Macbook Pro (2016)
Discussion
silentbrown said:
What happened with the XPS - hardware issues, or you just didn't warm to it?
Power failure (internally) after a few weeks and then a further fault 5mths later (can't recall exactly what it was as by that point I didn't care and a refund had been agreed. Logic/motherboard I think). I actually liked the machine. Windows was fine and the form factor very good. But that sort of reliability wasn't acceptable. Nor Dell's response (nor John Lewis').
However.... Here's the latest amusing update. My MBP failed on Sunday! Working one moment. Went to use it later on and would not come out of sleep/power up!!
I have barely had any issues with computers failing in the last 20yrs and now 3 fails in less than 7mths.
Apple store chap was chirpy enough but having to be without such an expensive machine for a week is not cool. 2 strikes as a result.
I should quit posting about reliability on here
If the MBP fails again, Lenovo will be getting my money.
The MBP felt better built than the Dell, but the USBc ports feel cheap IMO. And as noted above I still dislike the keyboard.
Apple don't seem to build kit like they used to. Poor show.
Murph7355 said:
silentbrown said:
What happened with the XPS - hardware issues, or you just didn't warm to it?
Power failure (internally) after a few weeks and then a further fault 5mths later (can't recall exactly what it was as by that point I didn't care and a refund had been agreed. Logic/motherboard I think). Timely, as the XPS arrived today an I've spent a couple of hours updating driver, Windows, BIOS, drivers again, etc. Hopefully that will fix the Blue Screen of Death which appeared twice in the first 20 minutes and is allegedly a graphics driver issue! Now need to buy a dongle (just the one!) to connect my displayport monitor via USB-C.
That aside, build quality is pretty impressive. It doesn't feel completely milled from solid like an MBP but it's not far off. Hefty and tactile.
Good luck getting your MBP fixed. My first one died terminally 31 days after purchase - Apple wanted me to send it for repair ("shouldn't take longer than a week or two") or do a five-hour round trip to the nearest Apple Store.
Luckily I'd bought it from Amazon, and they were amazing. Despite being > 30 days, they immediately sent a next-day replacement out, no questions asked, just saying that I should return the dead one within 28 days to avoid being charged twice.
Good luck with it.
If you get a good one, the XPS should prove a nice machine. I had the touch screen version which was handy and a lovely screen. The 13"ers keys were a little small, and the trackpad and other items took a bit of tweaking. But I liked it.
I've had great past service with Macs hence going back despite a massive price difference. Maybe the feel of the keyboard isn't the only compromise.
If the X1 Carbon had a better screen I'd have probably gone that way.
Fingers crossed.
If you get a good one, the XPS should prove a nice machine. I had the touch screen version which was handy and a lovely screen. The 13"ers keys were a little small, and the trackpad and other items took a bit of tweaking. But I liked it.
I've had great past service with Macs hence going back despite a massive price difference. Maybe the feel of the keyboard isn't the only compromise.
If the X1 Carbon had a better screen I'd have probably gone that way.
Fingers crossed.
Henners said:
Saw something interesting:
For those of you looking to get student discount, try registering for a £4 course like this then use it to get a NUS extra card.
Total cost of the above is sub £20
When they have their periodic apple offers on, you can save £100-200
Henners, you are a Prince amongst men - I was about to purchase a MacBook Pro this afternoon when I chanced on your post. I registered for the course then the NUS let me order a card straight away online with no course details, needing only the name of the educational establishment - I now have an NUS extra card and used it online to order my MacBook - 10% discount plus a pair of Beats 3 wireless headphones as a freebie! For those of you looking to get student discount, try registering for a £4 course like this then use it to get a NUS extra card.
Total cost of the above is sub £20
When they have their periodic apple offers on, you can save £100-200
Many thanks pal. Great information.
Well, there's been a serious development with my 2014 13" MacBook Pro.
While I was making coffee yesterday afternoon I heard a strange noise and it was my laptop which was lying idle on the countertop, the fan started going crazy even though the laptop wasn't being used so I rapidly shut it down which took a lot longer push of the "start" button than normal. After shutdown I started it OK and thought no more about it but when I came to back it up later on I lifted the lid and the screen was completely unreadable and going mad. I shut it down and started it again but there was no difference so either the screen is kaput or the GPU on the motherboard has gone. This is the second screen, the last one was replaced last year due to the original one delaminating. I checked my documentation and luckily my 3 year Apple care expires at the end of this month so it's covered. I took it into the Apple Store this morning, they checked and said it was indeed covered until the end of this month, whew!! They did say that either way it's a very expensive repair and if it hadn't been covered they reckon it wouldn't be worth repairing!!! They'll let me know on Tuesday what the problem is and how long it will be (it was 10 days last time the screen was replaced). I wanted to extend the Apple Care but it's not possible beyond 3 years so if it goes wrong again I'm staring down the barrel of £2k for a new equivalent model which is a bummer if these things are only built to last 3/4 years.
While I was making coffee yesterday afternoon I heard a strange noise and it was my laptop which was lying idle on the countertop, the fan started going crazy even though the laptop wasn't being used so I rapidly shut it down which took a lot longer push of the "start" button than normal. After shutdown I started it OK and thought no more about it but when I came to back it up later on I lifted the lid and the screen was completely unreadable and going mad. I shut it down and started it again but there was no difference so either the screen is kaput or the GPU on the motherboard has gone. This is the second screen, the last one was replaced last year due to the original one delaminating. I checked my documentation and luckily my 3 year Apple care expires at the end of this month so it's covered. I took it into the Apple Store this morning, they checked and said it was indeed covered until the end of this month, whew!! They did say that either way it's a very expensive repair and if it hadn't been covered they reckon it wouldn't be worth repairing!!! They'll let me know on Tuesday what the problem is and how long it will be (it was 10 days last time the screen was replaced). I wanted to extend the Apple Care but it's not possible beyond 3 years so if it goes wrong again I'm staring down the barrel of £2k for a new equivalent model which is a bummer if these things are only built to last 3/4 years.
ZesPak said:
Ok, we're talking in circles here.
I just said you can get a lenovo but if you don't get onsite warranty you'll be in the same boat.
Very odd that Apple doesn't offer it though?
It would be one of the attractions of a Lenovo X1 Carbon.I just said you can get a lenovo but if you don't get onsite warranty you'll be in the same boat.
Very odd that Apple doesn't offer it though?
Apple's arrangements are a little painful. In theory, the whole "Genius" system is great. But getting appointments can be problematic.
They dealt with it pretty quickly and were communicative etc. and they fixed it in the shop I took it to. But the parts needed to be ordered in. For a brand new line that seemed to delay the fix by a few days.
Murph7355 said:
It would be one of the attractions of a Lenovo X1 Carbon.
Indeed 3 years next day onsite warranty is a real advantage included in the priceThe other is that you can afford to buy a decent backup machine and still save money
and we have taken that further down the scale with an Asus UX305 and an XT205 - both nice and no issues 18 months in
Anything to get away from the "it just works" myth
silentbrown said:
If you're nearly 2 hours drive each way drive from the nearest one it's far from great.
I'm only an hour from one, and also travel into London regularly and it's still a ball ache. Demand obviously outstripping supply (and if my anecdotal views on their build quality deterioration are sound that's not that surprising).dmsims said:
...
The other is that you can afford to buy a decent backup machine and still save money...
To be fair an "as equivalently spec'd as possible" X1 Carbon is only a few hundred quid less than a Macbook Pro, but with a worse screen.The other is that you can afford to buy a decent backup machine and still save money...
I've been a Mac user for about 17yrs and never had any major issues (with the exception of duff capacitors in an iMac and power supplies fraying on all their laptops). But the latest crop don't feel as well put together.
I also don't like the USB-C connector. It doesn't feel "finished" on the side of the machine and the connectors don't seem to seat especially well.
Anyway, fingers crossed this one lasts. Edited to add that I'm considering extending the warranty for the first time too. It never felt necessary before.
Murph7355 said:
To be fair an "as equivalently spec'd as possible" X1 Carbon is only a few hundred quid less than a Macbook Pro, but with a worse screen.
and 3 years NBD onsite warranty for the Mac is how much ? X1 screen - 14" 2560x1440
Edited by dmsims on Monday 21st August 11:08
Edited by dmsims on Monday 21st August 11:12
Looks like I'm in for a battle with this one, this morning I got an email from the Apple Store (actually their local agent but exclusively Apple) with an invoice for €495 for a new screen. I've called Apple Care in the UK where it was taken out and given them a copy of the repair note and demand, they agree that it should be covered as there was no physical or visual damage and it's in A1 condition apart from the non-functioning screen so they are going to call the agent to find out what's going on. The top part of the repair note gives the correct date for the Apple Care but lower down in red it says "Hors Garantee".
Apple Care say they will call me back this afternoon after they have spoken to the agent, it's all the more difficult as my French is not all that good and I got bounced around Apple to get someone who speaks a bit of English.
Update: The agent just called me and said that I had broken the screen by maybe shutting a pen in the laptop when I closed it, so not covered!! That's complete bo**locks as that never happened, I told him that I was very, very annoyed as there was no physical damage to the screen, all I had done was put a light pressure on the edge of the top and bottom of the screen "after" it had gone wrong, he's going to speak to Apple Care to see what they say but it looks as though I might lose this one.
Apple Care say they will call me back this afternoon after they have spoken to the agent, it's all the more difficult as my French is not all that good and I got bounced around Apple to get someone who speaks a bit of English.
Update: The agent just called me and said that I had broken the screen by maybe shutting a pen in the laptop when I closed it, so not covered!! That's complete bo**locks as that never happened, I told him that I was very, very annoyed as there was no physical damage to the screen, all I had done was put a light pressure on the edge of the top and bottom of the screen "after" it had gone wrong, he's going to speak to Apple Care to see what they say but it looks as though I might lose this one.
Gassing Station | Computers, Gadgets & Stuff | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff