2018 13-Inch MacBook Pro Teardown Finds Larger Battery, Redesigned Power Adapter, Tweaked Top Case and More

[ike1707]

Not so good from a repair perspective

Or an upgrade perspective. I'm done with Apple's laptops until they're not sold strictly "as-is". I have no doubt they're still great machines, but it should be considered unacceptable that you have to buy all the RAM or live without it forever. Same with storage.

 

[pl1984]

So basically, a revised top-case design. This should put an end to the dreamers hoping to drop a 2018 keyboard on a 2016/2017 unit.

Keyboard is not the same as top case. Apple could, conceivably, put the 2018 keyboard in a 2016/2017 top case.

 

[vault]

And the glowing Apple always bothered me. There must have been some effect on the screen illumination.

The logo was illuminated by the screen, it had no side effects.

 

[Glideslope]

I don't understand why people care about the logo lighting up or not. I could not care less.

Then why post?

 

[pl1984]

Oh! Of course, it's a fashion statement!

Gotta be trendy in my home office with my iMac!

You need to go back and reread the statement you're responding to.

 

[Lozza013]

I hope one day they will bring the backlit Apple Logo

Go one step even better Bring back the chime when you start the Mac.

 

[NBAasDOGG]

I’m not saying your wrong because I’m fine with Apple removing the light up logo, but how does owning a MacBook show how rich you are? That is a silly statement.

According to research most people owing Apple products are financially very capable!
On the other hand, Apple products are usually twice as expensive when compared to the competitors.
It’s like owning a expensive car, for some it’s a status symbol.

 

[MBAir2010]

Can one still rest a flathead screwdriver near the keyboard ribbon on the motherboard to power up these MacBook pros?

 

[curtvaughan]

It's hard to get people to understand the tradeoff between designing for repairability and designing for tiny-ness. More glue and fewer screws. My 2013 27" iMac is getting warmer (CPU=172F) and prolly needs to have the fan and ductwork cleaned. It would be nice to have an access cover over the air system.

Yes, for the iMacs that would be a real plus. I'm on my third iMac (2017 model), and it's even harder to vacuum out than my previous two. My previous iMacs had the wider form factor (about an inch deep) as opposed to my current one which is only about 1/8 inch deep. Both of my previous iMacs began overheating and making excessive fan noise after about 3 years. With a blower/vacuum and proper nozzle attachment you can get some relief by blowing and/or vacuuming air into the upper and lower vents. Here's a youtube demo for a 2013 model:

Good luck!

 

[jgbr]

so 2016/2017 users are truly screwed with the keyboard front

 

[MauiPa]

The lid casing is thinner to reduce weight, which has to mean that it will likely flex and get damaged more easily, which most likely won't be covered by any warranty. Replacements will generate profit for Apple without any need for apologies, class action suits etc. Clever.

(I have one on order however, so evidently I am begrudgingly optimistic about this model)

its 3.3 times as bendy as the old MBP, don't put it in your pocket folks!

 

[MrGuder]

Hey, just one second there buddy. I had an Ironman Decal on the top of my 2010 MBP. Let me tell you, that extended hand was badass with that illumination underneath.

Pics or it didn’t happen

 

[MauiPa]

1 out of 10 repairability? Yikes!

I know geez guys, here is the link: https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Microsoft+Surface+Pro+5+Teardown/92362

oops, that is surface pro repairability of 1, my bad
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Wasn't even included in iMAC PRO? lol. These days Apple products are "china"-ish quality.

yah, if china made quality products, wait isn't everything made/assembled in china? Dells, Apples, MS?

 

[Guy Clark]

Nothing looks better than Macs inside.

Made without compromises looks like that... I'm an electrical engineer and their hardware is always pure pornography.

The components they use are hand picked, every capacitor, inductor, mosfet, etc. is of good quality, the layouts are without compromise (means they are using expensive multi-layer PCB's), there's basically no space wasted, no random cables or wires going from one place to another, the air paths are unrestricted, etc.

And LOL @ the repair score. We know iFixit hates Apple, won't stop anybody from buying a MBP.



I hated it.

Nothing says more "pro" than a glowing Apple logo, it's a work computer, not a fashion statement. Social escalators can have their iPhones in crocodile leather cases.

iFixit does not hate Apple. The repairability scores they give are based on findings and what the end users capabilities may be.
For example the mid 2011 21.5" iMac received a 7/10 rating whereas the late 2012 21.5" iMac received a 3/10 rating. This being because of the new slimline profile of the iMac. For example on 21.5" iMacs with the slimline profile you cannot upgrade the RAM without removing the Logic Board even then depending on what year it was soldered in.
On 21.5" iMacs up to and including 2011 it was just a case of undoing three screws on the underneath of the frame at the base of the display

RAM Upgrade 21.5" mid 2011
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/iMac+Intel+21.5-Inch+EMC+2428+RAM+Replacement/5660

RAM Upgrade 21.5" late 2012
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/iMac+Intel+21.5-Inch+EMC+2544+RAM+Replacement/16601
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I hope one day they will bring the backlit Apple Logo

Why is that so important. It has zero impact on improving performance in fact perhaps it does it is one less thing to drain the battery.

 

[OldSchoolMacGuy]

Can't believe they found the larger battery that Apple clearly states the new model has on the spec page. Such a surprise.

 

[smoking monkey]

1 out of 10 repairability? Yikes!

For the vast majority of people that doesn't really mean anything. Most of us just call Apple and they come and pick up the computer (or take to an Apple Store), fix it and have it back to you within 24-72 hours (my experience). In Japan I have gotten my computer back the next day... NEXT DAY!!!! And they picked it up from my place and delivered it back to me. Crazy. AppleCare for Apple computers in Japan is incredible.

 

[Rorosbutt]

Apple made the power adaptor better by allowing the port to break easier. Good thing the port is magnetic so the cable will auto disconnect... oh wait...

 

[pl1984]

For the vast majority of people that doesn't really mean anything. Most of us just call Apple and they come and pick up the computer (or take to an Apple Store), fix it and have it back to you within 24-72 hours (my experience). In Japan I have gotten my computer back the next day... NEXT DAY!!!! And they picked it up from my place and delivered it back to me. Crazy. AppleCare for Apple computers in Japan is incredible.

I am unaware of any US Apple consumer based program where they send someone to pick up your computer, repair it, and deliver it back to you.

 

[the johnmc]

I am unaware of any US Apple consumer based program where they send someone to pick up your computer, repair it, and deliver it back to you.

Not quite "pick up", but I have had a box sent out overnight, put the computer in, ship it also overnight and had it repaired the next day whereupon it was repaired and sent back also overnight. Granted, it's not consumer level.

 

[RuffDraft]

My early 2011 17” MacBook Pro is still going strong, but this tempting me. But now to research dongles.

Upgrading this time round too - from the same MacBook Pro 17"! Has your GPU ever died? Mine did in year four, but it's still going at the moment... had to replace the charger the other day though, as that died too. Can't wait for the new MacBook Pro to arrive! It's currently 'Preparing for Dispatch'... probably take at least another week to get here! Peripherals arrived today though, as well as the new leather pouch, which I thought would also have some way of keeping the MacBook Pro inside, but at the moment, that doesn't look to be the case... weird... I hope it's not possible for the MacBook Pro to fall out, but I have no way of testing it!

 

[code-m]

It's such a great laptop, but it just misses the mark in a couple of areas. It would be the best laptop ever if it just had a stinking SD slot, HDMI, and the 2015 keyboard. Oh and a version without TouchBar.

Sad part is that there was nothing wrong with the 2015 MBP model, compared to the 2016 MBP model it was perfection. Apple decided to do a 180 degrees on that laptop line.

All that was required was a slimmer bezel, higher resolution screen, terraced batteries, the usually upgraded CPU/GPU/RAM/SSD and maybe include x1-2 USB-C ports by replacing the Thunderbolt 2 port. Even the trackpad is comically large, as a compromise a size between the 2015 and 2016 model would have been decent for the trackpad.

Have a glowing silhouette of the Apple logo and everyone would be happy. The TouchBar if it was Apples only innovative feature should have been located under the screen vertically vice horizontally. Keep the price the same if not increase it by $100-250 USD and all would be happy.

How do you mess this up Apple? It is not complicated.

 

[makinao]

I don't mind the demise of the lit apple logo. Since my 2005 MacBook, I noticed that when the back was facing a bright light, it would shine through to the screen.

 

[jeremiah256]

Well, I'd say it has nothing to do with "hating" Apple. The machines have become notoriously hard to fix or repair, and for the reasons they state. The iFixit folks will give any hardware item a low repair score if the hardware is difficult to repair or modify. Here's a link to iFixit "repairability" scores for various laptops:

https://www.ifixit.com/laptop-repairability

Apple didn't consistently get low scores until 2015 (scores of 1 or 2), and they were scoring as high as 7 in 2011 and 2012. I would imagine that the pre-unibody Apple laptops scored even higher, but I couldn't find data going back that far. I very much appreciate iFixit for their contributions regarding accessibility, repair-ability, and upgrade-ability of computer hardware. I've always found them to be accurate and helpful for fixing home computer hardware, and if they say something is difficult to repair, I would take their advice seriously.

Like it or not, from a business point of view, when you have a design/engineering philosophy of thinness, lightness, and minimum moving parts and ports, plus you have official Apple Care service shops, a very high speed external connection, and physical stores located in most major population centers, a low repair score is not something you care about. Yes, us on this site would love the added benefit of being able to get into the guts of our kit and make repairs or upgrades, but for the average Joe or Jane Doe, or a business with an IT contract, it's a non-issue or even something that should be avoided.

I'm not saying to NOT take it into consideration when buying a computer. If you don't live near any Apple repair service centers, it should be something you think about. But, what was a major consideration for someone in 2011 or 2012, is now probably a very minor consideration given a modern MBP has up to 32GBs RAM and Thunderbolt/USB-C for expandability/future proofing, and there are probably multiple official Apple repair shops and at least one Apple Store within a reasonable distance if their Mac goes down.

 

[Guy Clark]

My early 2011 17” MacBook Pro is still going strong, but this tempting me. But now to research dongles.

You will never find another machine to equal the 17" 2011 MacBook Pro particularly in the modern MacBook Pro range.

The 2011 17" MacBook Pro represented the pinnacle of the range. When it was discontinued that was the beginning of things going down hill to where we are at now with USB-C and dongles.

 

[smoking monkey]

I am unaware of any US Apple consumer based program where they send someone to pick up your computer, repair it, and deliver it back to you.

Huh. Definitely consumer level normal AppleCare. I guess Japan's delivery service infrastructure is just really good because of how small and concentrated the country is.

This was (one of) my experience (after talking to AppleCare on the phone and setting up service).
Monday 10am. They ring your doorbell, you put your computer in a special pack they bring. Takes 1 min.
Monday 10:01am They leave...
Tuesday 4pm Doorbell rings, take your computer out of special packaging. Sign for computer.
4:01 Finished.

You can call the delivery company and organise a different time if you won't be home. They won't leave the package at your door. You can even call the driver direct and set it up with the driver.