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MacBook Air M1 screen crack for no apparent reason

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Re: MacBook Air M1 screen crack for no apparent reason

#281

Post by londons_explore »

Maursault wrote: post #275
peppertree wrote: post #16

Impact at the edge of screen created microscopic crack. Thermal change caused the crack to spread. It happens all the time with vehicle windshields.

It is possible many or most of the reported screen cracks are due entirely to thermal changes. The M1 MacBook displays are made of glass . Glass is a poor thermal conductor and rapid changes in temperature will create stress fractures in the glass that will eventually crack. When heated, thin glass begins to crack. Let's say, for argument's sake, the OP has their desk in front of a window. At night, temperatures go d…

But it's also possible to design glass which is pretty much immune to thermal stress cracking....

Perhaps Apple should have done so, knowing their users might expose their laptops to sunlight...

Re: MacBook Air M1 screen crack for no apparent reason

#282

Post by settrans »

haunter wrote: post #157
thomas-st wrote: post #61

My 14" M1 MacBook Pro screen repair cost was $809. Supervisor refused the waive the fee. The screen cracked for no apparent reason and then completely stopped working. Some firm already filed a class action complaint, and I submitted my details: https://classlawdc.com/2021/08/04/m1-macbook-screen-crack-in...

And that’s why most people buy $500 laptops. Even if the screen broke you can probably buy a 3rd party one from Aliexpress for $100. But $800 for a replacement one? I’d rather sell the MBP for parts on eBay and buy a new one if must then pay that much. Like you would get more for that with a broken screen for sure, some people would fix it on their own or use it as a desktop computer. But I don’t have a SV engineer s…

Even $500 is rich, now, for a laptop. iPads and Chromebooks can be had for half that, and could run circles around the laptops of yesteryear. Hell, MT8183-powered Chromebooks cost $170 and still come with FHD touchscreens, 12-18 hours of battery life and have acceptable build quality.

Re: MacBook Air M1 screen crack for no apparent reason

#283

Post by Tiktaalik »

legitster wrote: post #200

I still don't understand the appeal of aluminum/glass construction. I couldn't think of a worse set of materials to make a laptop out of. For comparison, nearly every other ultrabook manufacturer has moved onto magnesium or carbon fiber for chassis construction. Both materials are much physically stronger, lighter, and (most importantly, imho) offer more intrinsic shock protection. I know people enjoy the "luxury" lo…

Carbon fibre chips and shatters. Metal bends.

I really don't see how carbon fibre would be in any way better than what Apple uses right now.

Re: MacBook Air M1 screen crack for no apparent reason

#284

Post by nibbleshifter »

JustSomeNobody wrote: post #253
z9znz wrote: post #179

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> And that’s why most people buy $500 laptops. Most people is a sketchy expression, but I would venture a guess that "most people" buy cheap laptops because they don't really care, they don't know how to adequately judge which ones are worth more, and they also just don't want to spend much on a computer. It's hard to imagine, but "most people" actually care little about computers.

I needed a new laptop last year. I decided to care less about my computer and so I chose not to get another Mac. Got a small Lenovo instead. Runs great with Linux. Does exactly everything I need it to do.

I've been instructing (extended) family members asking about laptops to just get an ex-biz lenovo (x220, x230, etc) and let me configure Linux/do upgrades on it for the last 8-9 years.

It serves all their use cases, and most of them are still working fine with no real repair need.

The apple branch of the family though (my in-laws) have been having hardware failures almost consistently during that time.

Re: MacBook Air M1 screen crack for no apparent reason

#285

Post by legitster »

tverbeure wrote: post #263
legitster wrote: post #222

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> And that’s why most people buy $500 laptops. It's also worth pointing out that the $500 laptop will probably last a lot longer than the most expensive Macbook. All plastic, they use a lot of older/reliable technology, they don't get used as rough - the most common failure mode is they get too old/slow for the user.

I’m anecdotally writing this on a 2012 15” rMacBook Pro that aside from some battery replacements just doesn’t want to die… It blows all the “premium” work laptops out of the water.

> It blows all the “premium” work laptops out of the water.

I disagree. I loved my Thinkpad T450s so much I bought an identical used machine when I quit the job. Since then it's been stepped on, dropped onto concrete multiple times, had beer and wine spilled on the keyboard.

It cost me $250 + $100 for a battery replacement + $34 for a new keyboard (when the wine spilled on it, it still worked but the keys were sticky) + $150 to upgrade the RAM.

It's currently running Visual Studio Code, Photoshop, and prepping to run a pub trivia event later.

But this is all a digression - my larger point is that a $500 laptop bought today is going to have a lot more longevity than people will give it credit for.

Re: MacBook Air M1 screen crack for no apparent reason

#286

Post by jabbany »

2muchcoffeeman wrote: post #238
jabbany wrote: post #123

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Actually it really isn't. The more expensive something is the higher the ongoing costs to maintain it. It's the same case with cars where more expensive ones are also more costly to maintain and fix. When people buy a more luxury item, it's because there is something about the item that they value where no cheaper equivalent exists. MacBooks certainly have several such features: quality of display, ecosystem integrat…

There’s lots of things that are more expensive and last longer with no maintenance. There was an entire thread yesterday about how stuff doesn’t last as long and sometimes if you can afford it, you should pay 7x for a Vitamix or KitchenAid. I’m not sure this compares to luxury cars, since MacBooks more than ever are more like appliances. So it’s arguable that paying more should get you a more durable product. I mean…

Not saying more expensive things don't last longer, just that usually it is not proportional to the price difference (and that's fine).

If you really want to compare, if I got a similar spec-ed MacBook to what I need, I'd have to spend easily $4k+. That means I can outright write off my current cheapish laptop 10+ times over the entire lifetime of an equivalent Macbook and I'd still be in the green.

Premium products are premium because you need them to do something that no other device can. Durability _could_ be a premium selling point for some stuff (tools for example), but for electronics and cars it almost never is. OTOH, I'd happily concede if someone wants to spend $3k+ just to get the better monitor or better battery life on the Macbook.

Re: MacBook Air M1 screen crack for no apparent reason

#287

Post by AussieWog93 »

Kaze404 wrote: post #255
r3012 wrote: post #243

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The bullshit thing in my mind is that Apple took away the ability for store staff to make discretionary calls to bypass stuff like this and do what’s right for the customer. It could be that, or retail workers are sick of us and aren't making calls in our direction anymore. https://www.businessinsider.com/retail-workers-leaving-quit-...

Who is "us" here? Abusive customers? I can't fathom someone coming into a store being nice as expected and a retail over fucking them over just because.

It absolutely happens, especially with lower class (as in "white trash" class, not working class) customers.

Workers fuck with them just because they can.

Re: MacBook Air M1 screen crack for no apparent reason

#288

Post by vorpalhex »

Maursault wrote: post #275
peppertree wrote: post #16

Impact at the edge of screen created microscopic crack. Thermal change caused the crack to spread. It happens all the time with vehicle windshields.

It is possible many or most of the reported screen cracks are due entirely to thermal changes. The M1 MacBook displays are made of glass . Glass is a poor thermal conductor and rapid changes in temperature will create stress fractures in the glass that will eventually crack. When heated, thin glass begins to crack. Let's say, for argument's sake, the OP has their desk in front of a window. At night, temperatures go d…

> Taking a device in thermal equilibrium of an air conditioned environment outside into a hot car will crack the glass with no impact event.

The $1000+ device should be able to handle going outside

Re: MacBook Air M1 screen crack for no apparent reason

#290

Post by 95014_refugee »

legitster wrote: post #200

I still don't understand the appeal of aluminum/glass construction. I couldn't think of a worse set of materials to make a laptop out of. For comparison, nearly every other ultrabook manufacturer has moved onto magnesium or carbon fiber for chassis construction. Both materials are much physically stronger, lighter, and (most importantly, imho) offer more intrinsic shock protection. I know people enjoy the "luxury" lo…

Aluminium is recyclable.

Carbon fibre is a recycling disaster. Magnesium alloys somewhat less so, but there is very little demand for them.

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