Macbook Pro Reliability Issues

I have really been wanting to go apple for years now. I really like OS X. I am currently looking at buying Macbook Pro, but after some researches. There seem to be so many problems plaguing newer powerbook since the G4 was implimented. I have experienced it first hand with a used 1.67 GHz powerbook, that I just bought. Some of these problems are:

1) Powerbook/ibook narcolepsy
2) logic board
3) serious heating issue (enough to give you a first degree burn)
4) case coming apart
5) headphone jack and sound issue (likely stem from logic board)

These are some serious issues.

Since I have a first hand experence with the powerbook narcolepsy. Because of that I did some serious researches and found a lot more problems especially with the first generation macbook pro. This issue is concerning me because it is the macbook pro that I am thinking about buying (very cheap refurbished one from Mac authorized dealer).

I love OS X a lot, but these problems are seriously concerning me. The failure rate on some of the macbook pro from a survey by macintouch showed roughly 20% failure rate on the earlier macbook pro.

 

now the hard drive issue

http://www.computerworld.com/action...articleId=9045520&taxonomyId=76&intsrc=kc_top

 

the only problem I had with my MBP so far is that it gets very hot when gaming in windows. But that shouldn't be a concern since MBP is not mean for windows anyway. heck I just bought a second MBP on Sunday.

 

Well if you are really so concerned about reliability issues with the first-gen MBP then don't get it.

I haven't really had anything on my MBP that I would call a reliability issue. At one point if looked like the metal near the right speaker grill was going to separate from the plastic edge lining, but that was likely due to expansion and contraction during Winter and it isn't a problem now that the temperature is more stable. When it's completely silent in the room at night and I put my ear right near the left speaker I can sometimes make out a slight whine, but in a regular sitting position it's really now noticeable and certainly not during the day with normal levels of background noise.

Yes, if the CPU and GPU are loaded the MBP can get very hot, put generally when I'm doing heavy tasks, I'm using it on a table anyways, so the inability to put it on my lap is irrelevant. And it's not like the CPU minds since it's rated for operation at 100C, so Intel isn't concerned that the MBP's thermal design will lead to more warranty requests for them to cover.

Personally, I think that if Apple products have a higher warranty return rate it's probably tied to the accessibility of Apple staff. For other manufacturers, if there is an issue you would generally have to send it in to some depot for repair, meaning people wouldn't do it unless it's a major issue. With the convenience of Apple Stores or Apple Authorized Dealers, especially in major cities, it's a lot easier for people to drop by with questions or complaints, which is the point of the Genius Bar. It may be that Apple customers are more picky too.

 

I broke down.

I just bought myself a brand new Macbook Pro.


I just bought myself a brand new Macbook Pro.

I will give my brief update and my first impression on the other thread.

Thanks again y'all.

 

Haha, nice, chongfa! Give us some photographs and first impressions!

 

You'll like it a lot. I'm a first time Mac user and am happy overall with the MBP (Santa-Rosa edition, which I think is a 2nd-generation MacBook Pro).

 

I think that's third generation, actually...the first was Core Duo + Napa, then Core 2 Duo + Napa, then Santa Rosa + Core 2 Duo, then Santa Rosa + Penryn. The next one will be Montevina + Penryn .

 

Thanks for the info Sam. You truly are a Mac Scholar.

Come to think of it... that should be the name of the Mac team here on NBR. It has a nice ring to it.

 

Haha, thanks for the compliment, dbam987!

 

There was also a refresh in one generation with the Napa + Yonah Core Duo MBP's shipped originally at 1.83GHz and 2GHz, but were later speed bumped to 2GHz and 2.16GHz. The Santa Rosa + Merom Core 2 Duo MBP also later received a BTO option when the 2.6GHz T7800 became available, but that's more of an expansion than a refresh.

If the concern is on the first-gen Yonah Core Duo MBP's, I believe there were actually several motherboard revisions, some of which were purportedly supposed to solve the CPU whine problem. I remember there being websites before that were supposed to help people figure out when a MBP was built to help guess which motherboard revision it had. I don't know if they are available anymore, but they could help determining some of the history of a second hand system.