What you need
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Gotta love that new Mac smell, but just how new is this Pro? Get a whiff of these specs:
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13.3” LED-backlit IPS Retina display with 2560 × 1600 resolution (227 dpi), P3 wide color gamut
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3.1 GHz Kaby Lake dual-core Intel Core i5 (Turbo Boost up to 3.5 GHz)
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8 GB of 2133 MHz LPDDR3 SDRAM
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256 GB PCIe-based SSD
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Integrated Intel Iris Plus Graphics 650
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Four Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports and 3.5 mm headphone port
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802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2
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Thanks to prior experience, we've got the obnoxious suction-prying-sliding maneuver down, and we pop this little guy open in no time.
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Once the oyster is cracked, and the pearl revealed, we get some serious deja vu.
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Compare the MacBook Pro 13" Touch Bar 2017 (second)...
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... to the MacBook Pro 13" Touch Bar 2016 (third).
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Everything looks pretty much the same to us, right down to the 49.2 Wh battery.
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The only difference we spot is the finish on the fans. Looks like the 4K iMac got the real refresh juice this year.
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We pick some cuffs out of this notebook and turn them into some mustaches. Here are the secrets within:
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Intel Core i5-7267U processor with Intel Iris Plus Graphics 650
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Intel® JHL6540 Thunderbolt™ 3 Controller
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SanDisk SDRQKBDC4 064G 64 GB NAND flash memory (x2 for a total of 128 GB on this side of the board)
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Samsung K4E6E304EB-EGCG LPDDR3 DRAM (4 x 2 GB for 8 GB total)
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Texas Instruments SN650839 72C27RNGI, and TI/Stellaris LM4FS1EH SMC Controller (replacement codename for TM4EA231)
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H9CKNNN4GTATMR-NTH
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Murata/Apple 339S00056 Wi-Fi Module
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On the opposite side we find:
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2x SanDisk SDRQKBDC4 64 GB NAND flash storage (as seen in the 2016 Escape Edition's removable SSD)—bringing the total to 256 GB
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APL1023 343S00736 (likely the custom Apple T1 chip that pairs with the Touch Bar) and (Apple?) 338S00193-A1 17148HDK
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2x Texas Instruments TI CD3215C00 68C7QKW G1
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Intersil 95828 HRTZ X708FGK
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Texas Instruments HD3SS215 6.0 Gbps HDMI DisplayPort 2:1/1:2 Differential Switch
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Macronix MX25L6473EZNI-10G Serial Flash Memory
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NXP 66V10 NFC controller, containing Secure Element 008 and NXP PN549 (as seen in the iPhone 6s)
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Here's the layout, such as it is, replete with mustaches!
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For more detailed teardowns of the hardware in this device, consult the previous generation's teardown or even the past-gen one with more keys, if you fancy.
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And to round out your Mac refresh knowledge, check out our MacBook and iMac 4K teardowns.
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- The trackpad can be removed without first removing the battery.
- Proprietary pentalobe screws continue to make working on the device unnecessarily difficult.
- The battery assembly is entirely, and very solidly, glued into the case, thus complicating replacement.
- The processor, RAM, and flash memory are soldered to the logic board.
- The Touch Bar adds a second, difficult to replace, screen to damage.
- The Touch ID sensor doubles as the power switch, and is paired with the T1 chip on the logic board. Fixing a broken power switch may require help from Apple, or a new logic board.
Final Thoughts
Repairability Score
(10 is easiest to repair)