US EditionApple MacBook Neo Emerges as Company’s Most Repairable Laptop in More than a Decade
Apple's modular MacBook Neo features easily replaceable parts, reducing repair costs for budget buyers compared to pricier MacBook Air and Pro models.
- On March 13, 2026, iFixit reported that Apple's MacBook Neo scored 6/10 on repairability, the best since 2014, despite its $599 price and $499 education discount.
- Targeting education markets, Apple positioned the MacBook Neo for students and schools, using screws for the battery and keyboard to ease repairs and possibly prepare for an EU law requiring user-replaceable batteries by early 2027.
- IFixit's teardown showed the lower case unclips by hand to reveal a sensible layout with an accessible battery, speakers, ports, and trackpad; the keyboard is removable by undoing 41 screws, and USB-C ports, headphone jack, Torx Plus screws, and antenna assembly are modular for easier repairs.
- Independent teardowns disassembled the Neo in under 10 minutes, and easier battery replacement means owners mainly undo screws, clips, and flex cables, lowering repair complexity and costs for cost-sensitive buyers.
- In the coming years, the MacBook Neo's soldered RAM and SSD with the A18 Pro could hinder future AI applications, despite improved repairability, Wiens warned.
14 Articles
14 Articles
The MacBook Neo is Apple's most repairable laptop
Apple's cheapest laptop is also its most repairable. iFixit gave the new MacBook Neo a 6/10 repairability score. Although that number would only be mediocre for, say, a game review or final exam grade, it's the MacBook line's highest iFixit score in about 14 years.As always, iFixit goes into great detail about the product's repairability, but a few points stand out. First, the MacBook Neo's battery is screwed down rather than glued — moving it f…
iFixit Teardown: MacBook Neo Has Most Accessible Mac Battery in Over a Decade
Repair site iFixit did its traditional teardown on the MacBook Neo, and was pleasantly surprised with the laptop's repairability. "We haven't been as happy about a MacBook since 2012," says iFixit. iFixit took apart the more expensive $699 version of the MacBook Neo that comes with a Touch ID keyboard, but both models are "suspiciously easy" to get into.
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