Are Apple's New MacBooks More Problematic Than Windows 8?

First the 2012 and 2013 MacBook Air units had problems -- now Apple's AAPL latest MacBook Pro is causing headaches for unsuspecting buyers. After surveying hundreds of complaints on Apple's user-to-user support forums, AppleInsider has learned that one key issue is plaguing new MacBook Pro units. Each version of the 2013 MacBook Pro -- both the 13-inch and 15-inch models with Retina Display and all configurations for each -- suffers from the same problem: hardware lockups. Users reported that these powerful machines have locked up at random, preventing them from using the trackpad or the keyboard. These problems have surfaced a mere six days after the new MacBook Pros were introduced. They made their official debut during Apple's long-awaited iPad event, which included the world premiere of the iPad Air and iPad Mini with Retina Display. Earlier this month, Apple announced that it was recalling all MacBook Air units that were sold between June 2012 and June 2013 because of flash drive failure. While there weren't many problems reported before the recall was announced, it seems that Apple's flash drives may not have been as reliable as its customers anticipated. That recall refers to the 2012 MacBook Air. When the 2013 model was released, buyers immediately reported a number of issues, including some related to Wi-Fi connectivity. Related: MacBook Sales Could Decline At Least 13% In 2013 Three years ago, these are the kinds of problems that consumers would have expected to hear in relation to a Windows machine. Today, these issues have begun to tarnish Apple's nearly-flawless record with MacBooks. If this is what consumers can expect from the Mac Pro when it's released later this year, they might second guess their purchase. That could be detrimental for Apple, which has been working hard to reverse its declining Mac sales. By comparison, most of the complaints relating to Windows 8 have nothing to do with software or hardware issues. Consumers simply don't like the new operating system. Disclosure: At the time of this writing, Louis Bedigian had no position in the equities mentioned in this report. Louis Bedigian is the Senior Tech Analyst and Features Writer of Benzinga. You can reach him at louis(at)benzingapro(dot)com. Follow him @LouisBedigianBZ