Apple is separating the new smartphones into its usual low-cost versus high-cost categories, with big differences between the two models coming down to the camera, display, and battery life.
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2018 13-Inch MacBook Pro Teardown Finds Larger Battery, Redesigned Power Adapter, Tweaked Top Case and More
iFixit on Friday started a teardown on the new 2018 MacBook Pro, discovering a new silicone membrane underneath the keyboard keys, which the site believes is an ingress-proofing measure to prevent the keys from seizing up when exposed to small particulates.
That was by far the most interesting bit of information about the new MacBook Pro models, but iFixit has now finished a teardown of the 13-inch MacBook Pro and has a few other tidbits to share.
Both the new 13 and 15-inch MacBook Pro models are using higher capacity batteries, with iFixit discovering a larger 58wh, 232.7 gram 6-cell battery in the 13-inch model, up from the 5 cell 196.7 gram battery in the 2017 model. Though the battery is heavier, the MacBook Pro has not changed in weight, nor has battery life changed.
It's not entirely clear where Apple made up for the extra weight, but iFixit says Apple "shaved some mass" from the top case of the device.
The speakers in the new machine are longer and narrower, bumping right up against the logic board, and an internal connector used for diagnostics has been removed.
Apple added a new T2 chip in the 2018 MacBook Pro, which is the same chip first used in the iMac Pro. It houses the Secure Enclave and allows for on-the-fly encryption in addition to consolidating several controllers including the system management controller, image signal processor, audio controller, and SSD controller.
It also enables "Hey Siri" functionality, a feature that wasn't even added to the iMac Pro. While the T2 chip is a new addition, the design of the heat sink system has not changed.
Apple shipped the 13-inch MacBook Pro with a new A1947 power adapter, which iFixit says offers more shielding and impact-resistant foam rubber inside, but with a plastic USB-C port rather than a metal one.
As with prior MacBook Pro models, the RAM, processor, and SSD are soldered down, and the keyboard, battery, and speakers are all one unit, which means none of these components are user replaceable and repairs are difficult. For that reason, iFixit gave the 2018 MacBook Pro a repairability score of 1 out of 10, the same score earned by the 2017 model.
For further details on all of the components in the new 13-inch MacBook Pro, make sure to check out iFixit's full teardown. For additional info on Apple's new 2018 MacBook Pro models, visit our MacBook Pro roundup.
That was by far the most interesting bit of information about the new MacBook Pro models, but iFixit has now finished a teardown of the 13-inch MacBook Pro and has a few other tidbits to share.
Both the new 13 and 15-inch MacBook Pro models are using higher capacity batteries, with iFixit discovering a larger 58wh, 232.7 gram 6-cell battery in the 13-inch model, up from the 5 cell 196.7 gram battery in the 2017 model. Though the battery is heavier, the MacBook Pro has not changed in weight, nor has battery life changed.
It's not entirely clear where Apple made up for the extra weight, but iFixit says Apple "shaved some mass" from the top case of the device.
The speakers in the new machine are longer and narrower, bumping right up against the logic board, and an internal connector used for diagnostics has been removed.
Apple added a new T2 chip in the 2018 MacBook Pro, which is the same chip first used in the iMac Pro. It houses the Secure Enclave and allows for on-the-fly encryption in addition to consolidating several controllers including the system management controller, image signal processor, audio controller, and SSD controller.
It also enables "Hey Siri" functionality, a feature that wasn't even added to the iMac Pro. While the T2 chip is a new addition, the design of the heat sink system has not changed.
Apple shipped the 13-inch MacBook Pro with a new A1947 power adapter, which iFixit says offers more shielding and impact-resistant foam rubber inside, but with a plastic USB-C port rather than a metal one.
As with prior MacBook Pro models, the RAM, processor, and SSD are soldered down, and the keyboard, battery, and speakers are all one unit, which means none of these components are user replaceable and repairs are difficult. For that reason, iFixit gave the 2018 MacBook Pro a repairability score of 1 out of 10, the same score earned by the 2017 model.
For further details on all of the components in the new 13-inch MacBook Pro, make sure to check out iFixit's full teardown. For additional info on Apple's new 2018 MacBook Pro models, visit our MacBook Pro roundup.
Related Roundup: MacBook Pro
Tag: iFixit
Buyer's Guide: MacBook Pro (Caution)
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Top Rated Comments
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16 months ago
Steve Jobs would be very proud of how beautiful these machines are inside.
Nothing looks better than Macs inside.
Made without compromises looks like that... I'm an electrical engineer and their hardware is always pure pornography.
The components they use are hand picked, every capacitor, inductor, mosfet, etc. is of good quality, the layouts are without compromise (means they are using expensive multi-layer PCB's), there's basically no space wasted, no random cables or wires going from one place to another, the air paths are unrestricted, etc.
And LOL @ the repair score. We know iFixit hates Apple, won't stop anybody from buying a MBP.
I hope one day they will bring the backlit Apple Logo
I hated it.
Nothing says more "pro" than a glowing Apple logo, it's a work computer, not a fashion statement. Social escalators can have their iPhones in crocodile leather cases.
16 months ago
Steve Jobs would be very proud of how beautiful these machines are inside.
When you’re a carpenter making a beautiful chest of drawers, you’re not going to use a piece of plywood on the back, even though it faces the wall and nobody will ever see it. You’ll know it’s there, so you’re going to use a beautiful piece of wood on the back. For you to sleep well at night, the aesthetic, the quality, has to be carried all the way through. - Steve Jobs
What the eye doesn't see the heart doesn't grieve over. - Michael Dell
16 months ago
Nothing looks better than Macs inside.
Made without compromises looks like that...
Nothing says more "pro" than a glowing Apple logo, it's a work computer, not a fashion statement. Social escalators can have their iPhones in crocodile leather cases.
I find it hilarious that you praise the looks of the computers and iphone's here and in other threads, yet you put down the glowing apple and call it a fashion statement? Do you not realize that apple's devices are sold as fashion statements to the masses? Yes they work better than their competitors for the most part but you're only lying to yourself if you think that most don't think of them, and apple's advertises them, as fashion statements.
16 months ago
The plastic USB-C port is cost-cutting. 29w has plastic port but my 61w is metal and I like it. I hope we do not have a problem with these 61w plastic ports.
16 months ago
And LOL @ the repair score. We know iFixit hates Apple, won't stop anybody from buying a MBP.
https://www.ifixit.com/laptop-repairability
Apple didn't consistently get low scores until 2015 (scores of 1 or 2), and they were scoring as high as 7 in 2011 and 2012. I would imagine that the pre-unibody Apple laptops scored even higher, but I couldn't find data going back that far. I very much appreciate iFixit for their contributions regarding accessibility, repair-ability, and upgrade-ability of computer hardware. I've always found them to be accurate and helpful for fixing home computer hardware, and if they say something is difficult to repair, I would take their advice seriously.
16 months ago
I find it hilarious that you praise the looks of the computers and iphone's here and in other threads, yet you put down the glowing apple and call it a fashion statement? Do you not realize that apple's devices are sold as fashion statements to the masses? Yes they work better than their competitors for the most part but you're only lying to yourself if you think that most don't think of them, and apple's advertises them, as fashion statements.
You only proved you don't know anything about computers.
They are clapping at you.
An hackathon
Somehow, I don't feel that in those places, Apple's marketshare is at 7.1%...
Oh! Of course, it's a fashion statement!
Gotta be trendy in my home office with my iMac!
16 months ago
This is an engineering marvel. Not so good from a repair perspective, but out the box - amazing.
I'm not kidding, I may well buy two of these, one for my dad & one for my brother.
I'm not kidding, I may well buy two of these, one for my dad & one for my brother.
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