Legacy Laptop
Repairability Scores
Sorted by newest to oldest
Framework 13
2021
PROS
- Every important component in the laptop is easy to access and replace.
- Inside the laptop, most components are helpfully labeled to help orient and guide the fixer.
- The Framework Laptop repair guides are free and easily accessible, and Framework is already selling spare parts right on their website.
HP EliteBook 840 Aero G8
2021
PROS
- The RAM, SSD, battery, and display are well-prioritized, easily accessible, and quickly removable.
- Almost all moving parts, including the speakers, touchpad, and fan are modular and can all be independently replaced.
CONS
- Many cables use fragile ZIF connectors.
HP EliteBook 840 G7
2020
PROS
- Most components are very modular and straightforward to replace.
- Manufacturer provides free user-accessible repair documentation.
NOTES
- The keyboard, a common point of failure, is not independently replaceable.
HP EliteBook x360 830 G7
2020
PROS
- Most components are very modular and straightforward to replace.
- Manufacturer provides free user-accessible repair documentation.
NOTES
- The keyboard, a common point of failure, is not independently replaceable.
HP EliteBook 850 G5
2020
PROS
- Components are highly modular and repairs are straightforward using basic tools.
- Several repairs/upgrades are possible using off-the-shelf components.
- Free repair documentation is publicly available from the OEM.
HP ProBook 440 G7
2020
PROS
- Most repairs including RAM, SSD, battery, and display are straightforward.
- Manufacturer provides free user-accessible repair documentation.
NOTES
- The keyboard is riveted in place and not easily serviced.
HP Elitebook x360 1040 G5
2020
PROS
- The SSD and battery are easily serviced.
- Free repair documentation is publicly available from the OEM.
CONS
- Soldered RAM and over-reliance on adhesives make certain repairs impractical.
MacBook Pro 16″ 2019
2019
CONS
- Minor components are modular, but the processor, RAM, and flash memory are soldered to the logic board.
- Glue and/or rivets secure the keyboard, battery, speakers, and Touch Bar, making those components a tricky fix.
- The Touch ID sensor is the power switch and is locked to the logic board, greatly complicating repairs.
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15″
2019
PROS
- The opening procedure is straightforward, with a clever design that represents a dramatic improvement over its predecessors.
CONS
- The firmly glued-down battery will be very difficult to service when it inevitably goes kaput.
NOTES
- Torx Plus screws call for relatively rare drivers, but our standard Torx drivers worked in a pinch.
MacBook Pro 13″ Two Thunderbolt Ports 2019
2019
CONS
- Proprietary pentalobe screws continue to be hostile to repair.
- The battery assembly is still very solidly glued into the case, complicating replacement of a consumable.
- Soldered-down RAM limits upgradability and longevity.
HP EliteBook x360 830 G5
2019
PROS
- SSD, RAM, and battery are accessible and removable.
- Manufacturer provides free user-accessible repair documentation.
- High modularity apart from soldered ports.
HP EliteBook 840 G6
2019
PROS
- Common repairs are straightforward with basic tools.
- Some repairs/upgrades can be made with off-the-shelf components.
- Free repair documentation is publicly available from HP.
HP EliteBook x360 830 G6
2019
PROS
- SSD, RAM, and battery are accessible and removable.
- Manufacturer provides free user-accessible repair documentation.
NOTES
- High modularity apart from soldered ports.
MacBook Pro 15″ Touch Bar 2019
2019
CONS
- The processor, RAM, and flash memory are soldered to the logic board. Repairs and upgrades will be impractical at best.
- The top case assembly, including the keyboard, battery, speakers, and Touch Bar, is glued together—making all those components impractical to replace separately.
- The Touch ID sensor doubles as the power switch, and is paired with the T2 chip on the logic board. Fixing a broken power switch may require help from Apple, or a new logic board.
HP EliteBook 1050 G1
2018
PROS
- SSD, RAM, and battery are accessible and removable.
- Manufacturer provides free user-accessible repair documentation.
NOTES
- High modularity apart from soldered ports and a complex keyboard assembly.
MacBook Air 13″ Retina Display Late 2018
2018
PROS
- Many components are modular and straightforward to access—including the ports, fan, and speakers.
CONS
- The keyboard is integrated into the top case, requiring a full teardown for service.
- Soldered, non-serviceable, non-upgradeable storage and RAM is a serious bummer on a $1,200+ laptop.
MacBook Pro 15″ Touch Bar 2018
2018
CONS
- The processor, RAM, and flash memory are soldered to the logic board. Repairs and upgrades will be impractical at best.
- The top case assembly, which includes the keyboard, battery, and speakers, is firmly glued in place—making all those components hard to replace separately.
- The Touch ID sensor doubles as the power switch, and is paired with the T2 chip on the logic board. Fixing a broken power switch may require help from Apple, or a new logic board.
MacBook Pro 13″ Touch Bar 2018
2018
CONS
- The processor, RAM, and flash memory are soldered to the logic board. Repairs and upgrades will be impractical at best.
- The top case assembly, which includes the keyboard, battery, and speakers, is glued together—making all those components impractical to replace separately.
- The Touch ID sensor doubles as the power switch, and is paired with the T2 chip on the logic board. Fixing a broken power switch may require help from Apple, or a new logic board.
HP EliteBook 840 G3
2017
PROS
- Common repairs are straightforward with basic tools.
- Some repairs/upgrades can be made with off-the-shelf components.
- Repair documentation and replacement parts are publicly available from HP.
Dell Latitude E5270
2017
PROS
- Common repairs are straightforward using basic tools.
- Some repairs/upgrades can be made with off-the-shelf components.
- Free repair documentation is publicly available from Dell.
LG Gram 15″
2017
PROS
- Surprising repairability in a sleek design—most components are immediately accessible after removing the bottom cover.
- Storage and RAM use standard components for easy repairs/upgrades.
CONS
- No repair documentation is available from LG’s support site.
Samsung Series 9 15″
2017
PROS
- Most repairs are straightforward using basic tools.
- Some repairs/upgrades can be made using off-the-shelf components.
CONS
- Samsung provides no freely available repair documentation.
Acer Predator 17.3″
2017
PROS
- Access panels make several common repairs very easy.
- Most components are modular, and several use standard parts for repairs/upgrades.
CONS
- Acer provides no user-accessible repair documentation.
Dell XPS 13
2017
PROS
- Most common repairs are straightforward to achieve with basic tools.
- Dell provides free repair documentation for end users.
CONS
- Soldered RAM means you’ll never be able to upgrade when things get slow.
MacBook Pro 13″ Touch Bar 2017
2017
CONS
- 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.
Retina MacBook 2017
2017
CONS
- The processor, RAM, and flash memory are still soldered to the logic board.
- A large amount of strong adhesive holds the battery assembly to the lower case .
- The Retina display is a fused unit with no separate, protective glass. If the display is damaged, it’ll be arduous and expensive to repair.
MacBook Pro 15″ Touch Bar Late 2016
2016
CONS
- Use of proprietary pentalobe screws makes servicing and repair unnecessarily difficult.
- The entire battery assembly is strongly glued into the case, complicating replacement.
- The processor, RAM, and flash memory are soldered to the logic board.
MacBook Pro 13″ Touch Bar Late 2016
2016
CONS
- 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.
MacBook Pro 13″ Function Keys Late 2016
2016
CONS
- Proprietary pentalobe screws continue to make opening the device unnecessarily difficult.
- The battery assembly is entirely, and very solidly, glued into the case, thus complicating replacement.
- The RAM is soldered to the logic board. Pay for the upgrade now, or be stuck with 8 GB forever. There is no chance of upgrade.
Retina MacBook 2016
2016
CONS
- The processor, RAM, and flash memory are still soldered to the logic board.
- The battery assembly remains entirely, and very solidly, glued into the lower case.
- The Retina display is still a fused unit with no separate, protective glass. If the display needs replacing, it’ll cost a pretty penny.
Asus Chromebook C202
2016
PROS
- Intuitive, uncomplicated design makes disassembly straightforward and reversible.
- Modular components means many repairs can be carried out by quickly swapping a failed part.
- Only Phillips #1 and #00 screws are used.
Retina MacBook 2015
2015
CONS
- Proprietary pentalobe screws continue to make opening the device unnecessarily difficult, and new cable routing makes the procedure even trickier.
- The USB-C port is secured by tri-wing screws, and buried under the display brackets, complicating replacement. Also, being the only port, it will experience more use and wear than a typical single-purpose port.
- The battery assembly is entirely, and very solidly, glued into the lower case.
MacBook Pro 13″ Retina Display Early 2015
2015
CONS
- Proprietary pentalobe screws continue to make opening the device unnecessarily difficult.
- The battery assembly is entirely, and very solidly, glued into the case, thus complicating replacement. Additionally, the battery covers the screws holding the trackpad in place, meaning it’s impossible to replace the trackpad without first removing the battery.
- The Retina display is a fused unit with no separate, protective glass. If anything ever fails inside the display, the entire ($$$) assembly will need to be replaced.
MacBook Air 13″ Early 2015
2015
PROS
- Once you manage to take off the bottom cover, all the parts are pretty easily replaceable.
CONS
- Proprietary screws on the case require the right screwdriver.
- All the components—including RAM and SSD—are proprietary.
MacBook Air 11″ Early 2015
2015
PROS
- Once you get past the outer case, all the major components are fairly easy to access for replacement.
CONS
- The outer case is held on with Apple’s proprietary Pentalobe screws, so you’ll need the right screwdriver to get inside.
- Just like the screws, all the components—including the RAM and SSD—are proprietary, making replacement parts more difficult to source.
MacBook Pro 13″ Retina Display Late 2013
2013
CONS
- Proprietary pentalobe screws continue to make opening the device unnecessarily difficult.
- The battery assembly is now entirely, and very solidly, glued into the case, thus complicating replacement. Additionally, the battery now covers the screws and cable holding the trackpad in place. It is impossible to replace the trackpad without first removing the battery.
- The Retina display is a fused unit with no protective glass. If anything ever fails inside the display, the entire ($$$) assembly will need to be replaced.
MacBook Pro 15″ Retina Display Late 2013
2013
CONS
- Proprietary pentalobe screws prevent you from gaining access to anything inside.
- As in the MacBook Air, the RAM is soldered to the logic board. Max out at 16GB now, or forever hold your peace—you can’t upgrade.
- The proprietary SSD has changed to a PCIe format, but still isn’t a standard 2.5″ drive. However, it is a separate daughtercard, and we’re hopeful we can offer an upgrade in the near future.
MacBook Air 11″ Mid 2013
2013
PROS
- Once you get past the outer case, all the major components are fairly easy to access for replacement.
CONS
- The outer case is held on with Apple’s proprietary Pentalobe screws, so you’ll need the right screwdriver to get inside.
- Just like the screws, all the components—including the RAM and SSD—are proprietary, making replacement parts more difficult to source.
MacBook Air 13″ Mid 2013
2013
PROS
- Once you manage to take off the bottom cover, all the parts are pretty easily replaceable.
CONS
- Proprietary screws on the case require the right screwdriver.
- All the components—including RAM and SSD—are proprietary.
Dell Inspiron Duo
2013
PROS
- Much of the internal hardware is not only user-replaceable, but is also easy purchased from Dell or a third party vendor.
- Almost the entire computer can be taken apart with a plastic opening tool (or two) and a Phillips #0 screwdriver.
CONS
- You have to remove the top case to access the battery, which is shameful for a Dell product.
MacBook Pro 13″ Retina Display Late 2012
2012
CONS
- The battery is still glued into the laptop’s top case, but it’s slightly less difficult to remove compared to the 15″ model.
- Proprietary pentalobe screws prevent you from gaining access to anything inside.
- The RAM is surface-mount soldered to the logic board, so no upgrade is possible. It will forever have 8 GB of RAM.
Asus Zenbook UX32VD
2012
PROS
- Much of the internal hardware is not only user-replaceable, but is also easy purchased from Dell or a third party vendor.
- Almost the entire computer can be taken apart with a plastic opening tool (or two) and a Phillips #0 screwdriver.
CONS
- A lot of components were held in place with more adhesive than is necessary.
MacBook Pro 15″ Unibody Mid 2012
2012
PROS
- Easily removable bottom panel and readily accessible battery, optical drive, hard drive, fans, and RAM.
- Standard screws were used for all components, save for the battery.
CONS
- Tri-wing screws on the battery require a specialty driver that an average user may not have.
MacBook Pro 15″ Retina Display Mid 2012
2012
CONS
- Proprietary pentalobe screws prevent you from gaining access to anything inside.
- As in the MacBook Air, the RAM is soldered to the logic board. Max out at 16GB now, or forever hold your peace—you can’t upgrade.
- The proprietary SSD isn’t upgradeable either (yet), as it is similar but not identical to the one in the Air. It is a separate daughtercard, and we’re hopeful we can offer an upgrade in the near future.
MacBook Air 13″ Mid 2012
2012
PROS
- Once you manage to take off the bottom cover, all the parts are pretty easily replaceable.
CONS
- Proprietary screws on the case require the right screwdriver.
- All the components—including RAM and SSD—are proprietary.
MacBook Air 13″ Mid 2011
2011
PROS
- Once you manage to take off the bottom cover, all the parts are pretty easily replaceable.
CONS
- Opening the bottom cover is quite difficult if you don’t have the right screwdriver. It’s clear that Apple didn’t want people to open their machine.
- All the components—including RAM and SSD—are proprietary, meaning that no off-the-shelf parts will work in it without serious rigging.
MacBook Pro 15″ Unibody Early 2011
2011
PROS
- Easily removable bottom panel and readily accessible battery connector allow for easy repair of most components without touching the battery screws.
- Unibody design allows for easy access of most components with minimal amounts of extra work needed to get to them.
CONS
- Tri-wing screws limit the average person from replacing their own battery.
MacBook Air 13″ Late 2010
2010
PROS
- Once you manage to take off the bottom cover, all the parts are pretty easily replaceable.
CONS
- Opening the bottom cover is quite difficult if you don’t have the right screwdriver. It’s clear that Apple didn’t want people to open their machine.
- All the components—including RAM and hard drive—are proprietary, meaning that no off-the-shelf parts will work in it without serious rigging.
