MacBook Air mid-2013 screen repair options

[steve217]

I've come into a mid 2013 MacBook Air with this issue on the display:

View attachment 2436094

What do you all think about trying to repair? Is this a known symptom with an easy fix or would it require a new display or cable?

I'm thinking of turning this into a headless Mac. Any thoughts on that approach?

 

[StardustOne]

You cannot fix this screen, it is broken beyond repair.

Using the MacBook Air 2013 with an external screen is a very good idea, it is limited to 2560 x 1600 Pixels. Although, replacing the screen on an MBA 2013-2017 is super easy. There is a great detailed video available here (and the Youtuber also lists what tools and parts are needed).

Screens are sold on ebay for about 40-60 USD.

 

[steve217]

You cannot fix this screen, it is broken beyond repair.

Using the MacBook Air 2013 with an external screen is a very good idea, it is limited to 2560 x 1600 Pixels. Although, replacing the screen on an MBA 2013-2017 is super easy. There is a great detailed video available here (and the Youtuber also lists what tools and parts are needed).

Screens are sold on ebay for about 40-60 USD.

Thanks, StardustOne.

$40-60 is perfectly reasonable. I'll prowl eBay for a replacement.

 

[steve217]

And it lives! Nice little machine. Big Sur is surprisingly responsive even with 4GB ram.

 

[StardustOne]

Very good, thanks for the feedback. Good to see that the screen swap worked and the Macbook was able to be saved. Regarding the 4 GB RAM, I have installed MacOS Ventura on a Macbook Air 2013 with only 4 GB of RAM and it perfored also quite well, it is very usable to basic tasks such as every day web surfing.

 

[steve217]

Very good, thanks for the feedback. Good to see that the screen swap worked and the Macbook was able to be saved. Regarding the 4 GB RAM, I have installed MacOS Ventura on a Macbook Air 2013 with only 4 GB of RAM and it perfored also quite well, it is very usable to basic tasks such as every day web surfing.

You were right, the swap was easy.

While waiting for the display, I tried to run headless, but it was way too janky with the WiFi antennae wire hanging out of the back and I had to keep the power lead plugged in or the external display wouldn't light up.

Not to mention the brutal things I had to do to the old display to get the wire out.

Would you recommend Ventura over Big Sur for a 2013-2017 Air?

 

[StardustOne]

Big Sur was the last official MacOS for the MacBook Air 2013-2014 and yes MacOS Ventura runs absolutely fine with 4 GB RAM on a MacBook Air 2013 or 2014. Ventura is still getting security updates until 2025, perhaps until October 2025. And the Safari Browser is also updated to the latest version that is also available for MacOS Sequoia (don't try Sequoia with only 4 GB of RAM, it is not a good experience as others have shown on YouTube).

I used the Open Core Legacy Patcher 2.0.2 (latest version in October 2024) to update my own MacBook Air 2023 with only 4 GB of RAM, opening a few browser tabs is no problem and word processing and other not so demanding tasks are just fine with MacOS Ventura and 4 GB RAM.

I also own a MacBook Air 2013 11 inch with 8GB of RAM and this one is running MacOS Sequoia also okay, 8 GB are really needed if you want to try a MacOS higher than MacOS Ventura.

 

[steve217]

Big Sur was the last official MacOS for the MacBook Air 2013-2014 and yes MacOS Ventura runs absolutely fine with 4 GB RAM on a MacBook Air 2013 or 2014. Ventura is still getting security updates until 2025, perhaps until October 2025. And the Safari Browser is also updated to the latest version that is also available for MacOS Sequoia (don't try Sequoia with only 4 GB of RAM, it is not a good experience as others have shown on YouTube).

I used the Open Core Legacy Patcher 2.0.2 (latest version in October 2024) to update my own MacBook Air 2023 with only 4 GB of RAM, opening a few browser tabs is no problem and word processing and other not so demanding tasks are just fine with MacOS Ventura and 4 GB RAM.

I also own a MacBook Air 2013 11 inch with 8GB of RAM and this one is running MacOS Sequoia also okay, 8 GB are really needed if you want to try a MacOS higher than MacOS Ventura.

I’m passing this machine off to a friend but I bought a 2015 13” 8GB Air that should get here next week.

I’ll try Ventura on that machine for sure.