so will Consumer Reports stop recommending MacBooks until Apple puts out a new keyboard design?

From what I’ve read, Apple is just going to replace broken MacBook keyboards with the same flawed design, they haven’t fixed the design flaws yet. So surely Consumer Reports has to pull their recommendation for all effected MacBooks, just like they did to the Surface line? And we should see a bunch of headlines “Consumer Reports no longer recommends MacBooks” . If they don’t, what does that say about Consumer Reports? More gold from Consumer Reports: the Pixel 2 camera isn’t even in the top 10 best phone cameras, according to them…

Conversation 13 comments

  • rameshthanikodi

    24 June, 2018 - 4:40 pm

    <p>If they have any shred of credibility, they should. But they don't, so they won't. </p>

  • bbold

    25 June, 2018 - 2:37 am

    <p>Yeah, Apple has Consumer Reports in their pockets, just like many other Apple reviewer fanboys. Don't expect CR to pull their rating, since they have absolutely zero credibility now. No surprise here. For all we know, CR staff gets a big fat Apple discount.</p>

    • Jason Peter

      25 June, 2018 - 10:33 am

      <blockquote><a href="#285970"><em>In reply to bbold:</em></a></blockquote><p><br></p><p><em>"Yeah, Apple has Consumer Reports in their pockets"</em></p><p><br></p><p>Not according to Paul…</p><p><br></p><p><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">"CR obviously never experienced the keyboard issues, but people are forgetting </span><em style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">that they refused to recommend iPhones and MacBook Pros in the past</em><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> because of issues. </span><em style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Which Apple fixed.</em><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">"</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Explain to me how CR is biased again?</span></p>

  • Paul Thurrott

    Premium Member
    25 June, 2018 - 7:23 am

    <p>You're missing the point: If you look at CR's actual reviews of the affected products, the scores are not so high compared to PCs: The top 13-inch laptop is an HP, with a score of 81. Apple's MacBook Pro 13 only scored 75, and its' not even in the top 5. The 12-inch MacBook scored only 71. In the 15-inch category, top-rated LG Gram scored 84, but the MacBook Pro 15 landed in 7th place, with 78 points.</p><p><br></p><p>CR obviously never experienced the keyboard issues, but people are forgetting that they refused to recommend iPhones and MacBook Pros in the past because of issues. Which Apple fixed. </p><p><br></p><p>The real issue here is Apple's customers, which continue to give it high marks despite the rampant issues. There's not much CR can do about that: Apple and its products are consistently top-rated … by CR's readers. THAT's the thing you're really complaining about. If no one complains to CR about the keyboards, CR cannot rescind its recommendation.</p><p><br></p><p>I've been saying this for years: Apple's customer service scores are skewed because the company quietly fixes or replaces almost anything, and doing so keeps these things from developing into Surfacegate-level dramas. But spend any time in an Apple Store, and you'll notice something really obvious. All those people? Many are there waiting for service or getting service. And they are so happy to get good service. It's kind of unreal.</p>

    • TEAMSWITCHER

      25 June, 2018 - 10:18 am

      <p>I personally have never had a MacBook Issue that required an Apple Store visit. But I have co-workers that had their MacBook hardware issues resolved in just two days. I have had numerous issues with my personal DIY PCs, requiring me to send in a motherboard or video card for warranty replacement that took a minimum of three weeks and one time … five full weeks.</p><p><br></p><p>We have a saying in our software development shop … "If you can't be good, at least be fast." A lot of PC hardware makers are neither "fast" nor "good."</p>

      • VancouverNinja

        Premium Member
        25 June, 2018 - 10:45 pm

        <blockquote><a href="#286002"><em>In reply to TEAMSWITCHER:</em></a></blockquote><p>Servicing dead iMacs is horrific. If your Mac crashes there is no chance of fixing it yourself. </p><p><br></p><p>I almost banned new iMacs after the most recent crash and having to unplug the darn thing, take it in to the Apple store, only to watch the Apple service guy boot it up in front of us (trying to hide the DOS like interface from us he was using) and conclude the hard drive had to be reformatted. </p><p><br></p><p>Apple's quality is subpar for the cost of its hardware. Selling $1,000 phones that crack and shatter on a single drop is completely unacceptable yet they have sucker punched the world to accept it; they have literally made BILLIONS off making people pay for front and back damage to their phones. Hard to respect Apple these days. Durability and value have left the house of Apple years ago.</p>

    • Jason Peter

      25 June, 2018 - 10:30 am

      <blockquote><a href="#285977"><em>In reply to paul-thurrott:</em></a></blockquote><p><em>"CR obviously never experienced the keyboard issues, but people are forgetting that they refused to recommend iPhones and MacBook Pros in the past because of issues. Which Apple fixed."</em></p><p><br></p><p>So much for the rumor that CR is in Apple’s pockets…</p><p><br></p><p><em>"</em><em style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Apple and its products are consistently top-rated … by CR's readers."</em></p><p><br></p><p>Maybe because, you know…possibly they’re more satisfied with their purchases and overall experience?</p><p><br></p><p><em>"I've been saying this for years: Apple's customer service scores are skewed because the company quietly fixes or replaces almost anything, and doing so keeps these things from developing into Surfacegate-level dramas."</em></p><p><br></p><p><em>"All those people? Many are there waiting for service or getting service. And they are so happy to get good service. It's kind of unreal."</em></p><p><br></p><p>You say this like good customer service a bad thing. At least those customers have somewhere convenient to go to be helped by the manufacturer – unlike most Windows PC’s and laptops.</p><p><br></p><p>Damned if you do, damned if you don't ¯\_(ツ)_/¯</p><p><br></p>

      • skane2600

        25 June, 2018 - 1:28 pm

        <blockquote><a href="#286008"><em>In reply to Jason_P:</em></a></blockquote><p>Reminds me of Lee Iacocca going on TV to announce long warranties on Chrysler cars after they suffered quality issues. The problem was that people didn't want extended warranties, they just wanted reliable cars. </p><p><br></p><p>I guess Apple has the advantage that nobody ever got stuck in the middle of nowhere because of an Apple product failure (at least until there's an Apple car). </p>

      • rameshthanikodi

        25 June, 2018 - 11:26 pm

        <blockquote><a href="#286008"><em>In reply to Jason_P:</em></a></blockquote><p>"You say this like good customer service a bad thing. At least those customers have somewhere convenient to go to be helped by the manufacturer – unlike most Windows PC’s and laptops."</p><p><br></p><p>where the hell are you getting this from? Any business customer will tell you that Thinkpads are fixed faster and more reliably than Apple Macbooks.</p>

        • Jason Peter

          13 July, 2018 - 12:23 pm

          <blockquote><a href="#286184"><em>In reply to FalseAgent:</em></a></blockquote><p>"where the hell are you getting this from? Any business customer will tell you that Thinkpads are fixed faster and more reliably than Apple Macbooks."</p><p><br></p><p>How about for consumers?</p><p><br></p><p>As for businesses, YMMV. But at the corporation I support, I can’t speak for Thinkpads as we primarily have HP and Macs to support. Apple’s support for our company is stellar, and certification requirements (as stringent as they are) go hand in hand with excellent tech training and support. HP? While training and support are good, they are still behind Apple. </p><p><br></p><p>I will acknowledge however that HP has much better compatibility for the Enterprise-level organization. </p><p><br></p><p>My post however, was directed from the perspective of the consumer. In that area, I am still searching for a PC vendor who’s support even comes close to the level of satisfaction, efficiency and speed that Apple offers to mainline consumers. </p>

    • Bdsrev

      25 June, 2018 - 4:43 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#285977"><em>In reply to paul-thurrott:</em></a></blockquote><p>so people shouldn't care what Consumer Reports says, it's a joke (again, the Pixel 2 camera isn't even in the top 10 phone cameras according to Consumer Reports)</p>

    • rameshthanikodi

      25 June, 2018 - 11:35 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#285977"><em>In reply to paul-thurrott:</em></a></blockquote><p>Apple got hit with a class-action lawsuit…how is this not a surfacegate-level drama? And this repair program comes 3 years after the launch of the first macbooks with the new keyboards. How many people have had to already pay for their repairs because the warranty is out, and how many have been told (lied to) that it's their fault for getting breadcrumbs under their keys? </p><p><br></p><p>Apple will "quietly" fix or replace almost anything, as long as you give them the cash. </p>

  • dcdevito

    25 June, 2018 - 10:22 am

    <p>Sounds like you're already wise enough to ignore their recommendations anyway</p>

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