My Mac Book Pro is a very nice laptop, there is no denying that, but as someone who has grown up on DOS and Windows machines, I can comfortably say that this machine has foibles of its own that are no less annoying than the blue screen of death. Do I love my Mac Book Pro? Absolutely, but I don’t look at it through the rose-colored glasses of the average McFan, there are things about it that seriously annoy me, but then there are things about any computer that will do the same.
So, without further ado, here are my top ten pet peeves with this somewhat overpriced laptop of mine.
10. Weak-ass wireless reception
I live in Japan in a three-bedroom apartment that would fit into the living room of a regular sized house. The internal walls are paper thin, yet if I am in the furthest room from the access point, I often see the reception drop down a bar from full. I can only imagine what the situation would be in a house of reasonable size.
9. No delete key
I know there is a key on the keyboard that says “delete” but it isn’t a delete key, it is a backspace. You get used to it, but seldom a day goes by that I don’t wish that there was one there.
8. Pathetic battery life
When I first got this machine the battery life was acceptable. It is a powerful system, so there is always going to be the power-battery trade-off, but six months later it has noticeably diminished. I might be able to prep a day of posts in a single charge, but it is a push.
7. It gets hot
I know that it doesn’t get hot enough to actually cook eggs, but it gets more than enough heat to turn milk into yogurt. Sure, there is software that you can get to get the fans cranking, but one would expect a finished product to be completely thought out.
6. The AC adapter
Fortunately Apple does provide an extension cord in case you don’t want to use the plug that connects the AC adapter directly into the wall, which is lucky. That thing is so heavy that it pulls itself out of a loose socket and it sometimes gets scarily hot.
5. It sucks at burning DVDs
I have a number of computers in my house, but my Mac Book Pro is always the last choice when I need to burn something big. It is slow at copying and I get more failed burns than I experience with either of my Windows based desktops.
4. Programs don’t close properly
This is not a criticism of my MBP so much as it is a criticism of OSX, but I don’t get why a program minimizes but doesn’t close when I hit the “x” button in the top left of the program window. You can exit by hitting Command-Q, but you have to jump through some hoops if you don’t want to leave the comfort of your trackpad.
3. One trackpad button (now no trackpad buttons)
I don’t know where anyone got the idea that it was better to have a single button when two do the job so much better. This is clearly an aesthetics over functionality move and is the reason that the Apple Mighty Mouse sucks. If you hold Control and click then you get the right-button functions, but that is an extra finger movement that I can live without.
2. CDs and DVDs getting stuck in the drive
I can’t think of anything more annoying than when a disk gets stuck in the optical drive and hitting eject does absolutely nothing; then you have to reboot to get the stupid disk out.
1. No screen of death
I am not sure why this happens, but every once in a while when I close my Mac Book Pro without shutting it down, it goes to sleep but won’t come back on. More than once I have had to resort to a power button shutdown and it can take a ridiculous amount of time to make that work.
That wraps up the ten things I hate the most about the Mac Book Pro. There are other things that annoy me, the fat power cable, likely due to the amount of insulation that they need to use to keep it from catching fire; the Mag Safe connection, which only serves to make replacement parts more expensive; and finally there is the fact that it a rather hefty piece of machinery. Still, it has plenty going for it. It gets the job done and at least nine out of ten times it does just work.
Tags: Apple, lists, MacBook Pro, UberSaturday
21 responses
Feb 7, 2009 at 12:22 pm
good post. you can use FN & Delete to get the same functionality as a dedicated delete button (yeah not as convenient). and I actually prefer the single button as you can press and hold it to get the right click effect.
i have the same problems with reception as you do here in a small nyc apt. and of course the lap burning heat.
Feb 7, 2009 at 2:39 pm
While a MBP does get warm and could have better battery performance, the other points are the results of something being broken (1, 2, 5, 10) or of you not liking it as a Mac (3, 4, 9), or, in the case of (6), delusion.
Feb 7, 2009 at 3:32 pm
Hello,
I’m Andrea from Italy, therefore sorry for my english.
Salsa is in right: you made a mistake the day you bought a mac.
I’m an IT Manger, specialized on Apple, and 7 points on 10 of your list are the same for alle my customers that migrates from PC to Mac, first of all the numer 4…
Believe me: sell the MBP on eBay and buy a Vista Capable PC…
)
Ciao
Andrea Moretti
Feb 7, 2009 at 7:05 pm
Sir,
Maybe you’ve haven’t tried to go to settings>Trackpad and able up the 2 finger touch for the click, as to the 2 finger scroll you’ll love it. and if you go to settings preferences the mighty mouse also has the second click, just enable it and click it as you’d normally would but a little further to the right, i use mine everyday.
Furthermore i think the general ideia for the apps not closing when you hit the red button is really, because unix manages Ram differently, so the big apps will not have to load all over again Photoshop CS4.
WIRELESS REALLY SUCKS!!!!
i’ve had 3 Macbooks Pro, do still, and probably will keep buying the Macs. But don’t expect to get good reception anywhere (walls, open spaces, o top of the router). I really think the aluminum has something to do about it.
With you on all the rest.
Feb 7, 2009 at 8:46 pm
Chris,
Excellent post. My wife and I both use the MBP and not having delete key drives my wife crazy. I found some work around via Google that you turn any key into any function, so I ended up turning the \ key into delete just like windows.
I find it strange that the MBP doesn’t have the delete key when the iMac’s do. I would love to know what the logic in that is.
Feb 7, 2009 at 10:56 pm
Well written. I am a big-time Mac fan from the very start (1983/1984) and through the difficult years, yet the number of avoidable problems and annoyances has been climbing steeply as of late, and just when it is getting popular too. And yes, longtime user of Unix and Gnu/Linux and Windows too, among others.
Salsa, how can 6 be a delusion when it is a common annoyance noted by many? Even if it common to non-Mac portables, I among many expect better from Apple as part of the price premium.
Again, 1, 2, 5, 10 do happen much more often than easily explained by being broken. Not that Apple accepts the claim of being broken and fixes them.
I have good reason to believe (Apple technician comments) that 1, 5, and 10 are known to affect certain components, and not a tiny number either. Shoddy Mac components despite the price premium? It does seem so.
Yes, I agree on 3, 4, 9, though on 4 there is a longstanding design flaw (in my opinion anyway) in BSD virtual memory that leads to slow performance when you leave larger apps open. If the BSD or Apple folks would make a change to just “swap” the whole thing to the swap file, it would go away, but no, they think their clever design is too clever for such “hacks”.
Still, for getting work done without being bothered by hardware or OS or software gotchas, Mac remains far beyond all others, in my opinion.
Feb 8, 2009 at 3:32 am
6 doesn’t make sense since it’s not Apple’s fault it sockets are loose, and two ways of powering the brick are better than one; you’re “ahead” of any PC laptop brick I’ve ever used, plus there’s MagSafe! 1, 2, and 5 just have not happened to me, and I get excellent wifi reception (10)– through three walls and ~40 ft currently, with 4/4 indicators. 3 is just a Mac thing, and a matter of opinion, but modified clicking is more understandable to most users than multiple clicking, and besides Macs happily work with multiple-button mice if you want to use one. 4 is just how Macs work, and I prefer it– a program can be running without having windows– close is not quit. As for 9, I do all of my office computing under Linux and Windows, and don’t use the del key, nor do most colleagues. This just sounds like a rant against Macs from somebody used to using a PC (and who has a busted optical drive…:). Every laptop PC I’ve ever used has had more hardware and usability problems than any Mac laptop I’ve used, especially in terms of burning disks, typing, pointing, and, uh, powering.
Feb 8, 2009 at 6:38 am
Fair enough, Salsa. Have to agree with your last sentence. Glad you have enjoyed such good luck with your Mac(s) — me too, almost as good, even if always looking for better from all manufacturers.
Feb 8, 2009 at 5:57 pm
Just as some people have pointed out 9 and 3 really aren’t issues, there is a delete key (fn + delete) and there is a right click on a mighty mouse as well as on the trackpad (just enable 2 finger click!!! it’s actually easier to use than a second button)
and as far as the rest, I would say that they ALL are problems with ALL laptops (except for 4 and 1). You cant compare you laptop with your desktops, You can’t expect them to function as well or better, the portability is always gonna sacrifice features and efficiency.
Also, Apple does have a little known about “grey screen of death.” It just doesn’t show up very often. Most of the time when what you describe happens to me, I just close it again, wait 5-10 seconds and open again and the screen usually turns back on. I do have to hold down the power button to reset every once in a while but not too often. the open shut usually works.
Feb 20, 2009 at 1:13 pm
I agree 100% with 5. I’ve bought two Mac laptops (12″ G4 Powerbook, 13″ MacBook) and they both had this problem.
On 2: you don’t always have to reboot. The Disk Utility application will often allow you to eject disks that, for some reason, can’t otherwise be removed (or even seen on your desktop). This is still annoying, but it’s easier than rebooting.
Feb 26, 2009 at 2:33 pm
Lord help me but I HATE the new single-unit trackpad. It was developed by demons in Hell. There is no turning off it’s stickiness, and you have to be a righty to get it to click properly. I’m a righty and I can’t stand it. All those useless controls in the Sys Preferences! Bring back the separate trackpad button, please Apple.
Feb 27, 2009 at 10:33 pm
The stickiness of the Apple buttons really grates with me. I have a Logitech mouse that I plug in when I need to do real mousing, but I like to have everything working in one nice clean unit.
Feb 27, 2009 at 10:40 pm
Thanks, I will look into that.
May 23, 2009 at 8:38 am
i agree on the battery but i have a macbook and it has a speed problem and the wifi is grate so wen you said about the wifi it depends on the kind of router you have, I recommend a netgear or use a phone as a modem if your phone has a modem capability.
about the laptop being hot it oftenly happens on pc’s to its not only mac’s.
when you said about applications not closing i recommend quiting them when you’r not using them, that improves the mac’s speed.
Jun 25, 2009 at 5:02 pm
ok, software wise, its NOT HARD to find GOOD software for pc, for tasks such as burning dvd’s ITS CALLED NERO fucktards for gawd sakes really? and all this crap about junk software, do yourself a favor, uninstall it and stop bitching. ive used windows all my life, i love it, its reliable and i have never had any virus issues to this very date! its not hard to find good anti-virus either, AVG is better than norton, and its fucking free! im tired of mac users bashing on windows because, apparently, it crashes alot for them. – ive had to use OSX for years at work, ive had safari and regular apps like office lock-up so many times its ridiculous. LEARN HOW TO USE WINDOWS, take more than 5 minutes, expand your capabilities past a 6 year olds abilities and, GASP, look, WINDOWS PERFORMS LIKE ITS SUPPOSE TO! *its amazing mac people, but plz, dont piss yourselves* ———- btw, those ad campaigns, makes me want to go out, and burn your stupid genius bars and shoot the people behind em, stfu your not cool!
Jul 17, 2009 at 12:09 am
@Connor. If you can’t use a mac with ease of use, you must be tarded. Honestly, I’ve been using Macs and PCs since the beginning of time (okay, okay, the day AOL went online lmao) and MAC OSX is by far and away the best.
I’ve seen some decent windows PCs, but they were pristine, liquid cooled, gaming beasts, and they discombobulate into eradicate, sluggish, annoying as f. machines as well.
Jul 17, 2009 at 8:51 pm
The key to keeping a Windows gaming beast running well is not downloading crap. I tend to perform a yearly reinstall as well.
At the moment OSX is dragging on my MBP.
Jul 22, 2009 at 1:15 am
macs version of explorer for searching the hard drive and crap is the most frustrating thing ive ever seen in my life, its so unorganized and i can never find anything!
windows is clean,
it runs fast,
-especially if you got the 4 brain cells needed to click a mouse
please you mac lovers should quickly pick up your over glorified netbooks that cost you thousands and uninstall like 3 system files that are conveniently located somewhere probably in your “MUSIC” folder and watch it turn into a toaster, and omg, wait a sec…
it makes a better toaster than a computer, AND as a bonus you can look at it since its so damn sexy, ergonomic and best of all shiny
Sep 30, 2009 at 1:58 am
@Conor,
I have used PC’s most of my life. Since i was 5. I barely used a Mac during Elementary and High School. So I never got the full effect of what a Mac could do. I finally got my own for College(it’s what I am using to write this message). And after using this thing for a few weeks I have realized. PC’s suck! They are just trash. I have seen my parents buy new PCs at least every year or so because those things buying the farm so fast. Whenever I got a new computer it would be a month before it would start to get slow and annoying.
Mac’s are so easy to use. I love this thing so much and it hasn’t disappointed me yet. Another reason why the PC’s go so fast is because they pack all this shit into it and say it’s better than a Mac because its got like a terabyte of HD space and 8 gbs of ram or whatever and its only 700 dollars! Holy crap. Im only gonna have to buy another PC again next year. So basically you end up spending the same for one mac that would last you 5 years then when you buy a new PC each year. What is more cost effective??
Mac’s are more expensive because they dont just take components from other companies and pack it into their computers and call it a day, and off to the assembly lines it goes. Apple makes sure the hardware will agree with whatever you are going to be doing on that computer so that it doesn’t take a shit on you when it feels like it. PC’s have a tendency to do that. Well for me that is(for the past 13 years they have).
P.S. Could please you do me a favor and all the other people here a favor and clean up your typing a little. It is very messy to read. Also, no need to “ALL CAPS” when you need to yell. It just makes you look stupid.
Thanks
Oct 1, 2009 at 2:18 am
lol ur argument is stupid, you buy a pc every year?? hmmm that explains alot. — extra trial software can be removed believe it or not?? its called the uninstall button… –
… mac’s are shiny! i know they are amazing! its like looking directly at the sun! stunning! …trust me i know, i have another partition on my hdd that has leopard installed on it. (10.5.7) and well i sometimes use it because i have to but i still dont find it any easier to use, especially now that Windows 7 is released…
seriously though, buying a pc EVERY YEAR!!! (emphasis, not yelling?) That is soooo stupid, your parents are sooo stupid, you are RIDICULOUSLY stupid. lol take care of what you buy, treat a 700 investment like it matters instead of just throwing it away after it doesnt work anymore… and to make it worse, windows isnt hard to maintain! just dont download illegal stuff from limewire or possibly idk install AVG, its antivirus. its free! and its not crap, because, gasp, believe it or not i checked the reviews BEFORE INSTALLING IT!
LOL FUNNIEST THING YOU SAID ABOUT HARDWARE!!!
you can find Intel, and Nvidia along with a host of other hardware manufacturers inside macs!!! PC’s are built to fine standards, they are built to work, to suggest that somehow, what you get is crap and isnt going to work, is to just further perpetuate YOUR STUPIDITY! …
omg you are so stupid, read what you typed, you must be rich and extremely ignorant,
— i dont hate all mac users, i hate macfanboys who dont know anything besides how to press the ON button… you might of used a computer for 13 years, but it seems you didnt bother trying to understand anything, it doesnt work, you dont know how to fix it? ok well get off your ass and ask how?? really! you dont need to be an IT or anything! i leave you with this quote
“Im 4 and im a pc” – she edited video, SHES 4
Oct 1, 2009 at 2:25 am
ELee, let me fix your pc in the future, itll prob take me idk 30 minutes top.
and since you dont need to go out and buy another one, maybe you can donate the extra cash to a charity, or idk to someone else who needs it… tell your parents the same thing, ill pay for shipping and everything, fix your ignorance and do something good for the world.
seriously, thats so sad that you waste so much money…
btw what do ur parents do with the old ones? i can totally refurb them for cash! let me know in your response.
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