Upon watching the MacBook Pro promotional video, I have found some SERIOUS issues with repairability on this computer. I certainly feel this is a discussion worth having in regards to this computer, coming from a technician's perspective. I am updating this to mention a discovery I made about the glued in batteries, so I just fixed it all because I was already here anyway. This will also merge the novice and technical version into one post, as to make finding the better version easier.
memory
Of all things with this computer I feel I should touch on memory first, because this is the first thing everyone upgrades in a computer first, so as a result I feel this is the most important part to discuss first.
In this computer the memory appears to be soldered on to the motherboard, and because of this one issue you can't upgrade the memory in the rMBP, nor can you replace it easily without replacing the whole motherboard in this machine. I know you can do SMD rework on the boards, but the problem with this is 95% of people don't have SMD rework machines in their home, so this means memory replacement will need to be outsourced, should it fail if you want to keep your motherboard. You simply can't order 8-16GB of DDR3/DDR3L SODIMM memory and replace just the memory-unless you can afford SMD rework or have a machine, there's a good chance the only way to reasonably do this is a new motherboard. The problem with this is the cost of a motherboard for an Apple laptop, and the difficulty of finding them because Apple keeps them held with a lock and key unless you pay the Apple tax for the parts and labor, or you are a Apple certified technician. For most people and techs we have to go to Apple for this, since a good chunk of us aren't Apple certified-myself included.
Note: The memory was confirmed to be soldered in 2012 when iFixit tore a rMBP down. It wasn't just in the promotional video.
My main issues go as follows
The first thing most people upgrade is the RAM due to DIY upgrade cost savings vs paying Apple
Apple charges far too much for RAM, and has always been cheaper to DIY the upgrade-for example, in 2009 Apple wanted 1,500$ at one point for 8GB of RAM factory for the MacBook Pro A1297 17"-Crucial had it for 600.00 at the time
Once the memory fails, you're looking at a new motherboard unless you can get SMD rework cheaper then a new motherboard, or have a SMD rework machine personally, which most people don't own so it's pay way too much for a SMD rework or replace the motherboard
Most Business Ultrabooks have at least one SODIMM module in them, with the exception of some of the really thin models. Most consumer Ultrabooks have soldered RAM throughout, but there are some that have at least one slot in them on the consumer side are like Business Ultrabooks in regards to this.
I should also note some of the new Thinkpads have soldered RAM in the T4Xs series too, but only half of the RAM is soldered so there is still upgrade headroom in those at least.
Also, I would like to make a request, too-if anyone can find the costs of a board sold new, used and Apple costs please tell us in the comments-either a answer or comment is acceptable.
SSD
Now that we discussed the RAM, I would like to talk about the SSD.
I was hoping this notebook would use a mSATA pinout with a PCIe controller on it for the SSDs, but I was only dreaming with how Apple is on this, apparently. Because as we know here, Apple has to be the one manufacturer who has to be different every single time.
The SSD in the rMBP is sort of like the ones in the MacBook Air in the sense they are nonstandard and I expect these to become more and more common with time.
Note: Once again, this prediction is correct, with the Mac Pro being the latest victim of these SSDs.
Should this SSD reach it's lifespan since a SSD has a certain amount of read/write cycles before they start to have cells "die" and as a result reallocate with time you can't just go to Newegg and buy a mSATA SSD like the Samsung 840 Evo mSATA SSD to fix it, either-you need to once again pay the Apple tax on the parts just like the memory. It also means I can't buy a laptop with say, a spinning hard disk like the Dell Latitude E6540, and add your own mSATA SSD, and as a result have the best of a SSD as a boot drive and a huge storage drive, either-if you want the larger storage you have to pay the Apple tax on a larger SSD. The other problem I have with this is I don't fully believe SSDs are ready to be the "catch all" storage device for some files, especially critical business files and even "mission critical" files. I believe these should still be on magnetic/moving media until SSDs prove themselves.
I also believe as non Apple SSDs become more common, Apple will put a SSD brand checksum in the Option ROMs later on and if it doesn't pass as a non Apple SSD, it will refuse to boot, or simply store this data in a encrypted chip for logging so they know, or refuse to boot. If they did this, I would at least hope they settle at logging at let us have our non Apple SSDs. My other concern is Apple will abuse this and keep a even nastier monopoly on these parts.
the screen
When Apple said they said they found a way to integrate the display without extra layers, I had just known they used their infamous UV glue on the rMBP display. No, I don't approve of this and will not support it. I will also oppose such a design in a laptop if it comes up.
According to Apple this makes the laptop panel thinner but I doubt this is the only reason they did it. I also believe they did this to make display repair, along with glass repair impossible without killing the display-thus forcing the user to replace the whole thing even if something stupid like the LVDS cable or webcam fails, which are components you can replace on their own if you have them and are armed with a heatgun in the vast majority of MacBook Pros with glossy displays. The matte was always sort of a problem as in display protection is required or you risk ruining the matte coating and needing to scrap the display assembly anyway. It's possible, but high risk on the matte model. The difference in thickness of a modular vs highly integrated display also tends to be a very small difference that would be hard to notice, too so I don't see the point of making a highly integrated system like this when 9 times out of 10, the difference is negligible to a unfixable laptop vs a repairable laptop. Leaving this open gap also welcomes display assembly component access, and as a result, an modular display in your laptop.
MacBook Pro Retina display assembly
ThinkPad X series display
HP EliteBook display
ThinkPad Edge display
Acer laptop for a fair comparison(cons
umer grade)
My personal MacBook Pro display assembly
If you look at all these laptops as they all use LED backlit displays they are all rather thin due to the backlight, and in most cases, the difference is absolutely abysmal per each laptop. On the non Retina MacBook Pro, you were able to service the display. For example, you could very easily replace, or even remove parts. Some examples of this are the webcam,WiFi antennas, LVDS cable. Being able to do this means you can keep the other parts that work, and not throw out working parts. This also translates to better repair costs to your clients in the process. So less waste, cheaper prices and happier clients with a modular type assembly vs a aggravated consumer who as to pay for the whole assembly because of how it was built by Apple. Personally, I will choose modular for the sake of making more money in the end vs lose money by telling people it has to be replaced as one unit and you have to go to Apple.
The Battery
While I cannot express how stupid gluing the battery in is, I will have to be extra careful how I word things here. I am going to have to try and be professional about this area of the laptop.
For this one, I am going to use my MacBook Pro and a Dell Latitude E6540 in this area
On my MacBook Pro Early 2009, all I need to do is remove the battery with three Tri-Wing screws, and it's out of the laptop. The rMBP is glued in, which means you need a new palmrest if you are an average tinkerer working on one. For those of us with experience in this, we can use heat and lots of rubbing alcohol to remove the battery. The problem is you risk the battery going bang, but it is possible-it's just very risky and difficult.
For the Latitude E6540, you can get 3 style batteries-6 cell 97Wh pack, a 9 cell 97Wh and a 9 cell with less power and a battery warranty. Dell will also gladly sell me this battery, as it's designed to be replaced and isn't sealed in the laptop. With the rMBP, Apple forces a new palmrest and you can't just buy this from Apple-you need to go to apple and pay the money they want, since they can get away with it as they are the only ones with easy access to the parts. Apple will not replace the battery alone, either as it's designed to be a single part in their eyes.
screen update
Well, turns out the screen isn't tied to the Unibody as I thought may be a issue on this laptop. The problem with repairing it internally is still true, due to how the parts are built. This is due to the use of UV curing glue on this laptop. There are thin laptops with modular displays out there, too. One example of this is the modern series of ThinkPad X series laptops, which is both modular and thin. There are also thicker modular assemblies like the CCFL X series, along with the Thinkpad T series, which can be taken apart and have each part serviced on a individual basis. This also allows the repairs on them to cost less, as you can just buy a webcam for 40.00, instead of a 550.00 display assembly.
As to the use of the Pentalobe screw Apple used, I am dissapointed with Apple big time on this one. I say this because the driver was rare when I wrote this in 2012, but now it's more common on the market at this point. Even though I can find one on eBay for 5.00 now, I would still prefer Torx or Phillips, as these are drivers I have on hand in most occasions.
To designers, and future designers: you can make a laptop thin if you put your head to it as proven by IBM and the Thinkpad before IBM bought the Thinkpad in 2005 but you have to think about the repair oriented consumers too, and find ways to use off-the shelf parts in your notebooks while keeping them thin. Also, a few extra millimeters goes a long way in regards to how fixable your product is. I believe the only reason to use nonstandard parts on a laptop is to make it hard to fix myself, and to keep repair in-house, along with abusing this and jacking up the prices to fix your laptop.
a more repairable laptop example
If you want a laptop you can easily repair, I would recommend a business laptop. Some examples of this are the Dell Latitude, Vostro and Precision series. For Lenovo, the ThinkPad, though I would try and find a good IvyBridge one instead of the Haswell models. The Haswell ones are simply far less durable then the black box ThinkPad. All of these laptops should have a upgradeable CPU unless it's a U series Intel CPU or a embedded AMD CPU, which are becoming commonplace in laptops these days. However, the storage, memory and DVD drives remain as modular as they have always been in these laptops so that has not changed. The heatsinks are also under a easy access door on the vast majority of these, or under the palmrest so CPU upgrades are easier as the CPU and heatsink isn't under the bottom on the motherboard on the majority of socketed CPU business laptops. You can also call the manufacturer to buy parts and install them yourself with these laptops, too in most cases. If this isn't the case, you can find the parts with less effort then a consumer laptop. This will also not void the warranty, either to replace a part yourself on business laptops. If it does, it typically voids the warranty on the part you swapped and doesn't affect other parts. With a consumer laptop, you can kiss the warranty goodbye, as it's typically an all encompassing warranty. Business laptops may not be as pretty, but they are much more repairable.
what if?
I am sure Apple's engineers could have used a mSATA PCI-e SSD for storage, but for them and their bottom line a nonstandard part was better. I am sure it was possible, but they didn't want to.
As to the RAM there were many ways to keep it modular. One option would have been lay the modules out like the non Unobody plastic MacBook, put one stick under the keyboard and one on the bottom, or only solder 4-8GB of it, and let the user install a 8GB stick to bring the laptop to 16GB. I am sure low profile memory slots exist-and in fact they do-the modules I mean are the ones that use SMD/SMT pins instead of thru-hole to save space on the laptop and make it thinner. I don't see how doing that wasn't viable.
Do I plan on ever buying this machine? No, of course not-I am also not recommending it to clients and telling them to find something that can be repaired instead of becoming a 1,200$ Bic lighter when it breaks down. Until Apple goes back to serviceability, I will recommend the 15" non Retina, or a used Mac from a time you could actually fix them.
⟐ Edited August 19, 2014 at 2:03 am -0700
