We disassemble the macbook pro retina 13. Disassembling the Apple MacBook Pro laptop with the Touch Bar showed that it is better to be very careful with the device. Service center? No, I'm on my own
The reason for this is that due to its thinness and lightness, the practice of placing components was sacrificed, in addition, the battery was securely glued to the body at the top of it.
If you follow the logic, then the new 13-inch laptop from Apple should also remain unrepairable. However, everything happened exactly the opposite. Moreover, the gadget can even be upgraded.
iFixit specialists examined one such device in detail. A1425 is the model number. The most commonly found screws in devices are visible from all sides in the new Pro.
According to Phil Schiller, the battery in the laptop is asymmetrical, although if you look relative to the center, the symmetry is quite visible. But it is worth noting that the layout of the cells in the gadget is unique; it is not found in any other laptop.
Once opened, a label immediately catches your eye warning that if it is removed by anyone other than a service representative (for example, iFixit, which Apple still trusts), then the laptop will be removed from warranty.
As for differences from other laptops, the 13-inch MacBook Pro has even more of them than its 15-inch predecessor. One of these differences is represented by the new battery connector, which is not just a connector, but a kind of platform for connecting the cable and the motherboard.
The speakers are secured with small screws that are covered with microfiber pieces of metal that imitate steel. Their purpose is not entirely clear.
Under the trackpad, in a plastic frame, there is an SSD module, and around the module there is a lot of empty space in the frame. A regular 2.5-inch hard drive can easily fit into this free space (if you remove the frame with the module). At the time of disassembly, iFixit representatives used a 9.5 mm hard drive, but in this case the lid from the bottom does not close. However, this is not a problem because thinner discs are also available. If, for example, some company offers a special cable connecting the connectors of a regular hard drive and the motherboard, then for little money you can improve your laptop.
There were problems identifying the chips. The fact is that the SSD module is equipped with chips from Samsung. Of all these chips, only flash memory is freely recognized.
Yellow chips - K9FGY8UA7A-HCKO - 32 GB, manufactured by Samsung. Four more on the other side, for a total of 256 GB
The wireless transmission module with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi controllers is exactly the same as in the older 15-inch MacBook Pro model.
Considering that of the two chips that need cooling, only one remained, the design of the heatsink was slightly changed. Still, 13 inches is 13 inches.
Now the processor is cooled by two coolers. Namely, their asymmetrical blades.
The changes also affected the motherboard.
Top part: Yellow - Intel BD82QS77 interface controller; Red - dual-core Intel Core i5-3210M processor with Intel HD 4000 graphics; 8 orange chips - DDR3L RAM, Hynix H5TC4G83MFR, each chip 512 MB; Green - Thunderbolt interface controller model Intel DSL3510L.
Bottom: Purple - Cirrus Audio 4206BCNZ audio controller; Black - chip marked TPS 51980 from Texas Instruments; Orange - additional RAM sticks from Hynix, for a total of 8 GB; Green - The chip from Cypress Semiconductor labeled CY8C24794-24L can be used for various purposes; Blue - power controller for the central and graphic processors Maxim MAX15119; Red - microcontroller from Texas Instruments Stellaris LM4FS1AH; Yellow - SMSC USB2512B USB interface controller.
Just like its older 15-inch brother, the 13-inch Pro features the new MagSafe 2 power connector.
There are a lot of interesting things in the battery. For example, two cells out of six are secured with screws in metal grooves. This is undoubtedly a big step forward compared to the previous version.
But then there will be a slight disappointment - the remaining cells are held on by glue, even if it is good glue. That is, if you need to peel off a cell, you need to take several tools and work very carefully so as not to cause damage. This is a completely feasible procedure, although quite complicated. It took the specialists from iFixit about 15 minutes.
As for the battery characteristics, they are as follows: 74 watt/hour, 11.21 volts, 6600 milliamp/hour capacity.
And now there is a significant difference from its 15-inch brother, in which the controller and trackpad were hidden under a tightly fixed battery. In the current version, it is visible in the housing opening.
I would like to draw your attention to the modest gray chip located on the right next to the foil plate and connector. It is not highlighted in any color, but this is Silicon Storage Technology - a 256 MB flash memory module. It is not clear why the trackpad needs to be equipped with memory. It turns out that the same module is in the 15-inch Pro.
Trackpad sensor controller, Broadcom BCM5976 highlighted in red. The same one is installed in iPhone 5
Now we turn our attention to the screws that secure the trackpad. Or rather, one out of five.
If damaged, the trackpad can be easily replaced. This is another significant difference between the 13-inch Pro and its 15-inch sibling.
And of course, you can’t ignore the Retina display. As for the design, there are few differences from the previous version. The display also cannot be dismantled or repaired.
Based on the results of all the work carried out, we can say that the 13-inch MacBook Pro differs for the better from its 15-inch predecessor only in the ease of improvement and removal of the trackpad. But this is a minor difference.
Well, it remains to be seen what else iFixit will explore. Don't forget about the iPad mini and the new iMac.
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The dismantling of iFixit is always good because it allows you to clearly track all the changes that the speakers talked about and the press made noise about. Having collected enough positive and negative things about the new MacBook Pro, we decided to dive into the “iron” jungle, and engineers, who constantly fly to Australia to snatch the latest releases first-hand, promptly provided a complete analysis of the MacBook Pro 13″ without Touch Bar.
The model without the new-fangled socket was chosen to be torn to pieces. Its characteristics:
- 13.3″ Retina display with IPS matrix giving a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels (227 ppi) with P3 color depth
- Intel Core i5 Skylake processor with a frequency of 2.0 GHz (Turbo Boost up to 3.1 GHz) with built-in Intel Iris Graphics 540 video chip
- 8 GB RAM with a frequency of 1866 MHz LPDDR3 (16 GB can be installed)
- 256 GB, 512 GB or 1 TB SSD
- two Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports with charging support, DisplayPort, Thunderbolt, USB 3.1 Gen 2
- Silver or Space Gray colors
When examining this MacBoo Pro model from all sides, nothing was found except two Thunderbolt 3 ports on the left and one lone 3.5 mm jack on the right. It turns out that the policy that Cupertino applied to the iPhone 7 does not work on Macs... not yet. I wonder if this is good or bad? :)
The A1708 assembly does not sport a touch panel with emoticons, but there is room for an unusually long mechanical Escape button. Of course, along with the rest of the functional range.
Maniacs comparing the dimensions of Apple's already thin and weightless laptops (ultrabooks) can enjoy the image above, where the new MacBook Pro 13″ is located next to just a MacBook 12″. Here, by the way, a single design trend can be clearly seen. And how striking is the twice as large trackpad!
So, enough of admiring and it’s time to move on to direct analysis, especially since the first step has not changed for 6 years. Yes, yes, the Pentalob screws on the back cover have been marinating for six years. The number “6” was also reflected in the number of fasteners, the number of which was also reduced from 8 pieces in the MacBook 2015 and from 10 pieces in most MacBook Pros.
But the back cover itself offered serious resistance, so it was necessary to use a suction cup, which has proven itself when dismantling the iPhone. You need to pick up a piece of metal and then pry it with a pick to get to the electronics.
What immediately caught my eye were the protected T5 screws, which provide solid protection for the battery pack.
Behind the hinged flap of the connector there were two small copper pads responsible for plus and minus (ground).
Then, guided by intuition, iFixit engineers carried out an easier procedure for removing the trackpad, which is no longer hidden under the battery. Behind the Force Touch, by the way, was attached that same “magic” magnet, held solely by screws and spring connectors.
The following components are responsible for the trackpad:
- red - ST Microelectronics STM32F103VB ARM Cortex-M3 MCU chip
- orange - Broadcom BCM5976C1KUFBG touch controller
The ease with which the experts got to the trackpad was immediately counterbalanced by the copious amount of glue on the way to the battery. Old friends, a heater and a plastic spatula, came in handy again.
The lithium polymer blocks have left the sticky bath and revealed the first really important fact - a 27% reduced battery capacity. Even without looking at the specifications, where 4781 mAh is printed, the deprivations become obvious, because the MacBook Pro 13″ body has three panels instead of six.
The SSD in “camouflage” instantly attracted attention. After removing the protective tape, the PCI-e board was safely undocked, confirming the second fact - self-replaceable solid-state drives, but we remind you that you won’t be able to install any SSD, you’ll still have to fork out the cash.
A more thorough inspection of the vault revealed the manufacturer and other components. The drive was manufactured by SanDisk, now owned by Western Digital; the rest of the details are below:
- red - SanDisk SDRQKBDC4 064G 64 GB flash memory (4 pcs.)
- orange - Apple controller 338S00227
- yellow - Texas Instruments 58879D MOSFET
- green - F4432ACPE-GD-F type Micron 512 MB DDR2 RAM
- blue - sealed Apple SSD controller 338S00199
Removing the speaker traditionally could not be done with just the left hand, because it was protected by screwed-on gaskets to dampen the vibrations that new speakers with an improved “boom effect” would certainly produce.
Now there was nothing stopping the motherboard from being freed, where it turned out that the “improved architecture” was actually a change in the positions of the heatsink screws on the back wall.
![](https://i1.wp.com/appstudio.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/5wfBDVPiFGjwBZTShuge-e1478013890507.jpg)
- red – SKhynix H9CCNNNBJTML
- orange - Texas Instruments TPS51980 Buck Converter for memory power management
- yellow – Universal Scientific Industrial 339S025 Wi-Fi module
- green – Intel DSL6510 Thunderbolt 3 controller
- blue - Texas Instruments 58873D Synchronous Buck NexFET Power Block MOSFET Pair
- blue – Broadcom BCM15700A2 camera processor
- purple – Micron 512 MB DDR3L SDRAM
On the other side:
- SKhynix H9CCNNNBJTML LPDDR3 high-speed synchronous DRAM
- Texas Instruments SN650839 66AL7XWGI (as seen in the 2016 Retina MacBook)
- 2x Texas Instruments CD3215B03 66AQ8YW G1
- Winbond SpiFlash 64 Mb serial flash memory
- Texas Instruments TM4EA231 H6ZXRI system management controller
- Cirrus Logic CS42L63A Audio Codec
- Intersil 95828 HRTZ X630MRR
Now about the full-fledged survivor - a 3.5 mm jack for headphones, but as one module, to which 2 microphones are attached, stretching down to the fan.
To everyone's surprise, Apple carried over the fans from the 2012 model. Local “Carlsons” are very, very quiet thanks to the asymmetrical landing of the blades.
Just below the screen, the hardware responsible for the life of a huge number of Retina pixels was discovered:
- B1332BDPA 090BX 1605
- National Semiconductor 67A800U 49B1-04
- Texas Instruments 65CLKEI TPS65157
- NXP LPC812 ARM Cortex M0+ 32-bit MCU
- Texas Instruments TPS65158 High Resolution LCD Bias IC for TV
Apple attached the hinge protection with special love to prevent the MacBook from falling apart. This same protection plays the role of an antenna. As for how the hinge works: a spring mechanism twists the cable when the display is closed and unwinds it when opened. That is why the lid became easier to close.
The hinges are a showcase of injection molding technology: they are thin, light and strong.
And here is the second generation of the keyboard “butterfly” in all its glory. Differences include higher keycaps, which make searching for the keys more comfortable, and a dome mechanism, which is responsible for improved stability compared to regular MacBooks.
iFixit deservedly awarded the new MacBook Pro 13″ without Touch Bar a 2 out of 10 on the repairability scale, only pleased with the easily detachable trackpad. The biggest challenges were the amount of glue around the battery, Pentalob screws, RAM soldered to the motherboard, and the non-standard type of PCIe SSDs. In general, tuning new firmware is problematic, expensive and not at all safe.
A detailed guide for those who have decided.
The life cycle of Apple laptops is significantly longer than that of competitors. It’s hard to argue with this, especially when it comes to models released 3-4 years ago or earlier. Maximum aluminum, thoughtful ergonomics, arrangement of all elements - these are the devices that look at us from store shelves.
And somewhere in a parallel dimension there are plastic heavyweights with controversial designs, creepy accessories, but a more reasonable price tag.
Now the situation has leveled out. Brands competing with Apple have also learned to make beautiful things, and there are a number of parameters in which some laptop models are even superior to the “reference MacBook”.
But any technique sooner or later requires prevention. It's my turn to do this.
Why did I decide
Note. I deliberately left the technical part of the question, terminology and aesthetics of service centers outside the scope of this article. The result is important to any of us.
I have the top one at my disposal 2011 13-inch MacBook Air. Five years ago it was a “beast machine”, the processor of which (and here the i7 1.8 GHz) crushed any load to smithereens. 4 GB RAM– back then it was still a logical standard, and even today it is sufficient for all everyday tasks.
The previous owner treated this “workhorse” with due reverence, and for the last two-plus years I have been exploiting it “in tail and mane.” During this time, the MacBook was opened once, by me. After removing a layer of dust from the cooler area (we all love to work on our knees and soft pillows), the laptop was safely closed, but this did not last long.
Problem 1: Frying pan with industrial fan
In my usual working mode, OS X runs a dozen different applications, including: a text editor, Photoshop, the Safari browser interspersed with Opera (each with 10–15 tabs), mail, five instant messengers, iTunes, a couple of Finder windows. All this works relatively stable for the first half hour. And then all hell breaks loose.
The cooler spins up to maximum (which is a good 6500 rpm), the keyboard warms up to a temperature that causes discomfort in work. Applications start playing the matrix and react with an annoying delay... It started to infuriate me - it’s impossible to work like that!
For the sake of practical interest, I install the application iStat Menus[Download] and am surprised to see the following picture.
In the above screenshot the temperature reaches 96 degrees. Let me remind you that at this moment I am not doing video editing or processing heavy files. At the moment of such a load, the temperature value crossed the mark at 105 degrees.
What does this mean?? Too high a temperature can cause failure of any element on the laptop board. The logical degradation of components begins: capacitors, resistors, crystals, and sooner or later you will simply face the premature death of the MacBook.
Repairing or replacing a motherboard is not a cheap task, so I strongly recommend periodically checking the temperature using the above utility.
Problem 2: I'll tell you how to kill your battery
Working on a large monitor is much more enjoyable. There is room for a lot of windows, you can effectively arrange your workspace, you are pleased with the realistic colors of a decent matrix (the CRT era is already a thing of the past) and your eyes are not so tired. Normal people buy a Mac Mini or Mac Pro for this purpose. Our man connects a laptop via Display/Thunderbolt Port, complements this with a proprietary Apple Keyboard and Magic Trackpad, and feels like a “winner in life.”
I think you already understand who I belong to. The MacBook sits on my desktop 24 hours a day, never turns off (fortunately its power consumption is minimal) and is connected to the network adapter all this time.
After the purchase, my MacBook Air could boast of three hours of battery life. Six months of operation in the “system unit” mode and battery life was reduced to 40 minutes, and the number charge cycles exceeded 650. You can see it in the menu About This Mac -> System Report -> Charge Cycles.
On the official Apple website there is a guarantee for preservation 80% capacity after 1000 charging cycles, but apparently the company’s engineers mean a more adequate operation option.
Detailed instructions for those who have decided.
Don't repeat my mistakes and treat your Mac's battery with care. I’ll tell you how to do this below.
What does this mean?? You feel constantly tied to the outlet, and you simply find it difficult to answer the question: “Do you have a laptop?”
Verdict. It has been decided that the time has come for general prevention. The first item on the list is replacing thermal paste on the processor with all the resulting dust removal. Second - battery replacement.
Service center? No, I'm on my own
The computer services industry today is well developed. One call and a service center representative will come for your Mac, pick it up, then within 24 hours they will do a “full maintenance” and deliver it back. There are a lot of scenario options here and you can always find a company or specialist who will make your MacBook “like new.” The question is - how high quality?
Yes, many people do just that – they take it to the center and let them sort it out. As a person who is interested in technology, technology and especially everything related to Apple, I became interested do everything yourself.
My readers will now be divided into two groups: those who will say: “What’s the heroism in this - an hour of work and everything is ready” and those who will twist it at their temples and say: “Well, come on, you’ll do it crooked anyway. We need a specialist in this matter.” I think there will be a third category that will support my desire to go where I’m not supposed to.
Buying a battery and thermal paste
So I need new battery for MacBook Air 13'' 2011 and thermal paste. Apart from rumors and beliefs that there are fakes everywhere and the original does not exist (and there is some truth in this), I have nothing to present to the market in the battery issue. With thermal paste, everything is solved easier and according to the principle “let the forums help me.”
The first and most important thing is to find out what The battery model is installed specifically in your MacBook. Information can be easily found on the Internet by indicating the exact model name and year of manufacture (don’t forget about the screen diagonal), but it’s best to see the required serial number with your own eyes.
In order to open the MacBook, we need a non-standard (for other household appliances) screwdriver format Torx T5 or "asterisk".
Ideally, you need to have two screwdrivers at once: T5 to open the laptop lid and T4 to remove the internal screws that hold the battery, cooler and heatsink in place. This way, the mounting screws will not experience wear from the wrong screwdriver format.
Using a T5 screwdriver, carefully remove the 10 screws:
The two center top screws are longer than the other 8 screws - don't forget this when reassembling.
Now we determine the battery model.
The MacBook Air 13'' 2011 model has a battery number A1405. And then it’s a matter of technology - look for the most suitable store on the Internet and order the model you need. Finding “100% original” is more like a myth, so take the Chinese markings and hieroglyphs on the battery calmly. In the end, your MacBook proudly bears the inscription on the back of the case: Made in China.
Regarding thermal paste. There are many decent options on the market:
- Glacial Stars Ice Therm I
- Arctic Cooling MX-2
- DEEPCOOL Z3
- Arctic Silver Ceramique 2
- Cooler Master IC Essential E1
- KPT-8 is, after all, quite good
If you wish, you can engage in a detailed analysis of the effectiveness of each of the pastes proposed above. Personally, I didn’t have time for a thorough study - work stopped, and the open Mac was waiting for surgery.
My choice fell on Cooler Master IC Essential E1 for several reasons at once. Firstly, it is slightly cheaper than the much-hyped Zalman, and secondly, according to numerous reviews, it does an excellent job of cooling.
Finally, you buy a complete kit for applying the paste yourself: the tube itself with the “saving substance”, an alcohol wipe and a spatula for leveling the paste layer on the processor. The price of the issue is about 600 rubles, but the volume of the tube is enough for a dozen or two processors.
Changing the battery
Everything you need for prevention is on hand. Torx T4/T5 screwdriver, new battery, thermal paste, hands and complete concentration.
The only thing that is not in the photo is a wooden stick or toothpick for disconnecting the cables. No way Do not use a metal screwdriver for this.
Immediately before starting work disconnect the cable leading to the battery.
Unscrew the screws around the perimeter of the battery. Don’t be too lazy to take an A4 sheet and schematically sketch the location of each screw. They have different lengths and threads, and when reassembling there is a risk of screwing something in the wrong place, thereby piercing the body of the device.
I did this:
To disassemble, you need to unscrew exactly five screws, using a Torx T4 screwdriver.
When removing the battery, be extremely careful and try to hold it on all sides at once. The battery may break under its own weight.
The original and the newly purchased “100% original” are no different from each other.
The only thing that catches your eye is the absence of a plastic tail on the purchased battery for removal.
It’s not critical, we’ll survive.
We install the new battery in place and fix it with screws, according to our diagram. Each screw has its place. Try not to use force; a moderate turn of the screwdriver is enough.
After installing the battery we do not connect the cable, because the most labor-intensive part of prevention lies ahead - replacing thermal paste.
Changing thermal paste
Using a toothpick, carefully pry up the cable located above the cooler. It is glued to the cooler body, so it will take a little effort to tear it off.
Again, use a toothpick to disconnect the miniature cooler cable by gently lifting the tab and pulling it out.
Now, using the same Torx T4 screwdriver, unscrew the three screws holding the cooler and carefully remove it.
Let's move on to removing the radiator. There are already four screws waiting for us. Try to remember the force that had to be applied to break them - when reassembling you will need to tighten the screws in the same way.
After you unscrew the 4 screws, do not remove the radiator. It is fixed in one more and very problematic part.
Near the cooler, in the very corner, there is danger zone– a miniature wiring, under which there is a screw fixing the cooler.
Carefully move the wire to the side and remove the screw. The main thing is not to damage anything. Remove the radiator by shaking it from side to side and releasing the rubber seal.
While unscrewing the screws, make another schematic drawing of their location. This is important! The screws are different from each other.
Use a can of compressed air or a syringe to get rid of dust accumulated on the radiator grille. Of course, the same should be done with the cooler.
Access to the processor crystal is guaranteed!
Yes, what was left of the factory thermal paste could not save the MacBook from overheating. It has dried out and does not provide proper thermal dissipation.
Using a cotton pad and alcohol, carefully wipe the processor (until a mirror shine) and the radiator.
We have come to the most crucial moment - applying thermal paste. Faced with replacing paste on their own, many users encounter the following problem: what is the optimal amount of thermal paste to apply??
To understand why thermal paste is needed, look at this picture:
The purpose of replacing thermal paste is to ensure smoothing and filling microcracks on the surface of the processor and heatsink. It is not needed to be a layer between them. Therefore, with the approach: “I’ll put more - I’ll cool it better,” you’ll only make things worse. The thermal paste will dry out very quickly and cease to perform its function, losing the necessary physical properties.
You need to spread the paste in a thin layer over the entire surface of the processor. Approximately this quantity:
Then, using a spatula, smooth out the thermal paste.
When everything is ready, do not rush to install the radiator right away. Try on its location and pay special attention to the rubber seal. It should fit into the groove on the motherboard.
Only then can you install the radiator correctly. Be careful when screwing in the corner screw (where the dangerous wire is). Do not over-tighten the screws, doing this gradually on each side.
When installing the battery, make sure that the barely noticeable groove on the plug snaps into place.
Close the back metal cover and tighten ten screws around the perimeter.
Assembly complete!
The effect of replacing thermal paste, battery and some tips
Having done everything described above, I independently performed preventive maintenance on my beloved MacBook Air. But the question that worried me even before starting all this was the effectiveness of the event.
I'm telling you.
Thermal paste. Before replacing the thermal paste, the laptop temperature rarely dropped below 95–100 degrees. The cooler worked at full capacity even when applications were refused to run, and the temperature to which the case heated made work impossible.
You type the text in the editor - 92-94 degrees, launch Safari - everything is the same. You open Final Cut and the 105 degree mark is reached. The cooler works, but it is of no use. It didn't cool!
Replacing the thermal paste and cleaning the cooler worked like magic. He stopped making noise! When running heavy applications, the MacBook instantly heats up, the cooler slowly spins up, and within a minute it drops. And the temperature readings now look like this:
- Working in Final Cut Pro X (video editing) – 94–97 degrees
- Surfing, music, instant messengers, Photoshop – 70–80 degrees
- Working in a text editor – 40–45 degrees.
The temperature in the room is a hot summer day, about 23–25 degrees.
I have NEVER seen the latter indicator on my MacBook Air. Working in complete silence is a real pleasure. Nothing distracts you, pesters you or annoys you. Was the game worth the candle? Definitely!
Battery. 40 minutes is the maximum I could afford without an outlet. After switching on, the new battery was 52% charged. We have all heard about calibration, which is associated with constant controversy and speculation.
You NEED to calibrate the battery. Of course, if you are interested in its adequate further work. What I did after the first turn on:
- Immediately connected the power adapter and charged the battery to 100%
- Discharged to 10% and recharged to 100%
- Repeated the cycle 3 times
That's it, that's enough. Don't be surprised if the program iStat Menu will constantly show different values of battery capacity and health. This is normal until the battery becomes weak, and this may require about 20–25 discharge/charge cycles.
When using the battery, try to operate in 20-100% mode. Don't let your battery run out of charge, and stop working after your Mac notifies you that critical charge. Try to remove your MacBook immediately after it is 100% charged. This way you won't have to worry about battery life or battery degradation for several years.
Of course, this is just a recommendation. Modern batteries (and even more so from Apple) are equipped with the necessary protection controllers and provide maximum service life without unnecessary “dancing with a tambourine.” Apple technology is designed for comfort, and it’s up to you to follow the operating instructions or not.
While finishing this article, my Mac promises to last another 4 hours and 15 minutes. The number of full charge cycles is 7. The temperature indicator is 46 degrees (I work on my knees). The cooler rotation speed is a minimum of 2000 rpm, but one gets the feeling that it is not working at all.
(4.75 out of 5, rated: 4 )
Track down a number of hardware problems using the MacBook Pro 13" Unibody Troubleshooting Guide.
There are a number of components in the MacBook Pro 13" Unibody Early 2011 that can be cost effectively upgraded.
- Memory: The MacBook Pro 13" Unibody Early 2011 comes with 4 GB RAM standard, and accepts a maximum of 16 GB. If your MacBook Pro is still running with only the stock RAM, upgrading will provide a dramatic performance boost. You can upgrade to any combination of two 4 GB or 8 GB modules for 8, 12, or 16 GB of total RAM.
- Hard Drive: 320 or 500 GB hard drives came standard with the Early 2011 MacBook Pro 13" Unibody. You can easily upgrade the drive to 750 GB , 1 TB or a lightning-fast solid state drive . For a full list of available upgrade, options check out our selection of MacBook Pro 13" Unibody Early 2011 hard drives. Be advised, at the moment you need to use a piece of software to enable trim, called Trim Enabler—this involves some risk.
- Additional Storage: With the growing popularity of flash memory and cloud storage, you may find yourself rarely using the SuperDrive in your MacBook Pro. The optical drive can easily be replaced with a second hard drive or SSD using an optical bay hard drive enclosure . When installed, your additional hard drive will mount on your desktop just like an external hard drive.
- Battery: The battery is certainly replaceable, even though Apple doesn"t consider it to be "user serviceable." See the Battery Replacement guide above for complete replacement information.
The MacBook Pro 13" Unibody is clearly differentiated from other MacBook Pros by its smaller size. However, it does resemble its larger siblings, the MacBook Pro 15" Unibody and the MacBook Pro 17" Unibody.
Use the laptop identification system to help you identify your machine. MacBook Pros tend to look very similar, and it's important to know which machine you have before ordering any replacement parts.
- 13.3-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit glossy widescreen display with support for millions of colors
- 320GB or 500GB Hard drive or 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB SSD
Processor
- 2.3GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor with 3MB shared L3 cache or 2.7GHz dual-core Intel Core i7 processor with 4MB shared L3 cache
- 4GB, 8GB or 16GB of 1333MHz DDR3 memory
Wireless Connectivity
- 802.11n Wi-Fi wireless networking; IEEE 802.11a/b/g compatible
- Bluetooth 2.1 wireless technology
Graphics and Video
- Intel HD Graphics 3000
- FaceTime HD camera
- Thunderbolt port
- MagSafe power port
- Gigabit Ethernet port
- FireWire 800 port (up to 800 Mbps)
- Two USB 2.0 ports (up to 480 Mbps)
- Thunderbolt port (up to 10 Gbps)
- Audio in/out
- SDXC card slot
- Kensington lock slot
Opening of the latest generation Apple MacBook Pro laptop, carried out by specialists from the iFixit website. Then the 13-inch model in the initial configuration, which does not have an OLED Touch Bar touch panel above the keyboard, fell under the “scalpel” of disassemblers. For its maintainability, it scored only 2 points out of 10 possible. Now iFixit engineers have come up with a similar diagonal MacBook Pro with Touch Bar.
As it turned out, its interior was rearranged to make room for the touch panel. The most noticeable change is to the stereo speakers, which have moved from areas on the sides of the keyboard to the edges of the wrist rests. In the photos above, the red frames highlight the locations of the speakers in the MacBook Pro with physical function keys, and the orange frames in the version with the Touch Bar. At the same time, the grilles for the speakers remained where they were, although, apparently, they no longer carry any functional load - the sound from the speakers located in the new location is output through the side openings.
Another interesting discovery made during the teardown of the MacBook Pro 13" with Touch Bar concerns the solid-state drive. As we remember, in the basic configuration of the laptop it was made in the form of a proprietary, but still removable module. Here it cannot be replaced so easily - the SSD is made in the form of microcircuits soldered directly onto the motherboard.
The power button will cause no less trouble in the event of a breakdown, because it has an integrated Touch ID fingerprint scanner with a sapphire glass surface. Replacing this button will cost more than analogues without Touch ID.
As a result, the 2016 MacBook Pro 13” with an OLED touch panel received the lowest score for maintainability—1 point out of 10 possible.