Replacement Screen? or Trash it.

[irontiger82]

My 2011 Macbook Air 13.3" has been collecting dust / just to download some movies using my TV, since the screen is cracked. Seems like the price is not worth to replace the screen. Any advice what to do with it? Maybe fix the screen? The laptop works fine, except the trackpad doesn't depress as nicely as before.

 

[Stefan johansson]

If it's from 2011,and it's broken,replace it.

 

[keysofanxiety]

I wouldn't say it was worth repairing, but you should still get a fair price for it on the used market.

 

[Boyd01]

The 2011 only has USB 2.0 and battery life is not that good, I wouldn't spend money repairing. It would make a good iTunes server for an Apple TV though, you could connect a cheap external monitor, keyboard and mouse or just use screen sharing from another machine.

 

[mandrake2016]

I replaced the screen on my 2012 MBPr. Apple wanted something like $700 for it. I got one on Amazon for $300. It was annoying and took an hour, but hey for saving $400, can't complain.

You can get screens probably for less than $100 on ebay for yours, I'd recommend doing that. I still use my 2008 basic 13" MBP as a Plex media center (and backup machine if all else is lost) with El Cap and an SSD, I certainly think it's still worth to me several hundred dollars...

Fix your screen!

 

[talmy]

Check the Apple Store for their flat rate repair service. I had a defect in the display of my 2011 MBP with 15" hi-res display. The replaced the display and the main board as well. Total cost $310. I'd expect it would be less for a MBA.

 

[DeltaMac]

The flat rate repair program covers faults or defects in the hardware (same as in-warranty service), but not accidental damage, unless the OP can prove to Apple that a cracked display was caused by a factory defect.

 

[DJLC]

IMO it's not a cost effective repair. A replacement assembly is $300-400. A used working MacBook of that vintage could be found for $300-500 probably depending on aesthetic condition. I sold ~120 2012 MacBook Airs for $495 two summers ago, which was a pretty fair price at the time.

 

[ZapNZs]

The 13-inch MBA has been available on sale for as little as $550 in open-box specials...so you could potentially buy a new MBA with better internals and a warranty for not much more than replacing the screen on your current one!