MBA Mid 2013 lower build quality, warranty issue?

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Level 1

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MBA Mid 2013 lower build quality, warranty issue?

I upgraded my 2011 13" MBA to this years' mid-2013 13" MBA and notice something different. When placing the laptop on my lap and typing, there is a crack/click sound.

This is something pressing up against the bottom of my keyboard and is a plastic-on-plastic sound. Investigating further I see that this is the result of significantly more "give" on the bottom plate of the laptop than previous models. What is happening as that my wrists pushing down on the keyboard are enough to bend the bottom of the laptop. And I'm not a heavy guy.

Putting the laptop on its side, face open at 90 degrees and pressing in the middle of the bottom plate very lightly you will hear a loud clicking noise as the laptop is deformed and some plastic inside is mashing against each other. Imagine you have a loose tooth in your mouth and if you push it then it will click and move. It feels like like that but much louder.

This was definitely not an issue with the previous model. The 2011 was much more solid.

Has anyone else seen reduced structural integrity of this latest MacBook Air model? So I get a new laptop?

iPad, OS X Mavericks (10.9)

Posted on Nov 15, 2013 1:36 PM

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Answer 1

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PlotinusVeritas

Level 6

14,872 points

Nov 15, 2013 2:10 PM in response to Full Decent

Full Decent

This is something pressing up against the bottom of my keyboard and is a plastic-on-plastic sound. Investigating further I see that this is the result of significantly more "give" on the bottom plate of the laptop than previous models.

I owned many Air and they will all do it, (especially the 13") very likely the first time you noticed it.

The alloy frame of the 2013 is identical to the 2012 save for 2 mic hole. My 13" 2013 will do the very same thing.

is bottom plate or screw snap from tension. Utterly normal, and certainly not "less quality" this year over last.

The same number of people mention that on this board this year as LAST year model.

Macbook Air chassis tolerances/ specs didnt change 1 single iota this year over 2012 model.

This was definitely not an issue with the previous model.

Yes, it was, Ive seen it out of 2011 and 2012 model personally, and its not an 'issue' at all.

Peace

😊

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Answer 2

Full Decent Author

Level 1

9 points

Dec 1, 2013 10:24 PM in response to PlotinusVeritas

Thanks for the information. And an update, I was unaware of the 2012 model and used "previous" in the original post to refer to the 2011 model. It appears the body has changed a little between the 2011 to 2012/2013 editions and this should not be a big deal.

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