This is how much it would cost to fix my MacBook

yesterday, Apple announced Expands the self-healing program to include M1 MacBook Air and MacBook Pro devices and adds Mac parts and guides to the catalog for the first time. If you have an M1 MacBook Air or MacBook Pro, or an M1 Pro or M1 Max MacBook Pro, you can now repair these devices yourself with Apple’s approval. But it quickly becomes confusing (and worse, costly).

A little bit about Apple’s self-repair program

In a twist that surprised no one, Apple made the self-healing program confusing, expensive, and generally useless. The company launched the program in Aprilwhich offers a limited number of parts and manuals for the iPhone, but as we saw in yesterday’s news, promises to expand product support in the future.

To be clear, everything about this program is strange. From websites that don’t look like Apple at all, to inconsistent pricing, to rentable toolkits that Apple offers for a fee. Remember, Apple strongly encourages bringing broken devices into the store for repair. fun.

Still, this is a direct solution from Apple. At the end We have official repair guides and genuine parts resources.now It includes parts and guides for the giant MacBook. Apple has been known to brick devices that use non-Apple parts (which continues to be an aggressive anti-consumer move), and guides you from the hands of third-party technicians who perform repairs. has been kept away. many more difficult.

Besides being a point of contact for each Apple device, guides are essential to Apple’s self-repair program. The company lists all the parts and tools needed to complete each repair.and their respective costs.

H.how much do you do How much does a MacBook cost for parts?

But again, Apple doesn’t make it easy. Instead of providing a simple price list of all available parts, enter the device serial number and follow the menu tree to find relevant parts and their costs. I’m simply trying to do a full survey of repair prices.

You don’t have to do this yourself. Sean Hollister of The Verge tackles this challenge head on, Complete list of MacBook parts and their corresponding pricesWith some additional odd Apple decisions sprinkled over the top, it shines, to say the least.

For example, many parts I don’t buy it for real money. Instead, Apple charges an inflated price. ridiculous Amount with rebate promised to send old parts. At the extreme, his M1 Max board for a 16-inch MacBook Pro with 64GB RAM and 8TB storage costs $4,222.24 up front, with a rebate of $3,634.40. So the actual price of the board is $587.84.Expensive board for an expensive machine, many Grand Apple will ask you to place it on your card first.

Most of the big parts look like this: M1 MacBook Air board with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage costs $526.24 upfront, $158.40 rebate. The final cost is $367.84. The trackpad costs $95.92 and the rebate is $17.60, so it’s actually $78.32. Apple is pricing the MacBook Air’s battery at $119.25, with a $22.50 rebate. $96.75 price tag.

I specifically mention By the way, the MacBook Air here is the only MacBook that Apple buys batteries for. When it comes to MacBook Pros, the company forces you to buy not just the battery, but the entire bottom case for $527.12 to $615.12 with an $88 credit.

Conversely, simple parts are very easy. Repairing a broken antenna module costs a flat $15, while an audio board costs $12 and a battery cover costs only $4.50. But even then, tools should be considered.

Probably not worth buying repair tools from Apple

Apple tells you exactly what parts are needed for each repair. See your device’s repair guide. However, the overall price varies greatly depending on the content of the repair.

If you need to remove the bottom case of your MacBook Pro to change the battery, replace the keyboard, etc., a bottom case removal kit will cost you $300. A display press to replace the MacBook Air’s display costs $200, and a battery support and press plate to replace the battery costs $99.50. Not all parts cost this much.s is for parts, tools vary in price and often run under $10 (the Touch ID alignment kit costs just $0.50). You’ll need to tally up the tools Apple requires in your repair guide to see what the total cost will be and whether you’ll use those tools again.

If the cost of the tools is off the charts, or if you think you won’t be using them often, it might be better Rent an Apple Repair Kit for $49: Comes with the tools you need to complete the repair. the tool itself. Sure, if he fixes one of his MacBooks a week, $49 is added, but For one-time repairs—especially big repair-We recommend that you select this option.Kit must be returned within 7 days day, or You run the risk of being charged extra by Apple.

MacBook repair cost example

So let’s take an example that puts All this together. I have an M1 MacBook Air that needs battery replacement. After entering all the information, it looks like my battery will cost $96.75 when I send the old battery back ($119.25 if I don’t)You also need battery glue for $9.As for tools, you need abBattery support frame and press plate, ESD-safe tweezers, ethanol or isopropyl alcohol (IPA) wipes, iPhone display press, nylon probe (black bar), Torx T3 screwdriver, none of which I own. The display press is $216 by itself, so I wouldn’t go out of my way to buy the tool. Instead, I use Rent them all for $49.

So overall, we’re looking at $154.75. As long as you return the old battery and repair kit in time. Sure it’s expensive, but probably cheaper than taking it to the Apple Store? let’s see: Apple cites the same repair For my MacBook Air, uh…$129.

all right, this program is clearly worthless for most repairs and most people. is. In many repairs gigantic Please charge your credit card before sending old parts for rebate. Not to mention if you mess up the return of your tool kit or if it is broken or lost.By using the tool, you risk incurring large charges.

need to weigh Cost of specific repair situations Apple’s repair quotes are probably more expensive than parts or rentals, and it’s more economical to fix it yourself. Or you’re tired of having other people fix your stuff and want to try it yourself. don’t forget to return what you borrow toolkit.