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2018 MacBook Air Teardown Confirms Improving Repairability With Adhesive Pull-Tabs Under Battery and Speakers
The repair experts at iFixit have completed their teardown of the new MacBook Air, providing a closer look inside the notebook.
iFixit started by confirming the keyboard on the new MacBook Air has the same silicone membrane under the keycaps as the latest MacBook Pro, as expected since they both use Apple's third-generation butterfly keyboard.
Next, they flipped the notebook onto its bottom side and encountered Apple's usual pentalobe screws that require a special screwdriver to unfasten. On the inside, there is a compact array of components, including a small logic board, a fan, a pair of large speakers, and a "radiator-esque heat sink."
iFixit proceeded to remove the logic board, providing a glimpse at the Apple T2 security chip, along with a Thunderbolt 3 controller from Intel, 128GB of flash storage from SanDisk, and 8GB of LPDDR3 RAM from SK Hynix.
Diving deeper, iFixit discovered that the two Thunderbolt 3 ports in the new MacBook Air are modular, and applauded Apple for this repair-friendly design consideration. "This MacBook is off to a good start as far as we're concerned," they wrote. "All the ports sit on their own boards and are easily replaceable."
Continuing the repair-friendly trend, iFixit uncovered ten pull-to-remove adhesive tabs securing the 49.9 Wh battery and speakers.
"The mere presence of stretch-release adhesive generally means that someone at least thought about possible repair and disassembly situations," the teardown says. "Are you there, Apple? It's us, iFixit. Have you heard our pleas?"
As first reported by MacRumors, the battery in the new MacBook Air is still glued into the top case — the aluminum enclosure that houses the keyboard and trackpad — but Apple will be providing Apple Authorized Service Providers with tools to remove the battery and reinstall a new one with no top case replacement required.
In all other MacBook and MacBook Pro models with a Retina display released since 2012, Apple has replaced the entire top case when a customer requires a new battery, so the change is good news for both repairability and the environment.
Last, iFixit confirmed that the Touch ID sensor is also modular in the new MacBook Air. According to the new MacBook Air's service guide obtained by MacRumors, the Touch ID button does not require a logic board replacement, but the notebook must pass Apple diagnostics in order for the repair to be completed.
While the new MacBook Air has improved repairability relative to Apple's standards, the notebook earned a low 3/10 repairability score from iFixit.
"The Air still uses external pentalobes to keep you out, requires lots of component removal for common fixes, and both RAM and storage are soldered to the logic board," said iFixit. "All together, that means Apple has an easy time with their knowledge and tools, but the average DIYer is left out to dry when it comes to upgrades."
Nevertheless, iFixit said it hopes this is "just the beginning of an upswing in repairable design" for Apple products.
iFixit started by confirming the keyboard on the new MacBook Air has the same silicone membrane under the keycaps as the latest MacBook Pro, as expected since they both use Apple's third-generation butterfly keyboard.
Next, they flipped the notebook onto its bottom side and encountered Apple's usual pentalobe screws that require a special screwdriver to unfasten. On the inside, there is a compact array of components, including a small logic board, a fan, a pair of large speakers, and a "radiator-esque heat sink."
iFixit proceeded to remove the logic board, providing a glimpse at the Apple T2 security chip, along with a Thunderbolt 3 controller from Intel, 128GB of flash storage from SanDisk, and 8GB of LPDDR3 RAM from SK Hynix.
Diving deeper, iFixit discovered that the two Thunderbolt 3 ports in the new MacBook Air are modular, and applauded Apple for this repair-friendly design consideration. "This MacBook is off to a good start as far as we're concerned," they wrote. "All the ports sit on their own boards and are easily replaceable."
Continuing the repair-friendly trend, iFixit uncovered ten pull-to-remove adhesive tabs securing the 49.9 Wh battery and speakers.
"The mere presence of stretch-release adhesive generally means that someone at least thought about possible repair and disassembly situations," the teardown says. "Are you there, Apple? It's us, iFixit. Have you heard our pleas?"
As first reported by MacRumors, the battery in the new MacBook Air is still glued into the top case — the aluminum enclosure that houses the keyboard and trackpad — but Apple will be providing Apple Authorized Service Providers with tools to remove the battery and reinstall a new one with no top case replacement required.
In all other MacBook and MacBook Pro models with a Retina display released since 2012, Apple has replaced the entire top case when a customer requires a new battery, so the change is good news for both repairability and the environment.
Last, iFixit confirmed that the Touch ID sensor is also modular in the new MacBook Air. According to the new MacBook Air's service guide obtained by MacRumors, the Touch ID button does not require a logic board replacement, but the notebook must pass Apple diagnostics in order for the repair to be completed.
While the new MacBook Air has improved repairability relative to Apple's standards, the notebook earned a low 3/10 repairability score from iFixit.
"The Air still uses external pentalobes to keep you out, requires lots of component removal for common fixes, and both RAM and storage are soldered to the logic board," said iFixit. "All together, that means Apple has an easy time with their knowledge and tools, but the average DIYer is left out to dry when it comes to upgrades."
Nevertheless, iFixit said it hopes this is "just the beginning of an upswing in repairable design" for Apple products.
Related Roundup: MacBook Air
Buyer's Guide: MacBook Air (Buy Now)
[ 80 comments ]
Top Rated Comments
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15 weeks ago
What with this and non-soldered RAM in the Mini, maybe Apple realised replacing half the computer for one failed module was causing repair costs to spiral. Im pleased to see greater repairability, now stop glueing on iMac displays!
Exactly correct:
This isn't about Apple making things better for their customers, but is just Apple playing “defense” for their own cost benefit: this change reduces their internal costs for warranty service.
Case in point: has the price of Applecare been lowered to pass this benefit along to customers?
15 weeks ago
Yep, I refuse to buy an Apple laptop with glued in batteries, soldered in RAM, and non-replaceable SSD. No reason for this except Apple greed. Now that the iPhone is a commodity (not growing by leaps and bounds), maybe Apple will take the time to make some of their long term customers happy again. Not counting on it with a finance guy in charge, but one can hope.
15 weeks ago
Yep, I refuse to buy an Apple laptop with glued in batteries, soldered in RAM, and non-replaceable SSD. No reason for this except Apple greed. Now that the iPhone is a commodity (not growing by leaps and bounds), maybe Apple will take the time to make some of their long term customers happy again. Not counting on it with a finance guy in charge, but one can hope.
Lol.. he's not just a finance guy, he's a bean counter.. even worse.
15 weeks ago
The lack of repairability and user upgradeable products is why I have not purchased a laptop from them since 2012. My Classic MacBook Pro is a trooper. it's logged serious miles.. and I can still open it up and fix whatever may go wrong.
15 weeks ago
Yep, I refuse to buy an Apple laptop with glued in batteries, soldered in RAM, and non-replaceable SSD. No reason for this except Apple greed.
If this is Apple being greedy then HP and Lenovo are just as greedy. The new x360 1030 G3 Elitebook from HP starts at $1700 Cnd $$, goes up to $3000 and yet it comes with ram soldered onboard. Microsoft’s Surface Pro 6, soldered Ram... everyone is doing it. Sure maybe not on all models but maybe of the high end thin and light and wallet killing laptops are soldering on the Ram. While it does force the user to pay more upfront, for devices that are thin and light it makes sense. If you want upgradability then go buy a workstation from HP or Lenovo. The whole industry is moving towards soldered on parts.
15 weeks ago
He is a MBA training, operations, logistic & supply chain background make him a bean counter without question. If you doubt that, you've never worked inside or managed these assets in a corporate enviroment. #FactsCount
He's also an engineer, though that's not his role at Apple. A bean counter is a derogatory term usually applied to finance/accountants who push numbers all day, divorced from the underlying work that's being accomplished. And yes, I have.
Your extremely simplistic and naive characterization greatly diminishes and trivializes his accomplishments at Apple.
15 weeks ago
This is a beautiful machine. It's a shame they couldn't keep the base price at $999, considering the Y-series chip and 128GB storage. I'll probably pick one up to replace my old Air whenever refurb units start to show up.
15 weeks ago
The Air still uses external pentalobes to keep you out
Sorry, but this is kind of a pointless argument to make anymore. Anyone interested in disassembling an Apple product is already going to have the proper bit driver, and if they don't, iFixit will happily sell you one (or include it with a repair kit).
You don't see them complaining about P000 vs P00 screws in apple products even though it requires a separate bit driver.
EDIT: Apparently I'm not the only one who feels this way.:rolleyes:
Chill, it's mostly a non-issue which they just mentioned it in passing.
Yes, but they keep mentioning it in passing.
15 weeks ago
the notebook earned a low 3/10 repairability score from iFixit.
"The Air still uses external pentalobes to keep you out, requires lots of component removal for common fixes, and both RAM and storage are soldered to the logic board," said iFixit.
This is such a non issue, buy a screwdriver.
They could have used torx but even then most people don't have them in their house either.
So... Non issue
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