Mac Studio teardown demonstrates relatively easy disassembly

AppleInsider · March 23, 2022 9:19PM

Repair company iFixit has done a teardown of the new Mac Studio, showing Apple's intricate cooling system for the high-performance system and how to take apart the device.

As it has before with devices such as the 16-inch MacBook Pro, iFixit has done an initial teardown of Apple's latest device. It's done with the aim of discovering how repairable -- or not -- a device is.

At some point later, iFixit will ultimately produce a written and illustrated guide to precisely how a Mac Studio can be taken apart for repairs. For now, though, it's done a quick video overview showing the Mac's components.

The cooling system takes up roughly half of the Mac's internal space. The most noticeable part is the aluminum heatsink on the M1 Max version and the copper thermal module in the M1 Ultra edition.

The video also discusses the slotted storage in the Mac Studio. The company could swap out like-for-like on flash modules but had no success putting in a larger or smaller one.

A teardown of the Studio Display was also teased. The company noted that it not only looks like an iMac, but it comes apart in much the same way.

The Mac Studio was given a 6 out of 10 for repairability.

The possibility of repair is perhaps becoming more of an issue as Apple plans to roll out its Self Service Repair program for M1 Macs and iPhones. The program, announced five months ago, has still yet to be detailed.

Read on AppleInsider

mattinoz · March 23, 2022 9:43PM

MacStudio+ "subscription service" is clearly on the cards at some point after the M2 version.

regurgitatedcoprolite · March 23, 2022 10:27PM

It’s hilarious to watch some of the “YouTubers” out there gnash their teeth and complain about how difficult it is to take apart a Mac Studio.

It’s clear to me that none of them have ever worked on a car, where one has to do things lying on his back, deal with grease and oil, etc.

Computers are easy if one takes his time, organizes parts, and has any mechanical ability.

freeassociate2 · March 24, 2022 12:27AM

regurgitatedcoprolite said:

It’s hilarious to watch some of the “YouTubers” out there gnash their teeth and complain about how difficult it is to take apart a Mac Studio.

It’s clear to me that none of them have ever worked on a car, where one has to do things lying on his back, deal with grease and oil, etc.

Computers are easy if one takes his time, organizes parts, and has any mechanical ability.

Thank you for pointing that out. (As I’ve replaced a seized front wheel bearing in three feet of snow.)

I especially find it funny when places like iFixit cry “oh no! Dang proprietary screws!” even though they seem capable of selling me pricey repair kits for those screws … that conform the specs of international standards. (I have yet to see an apple logo shaped proprietary screw head.) Honestly, in my years of working on houses, cars, trains, and all manner of “repairable” things, I’ve found that most of them have connector mechanisms that aren’t just a #2 Philips. Western civilization has fallen! My kingdom for a T15! Oh no! A locking nut!

It really boggles the mind some times.

Xed · March 24, 2022 12:51AM

freeassociate2 said:

regurgitatedcoprolite said:

It’s hilarious to watch some of the “YouTubers” out there gnash their teeth and complain about how difficult it is to take apart a Mac Studio.

It’s clear to me that none of them have ever worked on a car, where one has to do things lying on his back, deal with grease and oil, etc.

Computers are easy if one takes his time, organizes parts, and has any mechanical ability.

Thank you for pointing that out. (As I’ve replaced a seized front wheel bearing in three feet of snow.)

I especially find it funny when places like iFixit cry “oh no! Dang proprietary screws!” even though they seem capable of selling me pricey repair kits for those screws … that conform the specs of international standards. (I have yet to see an apple logo shaped proprietary screw head.) Honestly, in my years of working on houses, cars, trains, and all manner of “repairable” things, I’ve found that most of them have connector mechanisms that aren’t just a #2 Philips. Western civilization has fallen! My kingdom for a T15! Oh no! A locking nut!

It really boggles the mind some times.

I just watched the video and their text seems to parrot the video to the word. All I can see is that it uses Torx. No one complained. No one was upset. As for selling kits, yes they do which is why point out what tools are needed and where. It's their business model to sell tools and parts while giving away the instructions for self repair so it would silly of them not to point out tools that are needed, especially if it's not a tool people are likely to have at home. 🤦‍♂️

freeassociate2 · March 24, 2022 1:02AM

There where some chuckleheads commenting in some forums about how “on board storage will always be faster than external” and I’m thinking to myself a) definitely not true if you have money to spare and b) there’s no engineering reason for that to be true — it’s just a function of process and price.

You could probably make a sound argument regarding on-die or on chip storage “always” being faster (although until recently that’s come with a high process and price cost also).

Do people genuinely not understand trade-offs? I mean, those kinds of choices are all around us all the time. And yet most of us manage to make purchases (or make things) that fit our needs and budget most of the time — without griping about how it could be way, way better if Only I Made All The Decisions (TM).

ApplePoor · March 24, 2022 2:55AM

That OOPS moment taking your maxed out over $7K Mac Studio apart might not be appreciated by your cash flow...

crowley · March 24, 2022 3:26AM

regurgitatedcoprolite said:

It’s hilarious to watch some of the “YouTubers” out there gnash their teeth and complain about how difficult it is to take apart a Mac Studio.

It’s clear to me that none of them have ever worked on a car, where one has to do things lying on his back, deal with grease and oil, etc.

Computers are easy if one takes his time, organizes parts, and has any mechanical ability.

Are there any cars where you have to damage a glued-on plastic seal in order to uncover screws that need to be removed in order to access anything?

Those screws should not have been covered. For every right thing Apple does there’s always a mind numbingly stupid thing they do to compensate.

michelb76 · March 24, 2022 7:43AM

regurgitatedcoprolite said:

It’s hilarious to watch some of the “YouTubers” out there gnash their teeth and complain about how difficult it is to take apart a Mac Studio.

It’s clear to me that none of them have ever worked on a car, where one has to do things lying on his back, deal with grease and oil, etc.

Computers are easy if one takes his time, organizes parts, and has any mechanical ability.

A 'critical' or 'dramatic' video leads to more clicks/views. That's why most of them are clowns, it's their business model.

citpeks · March 24, 2022 8:33AM

crowley said:

regurgitatedcoprolite said:

It’s hilarious to watch some of the “YouTubers” out there gnash their teeth and complain about how difficult it is to take apart a Mac Studio.

It’s clear to me that none of them have ever worked on a car, where one has to do things lying on his back, deal with grease and oil, etc.

Computers are easy if one takes his time, organizes parts, and has any mechanical ability.

Are there any cars where you have to damage a glued-on plastic seal in order to uncover screws that need to be removed in order to access anything?

Those screws should not have been covered. For every right thing Apple does there’s always a mind numbingly stupid thing they do to compensate.

There are trim panel fasteners that are essentially one-use only, because they get destroyed, or at least damaged, when removed. Need to replace something like a window regulator? Order new clips for the door panel as well.

Things like head bolts are torque-to-yield, and need to be replaced. Aluminum bolts (seen on BMW engines) that are single-use and replaced.

Self-locking nylon nuts used on suspension parts. Gaskets, especially metal ones, are replaced when parts are disassembled.

Shall I go on?

No self-respecting tinkerer, or mechanic is going to panic when they encounter a fastener or other obstacle they aren't prepared to remove. They either procure the proper tool, fabricate one of their own, or find the solution to get the job done.

Screwgate was a self-serving publicity stunt concocted by iFixit to bring bad press to Apple, and promote their own tool sales. I can appreciate their teardowns, guides, and even the need to support their efforts through such sales, but the manner in which they perpetrated that brouhaha cost them my respect, at least.

On a broader level, the cliché about the insanity of doing something over and over and expecting a different result became applicable to Apple a long time ago.

Why people still expect the company to design their products differently is puzzling, and the bellyaching is tiresome. But it garners clicks, views, and sales.

It's easy to tell those who have worked on things, and those who pretend to.

StrangeDays · March 24, 2022 11:29AM

crowley said:

regurgitatedcoprolite said:

It’s hilarious to watch some of the “YouTubers” out there gnash their teeth and complain about how difficult it is to take apart a Mac Studio.

It’s clear to me that none of them have ever worked on a car, where one has to do things lying on his back, deal with grease and oil, etc.

Computers are easy if one takes his time, organizes parts, and has any mechanical ability.

Are there any cars where you have to damage a glued-on plastic seal in order to uncover screws that need to be removed in order to access anything?

Those screws should not have been covered. For every right thing Apple does there’s always a mind numbingly stupid thing they do to compensate.

Inconvenient to DIY hobbyists != stupid. Apple’s miniaturization and engineering is designed for their mass market consumer use cases, not for what is easiest for the very, very few people who like to tinker.

crowley · March 24, 2022 11:50AM

citpeks said:

crowley said:

regurgitatedcoprolite said:

It’s hilarious to watch some of the “YouTubers” out there gnash their teeth and complain about how difficult it is to take apart a Mac Studio.

It’s clear to me that none of them have ever worked on a car, where one has to do things lying on his back, deal with grease and oil, etc.

Computers are easy if one takes his time, organizes parts, and has any mechanical ability.

Are there any cars where you have to damage a glued-on plastic seal in order to uncover screws that need to be removed in order to access anything?

Those screws should not have been covered. For every right thing Apple does there’s always a mind numbingly stupid thing they do to compensate.

There are trim panel fasteners that are essentially one-use only, because they get destroyed, or at least damaged, when removed. Need to replace something like a window regulator? Order new clips for the door panel as well.

Things like head bolts are torque-to-yield, and need to be replaced. Aluminum bolts (seen on BMW engines) that are single-use and replaced.

Self-locking nylon nuts used on suspension parts. Gaskets, especially metal ones, are replaced when parts are disassembled.

Shall I go on?

No self-respecting tinkerer, or mechanic is going to panic when they encounter a fastener or other obstacle they aren't prepared to remove. They either procure the proper tool, fabricate one of their own, or find the solution to get the job done.

Screwgate was a self-serving publicity stunt concocted by iFixit to bring bad press to Apple, and promote their own tool sales. I can appreciate their teardowns, guides, and even the need to support their efforts through such sales, but the manner in which they perpetrated that brouhaha cost them my respect, at least.

On a broader level, the cliché about the insanity of doing something over and over and expecting a different result became applicable to Apple a long time ago.

Why people still expect the company to design their products differently is puzzling, and the bellyaching is tiresome. But it garners clicks, views, and sales.

It's easy to tell those who have worked on things, and those who pretend to.

So no, there is no car where you have to forcibly remove a seal to access anything. There are some places where you might need to replace something to do a very particular task. Pretty different.

And in any case, car manufacturers also being shitty doesn't make Apple any less shitty.

crowley · March 24, 2022 11:52AM

StrangeDays said:

crowley said:

regurgitatedcoprolite said:

It’s hilarious to watch some of the “YouTubers” out there gnash their teeth and complain about how difficult it is to take apart a Mac Studio.

It’s clear to me that none of them have ever worked on a car, where one has to do things lying on his back, deal with grease and oil, etc.

Computers are easy if one takes his time, organizes parts, and has any mechanical ability.

Are there any cars where you have to damage a glued-on plastic seal in order to uncover screws that need to be removed in order to access anything?

Those screws should not have been covered. For every right thing Apple does there’s always a mind numbingly stupid thing they do to compensate.

Inconvenient to DIY hobbyists != stupid. Apple’s miniaturization and engineering is designed for their mass market consumer use cases, not for what is easiest for the very, very few people who like to tinker.

What mass market consumer use purpose is served by obstructing access screws with a glued on plastic cover? Those screws could very easily have been exposed. Apple don't do this with any of their other computer devices. Like I said, mind numbingly stupid.

mattinoz · March 24, 2022 11:54AM

crowley said:

regurgitatedcoprolite said:

It’s hilarious to watch some of the “YouTubers” out there gnash their teeth and complain about how difficult it is to take apart a Mac Studio.

It’s clear to me that none of them have ever worked on a car, where one has to do things lying on his back, deal with grease and oil, etc.

Computers are easy if one takes his time, organizes parts, and has any mechanical ability.

Are there any cars where you have to damage a glued-on plastic seal in order to uncover screws that need to be removed in order to access anything?

Those screws should not have been covered. For every right thing Apple does there’s always a mind numbingly stupid thing they do to compensate.

Ever tried replacing the headlights in a Honda?

regurgitatedcoprolite · March 24, 2022 1:26PM

Xed said:

freeassociate2 said:

regurgitatedcoprolite said:

It’s hilarious to watch some of the “YouTubers” out there gnash their teeth and complain about how difficult it is to take apart a Mac Studio.

It’s clear to me that none of them have ever worked on a car, where one has to do things lying on his back, deal with grease and oil, etc.

Computers are easy if one takes his time, organizes parts, and has any mechanical ability.

Thank you for pointing that out. (As I’ve replaced a seized front wheel bearing in three feet of snow.)

I especially find it funny when places like iFixit cry “oh no! Dang proprietary screws!” even though they seem capable of selling me pricey repair kits for those screws … that conform the specs of international standards. (I have yet to see an apple logo shaped proprietary screw head.) Honestly, in my years of working on houses, cars, trains, and all manner of “repairable” things, I’ve found that most of them have connector mechanisms that aren’t just a #2 Philips. Western civilization has fallen! My kingdom for a T15! Oh no! A locking nut!

It really boggles the mind some times.

I just watched the video and their text seems to parrot the video to the word. All I can see is that it uses Torx. No one complained. No one was upset. As for selling kits, yes they do which is why point out what tools are needed and where. It's their business model to sell tools and parts while giving away the instructions for self repair so it would silly of them not to point out tools that are needed, especially if it's not a tool people are likely to have at home. 🤦‍♂️

To clarify, this particular iFixit video is not the culprit, though they have in the past b*tched and moaned and gone off the deep end about things like the dreaded "tri-lobe screws" that Apple has used on some of its devices. Luke Miani's recent video in which he disassembled a couple of Mac Studios and went on and on about how he was "risking $13,000" of kit. Well, yeah, I get it, but the guys at Max Tech had already shown how to take off the dreaded and intimidating plastic ring on the bottom that covers screws holding on the bottom aluminum plate and how to approach the disassembly. Everything has risk associated with it.

As others have pointed out, car manufacturers are infamous for making DIY repairs to vehicles difficult and / or expensive. For example, newer Mercedes vehicles don't allow changing of the transmission filter by itself--their new design is a transmission pan made out of plastic with the filter integral to the pan. Instead of being able to buy a filter by itself for $50 or whatever, now one has to buy the whole assembly (pan with filter) for $200 or so. And...then to fill with new transmission fluid, one has to pump it up into the transmission from below--there is no filler tube up top. That's fun.

Apple does sometimes make odd and frustrating choices about design and repairability. I agree. But even the most challenging repairs I've made have been pieces of cake compared to cars. Heck, a couple of years ago, I upgraded my wife's 27" iMac's SSD eliminating the Fusion drive. It required removed the screen panel with a "pizza cutter" tool supplied by OWC, and the job took a couple of hours. But I never got a drop of grease on me, didn't have to spray WD-40 on screws to get them unstuck--it was clean and relatively easy job to complete.

Granted if one lacks fine motor skills and such, then messing with tiny screws is a chore, but for me Apple devices have been a piece of cake compared to just about any car repair I've ever done.

zimmie · March 24, 2022 2:58PM

So at least we know the SSD on the Mac Pro will still be replaceable, like it is today. There wouldn't be any reason to have a non-user-accessible flash cart if they didn't plan to make a replaceable one.

I wonder if anyone has compared the pinout of the Mac Studio's flash carts to the flash carts in the iMac Pro and Mac Pro. The Mac Studio carts are shorter, so maybe the notch is moved to make them physically incompatible.

I haven't yet been able to find a report of anybody who has changed the flash carts in an iMac Pro, but I bet it's the same process as the Mac Pro. Shut down, pull the SSDs, restore the T2 using Apple Configurator. The Mac Studio and new Mac Pro will probably be the same once Apple Configurator is updated for the new Mac Pro.

xp17 · March 24, 2022 3:32PM

freeassociate2 said:

There where some chuckleheads commenting in some forums about how “on board storage will always be faster than external” and I’m thinking to myself a) definitely not true if you have money to spare and b) there’s no engineering reason for that to be true — it’s just a function of process and price.

You could probably make a sound argument regarding on-die or on chip storage “always” being faster (although until recently that’s come with a high process and price cost also).

Do people genuinely not understand trade-offs? I mean, those kinds of choices are all around us all the time. And yet most of us manage to make purchases (or make things) that fit our needs and budget most of the time — without griping about how it could be way, way better if Only I Made All The Decisions (TM).

You are wrong. This is still on board storage.

xp17 · March 24, 2022 3:33PM

zimmie said:

So at least we know the SSD on the Mac Pro will still be replaceable, like it is today. There wouldn't be any reason to have a non-user-accessible flash cart if they didn't plan to make a replaceable one.

I wonder if anyone has compared the pinout of the Mac Studio's flash carts to the flash carts in the iMac Pro and Mac Pro. The Mac Studio carts are shorter, so maybe the notch is moved to make them physically incompatible.

I haven't yet been able to find a report of anybody who has changed the flash carts in an iMac Pro, but I bet it's the same process as the Mac Pro. Shut down, pull the SSDs, restore the T2 using Apple Configurator. The Mac Studio and new Mac Pro will probably be the same once Apple Configurator is updated for the new Mac Pro.

You're wrong. This is not SDSD. it's just NAND memory modules. All electronics, drivers are on the motherboard. This cannot be changed

waveparticle · March 24, 2022 5:19PM

A camera? Why?

Xed · March 24, 2022 5:20PM

waveparticle said:

A camera? Why?

People tend to like cameras above their display. FaceTime, Zoom, and other apps are very popular.

AppleSince1976 · March 24, 2022 5:28PM

crowley said:

regurgitatedcoprolite said:

It’s hilarious to watch some of the “YouTubers” out there gnash their teeth and complain about how difficult it is to take apart a Mac Studio.

It’s clear to me that none of them have ever worked on a car, where one has to do things lying on his back, deal with grease and oil, etc.

Computers are easy if one takes his time, organizes parts, and has any mechanical ability.

Are there any cars where you have to damage a glued-on plastic seal in order to uncover screws that need to be removed in order to access anything?

Those screws should not have been covered. For every right thing Apple does there’s always a mind numbingly stupid thing they do to compensate.

Yes, there are plenty of places in cars (and other equipment) where access must be gained by prying-off some adhesive-backed plate, cover, feet, escutcheon, etc.

Destruction/non-destruction is up to the care of the User.

Mac Studio teardown demonstrates relatively easy disassembly

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