Of all the products that Apple announced last week, the one that has grabbed the most headlines has been the MacBook Neo. This is a budget laptop that sells from €699 and which has become the cheapest gateway to the company’s ecosystem. For comparison, the Macbook Air starts from the €1,119 and the Mac Minialthough it begins in the €719 You have to add a monitor, keyboard and mouse. If someone wants an Apple computer at an affordable price, the Neo is perfect.
The device has convinced both with its capabilities, despite mounting a chip iPhonehe A18 Proas well as its finishes, with an aluminum chassis that distances the impression of a mid-range or low-range device. Now we know that, in addition, It is the easiest Apple laptop to disassemble and repair.
They have verified it in the technological channel of YouTube Tech Re-Nuwhere they opened the laptop in about six minutes using standard Torx screwdrivers. Inside, they found a surprisingly clean design, which allows each component to be easily distinguished. The bottom case comes off after removing eight screws, with no hidden clips or covers.
Historically, Apple laptops have always been more difficult to disassemble, repair or modify than those launched by brands like asus either H.P. with Windowswhich pushes users to resort to Apple’s expensive after-sales service. That is why it is surprising that the Neo introduces changes, compared to other MacBooks, such as the battery design. The module is fixed to the chassis with 18 screws and Does not use glue or strip removal adhesivesso that it can be removed directly after removing the screws, making it easy to replace.
The teardown also shows that the ports USB-Cthe headphone jack 3.5mmspeakers, antennas and even the motherboard are mounted on modules that can be removed with screwsinstead of requiring complex processes such as desoldering. Only one trackpad cable uses a light adhesive.
From Ars Technica they point out that the replacement of practically any component of the Neo It is simpler and requires fewer steps and tools than the MacBook Air with M5 and, as the most significant change in this aspect, they highlight the keyboard.
On the Neo, the keyboard It is an independent component, while in all modern MacBooks it has been integrated into the top of the laptop case and it has been extremely difficult, if not impossible, to replace separately. Plus, it’s expensive. Changing components such as the battery, the case or repairing damage to the screen is cheaper on the Neo than on the MacBook Air and Pro, based on the repair prices that the company has already announced.
If this design becomes the template for other Mac laptops, users can expect lower repair costs from both Apple and third-party services in the future. And even better, they may even be able to make those repairs themselves.