A year after release, Apple just announced its first update to the 12" MacBook with Retina Display. It's sort of a baby update, so we decided to match it with a baby teardown. Besides a faster processor and zippier flash memory, what changed? There's only one way to know: crack it open and spill its secrets.
Highlights: ● Same model number as the previous MacBook (A1534) ● Tri-wing screw we saw last year is now a repair-friendly Phillips ● Hinge screw Torx heads are filled with some sort of substance that disintegrates when you insert a screwdriver, perhaps acting as tamper-evident screws. ● USB-C cable is now perma-fixed to the USB board ● Silicon is moved from the USC-C cable itself to the USB board ● New 7.56 V, 41.41 Wh Li-ion power battery
Retina Macbook 2016 Repairability Score: 1 out of 10 (10 is the easiest to repair) ● Those pesky tri-wing screws are gone, replaced with lovely standard Phillips screws—but tamper-evident hinge screws make you feel like a hoodlum for repairing your own machine. ● The processor, RAM, and flash memory are still soldered to the logic board. ● The battery assembly remains entirely, and very solidly, glued into the lower case. ● The Retina display is still a fused unit with no separate, protective glass. If the display needs replacing, it'll cost a pretty penny.
Take a look at a few photos below and hit the the link for the full teardown.
Unbelievable how small the main board is! I have a 13" 2012 MacBook Pro and the mobo is huge by comparison. I suppose since iPhone/iPad has miniaturized all of the components, it would follow. But that surprises me it's really mostly battery!