MacBook Pro - display lid warpage

[CAlvarez]

The warpage is miniscule and only noticeable if you really look.

[sjhpix]

Jacques, I understand your aesthetic frustration on this. I had a similar experience. I first owned a Titanium Powerbook (which I think is what you own and are comparing to) and loved using it for a couple years. It was 15" TiBook, 867 mhz i believe. Like you said, the 2 hinges were bent to hell after several yaers and the body could take nicks and dings all over the place and the lines would still be straight on all sides. It was very sturdy and sharp. Then in 2005 I upgraded to a newer Aluminum powerbook a G4 1.67 ghz 15" and I immediately noticed the warping of the display when you try to close it. I was pissed about this at first and saw it as a slow degredation in quality standards from Apple.

Here's what I think may be partly to blame: I think Apple in the past 2-3 years has shifted all it's assembly to China (post TiBook), and although I don't know the exact dates, I wouldn't be surprised if the older TiBooks were all assembled in Taiwan and the newer Aluminum powerbooks all assembled in China. I've noticed alot of cosmetic build quality issues with my newer Aluminum Powerbook ... and I wouldn't be surprised if it's cause of a new assembler and less cosmetic quality control over a hodge podge of Chinese supppliers. I'm not bashing "made in china" .. but I do think quality problems as you mentioned started AFTER the TiBooks and with the introduction of the Aluminum powerbooks in 2004. If you research to find out when Apple moved their Powerbook assembly from Taiwan to Mainland China, you might have your answer.

Here's an interesting read that sort of discusses this issue:

http://forums.macrumors.com/archive/.../t-184742.html

But even when frustrated, I still try to envision using a windows/dell laptop setup and cringe ... so I can live with a little warp in my screen, despite wishing for better quality control standards from Apple.

[Jay Carr]

Quote: Originally Posted by sjhpix I'm not bashing "made in china" .. but I do think quality problems as you mentioned started AFTER the TiBooks and with the introduction of the Aluminum powerbooks in 2004

Or maybe it happens to be that aluminum is a lot softer than titanium? Honestly, they make submarines and driver heads out of titanium, what would happen if you tried to drive off the tee with an aluminum golf club? You'd warp the face!

Quote: Originally Posted by CAlvarez Maybe it's an issue with newer machines only; my first PowerBook was a 17" from fall of 2004. I've owned every model released since and also a 12". I don't belive the 12" did this, come to think of it, but the 17s all did.

I have a twelve inch and it's bent. Oddly it still functions, can't figure why...

I once saw a 12" that was all battered to here and gone. The sides were warped, the lid was warped, that battery covere was warped, everything, it seemed, was warped. But it still functions.

In all honesty, a warped lid isn't a huge problem. And you really shouldn't base a decision on the outside apperance. But for the record, it is likely the Aluminum MBP will warp becuase that is the nature of soft metals when they are stretched thin, period. You don't need a degree in Physics to know that one.

[From The Hip]

I've had a mbp for about 4 months now, and have treated it with kid gloves - no abuse. The lid definately has warped on the left hand side (where it gets really hot). I've had a G4 powerbook for 3 years and its not warped at all.

I'm sure the problem is down to heat, as I often have to pack it away when the case is still hot. I've also shut it down and closed the lid and its gone into sleep mode but hasn't cooled down at all.

I will be sending the unit back shortly. In reply the the guy who thinks this isn't a problem you are very mistaken, this is a symptom of the heat problem, something that all mbp users I know are suffering from.

We have my friend been sold a lemon. For the heat problem alone I wouldn't recommend one to anyone.

[umatic]

mine warps about 2mm higher on the right front corner than the left.
noticed it, got annoyed and then discovered it's happening to everyone!

it may seem pathetic but i agree that the nice lines are a key part of the mac experience and this looks cheap. it's also possible that you could catch and damage it because it doesn't fit flush to the body of the machine.

is it going to get worse? my old g4 titanium was far more solid than this thing and no warped lid. imo, the build quality of these machines is comparatively inferior. the click on the mouse button feels really nasty as well......

[Jacques]

Quote: Originally Posted by umatic the build quality of these machines is comparatively inferior

It's quite true, in more than a few ways - a great laptop still, through it all. Seeing how the iBook went through a total (and SOLID) redesign to the Mac Book, I'm hoping the new Merom Mac Book Pros will be a solid new redesign.

After weighing everything together, I decided that it just wasn't time for a laptop. I ended up settling down with a Mac Pro. It's not the best computer for using in Starbucks or on some brilliant starry evening on a cozy country porch, but it gets the job done fair enough!

= )

Jacques

[drdomore]

I bought my MBP for school. Before school started, I had "time" to worry about lid warpage. Now that school has started, I surprisingly do not have time to worry about it anymore! FYI, I got my MBP relaced twice by Apple to fix warpage but it does not bother me anymore...

I was given some s/w for a class that did not run on Mac OS X (www.palisades.com). So, I used BootCamp to install WinXP on the machine and it is dual boot now. Surprise, surprise, the MBP runs in WinXP mode 90% of the time, cause I need to do HW etc.

I am beginning to wonder why I bought an Apple if I had to use it in Windows. Oh well, back to my HW...

[heyak]

Ok I apologize for this horribly newbie question, but I got the warpage too after only 2 days after buying it! (With the latch closed, the let side is fairly flush, but the right side is higher a few mm, looking closely you can see curvature in the lid.)

Can you just take it to the apple store and ask them to look at it and if they say its defective will they replace it right there? Or do you have to call CS.

Oh also, I have that little bulge problem near the latch button, had it since the moment I opened the box!

Thanks,

-AK

[thoughton]

I've had my MacBook Pro for about 9 months now, and the screen casing has been warped from day one.

I don't think it's heat at all, I noticed the warp within minutes of opening the box. I blogged about it at the time, with a pic of the warpage:
http://www.thoughton.co.uk/digitalli...acbook_pro.php

[styrafome]

My PowerBook lid sometimes looks misaligned when closed. Often, if I just squeeze along the back hinge on the side where it's opening a little wider, it straightens out. Nothing to go to war over.

[navaho]

My G4 alumabook is warped. Has been since I got it. A quick walk around the office and it appears all the new Mac Book Pros floating around here seem to be warped.

The screen isn't warped mind you, just the casing. There is no effect whatsoever on the usability of the product. In the couple of years I've spent dragging mine everywhere, in and out of the car, on and off of planes, on trains, and pretty much everywhere I go, it has never snagged on anything, never caught anything. Never failed to function or cause any impediment whatsoever. Never been an issue.

To me it's a non-starter. Much ado about nothing that I wouldn't bother to think about unless I had nothing better to do.

[CAlvarez]

Quote: Can you just take it to the apple store and ask them to look at it and if they say its defective will they replace it right there? Or do you have to call CS.

You can do either, so they can tell you that this is normal and the way that it should be.

[newrigel]

Quote: Originally Posted by Jacques I currently use a six or seven year old 15 inch Powerbook G4, it's been dropped abused and neglected by it's first owner. The hinges (both) are cracked and when the laptop is shut, the back edges are forced upwards - it's just BUSTED lookin', but it works. The lid edge has no warp whatsoever, straight as can be. My brother who takes care of his equipment quite maticulously, has a 17 inch from close after that era of Powerbook (probably three to five years old) - also no warp. I have a feeling, it's the material now used to make MacBook Pros specifically - however I do understand that display models are under a lot of strain. I presented these laptops to an Apple genius there in store. He not only said Apple would not replace a model if it became like this, he also basically stated it did not matter! Some kind of rumble, that a crooked lid will not hinder it's operation. I was shocked at his response. Apple to me is sorta like a high-end sports car, the lines COUNT - it's design being nearly flawless is one of those aspects of Macintosh that MAKE it Macintosh. I want one, but I'm eager to see poll results before I buy. Depending, I may just wait for the next models to come around.. Jacques

Just don't buy one if that bothers you!

[Jacques]

Quote: Originally Posted by newrigel Just don't buy one if that bothers you!

Do you realize you are writing back eight months later?

I'm writing you from a Mac Pro, never did buy a replacement laptop.

= )

Jacques

[osxpounder]

I've had this 17" MBP since early July 2006. I've used it almost every day since then, but mostly at home or at my office. I've never yet dropped it, and I'm pretty careful with it, since it's my employer's, and since it's just so freakin' AWESOME that I'd hate to be without it. I don't act like it's made of glass, but I do open and close it gently, pack it in the padded case gently, and keep it dry. No warpage here that I can see.

I do sometimes pick it up and carry it, while it's still open, across the house or the office, but I realize that I'm taking a risk when I do it, and that I really shouldn't. If I dropped it while it's open, I expect it would easily be badly damaged, so when I'm doin' it, I'm a bit more careful. A couple of times I banged the edge of the open lid against a door as I was going through, because I should have closed the MBP instead of carrying it open. So it has a few nicks on the edges. Seeing them every day reminds me to take better care of it.

[osxpounder]

Quote: Originally Posted by From The Hip I'm sure the problem is down to heat, as I often have to pack it away when the case is still hot. I've also shut it down and closed the lid and its gone into sleep mode but hasn't cooled down at all.

Because the MBP seems unable to reliably go to sleep every time I close the lid, I am now in the habit of telling it to go to sleep, and waiting a few seconds for it to sleep, before I pack it in the backpack for any trip longer than a few blocks walking or a half hour or so. I wasn't thinking that this would protect it from heat warpage. I was just thinking that I'd rather not heat up my backpack, nor hear my iCal announcements at inappropriate moments.

[KiNGME]

I bought a 17" two weeks ago and sent it back.

The screen was warped (one side only) and the case was defective (the metal casing bowed outwards next to the CD/DVD drive instead of inwards. Plus the screen wasn't centered (too much back on the top and none on the bottom).

The replacement is near perfect.

I've named her Lisa.

[drdomore]

I got mine replaced a few times before I realised that they come without warpage but warp after a few days/weeks of usage (even though I was extra tender in using my first and second replacement). Finally I decided to live with the warpage which is cosmetic anyways...great machine otherwise

[karnifax]

For me, the warping really has not become so much of a problem, as the screen latching, but does not even touch the base, and hasnt since the moment I pulled it out of its packaging. That does bother me because it allows for debris and dust to get in. I have had this laptop for about 3 weeks now and am pretty irritated with this issue, I would expect that if you spend this much money on a top of the line laptop, that you would have level edges. However, mine has warping in other places too. The top of the LCD is not flush with the plastic edging, only in 2 places; both corners it bends up in the same way. I also noticed that my case is warping outwards somewhat where the latch release is, and the top of the base is not flush with its siding. So are you trying to tell me that the quality control on the exterior of this laptop is less than the quality control of my old Compaq? I would hope not, I paid another 750 dollars to get this laptop. Mine is the Core Duo not the Core 2 Duo, but was purchased new from CDW-G.com If I took this laptop to the Apple Store what actions would they take?

[Anti]

Dunno if it's warpage or not, as the screen is perfect, but the damned thing won't unlatch now. It will release, but the lid won't seperate from the bottom. I have to put my fingernail in there and lift the screen manually, instead of it popping up a half-inch or so, enough for me to get a finger between the lid and the palmrests, and lift the lid.