Teardown of Retina MacBook Pro Finds Low Repairability with Custom Components

[Xcallibur]

That's good... what about the RAM, though?

Regarding the battery:
How long is it designed to last? For nice round numbers, lets just say I go through 250 charge cycles a year. For how many years will I get 6 hours out of my laptop per charge cycle?

Lets say 3-5 years down the road, I need to replace the battery. How will I be able to do that? Will Apple do it for me? Will AppleCare cover it, or will that be too far out? How much will it probably cost?

Not quite sure how long it will last, but you can get them replaced, see the following link.

http://www.apple.com/support/macbookpro/service/battery/

Regarding the retina Macbook Pro's inability to upgrade RAM, it is quite annoying, I find Apple's decision to half the VRAM in the base 15" Macbook Pro very annoying, the only way to get around this is to buy the higher-end 15" Macbook Pro and if your spending that much you will feel ripped off if you don't buy the newer retina Macbook Pro with its superior screen.

Apple certainly price their products annoyingly to make the buyer feel obliged to buy the highest specification products.

 

[Renzatic]

I don't know if you're being serious but I agree with you to a certain degree. The average person should not fiddle with most of the parts in a computer. But the average consumer can easily learn how to add RAM or change a battery in a computer. It doesn't take an Apple Genius to do that.

Exactly. Why should people have to drive all the way out to an Apple Store just to do something that should be nothing more a literal *snap* *pop* *snap* affair. There's a difference between making things easy for people and treating them like braindead idiots.

That said, despite my reservations with the new Pro, I...well...yeah...I still want one. The RDF has never worked on me much before, but damn if it's not doing it's thing on me now. Every review I read, every picture I see, I think it's the perfect laptop for me. The only thing holding me back is knowing I'll be stuck with the SSD and ram for at least 3 years.

But...then again...the machine only supports 16GB max. If I get that now, I'd have to upgrade to a new machine get more anyway. $200 for 8GB ram is price gougingly expensive, but it is soldered on. And I could easily survive with 256GB of storage space, since I'll be using external drives to store all my big files while I'm at the house...

...WHY AM I TALKING MYSELF INTO THIS? DAMN YOU APPLE COMPUTERS!

 

[oLNutjob]

My sandy bridge quad, IdeaPad has 2 unused sockets for extra storage like the one pictured. (It also has a replaceable, socketed CPU.) The $550. spent was a problem free, no brainer.

Proof that they changed the SSD connector? Here:

https://www.macrumors.com/2012/06/12/teardown-of-mid-2012-macbook-air-reveals-tweaked-ssd-connector/

But proof that they did it to screw people over? That, it's not. The new connection works at a faster speed. Who are we to say that a faster connection didn't require a physical redesign?

 

[RossMc]

I have a 2008 MacBook, I bought it the very first day the unibody make it to retail stores and just last year I had to buy a new battery for it as the old one was not usable anymore.

Now if I am going to shell out for a Retina MacBook what am I supposed to do when the battery dies in couple of years?

This is definitely holding me back now. Do you think Apple will be able to change the battery for the users? If they are then I don't mind spending few more bucks in couple of years as I usually upgrade every three or four years.

You can get it replaced by Apple if it dies, The price listed on their site for the Retina Macbook Pro battery replacement is £159 inc. VAT/$199 pre taxes

http://www.apple.com/support/macbookpro/service/battery/

 

[djtopcat]

Lifelong MAC owner here. My first was a Macintosh back in the 80s! I really fear that without Steve Jobs direction this company is going to see an eventual downfall.
He was the genius that saved them from complete oblivion in the 90s.
Most knowledgable Apple people know that the Apple laptop market is a very small percentage of their actual profits.
The people that buy these admittedly overpriced machines made in China, do not care if the RAM is soldered in etc etc. The average consumer cannot afford to spend $3k+ on a laptop! FACT
That is why the cheaper pc machines will always dominate the laptop and desktop market. I really don't think Apple cares, it's an ego thing.
Apple builds visually appealing,high performance machines for a very select loyal market. Either longtime Apple only owners, or people that create music,artists etc. I'm a remixer and a working dj and MACs are the best for that.

I do think they made a big mistake eliminating the semi affordable classic Macbook though, especially for students. That was a great machine.
What Apple should really concerned about is not innovation, it's competitors now closing the gap on the things that always made Apple one step ahead of the game. Android vs Ios. Iphone vs Samsung's new Galaxy. Air vs Lenovo-Ultrabook. OSX vs Windows 8.

 

[Renzatic]

I do think they made a big mistake eliminating the semi affordable classic Macbook though, especially for students. That was a great machine.

That's what the Air is for. It's basically the same machine at roughly the same price.

 

[longtimelurker]

just purchased one & looking forward to it

I'm a MBP 15.4 November 2007 owner and it's been a fantastic machine. I've been waiting for this new generation and glad to be able to purchase the Retina 16 GB. I'm confident it will provide great use over the next four or five years.

Thanks Apple.

PS Yes, I've always purchased the Applecare Protection Plan. Replaced the logic board, and two batteries on this 2007 MBP.

 

[twoodcc]

i just wish you could upgrade the ram

 

[DeepIn2U]

For how long? They are slowly and methodically eliminating choice with every year...

Haven't you read my post in the other thread yet?

"welcome to the dawn of the 2/3 year disposable laptop"

https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/15002242/

^ I said it hear first and now all of you are beginning to see the truth of it. This is the exact reason Intel went guns blazing by creating the Ultrabook platform for Windows PC's and the competition saw $$ going into the future.

PS: I also was first to mention that a Blade SSD was present. https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/15009144/

From the assembly video I beg to differ. This is a PRO machine ... if the MBA can be upgraded (regardless of Apple saying you cannot: most likely warranty voided), you better believe the Pro Retina can ... just not on the market yet. See my last post; previous to this.

 

[chatin]

Trouble with battery design if expansion occurs.

Things could get ugly if the non-replaceable batteries start to expand with age under the large glass trackpad. I had a white MacBook trackpad become unusable when the battery started to bulge in the center.

 

[coolguy$$$]

In the Lion and Mountain Lion, to reset an unknown firmware password, you have toTurn off the machine, open it and change the configuration of its physical memory modules, then close it and turn it on again.

I wonder how you do that now???

 

[bhtooefr]

In the Lion and Mountain Lion, to reset an unknown firmware password, you have toTurn off the machine, open it and change the configuration of its physical memory modules, then close it and turn it on again.

I wonder how you do that now???

It's probably like how ThinkPad firmware passwords have been handled for the last decade or so.

Officially, replace the motherboard, unofficially, desolder the EEPROM, and reprogram it.

 

[Bwilky]

Well in my experience my optical drives have never had issues but I had to replace the fans twice in one year on my 2006 MPB (that's both fans, twice).

I had to replace my 2008 MBP fans twice as well.

 

[ghostface147]

Now shut up and go back to what ever hole you dragged yourself out of.

Same to you. Enjoy your day.

 

[SeniorGato1]

Wow! A $2200 disposable laptop.

 

[Abazigal]

To everyone explaining the soldered on RAM as necessary for the design, you don't believe Apple could have engineered a solution for that? Apple often make things function according to a predetermined form - the vaunted design of Apple - even in situations where it requires quite a bit of brainstorming and extra work. You don't think they could have figured out a way to not have soldered on RAM, or a glued-in battery?

Aren't glued-on components and stuck together parts usually a sign of either poor design or manufacturing shortcuts? I think in the case of this MacBook it's neither of these things but a very calculated method of squeezing as much money out of consumers as possible by building in a set lifespan, and the necessity for having Apple care, into this machine. Computers are not the same as other household appliances like toasters or stereos that the average joe doesn't mess with. Computers are really expensive, pretty fragile, and have parts that, if permitted by the manufacturer, are easy to upgrade or swap when they break down or become outdated.

Do you guys think it would have been cool if Gibson had designed their Les Pauls such that you couldn't change out a rusty old pot or busted tuning key? Such that you had to just buy a whole new guitar or go through Gibson's service team?

I am reminded of my colleague, who bought a 15" MBP last year without applecare, deeming it redundant. His reasoning was "I have faith in Apple's products. Usually, if the computer has defects, they would show up within the 1st year."

It seems more of a bold statement. "You won't need to open up your laptop ever and fiddle with the parts inside because we are confident of our build quality and that it will not break down."

 

[rgarjr]

Things could get ugly if the non-replaceable batteries start to expand with age under the large glass trackpad. I had a white MacBook trackpad become unusable when the battery started to bulge in the center.

That's what happened to my Aluminum MacBook, thing bulged up and made the touchpad unusable.

 

[notjustjay]

I don't know if you're being serious but I agree with you to a certain degree. The average person should not fiddle with most of the parts in a computer. But the average consumer can easily learn how to add RAM or change a battery in a computer. It doesn't take an Apple Genius to do that.

This makes sense if the product is inexpensive. When my toaster breaks, I toss it and buy another, I don't worry about trying to buy replacement heating coils or a new spring for the lever.

If this was a $400 laptop, I'd probably be content to sell it or give it away and buy a new one when I grew tired of it. But $2200? I expect some kind of longevity for that kind of money.

 

[MACdaddy859]

Pros and Cons

After thinking hard and going back and forth between getting the best value for me and between should I get somethings thats upgradable later vs non upgradable, I did my own configuring for my specific needs (wants) and kept them about the same spec wise...I just realized it makes more sense to get the MBP Retina.

 

[KingYaba]

Haven't you read my post in the other thread yet?

"welcome to the dawn of the 2/3 year disposable laptop"

https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/15002242/

^ I said it hear first and now all of you are beginning to see the truth of it. This is the exact reason Intel went guns blazing by creating the Ultrabook platform for Windows PC's and the competition saw $$ going into the future.

PS: I also was first to mention that a Blade SSD was present. https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/15009144/

I'm glad some people are on top of things. I'm not very active on this message board so I barely see the threads. Personally, I haven't bought anything Apple since 2007 and haven't used Apple since 2009. I see the writing on the wall and I don't like it. Modularity is a good thing! Just because most people don't know any better doesn't excuse this behavior. You get such an awesome display with the Retina screen but what a shame; those SSDs and memory modules need to be serviceable.

 

[AppleMacFinder]

I hate this new approach.

 

[repoman27]

Soldering the RAM to the motherboard instead of providing SO-DIMM slots is a bit unfortunate. The space savings would seem to be negligible, and it forces customers to pay for all of their RAM for the life of the machine at the initial time of purchase. It also forces you to buy it from Apple and pay dearly for it.

An 8GB SO-DIMM kit with chips that are exactly the same spec as the ones soldered to the MBPR's mobo run $46.99 @ Newegg right now. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226280

A 16GB kit is only $124.99, or $78 more, yet Apple charges $200 for this upgrade. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226323

The SSD is another matter entirely. It is modular and replaceable, which is good because it is technically a consumable item with a finite number of program/erase cycles. SATA-IO has simply not standardized any form factors which are optimal for the new breed of ultra compact mobile PCs. The vast majority of aftermarket SSDs come in the 2.5" form factor and were designed as drop in upgrades for 2.5" HDDs. If you were designing an SSD from scratch, why on earth would you make it the same volume as a mechanical drive? When you set about designing a mobile device that is never intended to house an HDD, why would you waste a massive amount of space by including an SSD with a legacy form factor? Asus has encountered the same issues with their Zenbooks and come up with a similar proprietary solution.

Furthermore, the SSDs Apple is using this time around are absolutely some of the largest and best performing available—to the point that they are bumping into the limitations of the SATA 6 Gb/s interface that they are connected to. Within time, the industry will no doubt settle on a standardized solution, but if SATA-IO doesn't get on their horse, SATA runs the risk of being left out of the picture entirely.

A 256 GB Samsung 830 Series SSD similar to what has been found in the MBPR currently runs $274.99 on Newegg. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147164
The 512 GB version is $699.99, or $425 more. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147165

Apple charges $600 more, but you also get an i7-3720QM instead of an i7-3615QM as part of the deal. Some have complained that you have to go with the faster processor in order to get the larger SSD, but what they're not realizing is that Intel's price on both of those processors is listed as $378. So really, you should be sore that buying a smaller SSD forces you to end up with a slower albeit similarly priced CPU.

The next 256 GB of NAND is only an additional $500, which brings the total flash on board to an insane 768 GB. At 8 GB of NAND per die (the highest density available), that makes for 96 dies stacked into 12 packages. That's a lot of silicon. Apple's pricing is quite competitive on the SSD front, given the densities they're working with.

The battery is a non-issue, and this certainly isn't the first MacBook to ship with an integrated battery. It's serviceable, but not necessarily by the user. End of story.

It's odd that the vast majority of the best selling mobile computing devices these days have no user upgradeable or replaceable RAM, flash storage or battery due to their diminutive size, and yet people are acting like this is some new trend by Apple to shorten the life-span of their machines. How often do you bitch because a smartphone/tablet doesn't come with a SO-DIMM slot, or the primary storage is soldered onto the motherboard?

Does anyone really see MBPRs turning up in recycling bins around the world in 3 year's time? I'm pretty sure most people will keep them running for 7+ years and they'll retain irrationally high resale values all the while as Macs always seem to do.

 

[MACdaddy859]

Hi

Although the flash drive may be replaceable unlike the RAM, who would put it in for us. I mean didnt iFixit say that it was hard to open and probably repair. If I were to buy more flash space in the future I would be nervous to open that thing up and i HIGHLY doubt, lol matter fact know Apple wouldnt put 3rd party storage in for me...right?

 

[Xian Zhu Xuande]

Although the flash drive may be replaceable unlike the RAM, who would put it in for us. I mean didnt iFixit say that it was hard to open and probably repair. If I were to buy more flash space in the future I would be nervous to open that thing up and i HIGHLY doubt, lol matter fact know Apple wouldnt put 3rd party storage in for me...right?

From what I saw in the teardown replacing the SSD card looked pretty trivial. You just need a special screw driver which is available through iFixIt (among other sources).

 

[palmerc]

Depreciation

All expected but now that repair ability is nonexistent people would serve themselves well flipping these things every few years because once apple care expires if anything happens you'll have a 3-4k paperweight

You wouldn't have a $3-4k paperweight because a 3-5 year old laptop isn't worth $3-4k. If you assumed a laptop lost 50%, which is generous, of its value in 5 years you would have a $2k paperweight. As a reference I checked a 15" Macbook Pro on eBay from 2009 costing $900-1k. A 2007 model is $500-600. The cheapest 15" today is $1799.

Plus you can always get Apple Depot Repair for a flat rate. So 5 years from now you can decide to hang onto the 5 year old retina laptop worth $1300 and have it repaired, if necessary, for $300 or to let it sit in your desk and use it as a paperweight.