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Opening up the case on a 14-inch MBP to replace or upgrade parts?

I

iphonefreak450

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Dec 14, 2014
797
143
Hi,

A few scenarios/questions below that I would like to address below:

*What if I decide to upgrade the SSD to a higher storage capacity or what if the SSD drive fails and needs replacement?
*Or, what if the CPU fan starts to collect dust over time and needs to be blown out using compressed air?
*Do I need to go to an authorized Apple service center in order for them to open up the case with special tools only made from Apple?
*Can I open up the case myself just as I would on a Windows laptop, or do I need special tools that are only authorized or made by Apple?
 
S

sennomulo

macrumors member
Jul 18, 2018
81
102
The SSD is soldered on, there is no way to replace it without replacing the whole logic board. You can open the machine yourself. You will need special tools though, and doing so will void any Apple warranty you have. And Apple doesn't make it easy, so make sure you know what you're doing beforehand. If you have a dust issue, you can just take it into an Apple Store and have it cleaned out (they've never charged me for this service).
 
bibasik7

bibasik7

macrumors newbie
Jul 10, 2021
6
2
iphonefreak450 said:
Hi,

A few scenarios/questions below that I would like to address below:

*What if I decide to upgrade the SSD to a higher storage capacity or what if the SSD drive fails and needs replacement?
*Or, what if the CPU fan starts to collect dust over time and needs to be blown out using compressed air?
*Do I need to go to an authorized Apple service center in order for them to open up the case with special tools only made from Apple?
*Can I open up the case myself just as I would on a Windows laptop, or do I need special tools that are only authorized or made by Apple?
Click to expand...
The SSD can't be replaced. Make sure to buy one with enough SSD capacity.

You can open it up and blow out the dust with compressed air, but you'll need a pentalobe P5 screwdriver to get it open. You can buy one for about $8 on Amazon, so that's no big deal.
 
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Alpha Centauri

Alpha Centauri

macrumors 65816
Oct 13, 2020
1,446
1,143
@iphonefreak450 As stated already, the MBP 14" features soldered-on Ram and SSD. Therefore there's virtually no gain in accessing anything internally on the M1, as no components are user upgradeable.

So if you're considering the M1 spec options, just bear this in mind and order what you'll require for the entire time of ownership. If ordering BTO and you're unsure if to invest in Memory vs Capacity, do consider that you're stuck with the RAM (16, 32 or 64GB-M1Max CPU) you order but can extend your storage capacity externally. There's plenty of fast drives available.

Finally, the 14" and 16" will likely receive an M2 refresh soon. So perhaps that's something to keep in mind. Equally, there's great deals currently available on the M1.
 
Last edited:
maflynn

maflynn

macrumors Haswell
May 3, 2009
73,682
43,740
iphonefreak450 said:
*What if I decide to upgrade the SSD to a higher storage capacity or what if the SSD drive fails and needs replacement?
Click to expand...
You can't, and if the SSD craps out, you're pretty much screwed, you won't get access to your data and the entire logic board has to be replaced - this should be enough to ensure you have set a good backup routine.

*Or, what if the CPU fan starts to collect dust over time and needs to be blown out using compressed air?
Click to expand...
The fans will start to collect dust over time, that's life in the real world. I don't think using compressed air to blindly blow into the MBP is a good idea. I think seeing what you're doing is needed, but that's just me.
*Do I need to go to an authorized Apple service center in order for them to open up the case with special tools only made from Apple?
*Can I open up the case myself just as I would on a Windows laptop, or do I need special tools that are only authorized or made by Apple?
Click to expand...
Regardless of what Apple tries to say, you have the right to repair your own machine. You damage it while working on it, that's on you, but overall you can open it - provided you have the right tools. With that said, there's almost no reason for us to open the MBP, for all intents and purposes, its a sealed system.
 
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M

magbarn

macrumors 68040
Oct 25, 2008
3,024
2,392
Recommend Wiha pentalobe for just a bit more as I’ve stripped a few screws with the cheaper screwdrivers.
the only reason would be to blow out the fans though as it’s basically non serviceable. All ram and storage are soldered. Also, my M1max MBP 16’s fans hardly ever come on so I’m pretty sure they’ll stay much cleaner than the earlier Intel machines which fans ran constantly . Unless you smoke indoor or use your MacBook in a wood shop, it should stay clean for years.
 
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Technerd108

Technerd108

macrumors 68040
Oct 24, 2021
3,062
4,313
There is nothing to upgrade. Apple is pretty genius in this regard. They have finally made a system the user can't touch.

There are benefits to the design when everything is working well but the trade of is terrible repairability and no future upgrades.

While I like the benefits of unified architecture I am sure there would have been a way to have a more modular hardware infrastructure and still have the system unified.

The only thing you can do is clean the fan system but I bet there are parts of the system that are sealed as well which means most likely the entire system can only be "serviced" by Apple.
 
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bibasik7

bibasik7

macrumors newbie
Jul 10, 2021
6
2
maflynn said:
I don't think using compressed air to blindly blow into the MBP is a good idea. I think seeing what you're doing is needed, but that's just me.
Click to expand...

maflynn said:
there's almost no reason for us to open the MBP, for all intents and purposes, its a sealed system.
Click to expand...
There is a reason for us to open the MBP: to see what we're doing when we blow the dust out.
 
W

wilberforce

macrumors 68030
Aug 15, 2020
2,932
3,210
SF Bay Area
One possible reason to open it in ~5 years is to do a DIY battery replacement.

btw, not here to argue about whether a DIY battery replacement is a good idea. Only stating it is a possible reason to open the machine. (Yes, I know, Apple $200 battery replacement is a good deal, etc, etc)
 
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