Why doesn't Apple offer the Macbook logic board upgrade?

[Fiexie]

I bought my Macbook back in September, when they were having sales on their black Macbooks with the Ipod touch and their printers for students with discounts. The next month, Apple released their Unibody Aluminum Macs with the Nvidia graphics cards, not more than 3 weeks after I bought my machine, and already past my date of returns.

Its not that I don't think that the Black Macbook isn't a good machine, but someone please tell me why Macbook Whites and Uni-body Macbooks are able to get the Nvidia chipset on their logicboards, while the Black Macbooks are simply stuck with their Intel Integrated chipsets.

I did my research, from searching forums to asking Apple themselves, to which my only answer was "it uses a different wiring and different setup from white/unibody sets", so you can't upgrade. By the way they upgraded the white Macbooks, shouldn't owners of White macbooks be able to swap out their logic boards for an upgraded chipset?

While I like my Macbook, and I think its a great machine, I just feel that the way they can simply not offer a different logicboard like with their whites, amounts to a slap in the face. I'll prob be flamed because "I was an idiot for not reading the rumors for the change", but this just makes me feel like an idiot for buying a new mac in the first place. I don't know if anyone else feels a bit cheated by it, let alone wondering why apple couldn't offer an upgrade kit like they did with the Mac Pros with their chipsets...

 

[NT1440]

They arent going to upgrade a product they discontinued. Simple as that.

 

[DarthTreydor]

you could try finding a logic board for the new white macbooks once they start popping up on ebay then go the DIY route. that would be a cool mod.

the bottom line, however, is that apple isn't obligated to cater to people who don't follow the product cycles. you knew what you were getting and you decided to buy it. besides, you liked your computer when you got it didn't you? well guess what... it's still the same computer capable of doing all the same things as when you got it. computers are always progressing and there's always something better around the corner. just enjoy what you have and don't get caught up in what's the latest and greatest thing out there.

 

[Fiexie]

you could try finding a logic board for the new white macbooks once they start popping up on ebay then go the DIY route. that would be a cool mod.

My problem is when they I asked about simply swapping the logic boards out, they said that the new ones have a different build, making it impossible to swap out for older models, which surprised me. sides the placement of usb, firewire setup on the side of the White/Black macbooks, whats the real difference in build with the new logic boards compared to the old ones that keeps them from being swapped?

 

[sickmacdoc]

I am not sure what upgrade kit you are referring to for the Mac Pro, but that aside I think there is another side to the decision to not upgrade logic boards that has kept them from doing that in the past (and forseeable future I suppose).

This may seem greatly oversimplified (and in many ways it is) but as a public company whose bottom line is profit, more profit is to be made by selling new machines to those who want newer features and capabilities than their current machines offer. At the same time they avoid the support issues that arise by machines that have gen A hardware components mixed with gen B hardware components with maybe a few gen C parts thrown into the mix.

Just another take on it, not to say that it is right or wrong.

 

[aznguyen316]

Not to hate, but around that time you were buying your MacBook there were already plenty of rumors about a MacBook refresh in the very near future.. plus you got a free iPod or a rebate cut at least for a Touch, which is a good deal anyway. =D but as someone else said, you can prob hope to look for a cheap busted macbook on ebay and try a DIY, who knows maybe they are wired up a bit different and thus you cannot do an upgrade.

 

[NewMacbookPlz]

I believe the different build refers to the OS build number.

 

[bozz2006]

they would lose money by selling a logic board to upgrade a current machine. what is the upgraded mac pro logic board you're talking about?

 

[Abstract]

I guess if you bought a new white MacBook, and took out the logic board and put it in your Black MacBook, it would be possible. Otherwise, I don't really know what you're talking about?

Are you asking for an upgrade kit to be offered now so that current MB users can upgrade without buying a new laptop? That will never happen.

 

[Jpoon]

The day Apple offers any sort of upgrade kits for their laptops is the day hell freezes over.

 

[earlegray]

Maximise your Macbook white (plastic)

www.ifixit.com seems to have everything you need to max out your macbook to a 2.13Ghz, Nvidia 9400m logic board. The latest logic board does however have some slight differences (differences compared to a mid 2008 santa rose/penryn macbook), the Nvidia chipset is in a different location which means you will need to purchase the matching heatsink and the optical drive cable connection is different but you can purchase this cable too. These are the 2 obvious differences that i can see, Does anyone know what else is different otherwise this could be a worthy upgrade, You will also need to purchase new faster ram. any comments? Who's brave enough to spend the cash?

 

[miles01110]

My problem is when they I asked about simply swapping the logic boards out, they said that the new ones have a different build, making it impossible to swap out for older models, which surprised me. sides the placement of usb, firewire setup on the side of the White/Black macbooks, whats the real difference in build with the new logic boards compared to the old ones that keeps them from being swapped?

...the unibody logic boards are a physically different shape than the non-unibodies. They won't fit. Even in the same product line Apple has been known to slightly change the configuration of the logic boards to make them incompatible with the different versions (the G4 iMacs come to mind).

 

[svndmvn]

you could upgrade your Macbook with the board used in the white ones right before the unibody white MB..
the unibodies don't have firewire, for instance
you can probably find a white w/ 9400 board for 250$

 

[atyoung]

There's really no profit to be had in doing so, plain and simple. Their business model is about pushing new hardware out. The support they do for their current line is a money sucking vampire as it is, the minute they start supporting board upgrades and the like for old models, they not only start loosing money, but also start to become more along the lines of the PC business model.

Think about it, you start tossing different logic boards in there all of the sudden you model number means nothing, at which point support becomes much like what you get with PC's. Not being able to is what buying proprietary is all about, easy to fix cause ever model x is the same.

 

[Vikz]

My problem is when they I asked about simply swapping the logic boards out, they said that the new ones have a different build, making it impossible to swap out for older models, which surprised me. sides the placement of usb, firewire setup on the side of the White/Black macbooks, whats the real difference in build with the new logic boards compared to the old ones that keeps them from being swapped?

Internal cables are different, I tried doing it to my old black macbook and i failed in the project when I noticed that the LCD, Hard drive, Optical, heat sink placement and screws were different that the intel integrated logic board. Even the rubber seats for the logic were placed differently so there was no way to upgrade the logic board without frying it...