The case of the cracking MacBooks
Posted by Lab Rat
There are numerous reports popping up on threads across the Apple support forums (see 1, 2) and Mac Forums in general ( see 1, 2 ) detailing what appears to be a potential flaw in the latest MacBook’s design. Posts dating as far back as August of 2006 have grown into lengthy threads consisting of folks whose MacBook cases have begun to mysteriously crack in the exact same spot.
It appears the flaw is an equal opportunity offender, as both black and white MacBooks seem to be affected. The predominant theory seems to be that the plastic nubs meant to protect the screen when closing the MacBook are actually applying a little too much pressure to the lower right edge of the casing, causing a section of the edge to break off.
Now of course, everyone suffering from these problems is claiming that they treat their MacBook like GOLD, and have never, EVER applied too much pressure when closing their screen or (heaven forbid) dropped their laptop, and are completely baffled by the cracks. Their plight seems to gain a bit of credibility when you begin to see the sheer number of people who have posted similar shots of their cracked MacBooks. Engadget points out there is even now a Flickr group devoted to sharing photos and horror stories of Giselle Bundchen-esque MacBooks turning into horribly disfigured Eleanor Roosevelt-esque MacBooks. The problem has even gone global, with French users also reporting trouble.
May 2nd, 2007 at 10:56 am
This is exactly what happened to mine back in January. I had bought it in August and it first developed a hairline crack from the keyboard to the left edge, then this. I was typing away and felt something scratch my wrist - the plastic had splintered as above.
Then the hard drive failed.
Took it to the Apple store in Kingston-on-Thames and they said they’d never seen one like that before. Left it with them for a few days, got it back with a new keyboard layer (built into the lid of the bottom half) and a new HD.
May 2nd, 2007 at 12:59 pm
Hey,
It is from closing your lid to hard, retard.
Ease up on it a bit, A macbook is like sweet, sweet women,
May 2nd, 2007 at 1:46 pm
Your sarcasm in your article baffles me. Given the number of reported incidents and the uniformity of the problem area, it stands to reason that the problem is design-related vs. user-inflicted. Were this problem isolated to a few users and were you reporting ahead of the problem, then you might have a point. But given that the problem has been multiplying for nearly a year now, I recommend that you give the smugness a rest. Apple is not perfect, and there are many, many, many documented cases of poor design and manufacturing to support the notion that people who identify these defects deserve a fair hearing before sites such as yours heave on the sarcasm.
May 2nd, 2007 at 2:02 pm
S.R.,
There is sarcasm in almost everything we write here at Macenstein, that’s our thing, so I understand you taking this article the wrong way, but I actually didn’t think I was being sarcastic. I legitimately think there IS a problem.
When I wrote “Their plight seems to gain a bit of credibility when you begin to see the sheer number of people who have posted similar shots of their cracked MacBooks. …there is even now a Flickr group devoted to sharing photos and horror stories … The problem has even gone global, with French users also reporting trouble.”
I meant that there is obviously a problem, and it is not isolated.
My saying “everyone suffering from these problems is claiming that they treat their MacBook like GOLD, and have never, EVER applied too much pressure when closing their screen or (heaven forbid) dropped their laptop, ” is a LITTLE sarcastic, as anyone who has had a MacBook for more than a week (let alone a year) has likely bumped it into a thing or two or closed the lid a little too hard, but I am not saying they did anything wrong. The laptop should be built to withstand normal daily use.
Sorry to have confused you.
-LR
May 2nd, 2007 at 2:03 pm
I’ve been having the same problem with my MacBook. And to comment on David’s smartass comment…she maybe a sweet, sweet woman, but even a woman has to be able to put up with the daily wear and tear of life…
May 2nd, 2007 at 2:42 pm
The same exact thing happened to mine, I couldn’t remember doing anything that would have cracked it, but I assumed either me or my roommate had applied too much pressure there at some point. I guess not.
May 2nd, 2007 at 5:40 pm
My sister’s had the same problem. She sent into AppleCare and got it fixed, so no big deal.
It’s an unfortunate design flaw to a good idea. The magnet is just a little too strong and causes a hairline fracture in the plastic, even when you’re careful about closing the lid.
The problem could probably be resolved if Apple rubberized the nubs.
May 2nd, 2007 at 7:30 pm
IT LOOKS LIKE THE WORK OF PHOTOSHOP TO ME. APPLE CAN DO NO WRONG.
May 2nd, 2007 at 7:55 pm
I always eat and drink while computing so when mine was new, I picked up a rubber keyboard protector on ebay. I hate crumbs in keys! The one I found was black and actually wraps over the entire palmwrest. It might protect me from this too because it actually rubberizes the nibs too. I love it, and it was cheap. (and no, I’m not the seller). The black color looked good on the keys too. YMMV.
May 2nd, 2007 at 8:44 pm
I don’t think it’s from the lid at all. I don’t think the case can handle the weight of your wrists while typing. I’d call it poor design (yes, my macbook has cracked, too).
May 2nd, 2007 at 10:26 pm
Yes it is definitely and obviously from the pegs on the lid, even on non-cracked top case, if the lid is closed too hard and/or to much pressure is applied to the lid while closed the pegs will leave marks on the top case. This is casued by the user, whether they close it to hard or put it in a bag with books or other such things that apply too much pressure to the lid while closed. Sure apple could design the bottom case with a front lip that is deeper into the machine to prevent this, but this is not happening on a large percentage of macbooks by any stretch of the imagination.
May 3rd, 2007 at 10:56 am
I would say the macbooks are quite tough, I sent mine flying off a 5 foot high box, whilst switched on, it hit the desk, and has been fine ever since. That was 6 months ago.
May 3rd, 2007 at 3:48 pm
My MacBook has never been dropped, and I close it quite gently. Even so it has developed a crack across one hinge on the back side. Otherwise it has performed well. I hope the plastic is tough enough to last a few years. Maybe Apple need to reconcider their choise of suppliers og plastics? The iPod also has a few issues here (screen getting scratched).
May 3rd, 2007 at 5:52 pm
this is exactly what has happened to my macbook. In the same spot. It looks like I dropped it, even though that has never happened.
May 6th, 2007 at 3:16 am
I work at an education higher ed Apple reseller and have probably seen 3 of these MacBooks in the last six months, and each machine had absolutely no other sign of physical wear and tear. I strongly suspect a design flaw.
May 6th, 2007 at 10:35 am
this is a defect, my blackbook sits on my desk, travels very lightly and it just did this and i use a wireless keyboard.
i think these things just get too hot for plastic
May 6th, 2007 at 11:39 am
Dangit…. this just happened to my blackbook and i got on the web to see what was going on. This is a design flaw….and i’m not one of those picky macbook wierdos who act like they want to marry it. Anyways i dont abuse it, it rarely leaves my desk …and used with wireless keyboard mouse.
i think its the heat and the plastic….and also not enough support at the palm rest. I’ve used my macbook keyboard itself maybe 20 times or so.
this isn’t closing lid hard haha crazy….ohhhh caress the macbook hahah please. my lid has been opened and closed maybe 20 times max.
May 30th, 2007 at 9:08 pm
This just happened to my white Macbook. I simply pulled my hand away from the keyboard - no watch, jewelry or anything - and I felt something snag against my palm - and there it was, a split virtually identical to the first one pictured above. I have always very consciously “fought the magnet” to close the lid gently; I’ve never permitted pressure on the lid, and I’ve always had to keep my wrists off the edge of the machine simply because the sharp edge annoyed me. The split did not surprise me though, because when I bought the unit 4 months ago my reaction was, “damn, this shell feels cheap and laminated, like it might peel away given any excuse.”
Sad to see I was right, but I thank people for describing their issues.
Does Apple bother to test their hardware??
I’m inclined to think it’s the heat combined with the (stupidly non-padded) knubs on the lid and the fact that the thing inevitably closes with much more force than an ordinary latching design. Innovative designs like the magnet closure are fine and well — but when they fail, to assume it’s the users fault is foolish.
June 25th, 2007 at 10:38 am
Sorry bozos, but this has nothing to do with the lid. The wrist rests are poorly supported and flex. I can hear mine flex when I place my wrist on it. When you lean your wrists on them, the vertical fexing of the plastic loads the edges and eventually cracks the plastic.
Now, I’m sure I will get flamed by all of you who believe it’s the magnet. Get over it - you are not engineers and have no clue about the reason for the failure.
Alas, you will still press your opinions no matter how wrong they are,
June 25th, 2007 at 3:10 pm
RW is completely wrong. It’s aliens. Minute aliens who have infilterated your MacBooks and set them up to take over the world. RW is an engineer; he knows nothing about covert extraterretrial operations.
Just look at the pictures. You can tell they are all fabricated. Just like Capricorn One. You can see the wires. It’s all fake. Doctored photographs to misdirect you from the Lilliputian aliens hell-bent on dominating the world.
November 12th, 2007 at 2:53 pm
I have a Macbook also, for over a year. I just noticed this little crack today on its left side of the keyboard. I did my research to see if other people were having the same problem and I found this site. I knew it was not only me with this problem. I think the magnet is too strong, If I could take the magnets off, I would. I think I would have to put tape or avoid closing it too often.
December 4th, 2007 at 6:57 pm
Yes, I’ve had this problem too. What I haven’t been able to find are the dangers of not correcting this problem. What can happen if I don’t get the case replaced (it’s out of warranty. I don’t have the cash to fix it).
December 17th, 2007 at 4:23 am
The same phenomena on my white MacBook…
I’ts a problem with design and materials
January 21st, 2008 at 9:35 am
I’ve had this happen to TWO MacBooks (white and now black). Both times it has happened while typing/mousing and using the right wristrest as intended. I have been guilty of packing it with heavy books, but inside its own padded compartment.
July 5th, 2008 at 7:58 pm
I treat my macbook so nice that I never ever ever ever abuse it,in any way and today I felt a sharp scratch in my wrist looked at my macbook and there it was……the plastic is coming off.
I am so mad with Apple…….it is disgraceful…..
I am really upset about it ……my macbook is only 7 months old.
July 23rd, 2008 at 1:29 am
Got it in December - I’m a photojournalist/writer and spend at least a couple hours on it each day.
Today I noticed the same problem in the exact same spot - same length, distance and size.
I don’t have AppleCare though..so I’m not sure what I’m going to do.