iFixit’s 16-inch M1 Pro MacBook Pro teardown reveals an easier battery replacement and better overall repairability.
You always want to start by disconnecting the battery—if you can figure out how. After a little exploratory surgery, we found the battery terminal hidden under the big trackpad cable. From there we’d normally leave the battery for last, because removing recent MacBook Pro batteries requires infinite patience, a bottle of isopropyl alcohol, and an optional bottle of human-friendly alcohol. But as we peer into the guts, we notice something unexpected. The wind carries a whisper of three words, a faint utterance that makes our hair stand on end: battery pull tabs.
The four outer battery cells all sport subtle but noticeable pull tabs, a.k.a. stretch-release adhesive—those thin white strips we know and love from the iPhone and MacBook Air. If your technique is right, you just pull on these things to stretch out the adhesive, and, in theory, whatever’s attached to it falls right out.
Even better, it appears this battery isn’t trapped under the logic board. That could enable straightforward battery swaps without removing all the brains first—a procedure we’ve been dreaming about for a while…
What do you know — some smart person gave repair and access some thought.
And just like that, the battery is jettisoned. No alcohol. No pry tools. No incessant cursing.
MacDailyNews Note: Check out the video:
TGIF! Interns, TTK! Prost, everyone! 🍻
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