MacBook Pro M4 teardown shows repairability rut for Apple laptops

The updated MacBook Pro lineup, powered by M4 series silicon, has once again established Apple’s performance dominance in the segment. However, a teardown by iFixit confirmed that not much has changed internally, meaning the usual repairability issues are still there.

This time, starting with the new elements, Apple engineers appear to have redesigned the motherboard, increasing the size of the heatsink and moving the location of a few components. The ports are easy to replace on the new laptop and the battery is also easy to repair.

However, if you harbor self-repair ambitions, Apple won’t make it easy for you. The nasty stretchable adhesive providing access to the battery is here to stay, and the main board isn’t easy to remove either.

There are a total of six extendable tabs near the trackpad area and eight on the sides. As for the motherboard removal process, iFixit’s teardown video doesn’t mince words, calling it “incredibly complex and tedious.”

The situation is similar if you intend to replace the card reader or MagSafe connection kit, as this would require advanced soldering and all the expensive tools required for the business.

Apple also uses foam elements that require isopropyl alcohol to remove. Then there’s a generous network of joints and flex cables before the board finally comes off.

Once again, Apple’s parts matching strategy and calibration protocols for repair and replacement services emerge as a major obstacle. “Swapping displays or logic boards is a minefield of software locks,” notes an iFixit blog post.

MacBook Pro M4 Teardown: What’s Inside and What’s Repairable?

This means that if you intend to replace a dud component with a cheaper third-party replacement part, there is no guarantee that it will be fully functional. The screen and Touch ID module are two such parts that would require you to shell out a lot of money for replacement work.

Interestingly, it appears that Apple has quietly made some repairability improvements. According to a Macrumors report citing an internal memo, Apple will offer speakers as standalone repair parts for M4-equipped 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro laptops.

Until now, experts at Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers have had to replace the entire top case in order to install a new speaker, which was quite an expensive ordeal. Apple should soon list these standalone speaker parts on its self-repair service dashboard.

The process of replacing a faulty speaker isn’t exactly child’s play, but at least DIYers won’t have to spend a bomb if they find the courage to repair a MacBook Pro themselves. Given Apple’s historical stance on repairability, I’d call this a win.