Apple's new MacBook and MacBook Pro torn down (photos)

[AppleInsider]

Apple parts reseller iFixIt has just completed its photo disassemblies of the new MacBook and MacBook Pro, and notes that the design of both machines are largely inspired by the MacBook Air, with the 13-inch model structurally resembling a 13-inch version of the new MacBook Pro.

MacBook Pro Disassembly Guide

As part of its 15-inch MacBook Pro disassembly, iFixIt noted that:

Upgrading the RAM and hard drive is very easy, but you do need a Torx screwdriver to replace the hard drive (noted yesterday).
Contrary to some fears, the keyboard in the MacBook Pro is user-serviceable. It's a fair amount of work to remove (you have to remove 56 screws).
The AirPort and Bluetooth boards are in the display assembly. The AirPort card is user-serviceable, while the Bluetooth board is not.

The MacBook Pro with its battery cover and base cover removed.

The MacBook Pro's stacked memory slots sit just above the battery bay.

Peeling back the MacBook Pro's chicklet keyboard .

Removing the lower display bezel reveals the AirPort card.

This is what the AirPort card looks like.

The MacBook Pros precision logic board.

An exploded view of the innards of the new MacBook Pro.

MacBook Disassembly Guide

As for the 13-inch MacBook, iFixIt notes that:

The new MacBook is really a 13" MacBook Pro. It uses the same design, and same manufacturing quality. Bridging the gap between consumer and professional model.
The Superdrive is the same in the MacBook and MacBook Pro.
We showed the parts to some industrial engineers familiar with manufacturing processes. Overall, they were extremely impressed by the build quality of the machine and the cutting edge mass-produced unibody.

The MacBook's logic board is tiny.

A closer look at the MacBook's logic board.

The MacBook's display module detached.

A semi-exploded view of the MacBook.

A big thanks to the guys over at iFixIt for sharing their photos and disassembly work with AppleInsider readers.

For more photos, full disassembly instructions, and additional comments and observations, please see the full version of iFixIt's guides:

MacBook Disassembly Guide
MacBook Pro Disassembly Guide

Unboxing and comparison photos

Don't forget to check out AppleInsider's own unboxing and comparison photos, also published Thursday.

High-quality photo comparison: the new unibody MacBooks
High-quality unboxing photos: late 2008 13" MacBook
High-quality unboxing photos: late 2008 15" MacBook Pro

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[EauVive]

Pretty impressive, the logic board of the MacBook is minimal and crowded. It seems there was no place for FireWire anyway.

Nobody has mentioned the fan. Is it noisy? How are the processor and the chipset cooled?

[robb01]

Looks pretty nice

___________________

[mstone]

Originally Posted by EauVive

Pretty impressive, the logic board of the MacBook is minimal and crowded. It seems there was no place for FireWire anyway.

What do you call that last inch of space after the other ports? This space intentionally left blank.

[themoonisdown09]

Originally Posted by mstone

What do you call that last inch of space after the other ports? This space intentionally left blank.

I don't see an inch of space after the other ports on the Macbook.

[Messiah]

I think he means the MacBook Pro.

[Ireland]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

The MacBook Pros precision logic board.

Really, was the word "precision" necessary there. No.

[Messiah]

Wow those system boards really are tiny.

It's clear to see that the next hurdle to overcome is the removal of the fans. Can you imagine how much smaller they could make the system board if they didn't have to accommodate two fans?

[guppy737]

Originally Posted by EauVive

Nobody has mentioned the fan. Is it noisy? How are the processor and the chipset cooled?

Wondering the same....I looked at the machine yesterday and could not identify where the fan exhausts.

[mstone]

Originally Posted by themoonisdown09

I don't see an inch of space after the other ports on the Macbook.

I think that is where the lock is. They could have put that somewhere else

[aaarrrgggh]

So, does the nVidia chipset handle firewire, or is it a discrete chip?

Looking at the internals though, it seems like Apple has a great foundation for a Netbook to be named later...

[dr_lha]

Originally Posted by aaarrrgggh

So, does the nVidia chipset handle firewire, or is it a discrete chip?

Looking at the internals though, it seems like Apple has a great foundation for a Netbook to be named later...

I was thinking the same thing, with that tiny MacBook logic board, you can imagine them using it in a 10" screen mini-laptop quite easily. A huge amount of space inside the MacBook is taken up by the Superdrive, something that I could quite easily do without to be honest. Here's hoping.

[NasserAE]

So, does upgrading the MBP HDD still void the computers warranty? I've read for the old one it did.

Update:

It won't if you do it correctly.

"WARNING: Apple recommends that you have an Apple-certified technician install
replacement drives and memory. Consult the service and support information that
came with your computer for information about how to contact Apple for service. If
you attempt to install a replacement drive or memory and damage your equipment,
such damage is not covered by the limited warranty on your computer."

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by EauVive

Nobody has mentioned the fan. Is it noisy? How are the processor and the chipset cooled?

Their are two fans. Check out the iFixit website for some close ups. I believe they even mention that Apple has been using fans with many more fans blades than in other notebooks to allow for more airflow at lower RPMs, thus creating less noise and using less power.

Originally Posted by guppy737

Wondering the same....I looked at the machine yesterday and could not identify where the fan exhausts.

It looks like they vent out the back, like on all the other machines, but it can be hard to see as the display lid tends to cover up any direct line-of-sight of the vents when open.

PS: There was a patent awhile ago from Apple that was for a material that would not pass liquid, but would pass air so the MoBo could be cooled by drawing air in (or maybe out) from the keyboard, thus creating a more efficient cooling system.

[Chris_CA]

Originally Posted by mstone

What do you call that last inch of space after the other ports?

Taint...



Wow, they really voided the warranty on that computer, eh?

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by Chris_CA

Taint...

I shouldn't be encouraging you but I just spit up the Coke I was drinking. it burns the sinuses!

[Chris_CA]

I saw the opening (no pun intended) and resistance was futile.

[skottichan]

Originally Posted by Chris_CA

I saw the opening (no pun intended) and resistance was futile.

Resistance may be futile, but it is fun.


I'm glad those guys do those tear downs, it slakes my curiosity, without my having to abuse my poor baby. *keeps eyeing the FedEx page* C'mon!! Deliver it already!!

[FuturePastNow]

As good-looking on the inside as they are on the outside.

[bloggerblog]

two words: easy access

[EauVive]

Originally Posted by solipsism

Their are two fans. Check out the iFixit website for some close ups. I believe they even mention that Apple has been using fans with many more fans blades than in other notebooks to allow for more airflow at lower RPMs, thus creating less noise and using less power..

I wonder if they did or did not manage to use the aluminium body as a cooler. After all, why not use passive cooling given the size of metal used in the design? Yet, I wonder if that would fit the needs of both the CPU and the chipset...

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by EauVive

I wonder if they did or did not manage to use the aluminium body as a cooler. After all, why not use passive cooling given the size of metal used in the design? Yet, I wonder if that would fit the needs of both the CPU and the chipset...

As to what extent, I have no idea or applicable skills to make a determination, but it's logical to think that with aluminum being such a good conductor of heat that would have considered that when designing the cooling system.

[Lorre]

Originally Posted by solipsism

As to what extent, I have no idea or applicable skills to make a determination, but it's logical to think that with aluminum being such a good conductor of heat that would have considered that when designing the cooling system.

I think it would make your lap VERY hot.

[ecking]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

As for the 13-inch MacBook, iFixIt notes that:

The new MacBook is really a 13" MacBook Pro. It uses the same design, and same manufacturing quality. Bridging the gap between consumer and professional model.

Whoa! Don't say that or all the people yelling at others (like me) for wanting firewire on the macbook, will constantly call you cheap, chastise you and hate you as well! Firewire is only a pro feature, anyone with a firewire anything needs only the professional model, therefore the macbook has not bridged that gap!

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by Lorre

I think it would make your lap VERY hot.

They are hot and their are plenty of complaints about the heat. I even recall reading an article/complaint that it actually burned ones lap to some degree that it left marks (could be pressure marks of it on your lap). That is a long standing complaint over thicker notebooks with plastic cases, but your lap is hot because the heat is being dissipated so at least the internals are doing okay.

Note: I don't think their is one PC vendor that refers to their portable PCs as laptops. I think they all use the term notebook. I assume, laptop would imply that they are suitable to be used in one's lap. Did anyone ever use the term laptop? Was their some silly US lawsuit about the implication of the term.

[city]

Originally Posted by dr_lha

I was thinking the same thing, with that tiny MacBook logic board, you can imagine them using it in a 10" screen mini-laptop quite easily. A huge amount of space inside the MacBook is taken up by the Superdrive, something that I could quite easily do without to be honest. Here's hoping.

Maybe that 10"er or even 15"er would be a tablet (or big itouch) with a thin folding flat detachable keyboard/pad. When you get to your desk, just hang it on a Apple design shaped stand like an iMac. An iMac "to go" or "take away" in the UK

[EauVive]

Originally Posted by solipsism

Note: I don't think their is one PC vendor that refers to their portable PCs as laptops. I think they all use the term notebook. I assume, laptop would imply that they are suitable to be used in one's lap. Did anyone ever use the term laptop? Was their some silly US lawsuit about the implication of the term.

I use both "laptop" and "notebook". But I am no native speaker. So I am prone to use ancient or archaic wording.

Anyway.

I couldn't find any tech spec on the nVidia chipset. As usual, nVidia keeps them secret, which is hateful and revolting. Intel has all its specs available online, and AMD/ATI too. This makes sense: nobody is going to figure out what their design is just reading the specs. NVidia guys are still living in the Cold war epoch. Advanced products, retarded mentalities.

Well, at least I found the chipset has no Firewire built-in. Apple would have had to route an external PCI-bus to some Firewire chip, that would surely have cost more than was available.

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by EauVive

I use both "laptop" and "notebook". But I am no native speaker. So I am prone to use ancient or archaic wording.

Both are perfectly acceptable and interchangeable in English in colloquial conversation, and I wouldn't have known English was not your first language.

There are plenty of opinions on what differentiates the two...

• http://www.google.com/search?client=...UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

I couldn't find any tech spec on the nVidia chipset.

What specs are you looking for? NVIDIA officially announced their new 9400s on Wednesday, the day after Apple's event. AnandTech has a good technical review.

• http://anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=3432

[EauVive]

Originally Posted by solipsism

Both are perfectly acceptable and interchangeable in English in colloquial conversation, and I wouldn't have known English was not your first language.

Thanks!

What specs are you looking for? NVIDIA officially announced their new 9400s on Wednesday, the day after Apple's event. AnandTech has a good technical review.

• http://anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=3432

That's also very basic stuff, mostly made for editors that blindly repeat what they are told like parrots (I speak for the first page only, presenting tech details. The rest is good. Then, I can scorn them, since I am editor myself!). Specifically, I was looking for:

1. The power consumption;
2. The number of DDRAM3 lines, in order to know whether the chipset can or cannot support more than 4 GB RAM.

If you find these somewhere, please let me know...

[kresh]

Originally Posted by Ireland

Really, was the word "precision" necessary there. No.

I do not think that the usage of "precision" is out of line. Take a look at the motherboard from the Dell XPS 1330 13" Notebook. To me the precision engineering of the MacBook motherboard jumps out at you.

Click on image for full size in new window.

image source: Parts-People.com

[kresh]

Originally Posted by solipsism

Note: I don't think their is one PC vendor that refers to their portable PCs as laptops. I think they all use the term notebook. I assume, laptop would imply that they are suitable to be used in one's lap. Did anyone ever use the term laptop? Was their some silly US lawsuit about the implication of the term.

Wow I am surprised. I thought like you that the term laptop had been abandoned. I visited Dell to see the term they are using:

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by kresh

I do not think that the usage of "precision" is out of line. Take a look at the motherboard from the Dell XPS 1330 13" Notebook. To me the precision engineering of the MacBook motherboard jumps out at you.

MoBo image :: http://img204.imageshack.us/my.php?image=gm848xl7.jpg

image source: Parts-People.com

Even Sony Vaio, which GreenPeace says is as green or more so than Apple has mobo's that don't look aestetically pleasing. Perhaps I'm just baised.

Sony Vaio VGN-S150 VGN-S
• Notebook image :: http://www.mobilewhack.com/vaio_typeS.jpg
• MoBo image :: http://www.1hideout.com/parts/laptopimages/101_1662.JPG

Originally Posted by kresh

Wow I am surprised. I thought like you that the term laptop had been abandoned. I visited Dell to see the term they are using:

Me too. Oh well, another internet folklore busted.

[FuturePastNow]

Originally Posted by solipsism

Note: I don't think their is one PC vendor that refers to their portable PCs as laptops. I think they all use the term notebook. I assume, laptop would imply that they are suitable to be used in one's lap. Did anyone ever use the term laptop? Was their some silly US lawsuit about the implication of the term.

I always say laptop, because in my mind "notebook" refers to something completely different. But of course I am not a manufacturer, and I think they all use notebook.

[jawporta]

I just went to the store to check out the new line, the screens are all horrible. A fucking shame. The glair is unbelievable. They are worse than ever. If there are no matte options by the time my MacBook Pro dies (1 more year left on the warranty and then i'm playing with the dealers hand) then I will actually have to consider looking elsewhere for my computer needs. I cannot use a computer with a fucking mirror as a monitor.

Are there any PC laptops with a matte display? I'll work on hacking OSX to run with it.

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by jawporta

I just went to the store to check out the new line, the screens are all horrible. A fucking shame. The glair is unbelievable.

The 33% brighter dispaly with LED backlighting was suppose to eliminate the glass. Did you turn it all the way up?

Plus, you can always by the old MBP with the matte screen.