iFixit teardown of the 2021 MacBook Pro reveals simpler battery swaps

Online tech restore information and components retailer iFixit has printed its newest teardown for the brand new 2021 MacBook Pro and divulges at the least one small win for reparability: the power to interchange the battery pack modules.

The battery modules within the new MacBook Pros, very like many cell units, are actually connected by way of adhesive strips with pull tabs. This makes it simpler to take away them, so long as not one of the tabs rip whereas pulling. The trackpad must even be fastidiously eliminated to succeed in the remaining pull tabs.

Batteries in MacBook Pros used to have their very own body or shell, which made them simpler to put in or take away by way of screws or locking tabs (though that takes extra inside area). Starting in 2012, Apple wished to make laptops thinner, so battery buildings have been eliminated to avoid wasting actual property. The largest challenge with MacBook Pro mannequin years 2012–2020 was that Apple used glue to all however completely fuse the battery to the highest case of the laptop computer.

HDMI and SD card ports are mounted to the logic board, however the remainder of the ports are modular, although you would need to take away the entire logic board to interchange them. Fans and the audio system additionally require a logic board elimination earlier than a alternative is feasible.

The solely actual remaining qualms are that changing the display would imply shedding True Tone, and changing Touch ID would lose its essential skill. While Touch ID in iPhones being non-repairable used to make sense for safety causes, it’s fascinating to see no new improvement on reparability right here since Apple’s new wi-fi Touch ID keyboard could be paired to completely different M1 computer systems.

You can watch iFixit’s full teardown video here.