Apple’s MacBook Neo marks a shift toward repairability

Apple’s new MacBook Neo is the most repairable MacBook in about fourteen years, according to a teardown conducted by the how-to website iFixit. The primary driver of this assessment is the laptop’s battery design. While older MacBook batteries were glued into place, the MacBook Neo battery is held by a tray secured with 18 screws instead of adhesive. This represents a departure from Apple’s previous practice of gluing batteries into place. This design change reportedly sent cheers across the iFixit office, with the how-to website noting that “screws still beat adhesive every time” as the battery is screwed down instead of glued in.

This shift in hardware design follows years of criticism directed at Apple. The company has faced backlash for opposing some right to repair laws in states and creating so-called parts pairing barriers—software restrictions that prevent devices from working properly with non-manufacturer replacement parts. This restrictive approach was highly visible in 2012, when Apple announced a redesign of its MacBook laptops. That redesign removed much of the DIY repairability that previous models offered. Consequently, that 2012 model received a repairability score of 1 out of 10 from iFixit. However, laws allowing people to repair devices in states including Oregon have pushed the company to lift some of its repair restrictions.

Ultimately, the how-to website iFixit awarded the MacBook Neo a repairability score of 6 out of 10. While the reviewers called this a strong score for a MacBook, they noted that key components like memory and storage remain soldered—meaning they are permanently attached to the motherboard, which prevents users from upgrading them. Despite these soldered components, the teardown concluded that the parts most prone to failure are now easier to reach than they have been on any MacBook in a long time. Specifically, iFixit noted that the battery is screwed down instead of glued in, the ports are modular, the display is easier to replace, and the internal layout is unusually sensible. This layout marks a notable improvement in DIY repairability compared to previous generations.

Why it matters

The MacBook Neo represents a shift in Apple’s hardware design, moving away from glued-in components like batteries toward a more modular, repairable layout, though key components like RAM and storage remain soldered.