The 2016 MacBook Pro is here, and no new device can be considered fully launched until it’s been put through the obligatory iFixit teardown.
Yes, the repairability experts have published a new teardown of the entry-level MacBook Pro 2016 (that’s the one without the fancy OLED Touch Bar), and the results are unsurprising.
Apple’s machine doesn’t take too kindly to being pulled apart, which is either a good thing or a bad thing depending on whether you prefer sturdy build quality or easy repairability.
Related: MacBook Pro 2016 vs MacBook Pro 2015 – Should I upgrade?
So, what did the intrepid teardown team find? Well, first up, they had to remove the backplate by unscrewing the proprietary pentalobe screws and removing the plate from the frame with considerable difficulty.
Apple has also glued the battery into the chasis incredibly well, making it equally difficult to pry out, but the touchpad can be taken off without removing the batteries, so is easily repairable compared to the rest of the setup.
And speaking of that battery, Apple’s packed in three cells that “dole out ~27% less power between charges” than last year’s model.
The Butterfly 2.0 keyboard has been very slightly updated, with keys that are “a little taller at the edges,” and slightly larger dome switches beneath each key, which no doubt add to the increased travel.
Elsewhere, the SSD is indeed removable for the first time in an Apple machine, but it is proprietary and custom, so upgrading isn’t going to be all that easy after all.
Another discovery is that the “advanced thermal architecture” we’ve been told so much about seems to have simply meant that Apple has relocated heat sink screws to the opposite side of the logic board.
So, what does the MacBook Pro 2016 get when it comes to the all-important repairability score? Well, it’s a pretty disappointing but predictable two out of 10 – pretty standard for a MacBook.
WATCH: MacBook Pro 2016
Let us know what you make of the teardown in the comments.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
