Cracked Screen While Closed — MacBook Pro M2

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Level 1

4 points

Cracked Screen While Closed — MacBook Pro M2

Just last year, I made the jump to upgrade my MacBook Pro 15" (2015) to a MacBook Pro 16" (2023). After 7 years with my previous computer, I was confident that I would get another solid stretch of time with this new device.

After a happy year with my new MacBook Pro, my confidence in the product disappeared the other week— I moved my closed MacBook from my bed to my desk. I had grabbed the laptop with one hand on the outer edge. When I opened it, there was a small crack on the left side of the screen (leaving an LED section black and a line across the display). My hand position along the edge + the weight of the laptop seems to have caused the screen to bend and crack as I moved the device just 5 ft. There was no drop and no direct trauma to the screen.

When I went to the genius bar they said it would be $857 to fix the screen and there was nothing they could do to get that price lower even after hearing my story. Given that this device is essential for my work, I made the decision to get it fixed. When I went to pick up the device, I was surprised to find that tax was not included in the original estimate and I now owed $933. These are exorbitant numbers after I had already spent over $2000 to purchase the device just last year.

While everyone in Apple support (both in-store and online) has been kind, they haven't been able to make me feel any better about the situation. When the laptop is closed, the screen should not be able to crack no matter how I'm holding the device. The outer shell should protect the screen and prevent it from basic damage. It is a laptop after all, and it should be designed to be held and moved often. While I'll be sure to handle my MacBook with extreme care now, I wish I had had the warning beforehand so I knew just how fragile it was. After my amazing experience with my previous MacBook, I never would have expected to have an issue like this with a newer model.

Has anyone had similar problems with their screen being damaged while shut? It feels like Apple needs to check the quality of these products.

MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 14.5

Posted on Sep 14, 2024 5:29 PM

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Answer 1

steve626

Level 6

14,847 points

Sep 14, 2024 5:58 PM in response to simpletimes

There are some other threads about related issues, but those mostly not been about cracked screens but rather color artifacts that show up when the screen is defective (not cracked).

A physical crack (break in the glass) as you describe is not common. I know this because in my workplace we have a few thousand of these silicon Mac laptops (including M3, in fact I have a new M3 laptop from my employer) on site and I have never seen such a crack defect. Not to say yours didn't happen, obviously it did ... but it is a low likelihood thing. I handle my M3 laptop every day just like you handled yours, in fact mine has gone on cross-country trips and flights and has even been banged around a bit during those trips. For those things, many of us get AppleCare+ even though of course it is probably profitable for Apple, but I think the compressed geometry for iMacs, Mac laptops, and iPhones makes them prone to these things, so I always get the AppleCare+. We have only made claims on two iPhones and one AppleTV over many years, so I suspect that long term I would have saved money simply by "self insuring."

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Answer 2

Sep 14, 2024 6:17 PM in response to simpletimes

I understand how you feel; it’s certainly not a pleasant surprise. However, in cases like these, I see them as rare but inevitable occurrences in mass production. Even with the highest quality control, a few defects can slip through among millions of units. I’ve seen many devices survive significant falls without a scratch, while others might get damaged from a minor bump. It’s not anyone’s fault, just a matter of chance, things just happen beyond our control. The important thing was getting your MacBook back in working order, time is money and and in time you will earn it back.

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Cracked Screen While Closed — MacBook Pro M2

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