Durability of new aluminum macbook pro

I guess I'm rough on laptops because this one is starting to wear out and I haven't had it a year. How does the aluminum unibody hold up to heavy usage? I'm specifically looking at keyboard(I type fast and hard), mouse, and cd drive. Well, I guess I might be a little rough in handling too. I really like the construction if the new macbook pros and would love to get the new 17". If anyone has experience with the newer ones I would really appreciate any feedback.

 

Well I received mine just this tuesday... right now I LOVE IT so much.

Keyboard is grate, no flex, Mouse is very smooth and reliable, CD i used it today for the first time... is a little bit noisy when inserted and ejecting, but nothing that u can't live with.

Yesterday I bought the apple keyboard and mighty mouse. The keyboard is the same as the laptop, very responsible, And the mouse is very good...I Love it too. So in this way my macbook pro keyboard and mouse will not be affected on time. =)

 

Well I burn lots and lots of cds so hopefully it wont burn out like this one. I had to get an external one the other day because this one quit on me. I haven't started having problems with the keyboard yet but I know I am a hard, fast typer and I don't want the keys to get damaged. Thanks for the info.

Edit:
I've also been through several external mice. And the thing is I don't think I'm that rough with it. I think I just have bad luck with things lasting. dunno. I'm crazy I guess.

 

The keyboard will be fine. THe problem is that evetually, finger oils will start to build up on the keys and make them shiny.

Some of my friends macbooks start to show this 2 months after usage. I have been using a keyboard cover so mine looks new.

 

I normally wipe mine down since I have a really glossy fingerprint magnet. Hopefully keeping it wiped down will work. I guess I might need to lighten up on my typing some. I just don't want to pay a lot and then end up being too rough on it like I have on this one. The cd drive is burned out. Bought an external DVD drive the other day. Been through several external mice and gave up and started using the touch pad and now the left click sticks. Guess I don't know my own strength. jk

 

I would really love the 17" MBP with the 2.9 Ghz C2D. Upgrade to 8 GB of RAM after some time. Eventually get one 4GB module and put it in then later get another.

 

short of dropping it, i'm sure it will stand up to normal abuse. But its only a 1 yr warranty.

 

Unfortunately, I normally end up voiding the warranty. I normally like to make a couple upgrades over time. But by my current laptop trend, I end up replacing them before a year is up. I'm on my third now and haven't had it a year yet. I'm hoping I can keep the mbp for a long while though because I've fallen in love.

 

rugged toughbook from panasonic => every other notebook in the market

 

Don't quite think it would go easily around with me. And I don't think it's going to have the performance that I want. Like it's ruggitivity though (yeah I just made that up and used it).

 

i mentioned that just because i am really tempted by its offering of the CF19, it might not be a performer, but 7hours of battery, heatpipe/fanless design, fully sealed and tablet it is a great item

but yeah, the 17inch mbp is great on everything (portability, looks, battery, arguably screen panel of 64% color gamut) but as long as 9600m gt isn't lagging you behind it is definitely a great product on the go.

 

From everything I've seen (and I want to believe it), the 17" mbp is perfect for what I want to do. I just want to make sure that it will hold up. Like I said. All of a sudden this one is starting to fail on me.

 

This started to show on mine but a quick cleaning with the supplied cleaning cloth made it become like new.. This machine is built like a tank! My old dell vostro was built with magnesium alloy but the latch mechanism did not sit flush and when i held it in my hands, i would hear it creaking under my hands. No such problems with the unibody macbook pro. Hope it lasts me throughout my bachelors!

 

For pure abuse, I love my TB's as well I have a couple of cf-18's and a new 19
as for battery life my old 18's get 7 hrs if you have the screen dimmed for indoor use, the 19 has hit 10 hrs .. but that is not working the machine hard, just web browsing Wi-fi and playing mpeg videos and yes you can wash them off in the shower. if your a book lover just spin them in tablet mode and install your favorite readers as well. best tablet computers I have used too.

 

I wouldn't worry about the CD drive.

On my old MBP, (the non unibody ones), I actually abused my CD drive a lot, and it kept working.

Unless you drop the thing, or spill liquid on it, I think it will be fine.

 

It would survive a nuclear holocaust, so an EMP would be no problem.

Purchase with confidence

 

Fortunately Apple seems to have fixed the problem of upgrading the hard drive- in the old MBP, you'd have to tear it apart and void the warranty, but I believe the new unibody version provides access to it right under the same door on the bottom that covers the battery.

So, other than RAM, hard drive, battery- what else would you upgrade?

 

Provided it gets to you in one piece to begin with.... maybe.

We've had a number of these come DOA now
and one of them had complete failure (completely dead, not even a POST) after a minor drop (< 3 inches)

We suspect the power couplings and battery to be the cause in both cases.
(We didn't get to take the DOA ones apart as they were covered under waranty but the dropped one definitely was not getting power.)

The old macs are FAR more durable and far less likely to have issues frankly.

I'd rate the current macbooks slightly under Dell Vostros for durability... and that is pretty bad honestly.

 

mhm I must agree the old macs are far more durable even if they dont feel as solid as the uni body. Also, it depends which vostro you are comparing to. Old vostro (1500) > 1510.

 

Agreed. I have seen 4 DOA's since beginning of feb and any that slide off a vehicle seat or take much of a drop are failing. Power couplings are a weak spot and so are the voltage regulators and SMD diodes breaking solder joints due to flexing
one of the one companies I support with Unibody MBP's they are upto a 60% RMA and are currently looking to replace all 35 units

 

60% .......................

 

ok 22 of 35 or 62.8% by my worksheet. and I really didnt want to re-do a whole fleets IT setup

 

Superficially better, but the unibody 17-inch is if anything, more prone to long-term structural defects than the previous 17-inch - which, if not babied, wasn't exactly a tower of rigidity.

 

Thinkpad W700 for 17" 1920x1200 keyboard pounding, optical drive swapping duty. Period.

 

Even the Dell XPS 16 would take knocks better - especially as it's practically a thousand greenbacks cheaper for a similar-performance spec including 3-year accidental damage insurance on it and software equivalent to iLife. The Unibody construction is at it's limit in the 17-inch, and especially if you get inside you'll see how completely critical the (dent-prone aluminium of course) outside shell is to the laptop staying together, unlike previous generations where the shell was a protective element to the internal chassis. It's the reason why they couldn't include a swappable battery - an access panel would have fatally weakened the structure, and the need to be thin meant they couldn't devise a pull-out access panel on the side.

Admittedly - having both, the Dell is not as pretty as the UB17, but frankly speaking even Dell's toy-bracket computer is less of a toy than the Apple in the end if you're not going to be using it purely as desk garnish. The 6 real-life power-saving hour battery with the IGP also doesn't put it definitively above the similar-to-9600M-GPU'd 17-inch rivals as many can go for 4 power saving hours even without the benefit of an IGP on an extended battery, and they're swappable.

 

Really? When I bought my new Macbook Pro 15" last week it was only about 5% more expensive than a similarly specced Dell XPS 16.

By buying a Mac I didn't have to put up with a 'minimum 3 week delay for delivery', an ugly machine, dodgy build quality, and Vista.

Maybe the Dell would stand up better to being thrown down the stairs a few times, but that wasn't really the most important feature on my laptop wishlist.

 

It seems that the 17" unibodies have serious problems. Btw, increasing the surface area would result in less Tension needed to actually bend it. So in theory it IS weaker than the 15" unibodies. I have forgotten the number of times i lifted it with 1 hand and it hasn't bent a single millimeter.

 

Or you can buy a MBP and then go to amazon an buy a clear (or color if u like) hard case. I already bought one clear, just waiting until arrive in my house.

 

Shenanigans.
If you can only find a 5% difference than Apple has almost halved their prices.
(or you are not very good at finding competitive prices for PCs)

Please post the place, config, and price you purchased from. I'll send our mac people there for sure if you are right.

-I disagree with ugly... but thats eye of the beholder I suppose.

-minimum 3 week delay? um no... there is this thing called competition. If dell takes 3 weeks, find someone who doesn't at a better price. We order non-customs from Dell in 2 days... and thats not in a hurry. I don't know what is wrong with you.

-Dodgy build quality? did you read the past few posts? How dodgy is something that ships to you DOA or breaks with even the slightest force applied?

-Vista - I don't have a problem with either Vista or MacOS. I guess this is eye of the beholder stuff and frankly this has nothing to do with build quality.
I'd buy a mac and run a real 'nix OS on it if they weren't such shoddy builds at insane prices.

I'd be happy if the supposed "unbreakable-stellar-high-quality" mac could handle a little nudge or slight < 3-inch drop on a desk though without breaking.
Most of our PCs completely ignore minor drops, minor nudges, and this is especially disappointing because the old macs were tanks.

I am sorry, but the "unbreakable unibody mac" is a myth.
They are below-average build-quality that can barely handle average use and often don't survive simply shipping it to the user.

 

KernalPanic I must agree the 17" MBP IMO is the current WORST laptop for a dust and vibration environment as per my previous postings #23 just went down this am. the 15" units seem to be somewhat better but they have only been in the field a week, Lets give them a month. with failures like this the cost of ownership and downtime is abusurd and I LOVE my old macbooks but these new ones are turning into desk ornaments !!!

 

Dell, Apple. UK. The Dell was priced at over £1200 once configured. Actually after various discounts I manged to get the Mac for the same. I've noticed they've dropped the price since, but they're still very expensive. Feel free to check if you think I'm making it up.

Depends if you like leather trim and two great big hunks of metal holding the screen up, horses for courses I guess.

What is wrong with me? Nothing is wrong with me, thanks for asking though. The Dell UK store had a 3 week delivery warning on checkout.

As for competition, a friend ordered a Dell nearly two months ago and hasn't received it yet. If they're in a competition then they've lost as he's just cancelled his order.

Yes I have, and I have one here which seems to be in one piece. Have you checked the Dell forum on this site? I have, and it's one of the reasons I didn't buy one. That added to the fact I've got two Dells already and I also used to work for them.

I didn't say it was unbreakable, I just don't consider being 'built like a tank' to be high on my wishlist, and my laptop managed to survive being kicked about by the delivery driver.

 

this made me lol. i would try and forge some kind of intelligent response to this comment... but the ridiculousness of it is making coherent thought rather impossible.

 

Don't turn this thread into a flame war, otherwise it will inevitably get closed.

 

i too question this so-called build quality everyone talks about. ok, there's one chunk of metal around the keyboard and ports - great, but there are a lot more things to consider in build quality. is there any proof these unibodies are really build to last?

my previous generation mbp's hinges are pretty weak, and my girlfriend's unibody mbp also has a floppy hinge - i'd say poor build quality. my thinkpads with the big chunky metal hinges is so tight the base flops up when i open it (after 18 months of daily use) - and the keyboard is unsurpassed.

 

This is disconcerting. I thought MBPs were quite sturdy.

If they are not, then the apple premium is completely unjustified.

BTW, build quality wise; you guys should compare Dell Latitudes/Precisions to MBPs. The latitudes and precisons are meant for workplace environments and supposed to be able to take bumps and knocks.

I will say that Apple not offeing acccidental protection warranties for their laptops is a BIG minus. When I got my $2500 Dell precision, I was only charged $135 for 3 year accident protection (on top of their 3 year onsite warranty).
Not having this protection for a $3000 laptop is just scary.

 

Are the new unibody Macs really that bad in terms of build quality? It feels rigid around the body but possible weak points include the hinge and the glass trackpad. In addition, perhaps the unibody does not protect against warping of the internals from shock. The outside may be okay but the inside suffers more shock?

I remember my 1st 17" MBP being plagued with problems. I would have expected Apple to fix these issues on the newer models.

 

You're paying for a) style and b) an OS/environment that caters better to someone who's technologically illiterate to different degrees but has a big enough ego to not want to feel patronised for it. And c) the ability to run a couple - almost literally - of applications which have no better Windows equivalent (my particular reason for the buy-in).

What you also get is an attempt to push the envelope of design, but with too many compromises for visuals + user experience versus the ability of the machine to actually run reliably and trying to do this with essentially the same level of quality control that everyone else bar Sony and a select few others has access to. This leads to the very real 'Rev.A' issues just for starters.

That is basically the crux of it. Apparently the first two attributes are very highly prized.

The Unibodies gets rid of one of the major parts of people having cosmetic issues with the machine - because more of the manufacturing process for the shells is automated, there's fewer chances of QC problems which are visible to the customer. So actually, you could argue that the build quality is up on the previous generations. The problem though is the design: The previous design with the rolled-alloy shell can take an impact and will dent, but in most cases it didn't have an effect on the core structure of the notebook. With the rolled-then-machined Unibodies it will, and in the case of the 17-inch above all the structure as a whole is weaker than the machine that precedes it. That is the dumb bit IMO.

What's not dumb though is figuring in how a stronger structure made out of the alternatives would feel to the people who got into Apples because of a) and b). They would feel inferior. Mag feels like cool plastic, and CFRP feels like plastic. And the unibodies? They feel and they look premium - especially out of the box. I mean, my $5K+ Precision Covets may look pretty cool, but I have to admit that they look like they're trying a little too hard when put alongside the 17-inch Unibody. It's about the smoke and mirrors as usual with Apple.

And the commited Apple fanboy does not compare like-priced to like-priced. Even if he does, he'll draw attention to the only thing he can see, which is that the Windows competition is uglier and runs... well, Windows. Since he more often than not hasn't got any experience of the competition - or if he's a Switcher-zealot he's probably moved up from some superannuated, low-cost heap or an incompetently built DIY that never worked properly - that's all he can do. It's kind of pointless trying to argue.

 

Can you elaborate on this ?
I'm not familiar with the MBP design.
Do the earlier MBPs have an internal shell, then an Al skin around it ? Something like the thinkpad rollcage ?
And the new MBPs dont have that "rollcage" ?

Anybody have pictures of the internal structure ?

 

So our budget is $2400 or so? (last time I checked, the english pound was about $2) What specs are we looking at please? Size, processor, ram, graphics? Can I get a link please so I can get a real comparison?
And for the record, I don't think you are making it up... I think you have less experience in this than I do and that I can show you how to get more hardware for your money.

Note that in that price range, Dell is not advised. I can get premium custom-build godbox PC laptop for $2400 probably with all the bells and whistles.

For considerably less than half that, I can build a custom Clevo with a 9600m GT.
Or we could get the latop I use for $949 which will put any macbook in existance to shame in games and will perform 90-95% as well in anything else.

It benefits you to understand that because PC hardware is not a monopoly, there are other vendors which can offer you the same thing for less.

Dell is good at chunking together some nice pre-builds, but charges a premium for custom-builds.

I think you exaggerate in both how pretty a mac is and how ugly a PC is.
You just like one over the other and don't seem to mind the DOA and failure rate.
I can put up with pretty... but when the bridge can't handle a couple cars on it at once its time to stop worrying about pretty. This is the difference between an engineer and a fashionista.

Then they are too busy to help you... find someone who isn't.
You are too used to Apple.

In the PC world, you are free to choose who provides you the hardware in the PC's case and thus you can look for better service and better prices elsewhere.

To be entirely fair, you do have a different experience than I do as I do not need to order from Dell from overseas. It is entirely possible that their UK branch is not as snappy as the US one.

Keep in mind, I help select and order laptops for my company as well as used to do repair work. That would be both PC and Mac... I have quite a bit more experience in price comparison and hardware than most.

You'd be surprised how much even a highly fragile item can survive when properly packed. Then again, not many people re-pack their laptop in the packing materials for non-shipping transit and general use.

I will state again... built-like-a-tank isn't necessary... but something is indeed wrong with the current batch of macbooks. They are NOT durable period. The DOA arrival rate and complete failure rate is much higher than any other laptop we order.

Let me help you begin to think.
Please start with what basis you have for your claims of quality...
You've seen what? One... Two... maybe Three of the new macs ordered?

You are trying to argue with someone who helps select and order laptops for a company.
(and apparently with MULTIPLE people who do so)
I've ordered and been inside of more laptops than you have probably ever seen in your life.
I've probably ordered more macs than most of the mac fans here.
I have a pretty wide comparison from both PCs and Macs to work with here.

What piece of evidence can you bring to the table except "I got one mac that worked"?

 

fastrandstrongr was actually trying to praise the mbp's build quality.

Just a note, UK prices are substantially higher for notebooks in general. It's very possible at he (the poster) could have gotten the MBP at the price he stated. It would be very unfair to compare the UK and US markets.

 

Thanks for that.

Yes, the UK prices are substantially higher than the US, and the price for a similarly specced XPS 16" was around the same price as the MBP 15".

This is actually the first Mac I've bought in over ten years and I'm already surrounded by Dell and other PC machines here. If you bothered to read my posts properly then you'd have seen that.

As it happens I've arranged for it to be taken back. Nothing wrong with the build quality, which is excellent, but I've got compatibility issues between my existing hardware (PC you'll be pleased to hear) and Leopard which seems to behave extremely snottily towards non-Apple products.

 

veritably, i think anyone who thinks the unibody construction is "weak" or "shoddy" needs a comprehensive head exam. the case does not creak, groan, or moan when used, unlike its PC competitors. there is no flex in the palmrest areas and the touch pad is responsive, accurate and very advanced. no, its not built like a tank, and no it's not going to survive a 10 foot fall but then again if thats what you're looking for then get yourself a toughbook. if you're dropping your notebook enough times for it to be affected component-wise, then it's your own fault for being a klutz.

i'd be hard pressed to take any advice or "scientific evidence" from someone who is squarely against the design and construction of a unibody macbook and who then proceeds to nickname it a "crapbookpro." brand me a fanboy, lovable pc-lovers, and flame all you want, but this machine IS as sturdy as "they" say it is. dont like it? dont buy it.

next topic.

 

The thing is, flexiblility is sometimes a GOOD thing in a design. The ability to give and spring back into place makes a design more resilient to abuse than than something that hold stiff but dents after a set amount of pressure.

I don't see the point of the unibody construction. They "say" it is more durable.

I look at other manufacture's laptops that have proven to be durable. HP's Elitebooks, Dell's Precision line, and especially, the Thinkpad Series. They all do without the unibody approach and they are argueably as durable, if not more durable.

The unibody does little for probably the biggest threat to a laptop's durability, which is water.

From a marketing standpoint, the unibody is just another catch phrase. Use a little scientific process and setup some performance metrics. Then you'll see if it TRULY is more durable.

 

perhaps, but the machine won't dent unless you subject it to a considerable force. these notebooks were not made to withstand harsh treatment without consequence - in fact, few notebooks are. if you drop a plastic notebook, it will probably crack just as likely as the macbook will dent. moral: dont drop your laptops.

These are business-class machines designed for a business customer. The macbook line is not a business laptop. They have their own niche which sort of blurs the line between the high-end consumer and the computer graphics designer/media person. Therefore, the macbooks are built to different specifications: design and screen are most important, all else is essentially second. The unibody basically eliminated any warping issues from the previous generation, which is something that prevented me from buying an mbp a few years ago. Any structural improvements in consumer laptops are a big plus and the unibody makes an infinite leap (hyperbole, but you get the point).

How so?

Everything in marketing is a catchphrase: "elite"book, "precision," "tough"book, etc. "Unibody" is no different and you're correct there.

How about you set up some experiments and report back to me? don't want to sacrifice my lappy nor do i have the cash. I can roughly tell that if a sony vaio's palmrest is bending and creaking to resist the force of my hand it is probably not stronger than the thickened aluminum of the macbook. it's a good enough metric for me.

 

Things happen. The thing being said here is that, yes, a plastic notebook will get a crack, but the notebook will still be functional because of the internal casing --- the plastic casing takes most of the impact.
For the unibody MBP, an impact would result in motherboard or some other internal damage as the shell transmits the disturbance inside.

The MBP may not creak when pushed, but metal bends and even though the MBP may appear "good quality" due to no creaks, you may be unwittingly damaging the laptop during normal handling. With plastic laptops - 1) the outer casing is taking away the force and not transmitting it inside and 2) the creaking serves as a warning.

^^^^ this is what is being claimed. I have not seen the initernal design of the MBP so I cannot comment.

The dell precisions with their RGBLEDs, high powered graphics cards, and quad core GPUs are more targetted towards the computer graphics designer/media person.
And anyway, how is that a defense of the MBPs ? Dont graphics designers/high end consumers desire durability ?

The difference here is that "unibody" is being marketed as a feature by Apple, "precision" etc is just a name like "macbook"

 

yes, if it falls it'll probably get damaged. again, dont drop your laptops! take care of your toys.

damaging the laptop during normal handling? i find that very hard to believe. the force is not transmitted "inside" to the macbook. its not like you're magically bending the motherboard while the case stays stiff. the thick aluminum absorbs the force of you picking up the case. the creaking does serve as a warning - dont push any more or you're gonna break it!

Noted, but its also not simultaneously marketed to regular consumers - heavy, thick, expensive, probably gets quite hot - not something joe college is looking for. I'm not here to defend the macbook, i'm here to dispel some of these silly notions and rumors.

tomato, tomahto.

 

Your making assuptions, but try dropping Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (ThinkPad). I bet it cracks a lot less often than aluminum will dent, but I'm not stating it as fact - just a hunch.

Macbook isn't a business line. What about Macbook Pro? Doesn't Pro stand for Professional, meaning you're getting paid, which kind of relates to business, in my book. Otherwise, they would call it the Macbook Amateur.

Creaking doesn't necessarily mean weak. I admit my Thinkpad palmrest creaked before I took it off and put felt pads under it. Now it's solid and I'm even more assured after seeing the guts of it - under that carbon fiber reinfored skin is a rollcage (not to mention a drainage tray designed to drain 8 ounces of your favorite cocktail spilled over the keyboard).

If you're going after college kids, then wouldn't a gaming rig be more the market?

I think Apple has it's place and I own one - but this built quality talk is just that.

 

a name is a name. does a thinkpad actually think intelligently? its not really a pad either. pro does mean professional but it doesn't mean business pro. the macbook/pro line is NOT a business notebook. not by a longshot. it shouldn't be held to the same standards as those machines because its made for a different consumer.

i never said the thinkpad wasn't a good notebook. it has great features. the problem here is people saying the macbook/pro isn't a durable/strong machine. that being said, i dont think you should have to resort to opening up your computer and putting felt pads under it in order to reduce erroneous noises.

i dont know which college kids you're thinking of, but i only had time to play games when i was on break. actual college students need something lightweight and portable to take from class to library to dorm daily.

its at neither of the extremes people have placed it at. its not a tank (few laptops are) and its not built like a netbook. it is, however, a solid, sturdy notebook computer and its silly to think otherwise.

 

no kidding. they heard about that over in the other forum.

 

the only "pro" element that is above competition is its ~7hrs of battery life(with 9600mGT). but if a "pro" really need the 7hours, he/she could have brought a few batteries with him where when mbp is done its done.

not to mention 9600mGT pales against any notebook priced around that range and offers better spec on everything else: RGB screen? quad core? you name it.

a more prominent graphic work horse would be W700 with a side screen and a wacom pad; imagine how many cord and external power needed for the side screen and pad will drain on the mac the 7hrs operating time drops proportionally

of cuz, if someone is really on the go and doesn't require the top graphic card, mbp remains a good choice; with apple tax of cuz


not to mention you cannot quite bend the screen too far back, it does irritates me a little from time to time, especially so when my tablet is 180 wide opened.