Apple MacBook Pro Quad Core (early 2011) i7: fast powerhorse with design flaws and hardware issues
While the new Apple MacBook Pro Machines are really fast desktop-like speed packed monsters, it seems like they also have severe hardware design faults as outlined by zdnet and ifixit. With a geekbench score over 10.000 the new MacBook Pro (early 2011)
- too much thermal paste seems to raise the CPU temperature
- fans running at 6000rpm+ constantly
- frequent kernel panics or freezes that are maybe related to the new GPU
- heating issues with the whole MBP early 2011 series
Come on Apple, wake up and fix those machine fast, as lots of us could benefit from a stable quad-core laptop solution (talking audio plugs and realtime audio performance).
We can recommend to tell apple to send the replacements before they pick up the faulty machines, so it is easier to transfer the data already on it. (apple care even suggested it this way)
[UPDATE] Gregg Keizer from Computerworld also writes about quality concerns regarding the new Apple Notebooks and there is also a discussion about actual "Overheating" going on in the Apple Forums. Well, I can confirm the issue exists and the current MacBook Pro Models freeze a lot. If it is a hardware, software or firmware issue remains unclear.
[UPDATE] There is a macrumors forum thread discussing that there were issues with the 2010 MBPs as well when they came out. Another thread at macrumors forum tries to sort out if it is a hardware or software issue.
Some people suspect it is related to internal graphics switching, but there really seems to be something going on since also reports on the apple discussion forums are increasing.
[UPDATE] as of 2011/03/14 macrumors suggest in their forum to "go 2010 or wait for ivy bridge". The early 2011 version of the MacBook Pro das 45W TDP vs. last generation's 35w. That's a big increase which automatically makes the whole series go louder and more hot than the 2010 model.
[UPDATE] 2011/03/21: Macrumors posted a story: "2011 MacBook Pros Crashing Under Load?"
[UPDATE] 2011/03/21: Mac OSX 10.6.7 Update was just announced by Apple. Unfortunately, on the two machines we have here, the update does not fix anything related to CPU temperature. Still there are frequent freezes as well.
[UPDATE] 2011/03/22: dailytech confirms that New MacBook Pros Freezing When Stressed, Update Adds More Problems
[UPDATE] 2011/03/28: we received our two replacement MacBook Pros. They don't seem to have any issues and also still did not freeze on us! Also the fans are not spinning like crazy anymore! For all people affected by any of the issues reported above: get your Notebooks replaced! Apple is aware of the issues and replaces faulty hardware (we had to wait for two weeks though).
[UPDATE] 2011/04/23: the current Systems freeze 2-3 times a day. Not all the issues seem to be solved! You should definitely get a late 2010 model, if you need a highly stable system!
[UPDATE] 2011/11/01: Apple replaced one of our 15-inch MBP MC721LL/A machine and the freezes are not appearing anymore. Reports from other users that bought an early 2011 model are positive, so currently the advice would be to get a refurbished Apple MacBook Pro MC721LL/A 15.4-Inch Laptop even before getting a MD318LL/A 15.4-Inch (late 2011) version, not only because of saving some bucks, but also since the Apple MacBook Pro early 2011 performs better in most of the situations compared to the late 2011 version.
Besides the heating issues, there are also reported "intermittent flickering, brief blackouts and other periodic but noticeable flaws" reported in the Apple Discussion Forums. We are getting replacement Machines - let's see if there is any improvement after the first round of shipping!
This post was written by nanofunk on March 12, 2011 and last edited on December 21, 2011
Post categories: apple, beta, gadgets, hardware, news, update
Permalink: http://nanofunk.net/apple-macbook-pro-quad-core-early-2011-i7-fast-powerhorse-design-flaws-and-hardware-issues/
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March 22nd, 2011 - 12:17
i am experiencing the same problem with a 2.2ghz 15 inch apple macbook pro. hope this gets sorted out fast. the 10.6.7 update did not solve my issues.
March 22nd, 2011 - 16:31
I returned my macbook because of the heating issue.
When I called Apple for this, they said its not a laptop, its a portable. It is not designed to keep on the lap. Did i just pay 2000$ for a laptop, but since Apple does not call it laptop, too bad?
I dont care if you change the terminology. It still is s fking laptop.
I am not going to pay 2000$ for a system which you tell me how to use. What else? Apple tells me I can only use my 2k machine 4 hours a day because its healthy and its not designed to run for more than 4 hrs a day.
March 22nd, 2011 - 22:57
@john
I hope you told them exactly this. Fucking incredible.
March 24th, 2011 - 10:37
Hi John, Can you recall who the tech support is? with that you refer his statement to another tech support if it is true. Very interested to know what other tech supports of Apple say.
April 10th, 2011 - 19:18
I haven’t even had a chance to deal with the overheating issue. My 15″ Macbook Pro suffers from not being able to wake from sleep. This only happens when the machine goes to sleep with the cover open. A press on the keyboard or trackpad does nothing, the machine freezes and is unresponsive. Eventually get a screen with distortion and gray and black lines.
April 20th, 2011 - 21:38
I don’t believe heat is really the problem nor the GPU.
I can get my 15″ 2011 very hot due to GPU intensive stuff and the yes > /dev/null
No problem.
From a cold boot, i can install 2 big software at the same time (virtualbox installing ubuntu + Eclipse installation). It would then hard lock up.
The issue I think is with the SATA controller, when i do too many file access at the same time, that’s when it locks up. Then the fans start to spin like if something was stuck in a loop.
May 3rd, 2011 - 07:59
Wow was really excited to get a new Macbook Pro 17″ this year, as I’d been saving up and my 2006 model has been having some serious issues (not to get too sidetracked but it is a Dual Core, and the heat has caused the metal around the frame of the screen to warp and distort and finally crack since I need to close the damn thing). Looks like I’ll have to wait till the next model! I bet apple makes a new one to coincide with there OSX 10.7 Lion release…
May 3rd, 2011 - 23:00
@Jack I have the same issue with the black and gray lines after mbp does NOT wake from sleep. I’m running a 13″ mpb I’ve had for 5 days. Apple support is suggesting it may be an application I have called Air Display. Do you have this app, or have you found another solution to this problem?
June 13th, 2011 - 04:25
hi, is anyone still using this post?
its 13th of june, any news yet?
new models have a different number?
is this problem solved on new models?
what about SATA problem ?
July 8th, 2011 - 15:28
yes, we are still updating this post. still, if you are concerned about stability you should use a 32bit kernel. if you are running 10.6.8 you should not have any issues with the 64bit kernel – if you do, please let us know! the SATA “problem” does not apply to the MacBook Pros. The HDD runs on a SATA 6GBPs port, the optical drive on a SATA 3GBPs port. See our post on 32bit Kernel setting for more information: http://www.nanofunk.net/macbook-pro-early-2011-freezes-and-kernel-panics-revert-to-32bit-to-have-a-stable-system/
July 28th, 2011 - 10:48
I believe nothing could beat this beast in term of performance. Design wise, it’s classical and no other pc laptop able to match with the unibody aluminum case. However, the worst part of the MacBook Pro is also the aluminum case. It is very prone to scratches cause by day to day usage especially using outdoor. I would suggest to get it cover up by skinstyler.com wrist rest products. They help to reduce the sharpness edge of aluminum case and also protect it from scratches. Do check out their classical designer collection to match with MacBook Pro http://www.skinstyler.com/wrist-rest-protection-cover-skin-designer-collection-c-26_25.html
July 28th, 2011 - 12:33
@Danny Richmond: there are also the Speck MacBook Pro Cases
, which i personally like more. We have two of the satin black covers – they perfectly keep scratches away, so you have a perfectly vanilla notebook with a high resell value.
January 6th, 2012 - 04:41
AnandTech compared the high-end early 2011 MBP to the low-end late 2011 model, which has a lower processor and less graphics memory). Why are you so shocked at the result? It’s hardly a fair comparison.
April 2nd, 2012 - 02:36
I have a macbook pro early 2011 model that is repetetively freezing while using things like Safari. They have performed a clean install of lion; EFI updates have been done, but problems persist. What should I do?
April 11th, 2012 - 01:34
I also have a macbook pro 8,2 (15Inch early 2011) that freezes while surfing. Can only use mouse. This seems to be more often since I replaced my HD for an SSD….
April 11th, 2012 - 09:38
@Milan: did you check your console.app? and did you use trim enabler?