How to disassemble a MacBook for cleaning or repair at home. Disassembly of an Apple MacBook Pro laptop with a Touch Bar showed that it is better to be very careful with the device. Buying a battery and thermal paste

The reason for this is that due to its thinness and lightness, the practice of placing components was sacrificed, in addition, the battery was securely glued to the body at the top of it.

If you follow the logic, then the new 13-inch laptop from Apple should also remain unrepairable. However, everything happened exactly the opposite. Moreover, the gadget can even be upgraded.

iFixit specialists examined one such device in detail. A1425 is the model number. The most commonly found screws in devices are visible from all sides in the new Pro.

According to Phil Schiller, the battery in the laptop is asymmetrical, although if you look relative to the center, the symmetry is quite visible. But it is worth noting that the layout of the cells in the gadget is unique; it is not found in any other laptop.

Once opened, a label immediately catches your eye warning that if it is removed by anyone other than a service representative (for example, iFixit, which Apple still trusts), then the laptop will be removed from warranty.

As for the differences from other laptops, the 13-inch MacBook Pro has even more of them than its 15-inch predecessor. One of these differences is represented by the new battery connector, which is not just a connector, but a kind of platform for connecting the cable and the motherboard.

The speakers are secured with small screws that are covered with microfiber pieces of metal that imitate steel. Their purpose is not entirely clear.

Under the trackpad, in a plastic frame, there is an SSD module, and around the module there is a lot of empty space in the frame. A regular 2.5-inch hard drive can easily fit into this free space (if you remove the frame with the module). At the time of disassembly, iFixit representatives used a 9.5 mm hard drive, but in this case the lid from the bottom does not close. However, this is not a problem because thinner discs are also available. If, for example, some company offers a special cable connecting the connectors of a regular hard drive and motherboard, then for little money you can improve your laptop.

There were problems identifying the chips. The fact is that the SSD module is equipped with chips from Samsung. Of all these chips, only flash memory is freely recognized.

Yellow chips - K9FGY8UA7A-HCKO - 32 GB, manufactured by Samsung. Four more on the other side, for a total of 256 GB

Module wireless transmission with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi controllers - exactly the same as in the older 15-inch MacBook Pro model.

Considering that of the two chips that need cooling, only one remained, the design of the heat sink was slightly changed. Still, 13 inches is 13 inches.

Now the processor is cooled by two coolers. Namely, their asymmetrical blades.

The changes also affected the motherboard.

Top part: Yellow - Intel BD82QS77 interface controller; Red - dual core processor Intel Core i5-3210M with Intel HD 4000 graphics; 8 orange chips - DDR3L RAM, Hynix H5TC4G83MFR, each chip 512 MB; Green - Thunderbolt interface controller model Intel DSL3510L.

Bottom: Purple - Cirrus Audio 4206BCNZ audio controller; Black - chip marked TPS 51980 from Texas Instruments; Orange - additional RAM sticks from Hynix, for a total of 8 GB; Green - The chip from Cypress Semiconductor labeled CY8C24794-24L can be used for various purposes; Blue - central power controller and GPUs Maxim MAX15119; Red - microcontroller from Texas Instruments Stellaris LM4FS1AH; Yellow - SMSC USB2512B USB interface controller.

Just like its older 15-inch brother, the 13-inch Pro features the new MagSafe 2 power connector.

There are a lot of interesting things in the battery. For example, two cells out of six are secured with screws in metal grooves. This is undoubtedly a big step forward compared to the previous version.

But then there will be a slight disappointment - the remaining cells are held on by glue, even if it is good glue. That is, if you need to peel off a cell, you need to take several tools and work very carefully so as not to cause damage. This is a completely feasible procedure, although quite complicated. It took specialists from iFixit about 15 minutes.

As for the battery characteristics, they are as follows: 74 watt/hour, 11.21 volts, 6600 milliamp/hour capacity.

And now there is a significant difference from its 15-inch brother, in which the controller and trackpad were hidden under a tightly fixed battery. In the current version, it is visible in the housing opening.

I would like to draw your attention to the modest gray chip located on the right next to the foil plate and connector. It is not highlighted in any color, but this is Silicon Storage Technology - a 256 MB flash memory module. It is not clear why the trackpad needs to be equipped with memory. It turns out that the same module is in the 15-inch Pro.

Trackpad sensor controller, Broadcom BCM5976 highlighted in red. The same one is installed in iPhone 5

Now we turn our attention to the screws that secure the trackpad. Or rather, one out of five.

If damaged, the trackpad can be easily replaced. This is another significant difference between the 13-inch Pro and its 15-inch sibling.

And of course, you can’t ignore the Retina display. As for the design, there are few differences from the previous version. The display also cannot be dismantled or repaired.

Based on the results of all the work carried out, we can say that the 13-inch MacBook Pro differs in better side It differs from its 15-inch predecessor only in the ease of improvement and removal of the trackpad. But this is a minor difference.

Well, it remains to be seen what else iFixit will explore. Don't forget about iPad mini and a new iMac.

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The least repairable laptop of all. In an effort to make it thin and light Apple completely abandoned the accepted practices for arranging spare parts, and even glued the battery tightly to the top of the case. It would be logical to assume that with the 13-inch model it would go even further - but no, everything turned out exactly the opposite. There are even some opportunities for modernization, yes, yes.

Model number new Pro- A1425. On the sides you can see screws with Pentalobe slots - they are found in devices so often that it becomes indecent to call them “proprietary”.

Phil Schiller called the battery asymmetrical, but I think you will agree that it is quite symmetrical relative to the center. Although, yes, we have never seen such a layout of cells in any laptop.

Time and time again, the sticker threatens to void the warranty of anyone who tears it off - with the exception of an authorized service representative. Apple is not taking away this title from iFixit- this means that the company likes galleries with all the insides of their products.

The 13-inch Pro is even more different from previous Apple laptops than its 15-inch brother. Only here you can find a completely new battery connector. This is not even a connector, but a contact pad between the cable and motherboard. The miniature connector is no longer listed.

On top of the screws that secure the speakers, there were pieces of metal microfiber, a la steel wool. Why are they?

Here's the interesting part. The SSD module is installed under the trackpad in a plastic frame, and around it in this frame... there is emptiness. Free space. If you take out the module along with the frame, then a standard 2.5-inch hard drive will fit exactly in their place. iFixit had it on hand HDD 9.5 millimeters thick - the bottom cover did not close with it. But there are thinner discs. If someone develops a specialized cable leading from the HDD connectors (or a simple SSD) to the mentioned connector with the motherboard, then you can upgrade your Pro for a reasonable price.

Problems arose again with the identification of chips. All chips for the SSD module are made by Samsung - but only the flash memory chips themselves are recognized.

Yellow - 32 GB Samsung K9FGY8UA7A-HCKO chips. There are four more on the other side, for a total of 256 GB

The wireless module with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth controllers is exactly the same as in the 15-inch MacBook Pro.

The heatsink design could have remained the same if the number of chips that needed to be cooled had not been reduced from two to one. We mourn, bitterly mourn the non-existent discrete graphics. The 13-inch MacBook is 13-inch.

From now on, two coolers spin for the benefit of one processor.

More precisely, asymmetrical blades rotate in them. If you talk about them with a Jony Ive accent, they become even more asymmetrical and quiet.

Quietly, it came to the motherboard.

Top of the motherboard:
Red - dual core Intel processor Core i5-3210M with integrated Intel HD 4000 graphics;
Orange - energy-efficient DDR3L RAM chips, Hynix H5TC4G83MFR, each 512 MB;
Yellow - Intel BD82QS77 interface controller;
Green - Intel DSL3510L Thunderbolt controller.

Bottom of the board:
Red - Texas Instruments Stellaris LM4FS1AH microcontroller;
Orange - more Hynix RAM chips, 8 GB in total;
Yellow - USB controller SMSC USB2512B;
Green - single-chip Cypress Semiconductor CY8C24794-24L. Can be used for different purposes;
Blue - CPU and GPU power controller Maxim MAX15119;
Purple - Cirrus Audio 4206BCNZ audio controller;
The black one is something called Texas Instruments TPS 51980.

If the most elegant component of the 15-inch Pro was the mini-jack, then here it is undoubtedly magnetic connector MagSafe 2 power supply.

To the battery. Two of the six cells are secured in metal grooves using... screws! Great improvement over the big MacBook!

Alas, the other four cells are still held together by high-quality glue. To avoid damaging the cell, you need to peel it off all at once using several tools. Contrary to expectations, it is possible, although not easy. iFixit peeled it off within 15 minutes.

The energy characteristics of the battery are 74 watt-hours, voltage - 11.21 volts, capacity - 6600 milliamp-hours.

A stage begins that did not exist in the case of the 15-inch Pro. Then the trackpad with its controller remained hidden under the stubborn battery. The controller is now visible through the hole in the housing. Pay attention to the gray chip on the right, between the connector and the foil plate. They forgot to color it, but this is a 256 megabyte Silicon Storage Technology flash memory module. Why does a trackpad need memory? Oh yes, and it turns out that the exact same one is installed in the Pro with 15 inches. Mystery.

Red - controller touchpad trackpad, Broadcom BCM5976. Same as .

Here is one of the five screws that hold the trackpad in place. All screws are screwed.

With a 13-inch display, de facto the younger brother of the 15-inch. It is noteworthy that this time the guys invited a special guest to the operating room - a kitten.

The patient himself, when closed, is difficult to distinguish from his older brother, and when open, it is difficult to distinguish him by the grilles for the speakers that are missing on the sides.

Top - MacBook Pro Retina 13, bottom - MacBook Pro 13

Exciting moment - opening the “hood”

Doesn't remind you of anything? Yes, this is robot Number 5 from the movie “Short Circuit”!

We take out the SSD.

iFixit is surprised by this decision, because a full-fledged 2.5-inch SSD with a thickness of 5-7 mm can easily fit into the same space.

As expected, the bare SSD is made by Koreans.

Flash memory with a total capacity of 256 GB is marked in yellow, and the purpose of the remaining parts was not explained, but oh well.

Next comes a Wi-Fi module with support for the AirPort protocol.

By the way, the 15-inch “retina” MacBook Pro has exactly the same module.

The holy of holies is the motherboard.

Red – dual-core Intel Core i5-3210M processor at 2.5 GHz (integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000 and auto-overclocking to 3.1 GHz), orange – 8 GB Hynix RAM, yellow – Intel QS77 chipset, turquoise – controller for the Thunderbolt interface.

The orange one is just the reverse part of the RAM, the purple one is the Cirrus audio controller, the rest - their purpose is unclear.

This is what the MagSafe 2 power connector looks like.

Wow! Six battery packs!

Unlike the 15-inch, the 13-inch battery is much easier to remove.

Broadcom controller, the same as in the iPhone 5. Interesting...

Actually the touchpad.

Summa summarum, maintainability rating - 2 out of 10. Not the best result, but the older brother is an even bigger disgrace with his one point. iFixit has complaints about choosing a non-standard SSD, since it requires a separate cable. RAM is only 8 GB without the option of choosing a 16 GB version. The display is glued to the glass and if during disassembly, God forbid, something inside breaks, then the entire expensive screen part can be thrown into the trash.

Opening a laptop Apple MacBook Pro of the latest generation, conducted by specialists from the iFixit website. Then the 13-inch model in the initial configuration, which does not have an OLED Touch Bar touch panel above the keyboard, fell under the “scalpel” of disassemblers. For its maintainability, it scored only 2 points out of 10 possible. Now iFixit engineers have come up with a similar diagonal MacBook Pro with Touch Bar.

As it turned out, its interior was rearranged to make room for the touch panel. The most noticeable change is to the stereo speakers, which have moved from areas on the sides of the keyboard to the edges of the wrist rests. In the photos above, the red frames highlight the locations of the speakers in the MacBook Pro with physical function keys, and the orange frames in the version with the Touch Bar. At the same time, the grilles for the speakers remained where they were, although, apparently, they no longer carry any functional load - the sound from the speakers located in the new location is output through the side openings.

Another interesting discovery made during the teardown of the MacBook Pro 13" with Touch Bar concerns the solid-state drive. As we remember, in basic configuration laptop, it was made in the form of a proprietary, but still removable module. Here it cannot be replaced so easily - the SSD is made in the form of microcircuits soldered directly onto the motherboard.

The power button will cause no less trouble in the event of a breakdown, because it has an integrated Touch ID fingerprint scanner with a sapphire glass surface. Replacing this button will cost more than analogues without Touch ID.

As a result, the 2016 MacBook Pro 13” with an OLED touch panel received the lowest score for maintainability—1 point out of 10 possible.

The need to disassemble a MacBook most often arises when it breaks or the device needs to be cleaned. If the MacBook was purchased recently and is under warranty, then it is better to use the services of service center specialists to perform the operation, however, if warranty obligations manufacturer, it is much cheaper and more profitable to repair an expensive MacBook yourself. It is worth noting that if the device is under warranty, even one unscrewed screw on the device body can deprive the consumer of privileges. Treat this very carefully so that there are no problems with the manufacturer in the future.

If you need to disassemble your Mac for cleaning or repair, we'll tell you how

Although the MacBook from Apple is considered a unique development in computer technology, it has a stylish design, is characterized by a very thin and original appearance, an ordinary person with even minor knowledge of the technological features of devices can disassemble and clean it.

As people say, the eyes are afraid, but the hands do. At first glance, it’s even scary to touch a fragile and delicate device again without a visible need. However, like any other computer equipment, Apple MacBooks can be disassembled using a set of tools and repair tools. The only difference is the need to purchase special screwdrivers for disassembling computer equipment and a plastic spatula, which is required for careful disassembly of the cases, since the elements in them are characterized by miniature size.

Despite the number of MacBook models produced by Apple, the technology for disassembling devices is practically no different; only elementary differences are different in the form of the number of bolts, their location and configuration.

Let's look at the device disassembly technology using the example of popular laptop models MacBook Pro and MacBook Air, produced in 2006 and 2008 respectively, which are prominent representatives of the sixth and fifth generations of the line.

How to disassemble MacBook Pro 13

To disassemble the MacBook Pro 13, you must begin by removing the bottom panel of the laptop. To do this, you need to turn the device over bottom up and unscrew the eight miniature screws that hold it in place.

After removing the cover, the owner will see the internal contents of his MacBook. Next you need to pull out the battery, to remove which you will need to unscrew two more screws. To remove them you need an unusual three-sided screwdriver. After this, you can remove the battery by first disconnecting the connector from the motherboard.

To dismantle and clean the fan, you must first remove the optical drive. Next you need to unscrew the three screws that hold it in the case with a regular screwdriver MacBook Pro fan, after disconnecting the wire going from the fan to the laptop motherboard. The fan needs to be cleaned very thoroughly before reinstalling it.

Next you need to disconnect the wire that goes from the monitor to the board and unscrew the seven screws securing motherboard, and two to disable the connection connector external battery. Dismantle RAM It is not required to clean the laptop, so there is no point in removing it.

Next, in order to completely disassemble the MacBook Pro 13, you will need to disconnect the cables that go to the touchpad and keyboard, and also disconnect the battery indicator. Additionally, you will have to dismantle the plastic fastening of the signal cable from the display and remove the microphone, which is located in a special recessed socket. After these operations, you can carefully and effortlessly pull out the MacBook Pro 13 motherboard. The laptop radiator and the remaining elements of the cooling system are removed along with the board. Turning the board over, you can see the heatsink itself. Disconnect it from the common unit by unscrewing the four screws.

Assembly is carried out in reverse order

At this point, disassembling the laptop can be considered complete. All that remains is to clean all the elements of the system, replace parts that have become unusable, if any, and reassemble everything in the reverse order. Experts also advise that before assembling the MacBook Pro, treat standard areas with special thermal paste, which has a beneficial effect on the laptop’s cooling system and the service life of the unit’s parts.

How to disassemble a MacBook Air

As already mentioned, disassembly different models Apple laptops have no significant differences. To disassemble the MacBook Air, as in the previous case, you must begin by removing the back panel of the device. To do this, the owner will need a rare five-sided screwdriver, with which you can unscrew the eight mounting screws.

Despite the significant similarity of the models under consideration, the internal space of the modules is significantly different. Most of the case space is occupied by a super-thin battery, which must be removed by unscrewing several screws with the same five-blade screwdriver.

The next step is to remove the speakers. The MacBook Air is equipped with powerful speakers, which must be removed using a special plastic spatula designed to work with very sensitive microelements and microcircuits.

Next, you need to sequentially remove the fan, microphone, system board and a radiator for the laptop cooling system. Disassembling the MacBook Air is not difficult; the activity is similar to the previous option. The only difference is the need for a torx screwdriver - without it, it is almost impossible to unscrew the mounting screws on the laptop.

After cleaning the boards, laptop cooling elements and fan, all module parts are assembled in the reverse order. Assembling and disassembling a laptop is not particularly difficult; the main thing is to treat the work responsibly and not lose small parts and screws during maintenance work. For this purpose, specialists very often use magnetic boards. When you stack small metal elements on such a board, they will not get lost around the room.

After assembly, all that remains is to check the functionality of the device. If the work was done correctly, all elements are securely installed in their original places, then the laptop will function without hitches or malfunctions.

Let's sum it up

Experts advise performing preventive cleaning of your MacBook at least once a year. With contamination of the cooling system and internal microcircuits, the MacBook begins to regularly overheat, slow down and even freeze. And if during the warranty period for this procedure it is enough just to contact service center and professionals will do everything for you, then after the end of the warranty period you will have to shell out a tidy sum from your pocket for such services.

Following the recommendations in this article, a person who is related to technology and understands the technology of functioning of system elements will be able to independently, without the help of specialists, cope with the task, disassemble the device and carry out preventative cleaning of the MacBook. The main thing is to take your work responsibly - and you will succeed.