We’ve pointed out that the MacBook Neo is a great computer at a great price. But if you’re looking for another reason to buy one here’s one: the MacBook Neo is designed so the user can perform hardware repairs on it. Which sounds too good to be true, considering Apple’s DIY history. But not only is it true, but Apple has also released the price list for replacement parts, and the prices are pretty reasonable.
Here is a look at some of the U.S. prices from the online Self Service Repair Store for Apple Products:
- Battery: $111.75 ($22.50 return credit)
- Bottom Case: $34.32
- Display: $219.12 ($88 return credit)
- Keyboard: $113.52 ($26.40 return credit)
- Logic Board: $219
- Top Case: $175.12
- Trackpad: $78.32
To order a part, customers must enter the ID of the MacBook Neo repair manual, which is available for free online. Apple wants customers to read the manual first, and this is one way to make you do so. For the Logic Board, you need to enter the serial number of your Neo.
The store doesn’t appear to restrict your part selection based on color. It looks like you could, say, buy a citrus bottom replacement case for your silver Neo, or indigo keyboard caps ($39) to replace your blush-colored ones. All you need is the repair manual ID (ZFXBHN) to prove that you “have the knowledge, experience, and necessary tools to perform the intended repair.” We’ve asked Apple for confirmation on this, and we will update this article if we get a response.
Ahead of the Neo’s release, it was reported that Apple had developed a new manufacturing process “designed to be both faster and more cost-effective than the one used with Apple’s current laptops.” As such, this is the first MacBook that doesn’t require the purchase of the entire top case assembly to replace the keyboard. On the M5 MacBook Air, for example, a keyboard repair costs $412.72, more than three times as much as the MacBook Neo’s.
Author: Roman Loyola, Senior Editor, Macworld
Roman is a Macworld Senior Editor with over 30 years of experience covering the tech industry, focusing on the Mac and other products in the Apple ecosystem. He is also the host of the Macworld Podcast. His career started at MacUser, where he received Apple certification as a repair technician (when Apple did that kind of thing). He's also worked for MacAddict, MacLife, and TechTV.