Battery, RAM, and HD access on new 17-inch Macbook Pro

[AppleInsider]

Apple's new unibody 17-inch MacBook Pro began shipping earlier this week and a new tear-down of the high-end notebook reveals the steps needed to access the system's internal memory, hard drive, and battery components.

Unlike its smaller cousins in the 13-inch MacBook and 15-inch MacBook Pro, the new 17-inch model lacks a user-replaceable battery and pop-up compartment that provides access to the hard drive. Therefore, users wishing to perform their own upgrades on the system will need a series of screwdrivers to access the various components.

iFixIt has posted a disassembly guide, which notes that there are ten Phillips screws of varying length that sit around the perimeter of the MacBook Pro's lower case and must first be removed to access the internals. Once the bottom case is rotated off, another three tri-wing screws hold the thin but long battery to the notebooks chassis.

The tri-wing screws can apparently be removed with a small flathead screw driver, even though Apple has placed a warning on the battery advising users against its removal. The Mac maker plans to offer $179 battery replacements through its retail stores and repair depots, though iFixIt claims it will soon be amongst a list of solutions providers who will sell their own do-it-yourself replacement kits.

The battery, which is similar to the MacBook Air's, is Apple model #A1309, 7.3V 95Wh (12000 mAh) and weighs 20.1 ounces, or 20% of the notebook's entire weight.

To the right of the battery is the MacBook Pro's hard disk drive, which can be removed by unscrewing two small Phillips screws holding its black plastic bracket to the chassis and then carefully disconnecting the Serial ATA cable.



Meanwhile, the memory slots sit centered above the battery and are generally easy to access once the bottom case of the MacBook Pro is unscrewed. Each of the two slots comes pre-loaded with a 2 GB DDR3 1067 MHz RAM chip.



It's also noted that Apple is now using wide, thin black rubber bumpers on its unibody notebooks, marking a departure from the small stubby bumpers on the Aluminum revisions. The Bluetooth board has also been relocated away from the display assembly.

iFixIt tells AppleInsider that its disassembly is ongoing and promises additional updates in the near future. Readers with questions may want to post them in our forums.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[sausage&Onion]

Am I to understand therefore that the hard drive on the 17" model is not 'user serviceable' without voiding warranty?

[irnchriz]

Originally Posted by sausage&Onion

Am I to understand therefore that the hard drive on the 17" model is not 'user serviceable' without voiding warranty?

You don't need to remove the battery to replace the HDD.

[sausage&Onion]

Originally Posted by irnchriz

You don't need to remove the battery to replace the HDD.

True, but you have to wonder why they wouldn't include the 'hatch' on the 15" and 13" models. opening the case at all may void warranty.

[Takeo]

What is a "bumper". Where? I have a unibody MacBook Pro 15".

[palter]

Originally Posted by sausage&Onion

True, but you have to wonder why they wouldn't include the 'hatch' on the 15" and 13" models. opening the case at all may void warranty.

As noted in the MacBook Pro 17" User Guide at http://manuals.info.apple.com/en_US/..._Early2009.pdf, the hard drive and memory are considered user replaceable parts. So, no, opening the case won't void your warranty.

[sausage&Onion]

Originally Posted by palter

As noted in the MacBook Pro 17" User Guide at http://manuals.info.apple.com/en_US/..._Early2009.pdf, the hard drive and memory are considered user replaceable parts. So, no, opening the case won't void your warranty.

I recant my bitching

[macxpress]

You can open the case and take it apart and put it back together all day long without voiding the warranty. Its not until YOU break something is the warranty void. You can void the warranty by changing the RAM if you damage something while doing it. Just because its a user serviceable part doesn't mean you can't void the warranty while changing that part out.

[Soybean]

I thought one large reason for the non-removable battery was that it was an irregular size designed to use as much case space as possible. It looks like a typical rectangular array to me.

[KawazoeMasahiro]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

The battery, which is similar to the MacBook Air's, is Apple model #A1309, 7.3V 95Wh (12000 mAh) and weighs 20.1 ounces, or 20% of the notebook's entire weight.

Wait wait wait! Wasn't it a new super battery with 1000 charge cicle and 8h of charge? How come it's the same as the Macbook Air?

[gmcalpin]

Originally Posted by Soybean

I thought one large reason for the non-removable battery was that it was an irregular size designed to use as much case space as possible. It looks like a typical rectangular array to me.

It is, but it's thinner and longer, not some standard size manufactured by 1000 other companies. And INSIDE the casting, the cells are shaped differently. Apple wanted their laptop design to dictate the battery size, not the other way around. And it makes sense.

I give it under a year before this "non-removable" battery has replacements on the market — to say nothing of MagSafe-compatible external battery packs that are just as big as the spare batteries you would have had to lug around anyway.

I don't get the big fuss about having to pull out a screwdriver to get inside your laptop. When I was a kid, I needed to whip out a screwdriver to get inside my frickin' desktop computer. Now we need latches? FEH. Kids these days...

Originally Posted by KawazoeMasahiro

Wait wait wait! Wasn't it a new super battery with 1000 charge cicle and 8h of charge? How come it's the same as the Macbook Air?

"Similar" is not "the same."

[VinitaBoy]

I hope somebody can answer this question:

Is it viable to replace only ONE of the two 2GB RAM boards on the new 17" MBP with a 4GB board, giving one 6MB of memory?

I know Apple says the two boards should be of the same configuration, but--damn!--$700+ is a bit hard on my budget right now. $360+ I can probably swing if I give up this month's Twinkie ration.

Opinions?

[Haggar]

Is that sticker on the battery some kind of tamper indicator which shows if the battery was removed? Does removing the battery void the entire warranty? It should also be noted buying an AppleCare warranty does not extend warranty coverage for the battery. So even with AppleCare, the battery is still covered for only 1 year.

[DimMok]

Just like the title....you need Batter(ing) Ram to go inside....

I know.

[KawazoeMasahiro]

Originally Posted by gmcalpin

"Similar" is not "the same."

Got me on that one

[gmcalpin]

Originally Posted by VinitaBoy

Is it viable to replace only ONE of the two 2GB RAM boards on the new 17" MBP with a 4GB board, giving one 6MB of memory?

Everything I've read about OTHER MacBook Pros says that by having different-sized boards, you'll take a small performance hit — but that that hit may or may not be outweighed by the additional overall RAM — and there is no reason that it should be different on this machine. How big that performance hit is depends on what you're doing (graphics applications benefit more from matched/interleaved pairs, for instance), your system configuration, etc.

In short, it will work. If you're just doing it temporarily, I wouldn't be too concerned about the performance hit. For most things, 6GB of unmatched RAM will undoubtedly still be faster than 4GB of matched RAM.

EDIT: Found a source for you, so you don't need to just take my word for it: http://lowendmac.com/musings/07/0525.html

[DJMarkyMarc]

I know Apple says the two boards should be of the same configuration, but--damn!--$700+ is a bit hard on my budget right now. $360+ I can probably swing if I give up this month's Twinkie ration.

Check out RAM from other suppliers Apple always over charge for there memory..

you will be able to go to 8Gb for less than Apple want for a 4GB sodim

[Virgil-TB2]

The first thing that came to my mind was how similar this is to the desktop tower situation.

People are always going on about how Mac's are not user serviceable, and this one is supposed to be the most sealed one of the lot. In reality however, when I used to build my own Windows computers, there were usually about 10 or 15 screws to get under the cover, and screws to undo before you fiddle out the HD. One often had to remove three or four other components to reach the memory chips also, and then put it all back together.

So I guess what I'm saying is that it's kind of ironic that Apple's most sealed and supposedly "user-unfriendly" product to date, is actually as easily serviceable as a standard desktop computer when you think of it. People will whine about anything I guess.

[Haggar]

Originally Posted by gmcalpin

It is, but it's thinner and longer, not some standard size manufactured by 1000 other companies. And INSIDE the casting, the cells are shaped differently. Apple wanted their laptop design to dictate the battery size, not the other way around. And it makes sense.

This applies to every laptop manufacturer, so there is no need for Apple cheerleading. There is no standard size for a laptop battery like there is for AA batteries. Just about every laptop from every manufacturer uses a different shaped battery.

I give it under a year before this "non-removable" battery has replacements on the market — to say nothing of MagSafe-compatible external battery packs that are just as big as the spare batteries you would have had to lug around anyway.

Apple still does not license the Magsafe connector to third parties. Do you know how some of those third parties have managed to create Magsafe compatible products like car chargers? They can't make the connector themselves. Instead, they have to buy a Magsafe power adapter and then cut the end off so they can solder it onto their own product. You can be sure that the cost of the wasted power adapter is passed onto the customer.

Having to "lug around" a spare battery does not mean it has to be tethered outside of the laptop as well. Apple should have made the DVD drive hot swappable to people can slide out the DVD drive and slide in a second battery. That way, everything is kept inside the laptop instead of dangling off it. Having a removable DVD drive also makes perfect sense, since so many Mac users are proclaiming the death of DVDs. Any Mac user who claims that they don't need a DVD drive should fully support the idea of a hot swappable drive bay and secondary internal batteries.

[gmcalpin]

Originally Posted by Haggar

This applies to every laptop manufacturer, so there is no need for Apple cheerleading. There is no standard size for a laptop battery like there is for AA batteries. Just about every laptop from every manufacturer uses a different shaped battery.

I would hardly call my comment "cheerleading," so there is no need for douchebaggery. Anyway, I stand partly corrected, but the point stands: the 17" MBP battery is built differently (not necessarily "better," just slimmer) from other batteries in that it gets rid of the housing, a connector (contacts, whatever) between the casing and the battery, the dead space between the battery and the housing, etc. They can make the battery bigger by getting rid of the other shit.

Battery Geek does make MagSafe compatible external batteries — that AREN'T just cut off from an official MagSafe connector. They get around the patent infringement by not making it charge the internal battery. By most accounts they're pieces of shit, too, but their existence proves that it can be done without a license from Apple.

[Haggar]

Originally Posted by Virgil-TB2

The first thing that came to my mind was how similar this is to the desktop tower situation.

People are always going on about how Mac's are not user serviceable, and this one is supposed to be the most sealed one of the lot. In reality however, when I used to build my own Windows computers, there were usually about 10 or 15 screws to get under the cover, and screws to undo before you fiddle out the HD. One often had to remove three or four other components to reach the memory chips also, and then put it all back together.

So I guess what I'm saying is that it's kind of ironic that Apple's most sealed and supposedly "user-unfriendly" product to date, is actually as easily serviceable as a standard desktop computer when you think of it. People will whine about anything I guess.

The comments about the user serviceability of the new 17 inch MBP comes from the observation that the memory and hard drive are located right next to the battery which Apple says is not user serviceable. However, gaining access to the user serviceable memory and hard drive requires the same procedure as gaining access to the battery, which is removing the bottom cover of the laptop. This is the same procedure that is required for the MacBook Air. But Apple does not consider the hard drive in the MacBook Air to be user serviceable. So it is understandable why some people would be concerned that the memory and hard drive in the 17 inch MBP might not be user serviceable.

Your comments about taking apart Windows PCs were true 10 years ago. Back then, Mac desktops and towers such as the Beige G3 were much more easy to service than comparable PCs at the time. But now the tables have been turned. Many newer PC towers are even more easy to service than the Mac Pro. Not only do the hard drives and DVD drives come on trays, but even the motherboards on some PCs come on a removable tray.

But of course, Apple wants everybody to buy an iMac. Apple wants their iMac to be the most popular Mac. Apple wants everyone to think iMac whenever they think of Apple. So don't blame people when their comments about Mac serviceability are based on the iMac. And the current iMac has the worst serviceability of any computer currently on the market.

[OriginalG]

Originally Posted by Haggar

This applies to every laptop manufacturer, so there is no need for Apple cheerleading. There is no standard size for a laptop battery like there is for AA batteries. Just about every laptop from every manufacturer uses a different shaped battery.

From Apple's marketing it sounds like other laptops have their size dictated by the size of the cells used in their batteries. In other words, other manufacturer's use generic cells to build their own battery that can only be so thin?

[Bregalad]

Originally Posted by Haggar

Apple should have made the DVD drive hot swappable to people can slide out the DVD drive and slide in a second battery. That way, everything is kept inside the laptop instead of dangling off it. Having a removable DVD drive also makes perfect sense, since so many Mac users are proclaiming the death of DVDs. Any Mac user who claims that they don't need a DVD drive should fully support the idea of a hot swappable drive bay and secondary internal batteries.

That's a tidy approach and one that worked great on the black PowerBooks, but Apple is no longer interested in catering to people who think differently. In the quest for maximum profit Apple mandate a single solution that works for 80% of the people. Those who truly "think different" have been told to take a hike.

[Virgil-TB2]

Originally Posted by Haggar

... But of course, Apple wants everybody to buy an iMac. Apple wants their iMac to be the most popular Mac. So don't get upset when people's comments about Mac serviceability are based on the iMac. And the iMac has the worst serviceability of any computer currently on the market.

I hear what you're saying, but I disagree with this (highlighted) part.

I find that people say "<blank> has the worst serviceability of any computer ..." a lot and some times it's the iMac, sometimes it's the mini and sometimes it's the laptops. I haven't had to open one of the current generation iMacs except to put in memory which was easy-peasy and a one screw affair, but based on the fact that you need a special tool to open them properly I would say they are definitely not "user serviceable."

The previous white iMacs on the other hand, were (IMO) dead easy to open and service, so no problem there. The Mac Mini's *looked* nightmarish to open, but once I opened one for the first time, I realised that they were also dead easy really also. The Mac Pro is actually fun to open and fool around inside. Makes me smile every time just to see how well built and well-thought out everything is.

On further reflection I think it's a bit of an exaggeration when you say that most desktop towers don't have screws and use drive trays and MB trays now, although in any tower, things are definitely always going to be way easier to access.

I do think Apple should get credit for moving towards more user serviceable computers, and given that almost no end users ever actually open them up (esp. laptops), the fact that this one in particular can be opened up with a Philips screwdriver and all the parts fairly easily replaced should be lauded.

[sennen]

Originally Posted by Bregalad

That's a tidy approach and one that worked great on the black PowerBooks, but Apple is no longer interested in catering to people who think differently. In the quest for maximum profit Apple mandate a single solution that works for 80% of the people. Those who truly "think different" have been told to take a hike.

lol, if you want to think of it as being persecuted, feel free. as someone who has a pismo still running at home, it's a nifty feature, but would require alot of extra bulk in the chassis of the new model in order to facilitate it. i would rather have an overall slimmer MBP and simply carry a tiny usb external drive (that gets upwards of 160gb) in my Crumpler.

eventually the dvd drive will go, i wouldn't have mourned it's loss in this iteration of the MBP, but it is still something that i will use.

[Haggar]

Originally Posted by Virgil-TB2

The previous white iMacs on the other hand, were (IMO) dead easy to open and service, so no problem there.

The original iMac G5 was extremely easy to take apart. You unscrewed 3 screws and the entire back panel came off, providing easy access to all internal components. That all changed with the later iMac G5 that had a built in camera. Every iMac with a built in camera has been a service nightmare for both users and technicians.

Whenever the issue of iMac serviceability is discussed, almost every response I see is "I installed a stick of memory, and it was so easy". As if installing a stick of memory is the only thing that anyone on Earth ever needs to do. And when questioned about the ease of replacing any other parts like hard drives, power supplies, or motherboards, the response is typically "Buy AppleCare". Like that's going to help the people who actually have to take apart and repair these things.

Ease of service benefits everyone. Customers like to dismiss ease of service, saying "It's not my problem". But when their computer needs to go in for repair, they are the ones demanding immediate service while they wait. How can technicians support their customers, or even recommend Apple computers to customers, when Apple won't support their technicians?

[Abster2core]

Originally Posted by Haggar

Your comments about taking apart Windows PCs were true 10 years ago. Back then, Mac desktops and towers such as the Beige G3 were much more easy to service than comparable PCs at the time. But now the tables have been turned. Many newer PC towers are even more easy to service than the Mac Pro. Not only do the hard drives and DVD drives come on trays, but even the motherboards on some PCs come on a removable tray.[/B]

They should be easier to service because they need more servicing. However, they are not. And have you ever seen or serviced a PC with a motherboard on a removable tray? They are not just simply, slip out and slip in. They are basically a pain in the ass. And have a set of drill bits handy to align the holes.

Or have you ever opened a Mac Pro. The bays are a beauty to behold and service. If you call adding, replacing or removing a hard drive or DVD servicing.

Originally Posted by Haggar

But of course, Apple wants everybody to buy an iMac. Apple wants their iMac to be the most popular Mac. Apple wants everyone to think iMac whenever they think of Apple. So don't get upset when people's comments about Mac serviceability are based on the iMac. And the current iMac has the worst serviceability of any computer currently on the market.

Could you support both your claims? Bet you can't even come close.

[Haggar]

Originally Posted by sennen

lol, if you want to think of it as being persecuted, feel free. as someone who has a pismo still running at home, it's a nifty feature, but would require alot of extra bulk in the chassis of the new model in order to facilitate it.

That must be the reason why your Pismo is thinner and lighter than the Wallstreet which was 2 generations older. Yet the Pismo still retained the modular drive bays of the Wallstreet.

Yeah, and when people complained about the difficulty of servicing the previous generation MacBook Pro, that was the exact same defense used by the Apple defenders who dismissed ease of service. Yet the unibody MacBook Pro is thinner, stronger, and easier to service than the previous model.

Apple will not make a video iPod. Nobody wants to watch video on an iPod.

Apple should not allow third parties to create iPhone applications. Nobody needs third party native iPhone applications. Web apps are really, really SWEET.

Apple will never make a multibutton mouse.

Apple will never switch to Intel processors.

[Haggar]

Originally Posted by Abster2core

They should be easier to service because they need more servicing. However, they are not. And have you ever seen or serviced a PC with a motherboard on a removable tray? They are not just simply, slip out and slip in. They are basically a pain in the ass. And have a set of drill bits handy to align the holes.

Or have you ever opened a Mac Pro. The bays are a beauty to behold and service. If you call adding, replacing or removing a hard drive or DVD servicing.

Apparently, you haven't opened a Mac Pro yourself. Sure, the drive trays are easy to remove when they are empty. But removing a tray that has a hard drive installed requires considerable force.

Apple defenders want to have it both ways. They dismiss the idea of an expandable, serviceable Mac minitower because they think everyone should buy an iMac. But when the issue of serviceability comes up, that iMac suddenly changes into a Mac Pro.

But by your claim, the Mac Pro must be easier to service than previous Macs because the Mac Pro is going to break a lot more. The new MacBook Pros are also going to need much more servicing than the previous MacBook Pro. By making their Macs easier to service than before, Apple must be admitting that their newer Macs are less reliable than before.

[sennen]

Originally Posted by Haggar

Yeah, and when people complained about the difficulty of servicing the previous MacBook Pro, that was the exact same defense used by the Apple defenders. Yet the unibody MacBook Pro is thinner, stronger, and easier to service than the previous model.

Apple will not make a video iPod. Nobody wants to watch video on an iPod.

Apple should not allow third parties to create iPhone applications. Nobody needs third party native iPhone applications. Web apps are really, really SWEET.

Apple will never make a multibutton mouse.

Apple will never switch to Intel processors.

nice rant, all of which has exactly what to do with being able to have a removable drive? you do realise that we are talking about a hot-swappable drive ala what was in the pismo, not just a user-replaceable drive, don't you? yes, thinner, stronger, easier to service - if you think that you could have this feature in the thinner unibody design, you are deluding yourself.

nice edit, but the point in bold remains. and quite simply, it's not an important feature any longer.

[Abster2core]

Originally Posted by Haggar

How can technicians support their customers, or even recommend Apple computers to customers, when Apple won't support their technicians?

Your ass is full of canal water!

The only persons who would say that aren't Certified, never became Certified, never tried to become Certified or failed trying to become Certified.

Just because it is easier to take apart doesn't make it more serviceable. Heck, anybody with a scalpel can do open-heart surgery. Getting the right part, making it run properly, and with as little pain, if any, as possible, is another thing.

By the way, if your computer is so important that you need immediate service, do what every well managed organization or individual would do, use your backup. Unfortunately, most would have their Macs back before they could even find 'their' backup.

[Abster2core]

Originally Posted by Haggar

Apparently, you haven't opened a Mac Pro yourself. Sure, the drive trays are easy to remove when they are empty. But removing a tray that has a hard drive installed requires considerable force.

BULL Did you forget to lift the latch to unlock the hard drive carrier.

Originally Posted by Haggar

Apple defenders want to have it both ways. They dismiss the idea of an expandable, serviceable Mac minitower because they think everyone should buy an iMac. But when the issue of serviceability comes up, that iMac suddenly changes to a Mac Pro.

BULL

Originally Posted by Haggar

But by your claim, the Mac Pro must be easier to service than previous Macs because the Mac Pro is going to break a lot more. The new MacBook Pros are also going to need much more servicing than the previous MacBook Pro. By making their computers easier to service than before, Apple must be admitting that their newer computers are less reliable than before.

I apologize for insinuating that your ass is full of canal water. True, it is 'grey', but it is not all water.

[Haggar]

Originally Posted by Abster2core

They should be easier to service because they need more servicing. However, they are not. And have you ever seen or serviced a PC with a motherboard on a removable tray? They are not just simply, slip out and slip in. They are basically a pain in the ass. And have a set of drill bits handy to align the holes.

On HP PCs that have removable motherboard trays, the replacement motherboard comes with a tray already mounted. The tray then snaps into the case and is secured with 2 screws. So there is no need for your so called drill bits. Having a tray also protects the motherboard from flexing during installation or removal from the computer. And that's just for an HP PC that comes in a cheap case. There are more expensive cases with more serviceability features available for people who assemble their own PCs. Putting the motherboard on a tray also allows for replacement boards to be shipped in smaller packaging. In contrast, the Mac Pro motherboard is much larger, unprotected, and requires a large, heavy box with thick foam padding on all sides. And Apple is supposedly making their packaging more environmentally friendly.

But you refuse to believe that any PC case can be even the slightest bit easier to service than your precious Mac Pro. Or did your Mac Pro change back to an iMac, since nobody needs a Mac minitower? And when something in a PC is obviously easier to service, you cannot even acknowledge it as an advantage. Instead, you just dismiss it by saying "Well, it has to be easier to service because PCs break all the time". First, do you really think that technicians in Apple's repair shops are just sitting there all day with nothing to do? Second, how is your rationalization any better than those people who say "Macs don't have viruses because they have much smaller market share, so people don't write Mac viruses"?

[mdriftmeyer]

Originally Posted by sausage&onion

true, but you have to wonder why they wouldn't include the 'hatch' on the 15" and 13" models. Opening the case at all may void warranty.

rtfm.

[mdriftmeyer]

They finally got it right. Removing the most commonly upgraded parts to the system with third party equivalents is a breeze.

[gmcalpin]

Originally Posted by Haggar

you cannot even acknowledge it as an advantage. Instead, you just dismiss it by saying "Well, it has to be easier to service because PCs break all the time".

First of all, nobody has said that here. (Abster2core said they SHOULD be easier to service because they need more servicing — but that they aren't. This is not the same thing as what you've said here.)

You fail to understand is that some of us would gladly agree with some of what you say if you weren't so God damned annoying and condescending, constantly going on about what "we" all want, as if a huge chunk of "us" wouldn't LOVE to see Apple offer a minitower. (I, for one, would buy one in a heartbeat.)

Hey! How about we stick to the God damned topic?! (Which is to say the new 17" MacBook Pros.)

Fact #1: You need to undo eight excruciating screws to take out the motherboard of a MacBook Pro.

Fact #2: Every service tech owns an electric screwdriver.

THE ONLY CONCLUSION YOU CAN COME TO FROM THIS IS THAT APPLE HATES SERVICE TECHS.

[ahmlco]

Originally Posted by Haggar

This applies to every laptop manufacturer, so there is no need for Apple cheerleading. There is no standard size for a laptop battery like there is for AA batteries. Just about every laptop from every manufacturer uses a different shaped battery.

The external packaging is often different, but most manufacturers use sets of standard round AA-sized and shaped cells within the plastic case you think of as "the battery". This means that a good portion of the internal space is simply dead air.

Apple, on the other hand, is having the cells custom sized and formed to fit the exact sphape of the "battery", even to the extent of having the individual cells pressed into rectangular shapes in order to maximize the amount of the "battery" actually dedicated to batteries.

This is NOT what "every laptop manufacturer" is doing.

[leathien]

Originally Posted by Haggar

Apparently, you haven't opened a Mac Pro yourself. Sure, the drive trays are easy to remove when they are empty. But removing a tray that has a hard drive installed requires considerable force.

This is such a load of BS. I have a Mac Pro right next to me. Removing tray with harddisk in it is really easy. No considerable force necessary (unless you are perhaps extremely weak person...).

Same goes for RAM. Extending RAM is a very easy process. It's a hell of a difference compared to most of PCs that have RAM slots directly on board.

Things are bit more interesting when it comes to access to CPU and motherboard, but again is just couple of more screws. Can hardly be compared to the mess of cables in regular PC.

Originally Posted by Haggar

But by your claim, the Mac Pro must be easier to service than previous Macs because the Mac Pro is going to break a lot more. The new MacBook Pros are also going to need much more servicing than the previous MacBook Pro. By making their Macs easier to service than before, Apple must be admitting that their newer Macs are less reliable than before.

This is just a rather naive extrapolation.

[roehlstation]

Originally Posted by Haggar

Apparently, you haven't opened a Mac Pro yourself. Sure, the drive trays are easy to remove when they are empty. But removing a tray that has a hard drive installed requires considerable force.

Sounds like somebody didn't eat their Wheaties.

[nvidia2008]

Originally Posted by Takeo

What is a "bumper". Where? I have a unibody MacBook Pro 15".

I think it is the "padding" (black vibration dampener) around the hard disk.