MacBook chipping

Yes: this is a defect in the product's design and Apple will repair it free of charge. Take it to your local Apple store. In some cases, they'll have the part in stock and will replace it while you wait. Total elapsed time: an hour or two. In other cases, you may have to mail the laptop in for repairs. In that case, the turnaround time is usually about a week.


As for how it happens, look at the top of the screen. You'll see two plastic ridges. Those press against the plastic palmrests and, over time and with excessive pressure, cause the palmrests to crack. It really is a bad design -- there's not enough support under the lip of the palmrest and the plastic is too thin to have pinpoint pressure applied to it so close to the edge. To avoid this problem in the future, make sure you close the lid of the laptop gently and that nothing presses down on it. If you carry your MacBook in a backpack with textbooks and similar things, that presses the lid into the palmrests. (Students tend to see this problem a lot.)

I had the same problem, took my MacBook to my local Apple store and 1 1/2 days later I had it back with a new "Top Case". The good news is that the store had the item in stock, but it's a very busy store with lots of other repairs (for other things) ahead of mine.

Be sure you go before the warranty expires on your MacBook due to the potential out of pocket cost of the repair. Top case w/keyboard assy: $139.06 plus Hardware Repair: $85.00 = $224.06
My Mid-2007 MacBook model was under warranty so this repair cost me zero (aside from me not having my laptop for over a day). Warranty coverage= priceless.

Is Apple going to replace the Macbook case past the warranty? Because from what I understand regardless of how careful you close the lid the case will case every 3 to 4 months. And if Apple have no solution to this problem I'll just have to extend my apple care and mail them my Macbook every 3-4 months and get a new case.