Apple MacBook Failure Rate ???

[tpenfield]

There are 3 Apple MacBook Pro computers in my household (me & 2 college kids)

2 of the 3 computers has needed a repair over the last year - none of the computers are more than 2 years old. 1 of the 2 that failed is going inot the "Genius Bar" tonight for yet another probable repair. Of course, the one that I use has been fine, it is just the kid's computers that seem to break. Thankfully, this has been all under warranty and the service aspects have been very good. Those extented warranties are coming in handy.

I am just wondering what the experience of other forum members has been? . . . or is it just a college kid thing to break your laptop

 

[erwinner]

Re: Apple MacBook Failure Rate ???

What are the exact problems? I'm on a MacBook Pro I got about a year ago and it has given me 0 problems. My old PowerBook G4 had the internal CD burner die after 4 years and the battery went after about 6. It's obsolete so I gave it away to a friend but it still works. My brother's MacBook Pro died, but getting a lightning hit to the electrical system it was plugged into was hardly anyone's fault.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Apple MacBook Failure Rate ???

What kind of repairs?

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Apple MacBook Failure Rate ???

Hard drive and battery in one of them and the DVD drive and now a cooling fan (?) in the other one.

 

[southkogs]

Re: Apple MacBook Failure Rate ???

My last MacBook Pro (about 5 years old) fried a battery after about 3 years. They run REALLY hot, and you have to make sure they stay cool. If you're running the system hard (gaming, video, etc.) you have to pay close attention to it (I do 3D graphics, so I run one really hard). My current book is about 2 years old (unibody), and does not have any of those problems.

I've got about 7 Macs in my fleet, and one at home ... have never had to send any them in for service in over 6 years.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Apple MacBook Failure Rate ???

The wife's 3 1/2 year old MBP - totally abused and not maintained, no problems.

 

[mscher]

Re: Apple MacBook Failure Rate ???

"Of course, the one that I use has been fine, it is just the kid's computers that seem to break".

I'm not a detective, but this sentence really says a lot more, that it is given credit for.

I don't know if I'd blame Apple ,or not.

I have kids.

They seem to think computers, cell phones, ipods, etc, are made of pig-iron/elastic and therefore can be dropped, smashed in anger, run through the washing machine and have the power cords stretched, to twice their original length.

Repair parts are cheap(er) off eBay.

 

[canoemang]

Re: Apple MacBook Failure Rate ???

Anything mass produced is going to have lemons.. I don't care if it is a Dell or a Mac it is %99 the same hardware out of China,Japan or Korea.. take your pick.

It may very well be you have a couple of lemons.. Ive had bad parts shipped from the manufacturer before and parts go bad within 2 weeks after install..

Or as stated above.. kids are hard on stuff..

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Apple MacBook Failure Rate ???

Yup, fan needs to be replaced, just left the Apple store. That's 2 repairs on each MacBook total cost = $0.00, thanks to the Apple Care plans

The kids must be 'gifted' when it comes to using computers.

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Apple MacBook Failure Rate ???

Gifted or Cursed, Take your pick!

 

[southkogs]

Re: Apple MacBook Failure Rate ???

Yup, fan needs to be replaced, just left the Apple store. That's 2 repairs on each MacBook total cost = $0.00, thanks to the Apple Care plans

The kids must be 'gifted' when it comes to using computers.

More likely running the video system a lot harder than you are That was one thing Apple had in the negative column for a little bit ... those processors could get HOT!!

I had left the Mac environment for about 10 years and worked on Windoze. I got used to XP, and was really fine doing image heavy design work in a Windows environment (mostly Dell, IBM and Gateway boxes). Coming back to Mac about 6 years ago though, I've come to a new appreciation for how robust the product is. They're proud of 'em (translation: they ain't cheap), but it's really hard to break 'em.

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Apple MacBook Failure Rate ???

Quick Update on the Apple Macbooks . . .

I just got the battery replaced on the second Macbook pro. So, each of my kid's computers have been back to the "Genius Bar" for repairs twice (make that three times), and at no cost. Got to love those extended warranties.

The first Macbook is already out of warranty, and the second one will be expiring soon. I just hope nothing else happens.

 

[salty87]

Re: Apple MacBook Failure Rate ???

going on 3 yrs with mine. battery has been replaced recently and some sort of logic board...both under warranty. wife has almost 4 years on hers adn no problems. hers has been dropped a few times, too. it has a few dents but works just fine.

search for fan control app to help your fan. mine runs considerably cooler now.

 

[Splat]

Re: Apple MacBook Failure Rate ???

I tend to run my laptops hard. Lots of video and picture editing, 3d modeling, very processor intensive stuff. I've found laptops aren't necessarily designed to be ran like that day in and day out.

A $25 cooling mat has proved to be invaluable, especially if they are actually used on your lap, set on a bed, or used anywhere that provides less than optimal airflow for cooling.

Bill

 

[roscoe]

Re: Apple MacBook Failure Rate ???

A decent cooling pad is needed for them for sure.

There was a bad vid logic board , Nvidia ?? something, that was being replaced, even out of warranty. Ex-wife had it replaced.

Now if she would just get HER logic board replaced.

 

[rogerwa]

Re: Apple MacBook Failure Rate ???

Unfortunately for my daughter the warranty doesn't cover repairs for spilling bleach into the keyboard (while doing laundry). I bought a new keyboard and replaced it, and let me tell you, these things were not meant to be serviced. I replaced just the keyboard, which apple won't do. They will only replace the upper case, which has the keyboard it in (that part cost $400), so I went with the keyboard off of eBay for $45. The water indicator was tripped o the keyboard, but replacment didn't work.

I couldn't find definitive traces on the mobo, but there is not much left in there. The best price I could find was $700 for a replacement mobo. For a laptop she bought for $950, dumping $700 into it was not a good bet. She was not real pleased, but that is what you get when you dump stuff into it.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Apple MacBook Failure Rate ???

Hard drive failures go with the territory with any computer. Apple doesn't make the hard drives so the failure rate will be no different than any other type of laptop.

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: Apple MacBook Failure Rate ???

Snapple on a keyboard dosnt work very well to :facepalm: