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Were the USB-C ports changed significantly between MacBook Pro (2016) and MacBook (2017)?

I just had to send my computer back to Apple for a bunch of problems (MacBook Pro touch bar 2016) one of which are USB-C ports that frequently lose contact.


I had to buy another computer because of Apple’s “well I guess you just can’t work this week if you don’t have another laptop” policy. So I picked up a MacBook so I’m not out of work for a week.


The power charger really kind of snaps into the USB-C port on this computer. It takes some effort to snap it in or remove it. I can’t imagine it would ever be iadvertantly uplugged or lose contact due to a minor bump as is the case on my MacBook Pro. The power cable does not “snap snugly into place” on any of the four ports on the Pro although some are worse than others for losing contact with the smallest bump or jostle. It is not a change to the charging cable either because I tried the cable from the MacBook Pro as well as the new one that came with the MacBook, both snap firmly into place on the MacBook but on the Pro they do not.


So my question is are the ports on my MacBook Pro defective or did Apple fix a design flaw and improve the port on newer models?

Posted on Feb 3, 2018 7:17 AM

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Posted on Feb 3, 2018 10:24 AM

Don’t be ridiculous, of course any other competent user can say whether or not the ports have a loose connection or the cable snaps snugly into place.


Any other competent user would have to have your exact model with the exact same problem; else there would be no way to say.


Oh, and thanks; appreciate being called incompetent. Please read the ToU we all had to agree to when signing up (particularly Sections 2.1 and 2.2):


https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-5952

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Feb 3, 2018 10:24 AM in response to brsm1990

Don’t be ridiculous, of course any other competent user can say whether or not the ports have a loose connection or the cable snaps snugly into place.


Any other competent user would have to have your exact model with the exact same problem; else there would be no way to say.


Oh, and thanks; appreciate being called incompetent. Please read the ToU we all had to agree to when signing up (particularly Sections 2.1 and 2.2):


https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-5952

Feb 23, 2018 8:21 AM in response to multiquestion

multiquestion wrote:


I think there is an extremely easy test... no need for Geniuses.


- Insert the cable in the power supply, you hear click. Unplug, you feel the resistance.

- Insert the cable in the macbook pro.. no click.. Unplug.. no resistance.

- Alternative: Get a Samsung mobile phone, insert.. click, unplug resistance..


Clearly Macbook pro usb-c ports are not designed as the power supply or the other competitor products.


Yes exactly. It's not rocket science.


In fact the "geniuses" attempted to make excuses for why it wasn't a problem. They repairedmy broken butterfly keyboardbut just ignored the port issue and said it was "normal" because it was used. I had to make a huge deal out of it and compare the floor models with my laptop in front of them and finally they agreed to fix it.

The kicker is that the part that is needed to replace the ports that they were trying to pinch pennies on costs just 17 EUR. Surely the labor cost of having to disable it twice costs more than the 17 EUR i/o board.

But wait, there's more! When replacing the ports they somehow broke the flimsy butterfly keyboard they had already replaced once and had to do it again. All in all over three weeks for this.

Feb 23, 2018 9:21 AM in response to multiquestion

My experience is that Apple always tries to deny it's a problem first, but most of the time you can get them to pony up eventually but it's always troublesome. The first answer is always "it's supposed to be like that". I've been through ghost images on the retina display, keyboards, battery and now the ports.


And another case: There have been others describing the exact same thing: Charger cable plug loose Also says the power brick is fine, it's just the computer. I hope the new parts have been fixed.

Feb 3, 2018 10:02 AM in response to babowa

Don’t be ridiculous, of course any other competent user can say whether or not the ports have a loose connection or the cable snaps snugly into place.


Apple has a vested interest in denying the problem, obviously and they often do such as was the case initially with the defective screen coating on first generation retinas. They only later admitted it was a problem. As far as I know they have yet to acknowledge the tendency to stuck keys of the terribly designed “butterfly keyboard”. I know of no problems with the previous generation keyboard and never had any myself. The butterfly keyboard problems are widespread and oft reported.


<Edited by Host>

Feb 18, 2018 7:12 AM in response to brsm1990

The guys at the genius bar put their hands on these computers all day every day, and they can tell you what is "normal" and what is broken. Without putting their hands on both of your computers, it is very difficult for users on this forum to draw reliable conclusions. You should have Apple agents examine both computers.


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This is a User-to-User support forum. If other users can not help you think of a fix, No further help will is likely to be forthcoming using this medium. There are no standard mechanisms for escalating problems to Apple support from here, and Apple support does NOT monitor these forums looking for trends and outstanding issues.


DO NOT "wait for Apple to provide a fix". Unless and until a large number of users present their issues through standard problem-reporting channels, Apple does not know there is a problem, and is NOT working on a fix. Being selfish is the best policy, getting yours fixed helps everyone.


If advice supplied here does not provide resolution, You must take additional steps to resolve your issues. Contact Apple support directly through one of these methods:


• contact telephone support (free for 90 days with a new Mac, of for three years with AppleCare purchase)

• make an appointment at the genius bar at an Apple-owned store for hardware evaluation and advice (free anytime, but after five years parts may no longer be available).

• initiate an Online chat

• Visit an Apple Authorized Service Provider (there may be an "evaluation fee", but if they perform any service for a fee, ask for a rebate of the evaluation fee).

Feb 23, 2018 8:16 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

I think there is an extremely easy test... no need for Geniuses.


- Insert the cable in the power supply, you hear click. Unplug, you feel the resistance.

- Insert the cable in the macbook pro.. no click.. Unplug.. no resistance.

- Alternative: Get a Samsung mobile phone, insert.. click, unplug resistance..


Clearly Macbook pro usb-c ports are not designed as the power supply or the other competitor products.

Feb 23, 2018 9:07 AM in response to multiquestion

Yes, replacing this part makes it good as new. Firm snap/click into place and significant effort needed to remove the cable. Let's see how long it lasts though. It's exactly as it should be now.


Interestingly I noticed that the power brick's USB-C has not worn out like on the computer. It might not be 100% good as new, but it still has a nice firm click/snap when plugging or unplugging the power cable.

Mar 29, 2018 5:54 AM in response to brsm1990

This is definitely widespread. My coworker has the same problem with two of his USB-C ports, both are extremely loose on a one year old computer. The ports I had replaced just 4 weeks ago are already getting loose. This is definitely a design flaw since the power brick on the charger never never exhibits this problem and I remove and replug it at least once a day. It's still good as new.

Were the USB-C ports changed significantly between MacBook Pro (2016) and MacBook (2017)?

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