

Exactly what I said on the first page. Maybe some folks have the time (and gas money) to keep going back and forth between home and the Apple store, but unless you can't live without a Macbook, I'd strongly suggest getting your money back and investing in a more capable machine from a more competent retailer. After the second bad Macbook, I'd personally have gotten a refund or a different computer.
 
This sounds familiar. Although its been a long time since it has happened - it was before I was born!

November 1986 - Dad buys six Macinotsh Plus' for the office. MP's one through five work fine, six is DOA. Dat takes six to the store and asks for a replacement. Machine is instantly replaced and brought to office. But the floppy drive refuses to acknowledge an inserted disk. So machine 6B is returned to the store by a now annoyed father. Cashier is very apologetic, promised replacement machine will arrive with the next order.

Machine 6C arrives. You guessed it. DOA - the CRT had been damaged.

Machine 6C is replaced with machine 6D, which instead of being a Macintosh Plus is a slower Macintosh 512ke.

And you know what? That Macintosh 512ke was still running in 1998 after all the other Macintosh machines had died. And then the CRT burnt out. A sad end to a brilliant machine.
 
believe me, i have had about enough, i am going to call up Apple Customer Relations, and ask for a refund. I've driven 100 miles total round trip for the 2 times i have been to the Apple Store already, and with the gas prices where they are right now, i don't see the justification of keep this computer any longer.
 
You've made the right decision, as a read through this thread would suggest. Apple's shoddy quality control cost them a customer. The only way they'll improve their products is by becoming afraid of losing many more.
 
oh. I forgot to mention that i bought the macbook with the back to school offer, on the free ipod touch, and free printer.

I already sold both of them, and received my rebates and deposited them in my bank account already. I'm worried something is not going to go right with this, if i get a refund for my bad experience.

Any input on this?
 
el3ctone said:
oh. I forgot to mention that i bought the macbook with the back to school offer, on the free ipod touch, and free printer.

I already sold both of them, and received my rebates. I'm worried something is not going to go right with this, if i get a refund for my bad experience.

Any input on this?
Click to expand...
Some of the iMacs that my friend sent back came with free printers, they refunded they iMacs without claiming back the rebates etc.
 
In my opinion you were lucky to a replacement for a dead pixel...... the topic has been discussed here at length and I am pretty sure that the warranty doesnt cover imperfections in the LCD like dead pixels, especially 1!!!
 
Hmm

I'm on a 366 MHz G3 iBook from 2000 right now lol. Only problem ever was from dropping it and breaking the springload for the cd drive... I have an iMac thats had no problems ever; had an eMac with zero problems. Years ago I had an iMac DV that the ethernet went out on (power surge probably) and they replaced the logic board it stupidly was attached to. Had Macs throughout 90s also with no problems ever.
I plan on buying an iBook when the next Intel is in it this fall. Sounds like you have ridiculously bad luck or theyre selling you refurbs or something.
 
The warranty doesn't, but the 14-day returns policy does.

The first time I bought a MacBook it was the 5th machine before they got it right (no dead pixels, no scratches, one had a big grey patch around the screen).

The second time I bought one I had 3 replacements. Then the next day they released the Penryn ones, so they replaced it again!

Haha I've had 9 MacBooks in just over a year...
 
Wow never heard of this many problems expect for the MBP yellow screen a while back
 
I would do that, but the guy said, we usually don't swap out computers for dead pixels, so that's going to be it.

Really, i'm not going crazy over the dead pixel. Its the concept that I didn't get a perfect one the 1st AND 2nd time, and that i am getting new problems on each NEW macbook. I was sure that my 2nd macbook was perfect in terms of the screen.

It all boils down to wanting a perfect one for the money i paid, and the hassles I got initially. I didn't pay for hassles :(
 
I understand it's really annoying that you have to keep going back to get that perfect model. But remember that you're lucky Apple's replacement policy is so generous: many other companies are highly reluctant to replace a machine for something like a dead pixel.
 
funny part is that they DID replace it, and instead of one dead pixel i got two more, lol
 
el3ctone said:
I would do that, but the guy said, we usually don't swap out computers for dead pixels, so that's going to be it.

Really, i'm not going crazy over the dead pixel. Its the concept that I didn't get a perfect one the 1st AND 2nd time, and that i am getting new problems on each NEW macbook. I was sure that my 2nd macbook was perfect in terms of the screen.

It all boils down to wanting a perfect one for the money i paid, and the hassles I got initially. I didn't pay for hassles :(
Click to expand...

IMO, the perfect one seemed to be the one with the one dead pixel...shoulda stuck with that, no matter how many previous Macs you had before then.

As many machines as I've ever owned (laptops included), I laugh when I read stories like this...I've NEVER been in any of those types of situations. I can understand gross production errors or some defect that prevents you from using the macbook, but pixels?? Some companies have extreme bad pixel count policies...sounds like Apple needs to adopt a new return policy regarding bad pixels.
 
By far, the one with ONE DEAD PIXEL, was indeed the one that was closest to "perfect"
 
unixfool said:
So why didn't you just stick with that one?
Click to expand...

Because you shouldn't have to settle for a dead pixel on a brand new machine. You might have found that acceptable after spending a grand (or two, in the case of an MBP), but I certainly wouldn't. When I buy a laptop, I expect it to work flawlessly. If it doesn't, I get a different one. If that one's bad, I get my money back and try another brand.
 
heatmiser said:
Because you shouldn't have to settle for a dead pixel on a brand new machine. You might have found that acceptable after spending a grand (or two, in the case of an MBP), but I certainly wouldn't. When I buy a laptop, I expect it to work flawlessly. If it doesn't, I get a different one. If that one's bad, I get my money back and try another brand.
Click to expand...

you are right, i wasn't satisfied, so i took it back. Like i said, it felt like a gamble buying this computer. I mean i was on my 3rd one, i would've never thought that the 4th one would be worse than the 3rd.
 
Seriously, the people saying that the OP should've ''kept the machine with the dead pixel because it's really not that bad'' are missing the point. When you pay 1200 for a computer, you want it to be perfect. You're probably going to be using it for 3-4 years (maybe more, maybe less), and you don't want something like a dead pixel ruining the experience for you. I think it's normal that Apple replaced the computer immediately because let's face it, a computer that expensive shouldn't arrive with a problem. No matter how minor it is, it still affects the consumer.
 
Aztec said:
Seriously, the people saying that the OP should've ''kept the machine with the dead pixel because it's really not that bad'' are missing the point. When you pay 1200 for a computer, you want it to be perfect. You're probably going to be using it for 3-4 years (maybe more, maybe less), and you don't want something like a dead pixel ruining the experience for you. I think it's normal that Apple replaced the computer immediately because let's face it, a computer that expensive shouldn't arrive with a problem. No matter how minor it is, it still affects the consumer.
Click to expand...

Agreed. The deal is: consumer agrees to give Apple $1200 and Apple agrees to give consumer a perfect computer. By perfect I mean a computer without any defect. Apple is not going to offer the OP some sort of compensation for the dead pixel, so why should the OP settled for the dead pixel?

Moreover, there is the curse of knowledge. Once you've seen that dead pixel, you can go back not seeing it again. And like Aztec said, this dead pixel will be in your face for as long as you use this computer, thereby robbing you from the full experience.

Does any of you think Steve Jobs would settle for a MacBook with a dead pixel?

Personally, I am seriously beginning to doubt Apple's hardware quality control. The OS is wonderful, but the hardware quality control does not always follow. I've had 3 MacBook replaced, two of which had to be returned right after I received them. I had to return a Mac mini (within 14 days of purchase) because the sound card died. The OP has had 4 brand new MacBooks in his/her hand, all of them having some sort of problem. Where I work, we use a lot of notebook from a single manufacturer. During my seven years there, I've never seen one single notebook with a defect out of the box. The proof is in the numbers. The evidence speaks for itself (CSI).
 
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