iFixit Shares Full 16-Inch MacBook Pro Teardown

[FlyingDutch]

Rubbish. My mate had to have the keyboard (of his 2017 13" MBP) replaced 3 times, and every time they (Apple, not iFixit) "repaired" it by replacing the entire top case. He also had the connectors between the screen and the rest of the laptop die, and they "repaired" that by replacing the entire screen. So no, Apple can't repair it any better than iFixit can.

His MacBook was repaired. So YES they definitely can repair it.
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Plenty of pros and non-pros are perfectly happy to buy upwards of 20 million Macs every year. Whether they have the best hardware or the fifth best (in your opinion).

Those who like this MBP 16” despite iFixit’s repair rating of “1” will buy it. Others will buy something else. I really don’t understand why that’s so hard to deal with.

Most of the customers don’t even know what iFixit is...
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Every pro needs time to relax and blow steam, so yes, here I am!

Stop self proclaim yourself a “Pro”. It doesn’t really mean anything and it’s getting ridiculous.
Enjoy your Windows computer: I wouldn’t take one even for free.
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This is relaxing to you? I prefer vacations and time with family but to each their own I guess.

Correct.
But he’s a “Pro” .... whatever it means 😂

 

[mikethemartian]

And what what happens when you damage the computer logic board during the installation does Lenovo give you a whole new logic board or computer? I bet you are out of luck.

They probably just assume that the end user isn’t going to bang the new part in with a hammer.
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Who said I was not willing to pay for macOS to be run on hardware other than what Apple offers and overcharges. I like macOS, I have been using it since it was OS X and used OS 9 and prior. I have used Windows and Linux, but prefer macOS, why am I being limited to what hardware Apple artificially limits it to. Seeing through those rose tinted glasses will only make Apple offer better updated hardware more frequent and cheaper with reasonable upgrade options, unless you believe Apple should be permitted to do what it wants. Remember FreeBSD is open source supported and that is what macOS is built upon for years. Apple did not build and secure macOS without community support, so lets gain some insight yeah.

I would be willing to pay a high price to Apple if I could buy a licensed copy of macOS that I could install on custom hardware. They would probably make more money from me selling me the OS then they would selling me the hardware.

 

[Peperino]

Usually the battery will last for 1000 cycles, depending on use should last 1-3+ years without requiring a replacement. I do agree that there should be an easier method to secure and remove the battery maybe clips similar to holding RAM DIMMs in place. Dunno I believe it is possible it’s just Apple cannot sell it’s AppleCare for which this entire situation becomes a conflict of interest.

I am honestly surprised that the EU has not looked into these practises especially by Apple.

Apple makes these things hard to repair and claims it is due to XYZ reason the cheerleading team on MR will come to Apple’s defense by eating the marketing and product design videos while Apple sells it’s AppleCare service for the very products it designs to make it near impossible for a user to repair and not permitting anyone to obtain authentic parts or locks down the OS to not recognize those authentic parts. This really is anti-competitive and a conflict of interest on Apple’s part. A class-action should help change this behaviour.

So if you keep a computer for 4 years you will need to replace the batteries 2 or maybe 3 times depending on how much you use it.
Why should we need to take the computer to Apple for something that should be easily user-replaceable?
Why do we need to overpay repair costs in order to replace a battery?
That shows how poorly Laptops are designed, and how much effort Apple is putting in creating disposable appliances.

 

[Schneepard]

Nice that they got esc back and the better keys. Next get rid off the touchbar and give back all ports :9

 

[mikethemartian]

My only real complaint with this laptop (I bought one already) is the glued in battery. It will need to be replaced, likely while I still am using it and so if it was just some screws to remove it instead of needing to use a solvent I'd prefer that.

On the old MBPs it took about a minute to change the battery. Just pull back on two retaining clips on the bottom and pop it out. It probably took longer to open the box the battery was in than swapping it out.

 

[FlyingDutch]

If it's good to have a separate esc key then how is it not good to have separate volume and brightness keys?

I use the volume keys literally all the time because of what I use these laptops for, post production.

Apple is once again forcing us to buy their technology which of course they have spend a LOT of money on during the inventing process.

We of course will pay for it, like it or not.

volume and brightness are easily accessible on the Touch Bar. Geez, people here just complain about everything 🤷🏻‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️

 

[Peperino]

You accuse me if putting words in your mouth and then in the very next breath have the nerve to say: “you said regardless of what Apple "craps out" *some* people will buy it”.

1) Some people like Macs and are willing to pay for them. Deal with it. Call them fools if you want, but as I said it’s not productive, nor does it further your argument. For some, the MBP 16” is exactly what they want.

2) Apple didn’t make the machine you wanted so you bought something else. Awesome! Enjoy your machine! Life’s too short to pay good money for something that’s not going to make you happy. You did what’s right for you. Other people will choose different.

3) What does it matter to you what other people choose to spend their money on? Can’t you just be happy with your own purchase? There’s no need to try to build yourself up by tearing others down.

People who do not like bad products have all the right to complain, post and express and voice their opinion.
Especially if Apple is designing extremely bad products like MacBooks 2016+. And that is why Apple got several class action lawsuits due to the bad keyboard design. And the worse thing was that Apple knew right from the get go and still kept selling them instead of doing a recall.

The difference is that people like you that idolizes anything that Apple puts out that we would like to give credit when good things are released, but critique the bad products when they are actually bad, so they will actually change.

 

[bobob]

...a highly repairable laptop that you could potentially keep forever.

Forever?!? 😆

De plane, de plane! Welcome to Fantasy Island.

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[ascender]

If it's good to have a separate esc key then how is it not good to have separate volume and brightness keys?

Personally I've thought that the volume & brightness sliders on the Touch Bar have been one part of the design which have always worked well. They make sense and are nice to use.

The esc key is a totally different thing to those sort of function keys, so while I'm not the biggest fan of the Touch Bar, I can see why they've separated it out.

 

[nitramluap]

Repairability = 1 (by total amateurs using tools & parts that iFixit would love to sell to them)
Repairability = Probably just fine if you take it to Apple to repair

Meh... I've only had good experiences with Apple repairing hardware. The most recent was a 2015 MacBook battery. They found other issues and damaged a part doing the work, requiring a replacement part. All up it was $1700 of repairs and I paid $0... and it wasn't even in warranty or covered by Apple Care.

 

[0x0x0x0]

<snip>

But he’s a “Pro” .... whatever it means 😂

Means I use a computer as a tool to get the job done, not an altar.

 

[dfelix]

battery could be replaced at €209. They are not replacing the whole top case for that.

Sigh, this only applies if you live close to a place where you can get such repair by apple. If you don't, you are SOL. Or you have to pay triple that to get a half-assed job by some grifter third party. Or you have to pay for a newborn baby for the airfare and the taxes to get that thing shipped two-way.

An alternative would be, that Apple made its battery user-replaceable. The only cost would be the cost of the battery. I would not have to be on the same continent as an Apple store in order to get it serviced. Also, 0 downtime to get my damn computer back once it dies.

However, prayer also works. Pray to the Flying Spaghetti Monster that its battery doesn't ever die. Oh, wait ...

 

[0x0x0x0]

Repairability = 1 (by total amateurs using tools & parts that iFixit would love to sell to them)
Repairability = Probably just fine if you take it to Apple to repair

Meh... I've only had good experiences with Apple repairing hardware. The most recent was a 2015 MacBook battery. They found other issues and damaged a part doing the work, requiring a replacement part. All up it was $1700 of repairs and I paid $0... and it wasn't even in warranty or covered by Apple Care.

So you're impressed that someone damaged a part, then replaced it at their own expense?..

 

[dfelix]

Repairability = 1 (by total amateurs using tools & parts that iFixit would love to sell to them)
Repairability = Probably just fine if you take it to Apple to repair

Meh... I've only had good experiences with Apple repairing hardware. The most recent was a 2015 MacBook battery. They found other issues and damaged a part doing the work, requiring a replacement part. All up it was $1700 of repairs and I paid $0... and it wasn't even in warranty or covered by Apple Care.

What happens when you can't take it to Apple for servicing? Like when you are in a country which has no actual official Apple service centers?

 

[FlyingDutch]

Do you get a brand new top case or a refurbished one?

irrelevant, since a refurbished would be just like a new one.
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Means I use a computer as a tool to get the job done, not an altar.

me too, and my opinions are completely different from yours about MacBook Pro and Apple products.
So being "a Pro" doesn't mean anything regarding this matter.
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What happens when you can't take it to Apple for servicing? Like when you are in a country which has no actual official Apple service centers?

I wouldn't buy an Apple product in a country without official Apple service centers.

 

[0x0x0x0]

me too, and my opinions are completely different from yours about MacBook Pro and Apple products.
So being "a Pro" doesn't mean anything regarding this matter.

Yet you show distinctive bias against anything non-Apple: "Enjoy your Windows computer: I wouldn’t take one even for free." Whereas I have both Apple and Lenovo (and HPE, and Supermicro) gear; one of us might be just that little bit more objective, methinks! And you know why I got the Trashcan? Because I could put 128GB RAM in it and stick in a better CPU (that I chose to trade TDP vs clock speed) not because it's Apple, and it's still running absolutely fine! The only thing I would fault Apple on the Trashcan is that some cretin thought that trading I/O bandwidth for display bandwidth if you're running 4K screens is a good idea and didn't have separate DisplayPorts.

 

[TopherMan12]

I've browsed through ifixit's teardown videos. There are only a handful of teardowns of laptops and they are all Apple and MS Surface. There are tons of slim laptops on the market. Like my Lenovo Yoga C940. Where is the ifixit teardown for any in the Lenovo Yoga line? If they are going to rank laptop teardowns on a 10 point scale, shouldn't they have a broader depth of teardowns to compare it against than just what two companies offer?

Whereas I have both Apple and Lenovo (and HPE, and Supermicro) gear; one of us might be just that little bit more objective, methinks!

Owning a piece of hardware doesn't make you any more objective about it than anyone else. Arguing about who is the more (or less) "objective" is a waste of time.

 

[Sangeppato]

So it's exactly as repairable as the beloved 2012-2015 MBP. No better, no worse.

 

[0x0x0x0]

Owning a piece of hardware doesn't make you any more objective about it than anyone else. Arguing about who is the more (or less) "objective" is a waste of time.

I never said that, what I said what that in contrast to someone who says they'd never touch non-Apple gear if it were free, I "touch" and use both, so I have experience with both, and saying "I won't touch something if it were free" is blatent bias and non-objectivity! Do read stuff more carefully!

 

[flygbuss]

GPU failures was 100% nvidia problem. Thats why Apple don't buy GPU from them.

You should talk to the Radeon HD 6750M in my old 2011 MBP 15"..

 

[nvmls]

You should talk to the Radeon HD 6750M in my old 2011 MBP 15"..

Exactly. We've had both Nvidia 8600 & Radeon 6750M fail miserably. Apple acknowledged these years later when a lot of people were already screwed.

 

[pneves1975]

Times are always changing. The time of the post-buy configurable computer is dead. Difficult to accept? Yes, because we have been spoiled by that. Now I invite you all to another way of thinking...

You buy a car with an engine and some specs. Do you ever consider upgrading anything or buy a new one?
You buy a fridge. Do you consider upgrading anything or buy a new one?

It makes sense? You have to equate your needs and what the market offers to decide the best configuration restricted by your budget (whatever that is). Why a computer must be different?

"you're thinking it wrong" 🤣. Think about how such an expensive equipment only has one year warranty. It should have standard at least three. That is a good case.

My 2c.

 

[0x0x0x0]

Times are always changing. The time of the post-buy configurable computer is dead. Difficult to accept? Yes, because we have been spoiled by that. Now I invite you all to another way of thinking...

If you're in the Apple universe, perhaps, but then again, Apple is eating their own "non-modular for pros" and releasing a fully modular Mac Pro 🤣

You buy a car with an engine and some specs. Do you ever consider upgrading anything or buy a new one?
You buy a fridge. Do you consider upgrading anything or buy a new one?

Don't change the engine, but I can put bigger tyres, better radiator, better tie rods, better suspension... Hell, I can even buy parts to put inside/around the engine aftermarket!.. Shall I go on?.. Just because you lack the skill, doesn't mean it can't be done; anyone can take their car to any non-dealer garage, for example! With the fridge, I can replace bulbs, change shelves...


To quote you:-

"you're thinking it wrong" 🤣.

 

[TopherMan12]

I never said that, what I said what that in contrast to someone who says they'd never touch non-Apple gear if it were free, I "touch" and use both, so I have experience with both, and saying "I won't touch something if it were free" is blatent bias and non-objectivity! Do read stuff more carefully!

lol....it is exactly what you said so I'm reading just fine, thanks. Your inventory of computers somehow makes you more objective. As is highlighting someone else's bias to suggest you are less biased. Even if true.....what does it prove? Nothing. At that point in an argument you've totally lost the point of it all.

 

[0x0x0x0]

lol....it is exactly what you said so I'm reading just fine, thanks. Your inventory of computers somehow makes you more objective. As is highlighting someone else's bias to suggest you are less biased. Even if true.....what does it prove? Nothing. At that point in an argument you've totally lost the point of it all.

It certainly makes me way more objective than some who says they won't touch something non-Apple! The inventory of computers shows lack of bias towards/worship of Apple, if that point is lost on you altogheter, then I am done discussing it with you!