While Apple is known for creating nearly impossible-to-repair products like AirPods Pro 3, it took a different path with the freshly baked MacBook Neo. The Cupertino giant promoted its new low-cost MacBook by stating that it was "built from the ground up."
Surprisingly, MacBook Neo does come with several improvements under the hood which collectively make it the most repairable MacBook in years, if not in the overall laptop market. Repair website iFixit published its teardown of the Touch ID-equipped MacBook Neo and said, "We haven’t been as happy about a MacBook since 2012."
MacBook Neo"s lower case can be unclipped by hand after removing the eight pentalobe screws. You don"t need to use heat, opening pick, suction handle, or prying around the perimeter. The presenter notes that the internal layout is flat and "unusually sensible by MacBook standards," with easy access to the battery, speakers, USB-C ports, and the trackpad.
MacBook Neo is an example that Apple knows its audience. A student buying the low-cost MacBook at $499 education pricing would want it to be easily repairable in cases of cracked screens or broken USB ports, without putting much of a burden on their pocket. Apple is entering the Chromebook-dominated market, which is concerned about repairability and easily replaceable batteries.
The 36.48 Wh battery is one of the big highlights on MacBook Neo. It"s placed on a tray and easily removable with 18 screws. Apple has shied away from using any glue or stretch-release adhesive strips, unlike older Macs.
However, we might assume Apple suddenly had a change of heart. Apple seems to be preparing for the upcoming EU batteries regulation, which mandates portable devices to be sold with user-replaceable batteries by mid-2027.
Another thing Apple did different this time is it printed all the screw types used in the device, potentially saving time for DIY enthusiasts and recyclers armed with different screwdrivers to dismantle devices. While the MacBook Neo shares the shame chip as the iPhone 16 Pro, iFixit noted its logic board is significantly bigger than the iPhone but smaller than the M3 MacBook Air.
Apple gets some brownie points for the keyboard, which can be replaced without changing the whole top case. However, peeling the tape and removing 41 screws might feel like forever if you"re up for the job. All of this had been topped off with day-one repair manuals, and modular ports for USB-C and the relocated headphone jack, making the repair process easier than before.
There are some caveats, though. For one, it"s the limited 8GB RAM on the A18 Pro chip. You should be careful about how much storage you choose, as both the SSD and memory are soldered to the main board.
MacBook Neo has a mechanical trackpad, making it the first MacBook since 2015 to drop Force Touch. A solid metal chunk that supports the trackpad contributes to around 7% of its total weight, making the entire trackpad assembly twice as heavy as the M3 MacBook Air.
The side-firing speakers are easy to remove but iFixit notes they are not as good as the speakers in pricier MacBooks. Overall, MacBook Neo got a repairability score of 6/10. In contrast, the M5 MacBook Pro has a score of 4/10, M4 MacBook Air has 5/10.
That being said, the arrival of the MacBook Neo and M5 MacBook Air have reportedly boosted Mac trade-ins at Apple retail stores. The low-cost MacBook also got positive reviews from a former Windows head.