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millersail · 03:30 PM

I just received notice that my new Core2 Duo MacBook has shipped. It is coming from China... and evidently has been manufactured in China. Not sure what to think about that.

I was aware that iPods were coming from China, and I guess I cannot say for sure whether any or all of the other eight Macs I own were made in the US, Ireland, China, or elsewhere. I always assumed that my Macs were manufactured in the US, but I must admit that foreign manufacture just didn't occur to me.

My question then? Are all the new MacBooks made in China? Is there any difference ... RE: reliability, quality control, display, etc.

The new MacBook screen that I saw in an Apple store was truly impressive. That is important to me since we are doing a lot of graphics work. Will the display be equally impressive on the Chinese version?

Is there anything at all to be concerned about?

Thank you for any and all information or thoughts on this.

Very truly uninformed,
Robert

Dork. · Nov 14, 2006, 04:33 PM

Is there any American electronics manufacturer that still makes their stuff in the US anymore? It's all outsourced to places like China.

mitchell_pgh · Nov 14, 2006, 04:43 PM

I'm mixed about this... we may actually be getting what we asked for... cheaper Macs

(this mean comment may stem from my 15 month old iBook, which just died yesterday)

derekjv · Nov 14, 2006, 04:50 PM

Yeah- my Macbook is also coming directly from China (Suzhou, China to be exact: http://www.suzhou.gov.cn/English/index.shtml). Right now my primary concern is whether or not it can make the trip to Portland, ME in two days!

ibook_steve · Nov 14, 2006, 05:32 PM

All Apple products, excluding the towers I believe, are manufactured and assembled in China. Previously, some were made in Taiwan, but even that was too expensive. Towers may be assembled in Ireland (Cork) or Sacramento, but I don't know.

Steve

m_young · Nov 14, 2006, 07:19 PM

I think there was a program to tell you where it was manufactured. I'll have to check my iBook for it. But the iBook was manufactured in Taiwan, and shipped from there on my BTO. So the MacBook is made in China, big deal. What isn't, anymore?

jesrae · Nov 14, 2006, 07:30 PM

Of course it is; pretty much everything is. It would be way more expensive if it were made in the US.

ghporter · Nov 14, 2006, 08:09 PM

Note that Apple uses factories in Shanghai, which has been an island of Western-style manufacturing (and is relatively free from the kind of oppression found in most of China) for decades. Their use of Chinese partners to manufacture iPods and computers does not connote acceptance of the Chinese government either; the iPod is made by Foxconn, (and maybe the computers are too), a Taiwanese company with facilities on the mainland. If ANYONE has a beef with Beijing, it's Taipei, so I think that's a pretty significant statement about the manufacturing facilities there.

Tuoder · Nov 14, 2006, 08:27 PM

Originally Posted by m_young

I think there was a program to tell you where it was manufactured. I'll have to check my iBook for it. But the iBook was manufactured in Taiwan, and shipped from there on my BTO. So the MacBook is made in China, big deal. What isn't, anymore?

Coconut Identity Card. I will let someone else Google it.

P.S. Not much of anybody makes anything in America if they can help it. If they do make it here, the parts come from elsewhere. American labor is more expensive than American shipping.

ghporter · Nov 14, 2006, 10:41 PM

I should point out that the Ford Mustang, built in my home town of Flat Rock, Michigan, has LESS US content than most Toyotas built in the US. WAY less.

It's an international world. Get used to it.

tintin220 · 10:52 PM

Honestly people chill. I think Americans and Westerners in general are too afraid of "inferior" or "commy" products (btw, China is capitalist essentially now, just commy in state). Liek Tuoder said, American labor is more expensive than Chinese labor, especially with the artificial devaluation of the Chinese yuan which helps to boost its economy even more than it is already growing. It's only natural for western companies to seek cheaper means. they are companies, thus they want to make profit.

Your products are expensive ones. They will be high quality.

And like ghporter said (he knows wat hes talking about), these are Taiwanese based manufacturies (though being mainland, it is the same style as any other chinese factory. Sorry you're wrong abut that part. Most key chinese factories are "western" style, which is actually pretty universal in developed countries.)

Of course, I'm not here to discuss opinions or misconceptions about China's gov. Just rest assured, the only thing you should worry about is your shipment arriving on time.

m_young · Nov 14, 2006, 11:08 PM

Coconut Identity Card for those that are interested in where your Mac was built. My blackbook was built in china, between 10/30 and 11/5.

acoustix · Nov 15, 2006, 12:27 AM

Cool app...

Cottonsworth · Nov 15, 2006, 02:22 AM

Originally Posted by ghporter

I should point out that the Ford Mustang, built in my home town of Flat Rock, Michigan, has LESS US content than most Toyotas built in the US. WAY less.

I found this statement to be quite interesting. Can you please post the source about Mustangs having less American-made components than most US-built Toyotas? I would like to read more about that. Thanks.

ghporter · Nov 15, 2006, 10:36 AM

Originally Posted by Cottonsworth

I found this statement to be quite interesting. Can you please post the source about Mustangs having less American-made components than most US-built Toyotas? I would like to read more about that. Thanks.

I'm researching that-this is a tidbit I picked up while surfing that I noted but didn't save so it's going to take some time for me to find it again. I HATE not having a good reference to throw up immediately...

Here's a good start, though.

ghporter · Nov 15, 2006, 10:45 AM

Ah HA! Here's a GREAT listing! My Ohio-assembled Civic has 10% more domestic content than Ford's Michigan-assembled Mustang according to this source.

Notice the ones at the top of the list-the Ford Escape and Mazda Tribute are the same vehicle, built in the same plant (Flat Rock, I think) on basically the same assembly line, and they have 90% domestic parts. Hmmm. VERY interesting stuff, eh?

jasonv1 · Nov 15, 2006, 11:24 AM

The same company in China makes laptops for multiple manufacturers:

The Laptop Trail - WSJ.com

Quanta is one of many, but they are one of the biggest fish in the pond.

kikkoman · Nov 15, 2006, 02:06 PM

There are like 4 or 5 companies that manufacture a majority of all the laptops produced worldwide and they are all in Taiwan or China.