Repair MacBook Pro 2021 is much easier
As with any new Apple product, iFixit has taken the time to dissect the new MacBook Pro. And there’s good news about an eventual 2021 MacBook Pro repair!
Criticism of previous models
The previous models of the MacBook Pro, especially after the introduction of the “usb-c model” in 2016, received a lot of criticism from iFixit. This was partly due to the difficult to remove battery, which was firmly stuck in the MacBook. Many other parts also had to be removed to free the battery. All this made battery replacement unnecessarily complicated, even though this is the most common “operation” on a MacBook.
MacBook Pro 2021 repair: a breath of fresh air
The MacBook Pro 2021 turns out to be a lot more accessible for repairs than its predecessor. The battery can now be detached without glue removers: no glue is used at all. With new ‘pull tabs’, or tabs, you can easily remove the battery.
Moreover, the battery is no longer hidden under all kinds of parts. Only the connector of the trackpad needs to be disconnected before you can reach the connector of the battery. Then it is a matter of loosening the screws and pulling the tabs. The trackpad has to be lifted to get the last battery cells loose.
Easier repair
Other parts of the MacBook Pro 2021 are also easier to repair. For example, the screen has fewer screws and springs that need to be loosened for a screen repair. In addition, the main connector of the display is a bit more flexible, which reduces the chance of a cable break.
Also, most ports are easy to remove and replace, so for example a failing MagSafe port due to water damage is repaired in no time. Unfortunately, this does not apply to the HDMI port and SD card reader: they are soldered.
Better score MacBook Pro 2021 repair
Due to the internal improvements of the MacBook Pro 2021, it gets a 4 as ‘repair score’ from iFixit. This is significantly better than the previous design from 2016, which received a 1. It’s still not a very high score, though: this is mainly due to soldered storage, the use of non-standard screws, glued speakers and the lack of spare parts from Apple itself.
Source: iFixit