M5 MacBook Pro Teardown iFixit Publicizes a Tough Road for Repairs
iFixit has conducted a tear down of the M5 MacBook Pro and thrown the results in at what appears to be a very good score in terms of internal design and repairability. It indicates that a few procedural improvements have been made but leaves the laptop a very complicated machine to service, thus giving it a low preliminary score.
Key Findings from the Teardown
Analysis has revealed a mix of minor, slightly good changes and significant ongoing challenges for the DIY repairer.
Small Improvements
- Safer Battery Disconnection: Apple's official repair guidelines now advise disconnecting while using the Battery Management System's cable first; doing so helps prevent short circuits.
- Upper Access to Battery Tab: No longer requires removal of trackpad in accessing battery pull tabs: one step simplified in replacing a battery.
Permanent Challenges
- Complex Battery Replacement: That tab access is now easier still, the whole process remains a major undertaking requiring the removal of several other components.
- Logic Board Removal is Key: In turning most other parts, the logic board still must be completely removed, making it a major hurdle to many repairs.
- Intricate Screen Swaps: To replace the screen, one must first remove the antenna bracket to get to a series of tiny P2 screws, making it a delicate and complex procedure.
The Final Repairability Score
From this, the M5 MacBook Pro receives a preliminary iFixit repairability score of 4 out of 10. This figure suggests that design tends to be difficult when doing an independent repair.
A Few More Interesting Things
This teardown also confirmed that the M5 now sports a slightly larger 72.6Wh battery pack instead of the one found in the M4 model which was rated at 72.4Wh.
These insights of repairability came in line with revelations regarding the thermal performance of the newly invested M5 MacBook Pro. In an intensive Cinebench 2024 test, its single fan and heatpipe setup struggled, though it did maintain a slightly cooler average core temperature of 98.95°C compared to the M4 MacBook Pro's 100.90°C under the same load.
