Teardown Reveals New MacBook Pro Without Touch Bar Has Removable SSD

The new entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro without a Touch Bar has only been available for a day and just made its way into Apple retail stores, but OWC has already managed to take apart one of the machines to get a glimpse inside.

The teardown is still underway, but OWC can confirm that the new MacBook Pro has a removable SSD, meaning it is replaceable and can potentially be upgraded after purchase. Previous MacBook Pro models have also featured a removable SSD, but the MacBook SSD is soldered to the logic board, so it was unclear if the new MacBook Pro would continue to offer a removable SSD due to its thinner body.

2016macbookproteardown
OWC has noted a number of other observations about the new MacBook Pro:

- Solid State Drive module is removable
- Bottom was more difficult to remove than previous generations, but it was not glued
- Speaker module needs to be removed to pull SSD back
- SSD had very strong tape covering the interface port
- Laptop automatically turns on when you open it regardless of pressing power button

OWC's discoveries only apply to the 13-inch MacBook Pro without a Touch Bar. It's likely models with a Touch Bar have a similar build, but the internal hardware is different because it incorporates a new component. We'll need to wait a few more weeks to see what's inside the higher-end 13 and 15-inch MacBook Pro machines, as they won't be available until mid-November.

Related Forum: MacBook Pro

Popular Stories

apple store down feature

Here's Why the Apple Store is Going Down

Thursday November 27, 2025 1:01 pm PST by
Apple's online store is going down for a few hours on a rolling country-by-country basis right now, but do not get your hopes up for new products. Apple takes its online store down for a few hours ahead of Black Friday every year to tease/prepare for its annual gift card offer with the purchase of select products. The store already went down and came back online in Australia and New Zealand, ...
iPhone Pocket Short

iPhone Pocket is Now Completely Sold Out Worldwide

Tuesday November 25, 2025 7:16 am PST by
Apple recently teamed up with Japanese fashion brand ISSEY MIYAKE to create the iPhone Pocket, a limited-edition knitted accessory designed to carry an iPhone. However, it is now completely sold out in all countries where it was released. iPhone Pocket became available to order on Apple's online store starting Friday, November 14, in the United States, France, China, Italy, Japan, Singapore, ...
New Intel Logo

Apple and Intel Rumored to Partner on Mac Chips Again in a New Way

Friday November 28, 2025 7:33 am PST by
While all Macs are now powered by Apple's custom-designed chips, a new rumor claims that Apple may rekindle its partnership with Intel, albeit in a new and limited way. Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today said Intel is expected to begin shipping Apple's lowest-end M-series chip as early as mid-2027. Kuo said Apple plans to utilize Intel's 18A process, which is the "earliest...
streaming black friday 2025

Best Black Friday Streaming Deals - Save Big on Apple TV, Disney+, Hulu, and More

Thursday November 27, 2025 1:14 pm PST by
We've been focusing on deals on physical products over the past few weeks, but Black Friday is also a great time of year to purchase a streaming membership. Some of the biggest services have great discounts for new and select returning members this week, including Apple TV, Disney+, Hulu, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When...
iphone air camera

iPhone Air Flop Sparks Industry Retreat From Ultra-Thin Phones

Thursday November 27, 2025 3:14 am PST by
Apple's disappointing iPhone Air sales are causing major Chinese mobile vendors to scrap or freeze their own ultra-thin phone projects, according to reports coming out of Asia. Since the ‌iPhone Air‌ launched in September, there have been reports of poor sales and manufacturing cuts, while Apple's supply chain has scaled back shipments and production. Apple supplier Foxconn has...
iphone black friday gold

The Best Black Friday iPhone Deals Still Available

Friday November 28, 2025 6:24 am PST by
Cellular carriers have always offered big savings on the newest iPhone models during the holidays, and Black Friday 2025 sales have kicked off at AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and more. Right now we're tracking notable offers on the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air. For even more savings, keep an eye on older models during the holiday shopping season. Note: MacRumors is...
Apple Foldable Thumb

Foldable iPhone to Debut These Three Breakthrough Features

Tuesday November 25, 2025 7:09 am PST by
Apple's first foldable iPhone is expected to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models in fall 2026, and it's shaping up to include three standout features that could set it apart from the competition. The book-style foldable will reportedly feature an industry-first 24-megapixel under-display camera built into the inner display, according to a recent JP Morgan equity research report. That...

Top Rated Comments

Max Portakabin Avatar
119 months ago
SHOCKING! something not glued or screwed or welded on!
It's only because they sniffed all the glue before deciding on prices.
Score: 109 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Macneck Avatar
119 months ago
Removable, but a master in neurosurgery is advised
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kagio Avatar
119 months ago
We can say all we want but I think we have to agree: THAT. LOOKS. GORGEOUS.
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
blacktape242 Avatar
119 months ago
SHOCKING! something not glued or screwed or welded on!
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bobdobalina Avatar
119 months ago
edit
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kobayagi Avatar
119 months ago
After reading lots of these comments since that lame keynote: guys, make me CEO of Apple and I promise, within 1 year, everyone will be happy! :p

We will all have thicker (yes, you read that right) MacBooks with useful ports, magsafe and sd-card slots. They'll have powerful gpus and 64gb ram for those who need it. And hey, we'll throw in a extension cable and make the Apple logo glow again.

We'll make a new Thunderbolt display and new Mac Pros and iMacs for you to connect them with. iPhones will lose the lightning port, because who needs that when there's usb-c and we'll include 2 of those on every Mac, just in case if you ever need one next to usb-a. Most importantly, we'll keep the prices lower so people can actually buy them. Less money but more volume is I believe better than less volume with more money.

But seriously, how freaking hard can it be to just give your customers what they'll actually want. Just for once don't be so extremely cheap. It's not like you're close to bankruptcy.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)