Apple’s new MacBook Neo isn’t just the most affordable MacBook by far — it’s also the most repairable MacBook in “about fourteen years,” according to an in-depth teardown by how-to website iFixit.
The “big story,” in iFixit’s view, is the battery. While older MacBook batteries are supposedly glued into place, the Neo’s battery is held by a tray secured with 18 screws. That’s a lot of screws, but iFixit declared that “screws still beat adhesive every time.” In fact, this new arrangement — which should make it much easier to replace your MacBook battery — “sent cheers across the iFixit office.”
Other changes that reportedly make the MacBook Neo more repairable: a flat disassembly tree, the fact that Repair Assistant appears to accept replacement parts without complaint, and an easier-to-replace display and keyboard.
Ultimately, iFixit still had enough concerns — like soldered RAM and storage — that it only gave the Neo repairability score of 6 out of 10. But it said that for a MacBook, “that’s a strong score.”