How repairable is new Apple MacBook Pro laptop?

Repair experts from iFixit took apart the new 14-inch Apple MacBook Pro with an M3 processor and expressed dissatisfaction with its repairability. The video review published by the company highlighted both positive and negative aspects.

iFixit noted the simplicity of the device’s disassembly scheme, praising the manufacturer for the ease of access to the “insides” of the device. However, criticism has been leveled at how the RAM and SSD modules are soldered directly onto the motherboard, making it impossible to replace or expand these components. Various interfaces such as USB-C, MagSafe and Touch ID are easy to detach, but each part requires verification from Apple, otherwise the operating system will throw an error, which can be a problem for many users.

In addition, it was also noted that many repairs require subsequent setup of the MacBook using special software from Apple, otherwise the device will most likely not work properly. And this is additional complexity. Moreover, this limitation even applies to minor maintenance cases, such as replacing an articulating sensor or display.

As a result of all the identified limitations, iFixit rated the repairability of MacBook Pro with M3 processors at only 4 points out of 10.