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The new MacBook Pros with T2 chips do indeed kernel panic randomly

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Re: The new MacBook Pros with T2 chips do indeed kernel panic randomly

#151
post #101

Why is the T2 panic any worse than a normal panic? It's a bug, they happen. And before someone says that they're only needed for the Touch Bar, a) they chose to buy the Touch Bar version, and b) T2 and future chips will handle much more.

The T2 DOES handle much more. Last year’s T1 only handled the touchbar and fingerprint sensor. The T2 is also the storage controller, disk encryption, and I think runs all the system management/thermal stuff. Why is this any different from any other kernel panic? It probably isn’t. But the design is more complicated than it was last year and lots of people already dislike the existence of the Touch Bar and everything…

Yes you're right.

Re: The new MacBook Pros with T2 chips do indeed kernel panic randomly

#152
post #120

IMO the 2015 Macbook Pro is one of the best laptops ever made. Don't know why they went and messed that up. I solidly regret the 2017 version. I've had one keyboard replacement already (that required the logic board to be replaced, seriously). Since then, I've already lost two keycaps. I've been ordering replacements online because they wanted me to ship it out for repair. My 2015 Macbook is being used daily by a fri…

I'm running a mid 2012 i7 MBP (bought at release) w/ 16GB & a 2TB SSD (recently upgraded from a 1TB SSD). I also have a keyboard overlay as a precaution, since I've had to replace keyboards on previous Macs due to spills or sloppy cleaning. My 2012 is decent, but 2013 - 1015 MBPs are the best.

I hate the idea of using a cover, but I probably should. Do you have a recommendation?

Re: The new MacBook Pros with T2 chips do indeed kernel panic randomly

#153
post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As much as I dislike the inability to repair or upgrade the new mbp 15", I have to agree. Mine works great.

Hasn't the inability to upgrade or repair the MBP been true for the last couple of generations of MBP as well though?

Previous generation was slightly more upgradeable. You could upgrade the SSD, though only 1 or 2 vendors sold products that worked, and you might have to jump through some firmware issues.

Re: The new MacBook Pros with T2 chips do indeed kernel panic randomly

#154

IMO the 2015 Macbook Pro is one of the best laptops ever made. Don't know why they went and messed that up. I solidly regret the 2017 version. I've had one keyboard replacement already (that required the logic board to be replaced, seriously). Since then, I've already lost two keycaps. I've been ordering replacements online because they wanted me to ship it out for repair. My 2015 Macbook is being used daily by a fri…

I bought my 2017 MBP last November and accumulated a whopping 7 loose keycaps that would come off with my fingers as I typed. It was so unusable that I had to use my 2013 Air to get work done. I returned to the States 2 weeks ago and took my MBP into an Apple store. The one nice thing I can say was that I was able to book an appointment online, drop my MBP off at the store, and 2 days later my repaired laptop arrived…

I don't see how that is a pleasant experience. Other manufacturers of laptops in that price range will give you 3 years on-site support where they will send out a technician to replace as much as possible in front of you so you can keep working. Often they will even be able to replace the logic board within half an hour.

Hell, my Thinkpad T420 had complete manufacturer created instructions on how to replace the display and keyboard so I could to it myself after the warranty runs out.

Re: The new MacBook Pros with T2 chips do indeed kernel panic randomly

#155

IMO the 2015 Macbook Pro is one of the best laptops ever made. Don't know why they went and messed that up. I solidly regret the 2017 version. I've had one keyboard replacement already (that required the logic board to be replaced, seriously). Since then, I've already lost two keycaps. I've been ordering replacements online because they wanted me to ship it out for repair. My 2015 Macbook is being used daily by a fri…

Completely agree. I have the 15inch 2015 MacBook Pro and a Surface Book 2. It took a bit trial but I now have a setup I like using WSL for development, and have brought all the MacOS keyboard shortcuts over with autohotkey. All Apple needed to do was have a single model without the touchbar and I would have purchased a newer model regardless of potential keyboard issues. Surface Book 2 is the most brilliant hardware I've ever used that actually makes my MacBook feel archaic in comparison. The keyboard in my opinion is the best I've ever used and being able to detatch the screen and write on screen and read books in portrait mode feels like some alien technology. Battery life is also a huge win.

I was very skeptical of Windows as a development environment so bought the 8GB version as mainly a secondary computer/screen and notepad when doing work in cafes alongside my Macbook. I'll probably end up selling it and getting a the 15inch 16gb version. My Surface has only recently dethroned my MacBook as my daily driver after spending time to set it up properly. Also once you get used to a touchscreen it feels unnatural to not have one.

Re: The new MacBook Pros with T2 chips do indeed kernel panic randomly

#156
post #122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm looking at the new Thinkpad P1 and it's everything I hoped the last Macbook Pro update would be. Way things are going I'll be very surprised if my next machine is a Macbook when my 2015 needs replacing.

Except for the off-center trackpad. Why is it so hard to find a PC laptop with a centered trackpad?

I hadn't ever noticed that, but it must be because of the trackpoint. The trackpoint is centered in between the home keys so you can reach it with your index fingers, mouse buttons below that for thumbs, and thus trackpad below buttons. The root issue is that the place you rest your hands on a qwerty keyboard is slightly left of center.

Edit: now I can't unsee that MBP has its trackpad right of home key center :)

Re: The new MacBook Pros with T2 chips do indeed kernel panic randomly

#158
post #2

Holding off buying a new MacBook Pro at the moment. It’s like issues pop up every other week and I simply cannot buy a machine that is not reliable. Also looking into a Lenovo Thinkpad w/ CentOS as an alternative, even though it would be difficult. It’s a pity.

Bit surprised I'm saying this, but consider a System76 machine. Their laptops are still badge-engineered Clevos, but reports indicate the build and component quality of recent Clevo laptops has gone up.

Re: The new MacBook Pros with T2 chips do indeed kernel panic randomly

#159
post #107

The comments the user typed into the Problem Report screen are not constructive. I think that comments field would be better used for entering any possibly relevant information the user might be able to provide. For example: what was the computer, or the user, doing before the point of the panic. I'm not saying the user has a strict duty to enter information... just that it's a good idea to add some valuable informat…

This was a constructive comment that didn't deserve to be downvoted.

I'm not totally fond of the current state of Apple's products, but I do agree that I'm seeing signs that they're gradually backing away from the abyss of awfulness. They've got a ways to go, and I'm sure they'll lose people along the way, but I'm hopeful that the next big laptop design they launch will show some lessons learned.

I've been following Apple since the early 90s, and, well.. they've recovered from worse problems than this so many times I've lost count — and yes, even before Jobs came back, and even after he died. Things will get better, new things will get worse.

It's a shame that people feel like venting by pounding on that downvote button, alas.

Re: The new MacBook Pros with T2 chips do indeed kernel panic randomly

#160
post #136

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I think the issue will be that either your Mac will be unsupported What precedent do you have for believing that to be true? The only time Apple has done that in the past is major platform changes (aka PowerPC and later 32bit CoreDuos). Unless Apple shifts to ARM (which is easily a couple years out at best) or Intel comes out with a 128bit processor (which isn’t even remotely on the roadmap), I’d say you are safe f…

My 2012 Mac Pro (cheese grater) can’t run Mojave since the GPU doesn’t support Metal. There are aftermarket GPUs available, but it’s becoming an ongoing chore to keep the machine running the latest macOS features (needed new wifi card to support handoff and watch unlock etc). New wifi, SSD, usb3 etc are relatively cheap. The new GPU is getting more expensive and is now actually blocking keeping up to date with major…

What wifi card is needed?
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