4 ms·

I can't get too worked up by user serviceablility, or lack thereof. "My SSD died the other day. I tried to open it up and replace one of the flash chips, but t

I can't get too worked up by user serviceablility, or lack thereof. "My SSD died the other day. I tried to open it up and replace one of the flash chips, but they deliberately made it impossible for me to service. I had to buy an entire new drive!"

pseudonym 14y ago
The problem is more in the "One of my ram chips went bad, so I had to replace the logic board."
- m_eiman 14y ago
  Well, you should have it under warranty in which case it's not your problem. And if it's not under warranty - it's time to buy a new one anyway! ;)
  - jarek 14y ago
    Not sure why you're being downvoted since this is the exact policy Apple is instituting in this case. Sorry about that.
    - kamjam 14y ago
      Because it's a stupid view of the world. What if you bought a BMW and they said "sorry, if you want to replace those tyres or wiper blades then you need to bring it in to BMW, even though we don't actually make any of thee parts ourselves". (Yes, I understand these are serviceable parts, replace above with car battery if you like...)
      - jarek 14y ago
        I'm not sure how you meant to map this onto a situation of replacing the motherboard because a RAM chip died. You don't have to replace the whole engine if your car battery dies, even in a BMW, regardless of warranty status.
        kamjam 14y ago
        You don't have to replace the whole engine if your car battery dies, even in a BMW, regardless of warranty status. Yes, that was my whole point... I don't have to replace the engine because the battery isn't glued to it. So I may have to remove a few nuts and bolts and it may not be easily accessible, but they are replaceable. If someone told me that I should replace my car because the warranty had run out, and besides there is now a more powerful version out I'd probably call them mad!
        jarek 14y ago
        I take it you won't be buying this product then? I don't support Apple's policy in this case, but I just won't buy it so I don't really care how mad it is. m_eiman's description of Apple's policy was accurate, and I voiced my support.
        kamjam 14y ago
        Ahh fair enough, I thought you were in support of the general principle. Agree it is Apple's policy, i presume there was meant to be a /sarc tagt in there some where :) I was considering buying it, but I am not an Apple user and would have just installed Windows on it. BUT I can't afford to pay up front for things I may or may not use either. I have refused to buy Apple for a number of years, because of things like not having a removable battery (which a lot of phones are doing now), no memory upgrade slot and biggest of all - iTunes!!!.I like carrying a spare battery cos it is not always possible to be by a plug. I like being able upgrade my storage because now 16gb isn't enough (and 32gb is much cheaper). But better to be informed about this kind of thing before purchase!
  - kamjam 14y ago
    I'm waiting for someone in the UK to invoke the 6 year warranty rule, since obviously if the battery is glued in and the RAM soldered in it's gonna last forever right! http://blogs.thisismoney.co.uk/2010/03/tv-warranty.html http://blogs.thisismoney.co.uk/2010/03/tv-warranty.html
Dobbs 14y ago
There is a difference between upgrading a major component like a HDD -> SSD or increasing the amount of RAM and replacing a sub-component of SSD. In addition Apple has historically charged 2-3x for things like RAM upgrades then you would get elsewhere.
yellowbkpk 14y ago
Isn't it obvious that your example is different than "My $3000 MacBook Pro's SSD died the other day. I tried to open it up and replace the SSD, but they deliberately made it impossible for me to service. I had to buy an entire new computer!" Sure, you can pull out a microscope and complain about how you can't fix your SMD components, but the vast majority of consumer (Apple, even!) laptops have previously been very easy to upgrade or repair and now that's different. SSD/hard disks have always been hard and there isn't an expectation that they are user serviceable.
- acdha 14y ago
  Laptops have a checkered history in this regard: the only thing which was consistently easy in Apple laptops was the memory. Drives ranged from trivial to involved depending on the model - I have the torx drivers to prove it. Except for the early WiFi era's AirPort cards, that's been it - and there's something like an order of magnitude step decrease for each one in my experience. A few people upgrade RAM and even fewer change the drive; everyone appreciates better battery life and lighter systems.
- X-Istence 14y ago
  The SSD is a separate part that can be removed. In the future (within a year, before then Applecare will take care of defects) I am expecting manufacturers to have third-party SSD's available that will work in the new MacBook Pro's.
  - tbeseda 14y ago
    Correct. It seems faulty RAM will be the real trouble beyond that first year, as it's soldered to the board.
generalk 14y ago
I'd be annoyed if my HD or RAM started showing signs of failure and I had to take it into a service center and have it mailed to a facility somewhere to fix it.

pseudonym 14y ago

The problem is more in the "One of my ram chips went bad, so I had to replace the logic board."

m_eiman 14y ago
Well, you should have it under warranty in which case it's not your problem. And if it's not under warranty - it's time to buy a new one anyway! ;)
- jarek 14y ago
  Not sure why you're being downvoted since this is the exact policy Apple is instituting in this case. Sorry about that.
  - kamjam 14y ago
    Because it's a stupid view of the world. What if you bought a BMW and they said "sorry, if you want to replace those tyres or wiper blades then you need to bring it in to BMW, even though we don't actually make any of thee parts ourselves". (Yes, I understand these are serviceable parts, replace above with car battery if you like...)
    - jarek 14y ago
      I'm not sure how you meant to map this onto a situation of replacing the motherboard because a RAM chip died. You don't have to replace the whole engine if your car battery dies, even in a BMW, regardless of warranty status.
      - kamjam 14y ago
        You don't have to replace the whole engine if your car battery dies, even in a BMW, regardless of warranty status. Yes, that was my whole point... I don't have to replace the engine because the battery isn't glued to it. So I may have to remove a few nuts and bolts and it may not be easily accessible, but they are replaceable. If someone told me that I should replace my car because the warranty had run out, and besides there is now a more powerful version out I'd probably call them mad!
        jarek 14y ago
        I take it you won't be buying this product then? I don't support Apple's policy in this case, but I just won't buy it so I don't really care how mad it is. m_eiman's description of Apple's policy was accurate, and I voiced my support.
        kamjam 14y ago
        Ahh fair enough, I thought you were in support of the general principle. Agree it is Apple's policy, i presume there was meant to be a /sarc tagt in there some where :) I was considering buying it, but I am not an Apple user and would have just installed Windows on it. BUT I can't afford to pay up front for things I may or may not use either. I have refused to buy Apple for a number of years, because of things like not having a removable battery (which a lot of phones are doing now), no memory upgrade slot and biggest of all - iTunes!!!.I like carrying a spare battery cos it is not always possible to be by a plug. I like being able upgrade my storage because now 16gb isn't enough (and 32gb is much cheaper). But better to be informed about this kind of thing before purchase!
- kamjam 14y ago
  I'm waiting for someone in the UK to invoke the 6 year warranty rule, since obviously if the battery is glued in and the RAM soldered in it's gonna last forever right! http://blogs.thisismoney.co.uk/2010/03/tv-warranty.html http://blogs.thisismoney.co.uk/2010/03/tv-warranty.html

Dobbs 14y ago

There is a difference between upgrading a major component like a HDD -> SSD or increasing the amount of RAM and replacing a sub-component of SSD. In addition Apple has historically charged 2-3x for things like RAM upgrades then you would get elsewhere.

yellowbkpk 14y ago

Isn't it obvious that your example is different than "My $3000 MacBook Pro's SSD died the other day. I tried to open it up and replace the SSD, but they deliberately made it impossible for me to service. I had to buy an entire new computer!" Sure, you can pull out a microscope and complain about how you can't fix your SMD components, but the vast majority of consumer (Apple, even!) laptops have previously been very easy to upgrade or repair and now that's different. SSD/hard disks have always been hard and there isn't an expectation that they are user serviceable.

acdha 14y ago
Laptops have a checkered history in this regard: the only thing which was consistently easy in Apple laptops was the memory. Drives ranged from trivial to involved depending on the model - I have the torx drivers to prove it. Except for the early WiFi era's AirPort cards, that's been it - and there's something like an order of magnitude step decrease for each one in my experience. A few people upgrade RAM and even fewer change the drive; everyone appreciates better battery life and lighter systems.
X-Istence 14y ago
The SSD is a separate part that can be removed. In the future (within a year, before then Applecare will take care of defects) I am expecting manufacturers to have third-party SSD's available that will work in the new MacBook Pro's.
- tbeseda 14y ago
  Correct. It seems faulty RAM will be the real trouble beyond that first year, as it's soldered to the board.

generalk 14y ago

I'd be annoyed if my HD or RAM started showing signs of failure and I had to take it into a service center and have it mailed to a facility somewhere to fix it.