MacBook Air teardown reveals it's easier to fix than previous version

Apple's 2018 MacBook Air reboot is lighter and features a better display than its predecessor, but a look at its insides shows that it's easier to repair as well.

Tech repair site iFixit posted a full teardown on Thursday and found that it's a step in the right direction for DIY repairs compared with the 2015 model.

This is partially a result of the MacBook Air's modular components, including Thunderbolt ports, fan and speakers. The last of these is secured by a stretch-release adhesive, which iFixit notes is much easier to work with than the plastic connections found in the old version.

However, iFixit found that the trackpad is pinned under the logic board (unlike in the new MacBook Pro) and shares a cable with the keyboard, so that requires a little more digging.

The 49.9Wh battery is secured by four screws, six pull-to-remove adhesive strips and a strong frame. The battery is a little smaller than the 52Wh one found in the Dell XPS 13 and larger than the 43.7Wh one in HP's upcoming Spectre. But according to iFixit, the Dell and HP laptops offer equal or better battery life and come with faster processors than the MacBook Air.

Storage and RAM can't be upgraded, iFixit noted.

"Though this update seems to favor experienced technicians more than the average DIYer," iFixit concluded, "we're hoping it's the first step back toward repairable MacBooks."

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