MacBook Pro Core i5: Under the Hood
Do-It-Yourself website iFixit took apart a new MacBook and found a smartly designed, power-efficient system - and no more proprietary screws.
CIO — Breaking news: Apple (AAPL) just got out of the screwdriver business.
This is only one of many interesting tidbits that iFixit, which helps do-it-yourselfers repair Apple products, uncovered after taking apart a new MacBook Pro Core i5 15-inch machine. "Aside from upgrading to Intel's (INTC) new chipset, Apple made a few tweaks in the hardware design," says Kyle Wiens, CEO of iFixit, a website that provides free repair manuals and advice forums for Apple product.
Last week, Apple released an updated line of MacBook Pros with faster processors, graphic chips and improved battery life. Intel's Core i5 and i7 power the new MacBook Pro 15-inch and 17-inch machines, respectively. The MacBook Pro Core i5 15-inch machine costs $1,800.
Every day, more people become new MacBook owners. Mac laptop sales grew 28 percent this quarter from the same period last year, to just under 1.8 million units, Apple announced earlier this week. High-flying Apple posted record quarterly earnings for a non-holiday period.
But Apple doesn't make repairs easy for do-it-yourselfers, and that's where iFixit comes in. For starters, Apple puts "do not remove" stickers on its products. Many Apple product owners worry that do-it-yourself repairs will void warranties.
Not to worry, iFixit's Wiens says: "I've read Apple's warranty in detail. It says if you disassemble your computer and damage it in the process, you've voided the warranty. But they can't legally tell you that you can't take apart your own machine and do repairs correctly. This won't void your warranty. Obviously, though, you can't use third-party parts."
Weins' seven-year-old website wants to help Apple product owners replace worn-out iPhone batteries, swap screens, or put in a new hard drive or optical drive. Apple technicians at iFixit have written some 2,000 free repair guides that have helped people fix over a million devices. iFixit has also sold more than 100,000 Apple parts and toolkits.
It should be noted that iFixit is not an authorized Apple service dealer. "Apple would not want their authorized service dealers taking apart their products and showing the public how to repair them," Wiens says.
Wiens and his 25-person team recently checked under the hood of a MacBook Pro Core i5 15-inch laptop. Here are three things they learned:
1. Does Battery Size Matter?
The battery looked nearly identical to the battery in last year's MacBook 15-inch model—only 6 percent bigger—yet Apple says the new MacBook battery boasts a 22 percent increase in power, or two hours more of battery life.
