Macbook Pro Rev B.

Question

Level 1

23 points

Macbook Pro Rev B.

My apologies if there has recently been a post made about this but I was curious if anyone had any relatively solid speculation as to how long it would be before there was a MBP Rev. B and Apple will have a whine free MBP? Or at least have the major quirks worked out of this machine. I owned a MBP but the whine was too much to handle, then on top of other hardware problems I ended up returning it. I now have a Macbook and I'm into more problems (power brick sizzling, whine, and turning on by itself). I'm just getting frustrated and it looks like this one will be returned. I know that putting out a product and working through the issues seems to be a Rev. A expectancy...but I'm considering just using an old laptop and waiting until these appear to be stable. I'd love to go back to the MBP as it was a beautiful machine (as is the MB).

Any ideas as so how long of a wait it would be before they have all these quirks worked out (mostly the whine), so "work arounds" are not needed?

13" Macbook, Mac OS X (10.4.6)

Posted on Jun 4, 2006 9:32 PM

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Answer 1

Duffy

Level 2

315 points

Jun 4, 2006 9:36 PM in response to BB579

We can't really speculate about future products or revs (forum rules..yeah I know). I can tell you that I have a week 21 MBP that does not whine and it runs cool. I have read that others with wk 21's have had issues. You feel like gambling? 😝

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Answer 2

BB579 Author

Level 1

23 points

Jun 4, 2006 9:41 PM in response to Duffy

I do!! But I don't know if I could stand another kick in the stomach to spend that kind of money to be disappointed. I often work in quiet environments and a whine like that could drive you to insanity! I think the moment I could read that people are finding that the whining is becoming less and less prevalent in the MBP I would give it another shot. I'm really surprised Apple hasn't fixed this sooner...but if they had a fix by now I'm sure they would have done something about it.

If it wasn't for needing a notebook I'd be ordering an iMac in a heartbeat. But in the same breath the MBP/MB are such amazing machines short of the glitches.

So talking about prospective rev dates is a "no-no" here?

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Answer 3

Duffy

Level 2

315 points

Jun 4, 2006 9:49 PM in response to BB579

I had a week 12 and a week 16 MBP and both had the whine (while on battery). I had a couple of MBs and one did not whine while the other was very loud (battery and AC).

So talking about prospective rev dates is a "no-no"
here?

Some people get a little bent out of shape when we do so I would suggest that we not go there. 🙂

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Answer 4

Jun 4, 2006 9:52 PM in response to Duffy

The heat issue is not depended on the manufacturing week. Every MBP is different. My week 21 MBP is still running hot. I checked all MBP 15 in Apple Store Fifth Avenue and found one, only one, runs very very cool. I remember it's a week 16 MBP. If I can, I would like to buy that demo machine.

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Answer 5

dmcbride

Level 1

95 points

Jun 4, 2006 9:57 PM in response to Shih-Peng

I went ahead and just did the thermal paste changover. I am pretty consistently hovering around 46C now whereas before I was hitting in the upper 50s to mid 60s idle.

As for the whine, I only notice it when on battery...and even then it is only a slight hiss. Fairly typical of centrino procs actually. My Inspiron 700m and 8600 but had this same hiss on battery.

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Answer 6

dakis

Level 1

40 points

Jun 4, 2006 10:29 PM in response to Duffy

My week 21 doesn't run very hot but it has the whine.

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Answer 7

V M1

Level 1

5 points

Jun 4, 2006 10:40 PM in response to dmcbride

I went ahead and just did the thermal paste changover. I am pretty >consistently hovering around 46C now whereas before I was hitting in the >upper 50s to mid 60s idle.

As for the whine, I only notice it when on battery...and even then it is only a >slight hiss. Fairly typical of centrino procs actually. My Inspiron 700m and >8600 but had this same hiss on battery.

Umm, MacBook Pros and all the other Intel macs don't run Intel Centrino processors, they run Intel Core Duo processors.

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Answer 8

ThaiMBP

Level 1

0 points

Jun 4, 2006 10:48 PM in response to dakis

for those who have done the thermal paste mod. Could they also post battery times? I have heard people say it reduces theirs to 1.5 hours.

Makes a big difference for me. I don't like the heat but not willing to shorten battery life that much. I think a company like Increw or Apple itself might come out with a way to control cooling fan activity.

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Answer 9

tomazws

Level 1

5 points

Jun 4, 2006 11:01 PM in response to BB579

I just purchased a MacBook Pro yesterday and it doesn't whine. It was burning hot before the firmware update, but after the update, it's not as hot anymore.

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Answer 10

Jun 4, 2006 11:18 PM in response to V M1

Umm, MacBook Pros and all the other Intel macs don't
run Intel Centrino processors, they run Intel Core
Duo processors.

Just wanted to say that Centrino is not the processor type, it is a platform that Intel systems run on. The Core Duo processors run with a Centrino Duo platform. To reference my particular source: http://www.intel.com/products/processor/coreduo/

I apologize to have gotten off topic and not provide any constructive information to the post.

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Answer 11

Jun 4, 2006 11:26 PM in response to ThaiMBP

I'm skeptical about the need for or actual results of the "thermal grease" modification and suspect that it will void one's warranty coverage for those things that would be most expensive to repair under warranty. Of course an owner is free to do anything he wishes with a computer, so long as it doesn't harm others.

I've got a week 12 with no whine, no problems of any kind and operating and case temperatures that are perfectly acceptable to me. It's fast and stable, with great WiFi connections. It runs my UB applications on a par with and sometimes even faster than my big PowerMac, which is better than I had expected. It's a joy to use and the best notebook I've ever owned (I've had lots).

Perhaps it should be noted that the various tricks some use to eliminate or reduce whine will result in more processor load, shorter battery runtime and more heat. An iPod would eliminate the whine (if present and objectionable) without those side effects. 🙂

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Answer 12

Jun 4, 2006 11:43 PM in response to tomazws

Please do me a favor and unplug the AC adapter then take a listen and tell me that it doesn't whine.

MDA

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Answer 13

Duffy

Level 2

315 points

Jun 4, 2006 11:48 PM in response to Mark Allen3

Mine doesn't whine on battery or AC. The other two MBPs that I had whined while on battery.

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Answer 14

BB579 Author

Level 1

23 points

Jun 5, 2006 1:07 AM in response to BB579

If I could find one without the whine I'd buy it in a heartbeat. The heat didn't bother me...I didn't find it bad at all.

But the whine did me in...I just couldn't handle it! Especially where I spend a lot of time in quiet working environments.

Be nice to see them come out with a Rev. B, or just consistantly whine free machines. I'm sure that there are some out there, but I'm convinced that the majority of them out there have the whine, it just goes unnoticed...just a hick-up in the original design. Does the 17" have the same issues?

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Answer 15

a brody

Level 10

85,366 points

Jun 5, 2006 6:41 AM in response to BB579

I have heard that in some situations applying the firmware update will solve the whining issues. If it is really bad, I suggest contacting AppleCare over attempting any do it yourself repairs that the firmware can't solve. You do after all have at least 1 year hardware warranty.

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