I sat in great anticipation for the new 2018 MacBook Pro (MBP) and when it finally arrived I was super stoked. However, not all was a cool as I had thought, and here are my reasons for returning a new 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro. Don’t get me wrong, I was super excited for the 6-core, 8th generation CPU, the new True Tone screen, and the updated keyboard.
The first reason
I needed to send this one back was that it most likely defected and the keyboard lights didn’t come on as they were supposed to. I had this same problem with a mid-2015 MBP after a couple of years, but that wasn’t a big deal 3 years into ownership. That was something I could live with. However, to come straight out of the box with my keyboard settings at max light and not one glimmer of light wasn’t cutting it. That was very frustrating.
The second reason
was the fact that the left-hand side speaker grill wasn’t finished correctly and it was very rough. The right-hand side speaker grill was done correctly and had a nice smooth finish to it. Apple was always very detailed oriented and I’m not sure if this one just slipped through the cracks or wasn’t properly aligned when going through the finishing, process, but this certainly didn’t seem like it was supposed to be uneven like this. Perhaps, Apple is losing their desire to be the best detailed and finished product on the market. Quality control should have noticed this inconsistency especially when shelling out over $3,000.
Number three
the lack of an SD card reader is really a bummer. You end up having to carry around an adapter and if you forget it and need it, it’s always a headache. I think most people were hoping that in 2018 they would bring back the SD card reader after all of the criticism they got on the 2016 and 2017 models but seems like Apple is set in their ways on this one.
The fourth reason
I had to send it back was that it had a crackling in the speaker. I’m not sure if it was an intermittent problem or if it was defected, but even with the latest software update, it was doing it occasionally. Perhaps it was a faulty T2 hardware chip and this problem won’t go away, but I’m willing to take that chance. Again, for this price, I’m not feeling audio problems as being acceptable.
Five
There was a questionable long-term issue on the 3rd generation butterfly keyboard. They have updated it and have added a membrane to protect the keyboard from dust, however, we still have the guinea pig tester 3rd generation keyboard. We should know within 6 months if this keyboard is reliable as people begin reviewing this device more.
There weren’t any kernel panics and it is a beautiful laptop that is thin and powerful, but it seems that the quality control has taken a vacation. If Apple decides to step up their QC program to what it once was, this would be a solid purchase. The screen is bright and accurate, the trackpad performs like a boss, and it’s the gold standard among laptops.
If you’re convinced to buy the 2018 15″ MacBook Pro, do so via a credit card that offers a free additional year of warranty or, for sure, buy Apple Care. Luckily, I bought Applecare and am waiting for a replacement device. I hope this was just one of the few laptops out of millions made that is just simply defected. Apple is still the main contender in my mind and I don’t see how they could allow this level of quality as their base level.
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