I’m putting my thoughts together for a review of the MacBook Neo, but I think a huge part of this laptop’s story is its repairability. Unlike Apple’s other products, the Neo is put together with screws only — no adhesive. Some of these screws are pentalobes, but if you’re taking apart a computer, you’re probably the kind of person to have that sort of bit on hand, or are willing to get one.
This means the battery can be replaced without pull tabs, and for the first time in years, this notebook’s keyboard is not permanently installed into the top case. There is some tape involved there (and 41 screws to remove) but it’s a move in the right direction.
The USB-C ports, headphone jack, and speakers are all modular and come out with a handful of screws and simple connectors.
The result of all of this is a machine that should be easier and cheaper to repair.
I love this shot from iFixit’s teardown:
iPhone Repair Guru took apart a Citrus example on their YouTube channel:
The former Mac Genius in me wasn’t thrilled that they didn’t disconnect the battery first — the machine was on until six minutes into the video!