When Apple will change material of Macbook line?

[golf1410]

I just think Aluminum material is scratched easily. Eventually, it will worn down, be scratched. Even you put a lot of protection on it. Hard shell case itself can scratch you laptop as well. If you say yours doesn't have any scratch, you did not look closely and well enough.

I have heard liquid metal is the way to go. But when?

 

[NeonBible]

The correct answer: No one knows; except Jony Ive and Co. Not rude meant or anything but no one really knows the answer to that question due to the fact that Apple always keeps new plans and details secretly.

 

[ivoruest]

I actually like aluminum better than any other material. I think it looks like a very good quality product and does a great job as a heat sink.

As for when, don't think that will happen within 2 years or less.

 

[BlazednSleepy]

The Material Apple uses on their laptops trumps all at this moment in time. I wouldn't expect change for quite a while.

 

[watchthisspace]

The correct answer: No one knows; except Jony Ive and Co. Not rude meant or anything but no one really knows the answer to that question due to the fact that Apple always keeps new plans and details secretly.

This.

Plus, Apple's use of Aluminium is a lot more supierior (In my opinion) to the plastic that 95% of of manufacurers use.

 

[wethackrey]

I just think Aluminum material is scratched easily. Eventually, it will worn down, be scratched. Even you put a lot of protection on it. Hard shell case itself can scratch you laptop as well. If you say yours doesn't have any scratch, you did not look closely and well enough.

I have heard liquid metal is the way to go. But when?

Other than the elusive and vaporous liquid metal, what material do you think would be better than CNC machined aluminum billet? I've had MacBook Pros and PowerBooks before them, including Titanium PowerBooks and Powerbooks made of various plastics including glass-filled resins. I've also had laptops from other manufacturers made mostly of plastic. Not one of them as nearly as solid and elegant as a unibody MacBook.

I spent some time in the Fry's laptop department this past Sunday looking at the current state-of-the-art from Sony, HP, Toshiba, Asus and others. Frankly they all ( and I do mean ALL) pale in comparison to the build quality and elegant feel of a unibody MacBook Pro. Particularly the MBPr. Even machines that are obviously designed to look like aluminum MacBooks (the new Asus and Viao Signature, for example) just look and feel... cheap... when you get close to them and actually work with them.

I schlep my MacBook Pro's all around the world in a carry-on briefcase and I use it the better part of the day every day. I did watch a colleague drop a video projector on my MBP a couple of years ago, which resulted in a dent in the lid. And I've managed to put the occasional minor blemish on the bottom panel by setting the thing on uneven metallic surfaces. I even once set the MBP up on lava rock in Fiji, which did produce a noticeable scratch on the bottom panel. Duh. But honestly the unibody Macs hold up amazingly well. Rarely do I scratch them.

So again, please name some other material or manufacturing technique used by any other manufacturer that's more durable than a unibody MacBook.

[Before you go there... I'll acknowledge that the Panasonic Toughbooks are pretty darned durable. Ugly as grandpa's toenails, but durable. But really. Who wants to shlep one of those around.]

 

[jacobp89]

Even machines that are obviously designed to look like aluminum MacBooks (the new Asus and Viao Signature, for example) just look and feel... cheap... when you get close to them and actually work with them.

Agreed. With more companies starting to design their machines to look more like Apple's, I don't really see it changing anytime soon. I do agree with your initial statement of it getting scratched easily though. I did manage to put a scratch on the bottom of mine when my screwdriver slipped when taking the bottom cover off. Doesn't look to pretty, but there's not much I can do about it. I guess the best thing for us is to just be careful with it.

 

[yanksrock100]

It will be awhile. Apple already started their new rMBP design with Aluminium, which will probably be THE design for 4+ years. Also, the Macbook Air uses aluminum, and will probably not change design until 2015 (3 more years)?

So...not anytime soon.

 

[dkersten]

I know this isn't the answer you are looking for but it will be when liquid metal can be easily and cheaply mass manufactured as a total unibody laptop/desktop.

A good indication maybe what the middle of the next iPhone (if the elongated design really is the next design) is made out of. If it is possibly made of liquid metal, then it is likely Apple will release a unibody liquid metal laptop in 2-4 years.

 

[BigJohno]

They wont change it for the sake of changing. There has to be something better and right now there isn't for mass market. I love my aluminium computers. I wouldn't like them to be any other way.

 

[gorskiegangsta]

I just think Aluminum material is scratched easily. Eventually, it will worn down, be scratched. Even you put a lot of protection on it. Hard shell case itself can scratch you laptop as well. If you say yours doesn't have any scratch, you did not look closely and well enough.

So, would you prefer Adamantium, then?

No material is scratch proof, even carbon fiber. There are certain drawbacks to using any material.

I have heard liquid metal is the way to go. But when?

The so-called "Liquid metal" is just a fancy named alloy of aluminum - while can be made lighter and stronger, it will still not be scratch proof or damage proof, and considering the current costs of producing full LM enclosures, it'll take quite some time for it to appear as primary material in products.