Teardown of 13-inch MacBook Pro With Touch Bar Reveals 'Cosmetic' Speaker Grilles [Updated]

[WestonHarvey1]

But now nothing can be replaced

We're quickly heading to the point where the entire system - including all of its RAM and storage - fits on a single piece of silicon. The iOS devices are basically almost there already. There just won't be anything to replace except for the entire system.

People just need to accept this.

 

[rjbruce]

I have replaced EVERY replaceable component in EVERY Mac I have owned since 1990, and they have all performed significantly better at a lower cost than Apple's stock offerings.

Non replaceable components means early obsolescence.

But feel free to keep listening to those faux speaker grilles.

If you buy a new MBP, you will continue the trend of having replaced EVERY replaceable component. You will have just succeeded in that goal immediately upon purchase.

 

[cult hero]

Ah, the magical non-moving fans

The moving parts I was referencing are gone. And if the rMB had TB3 and the MBP keyboard, I probably would have gone for that.

However, in my experience with MacBooks I have had no fan failures, which is more than I can say for hard drives and optical drives.

 

[therfman]

What else would you use laptop speakers for? The aesthetics?

System sounds, beeps, whirs, notifications, that's about it. I always AirPlay to a stereo or use headphones for music.

 

[duervo]

Wait. The SSD is not removable from the logic board either, right? So that means to fix a faulty power switch I had to lose all my data ?

Farce!

That is correct. dGPU fails? Lose all your data. Problem with a TB3 port? Lose all your data. TouchID button fails? Lose all your data.

Only available option, if you "must" have a new MBP, is to turn on FileVault, and make sure that you have reliable, frequent backups.

 

[aeshaettr_]

it is ridiculous how people complain about such things. does it really matter where the speaker grill is if the sound the machine outputs is good?

 

[Larry-K]

$2000

What? you'd go for the base model? I'm thinking of snapping one up with the 2.8.

Think of the money you'd save on dongles.

 

[Mw0103]

The news is that the grilles are for show only.

Even with the speakers in the new position, I think everyone assumed that since the grilles were there for a reason. Turns out they are fake. Skeuomorphism isn't something we expect from Apple in 2016, especially not physically.

Incorrect. Ifixit updated the teardown to note that the grilles do go through the case near the fn and right arrow keys where the tweeters are located. So there are, in fact, speakers under the grilles. Macrumors needs to update the main story.

 

[Larry-K]

If you buy a new MBP, you will continue the trend of having replaced EVERY replaceable component. You will have just succeeded in that goal immediately upon purchase.

They should just follow the Costco model and sell you a three pack up front.

 

[macs4nw]

.....I can't remember the last time that there has been so many bad news articles about a new Apple product on MR.

And yet, I believe the new MBPs are very capable and exciting replacements for last year's models, especially the 15" unit with Radeon graphics. See some of my earlier thoughts on this.

Maybe we are just getting to the point of being too hard to please after having been 'spoiled' with strikingly beautiful designs, incorporating state-of-the-art technology for too many years. No company can keep that up for ever.

The competition has caught up, and in some aspects surpassed Cupertino. Apple's offerings of the past have made us very demanding and picky consumers, and our expectations going forward are now almost impossible to satisfy.

 

[noraa]

Someone desperately needs to reign Ive in. I've always liked his designs, but over the past few years I think he has been surrounded by yes-men allowing him to go down the form over function path without much resistance (or any at all). These new MBPs are the epitome of that form over function philosophy. And honestly, the issues have to start at the top. It really seems like Tim Cook just how no idea what he's doing, so he's letting those beneath him run the show to Apple's detriment.

 

[MarsViolet]

$2000

I know. Ridiculous considering it's not even a recent model. But you can get one.
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They are open questions seeking valid responses, not ad-hominems. And we aren't friends.

Glad to see you understand the meaning of “friend-o”, friend-o.

 

[melendezest]

Apple is doomed.

No, really.

 

[noraa]

And yet, I believe the new MBPs are very capable and exciting replacements for last year's models, especially the 15" unit with Radeon graphics. See some of my earlier thoughts on this.

Maybe we are just getting to the point of being too hard to please after having been 'spoiled' with strikingly beautiful designs, incorporating state-of-the-art technology for too many years. No company can keep that up for ever.

The competition has caught up, and in some aspects surpassed Cupertino. Apple's offerings of the past have made us very demanding and picky consumers, and our expectations going forward are now almost impossible to satisfy.

The fact that other companies have caught up and surpassed Apple should upset all of us. This isn't about being spoiled, this is about Apple no longer being a leader in the field. We all love Apple, that's why there has been so much vocal opposition to their current direction. In addition, it feels like Apple is completely out of touch with it's loyal Mac user base. We all hope that our vocal outcry towards these new machines, and toward the direction of Apple in general, will be heard by Apple and maybe they'll respond. However, with the current leadership that seems unlikely. The whole situation is sad and frustrating.

 

[torana355]

It seems that no-one here has actually read the linked teardown. There are 4 speakers in the laptop, the two larger bass speakers that use the bottom vents and two tweeters that fire through areas at the bottom of the speaker grilles that are fully cut through.

It would be more than a bit un-apple to have two small sections of grille at bottom edges of the keyboard which is why the grille follows their design aesthetic across the range and extends the full height of the keyboard albeit with the majority only partially drilled to prevent accidental liquid damage.

Check the (i) section where they talk about about the tweeters and through-holes in the speaker grilles - https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/MacBook+Pro+13-Inch+Touch+Bar+Teardown/73480#s148019

Should be /thread after this post. The speakers on the damn thing sound amazing.

 

[definitive]

Anyone surprised by this? Soon they'll be shoving Raspberry Pi hardware into their Macbook Pro's, and releasing rigged benchmarking apps to show how great the new systems perform compared to the older versions. All for an affordable price of $2500 (cables and dongles not included)

 

[bjet767]

settling for Apple's rip-off prices and lackluster performance.

I guess I don't get your logic? You also purchased a "rip off" and then spent more on them. Each time I purchased a new I got something better that could not be had by component replacement.

I also sold or gave my old models away and to this day everyone (accept old Motorola model) is still working with original components.

The things I sold used were at premium used prices, which I can't say ever happened with Windows PC devices. They normally ended up being scrapped.

 

[Larry-K]

I know. Ridiculous considering it's not even a recent model. But you can get one.

How did you even find it? Everything points to the new model now.

 

[MarsViolet]

How did you even find it? Everything points to the new model now.

You have to go to the page for the new MacBook Pros, click "Buy", choose the 15-inch model, then scroll to the bottom. I didn't even notice it at first. Seems Apple knew the new model would be controversial.

I have to wonder how many people will buy the old model thinking they're ordering the new model, and then be astonished that it still has all the ports they need.

 

[Larry-K]

I guess I don't get your logic? You also purchased a "rip off" and then spent more on them. Each time I purchased a new I got something better that could not be had by component replacement.

I also sold or gave my old models away and to this day everyone (accept old Motorola model) is still working with original components.

The things I sold used were at premium used prices, which I can't say ever happened with Windows PC devices. They normally ended up being scrapped.

Always take the junk components in the base models, replace them immediately. I have drawers full of slow drives and processors, small SSDs and memory modules, that have never been used.

 

[Bosbrandje]

How is this bad news? This is good news! No holes in the laptop now i can spill my coffee on it and nothing happens! Right??
Can someone test this for us?

 

[Wildkraut]

Teardown Update: Alright, most of these holes are cosmetic, but after yanking out the tweeters in the following step, it's clear that some of these are through-holes that carry sound out of the Mac's enclosure.

Perfectly fine that way, please cancel your orders, I want mine earlier.

 

[Larry-K]

You have to go to the page for the new MacBook Pros, click "Buy", choose the 15-inch model, then scroll to the bottom. I didn't even notice it at first. Seems Apple knew the new model would be controversial.

I have to wonder how many people will buy the old model thinking they're ordering the new model, and then be astonished that it still has all the ports they need.

Thanks for the heads up.

I'm sorely tempted to get one, I don't have an immediate need, but you never know what's around the corner.

I do have a friend who balked at the new model, and she does have an immediate need.

 

[kdarling]

Sounds like Jony has been sniffing too much of all that glue they use.

He needs to get out of his prototype design studio more often, and into the fresh air!

 

[Wanted797]

Does Apple actually say they are speaker grills? Could they be for air flow instead?