iFixit, a popular electronics do-it-yourself website, today gave the new MacBook Pro with the Retina display its worst-possible repair score of just 1 out of a possible 10.
"This is, to date, the least-repairable laptop we've taken apart," said Kyle Wiens, CEO of iFixit, in an email today. "Apple has packed all the things we hate into one beautiful little package."
As in the MacBook Air, the laptop's memory is soldered to the logic board, eliminating any later RAM upgrade. Customers must order the Pro with exact amount of memory they desire, and pay Apple's high prices.
Being able to upgrade your computer, or replace parts that go bad, is a right that anyone purchasing a computer has enjoyed for the longest time. Those skilled enough to repair a computer are able to fix their problems for almost nothing in cost. Even people who do not have the skill, have enjoyed significantly lower costs to replace or repair parts that have gone bad or been damaged.
Apple blatantly tries their hardest to prevent upgrades or repairs of their product without Apple charging for it (And charging at least 200% more then a similar repair for any other computer).
Do you think that other sellers will learn that they can make millions off of repairs if they just make it so no one else can and handle them all on their own? Since their are multiple sellers for this product, it might be hard for this trend to start, but if someone makes the leap, the rest will likely follow.
Where will the computer industry be then, when a computer costs 90% of its purchase price just to repair?
See the breakdown here
http://www.ifixit.co.../1#.T9kAT7VSSSo
Edited by iargue, 13 June 2012 - 01:04 PM.