Apple’s 2016 MacBook Pro has had to endure plenty of criticism since its introduction. Some people complained about the lack of ports, others wanted more RAM and better graphics. Then there was the battery life controversy, and some users experienced some screen issues — both of those were fixed.
Now, new reports from MacBook Pro buyers say there’s one other issue to deal with: A popping sound coming from the computer.
Users have said that, the sound is comparable to “slowly squeezing a plastic bottle,” 9to5Mac reports.
Some users say they’ve heard it during peak performance processes including gaming or video streaming. As soon as the fans start to kick in to dissipate some of that heat, the popping sound also arrives.
Others believe it’s related to the MacBook’s hinges, as the sound may be caused by the plastic mount or hinges, which may be affected by the extra heat.
It appears the issue seems to be affecting mostly 15-inch MacBook Pro users. These laptops have bigger screens, which are heavier. If there’s a problem with the hinges, the extra weight may explain why the sound is heard predominantly on the bigger notebook.
One user was able to replicate the sound by pressing below the Apple logo on the back of the screen, towards the hinge. Others have confirmed these findings.
A different theory that’s yet to be verified by more users says that the popping stops when using dongles with the MacBook.
One other user took the device in for service and was told that a $130 repair fee is in order. “I took my laptop in to the genius bar for this popping noise,” user ACA25 explained. “They said it is caused by this small dent on the bottom casing hitting the fan. They told me I had to replace the entire bottom casing for $130. Not covered under warranty because it’s user inflicted damage / a wearable part.”
After paying the fee and having the bottom case and fans services, ACA25 still experienced the same popping noise. A different user had the entire top case replaced by Apple, and the popping sound is still there.
Read more about it on Apple’s forums.
