Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Is Apple’s most affordable laptop ever also one of its most repairable? Sounds crazy, but it’s true: We haven’t been as happy about a MacBook since 2012.
It’s not all music to our ears, though. Reviewers claim the speakers don’t measure up to the usual MacBook bar. And you’re stuck with 8GB of RAM, thanks to the limitations of the A18 Pro System on Chip. Can the Neo deliver where Chromebooks fail? Let’s open it up and find out.
In the video, we mention that we recently gave another laptop, the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 7, a perfect 10/10 score. Learn more here:
ifixit.com/News/115827/new-thinkpads-score-perfect-10-repairability
Chapters
00:00 Apple’s Cheapest MacBook… and Most Repairable?
00:33 The Neo’s Price & Chromebook Competition
00:55 Two MacBook Neo Models Explained
01:05 Opening the MacBook Neo
01:32 First Look Inside: Surprisingly Sensible Layout
02:07 The Big Repair Win: Screw-Mounted Battery
02:52 EU Repair Laws & Battery Design
03:06 Removing the Logic Board
03:27 Soldered RAM and Storage Explained
04:10 Is the Neo Just an iPhone With a Screen?
04:47 Modular USB-C Ports and Antenna
05:27 Repair Assistant & Parts Pairing Test
05:46 Speakers and Modular Headphone Jack
06:10 The Mechanical Trackpad Surprise
07:12 Easier Screen Replacement
07:26 Why the Neo Weighs the Same as a MacBook Air
08:02 The 41-Screw Keyboard Replacement
08:28 MacBook Neo Repairability Verdict
09:24 Final Score: 6/10 Repairability
Subscribe to our channel for all our latest teardown and repair videos!
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Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/ifixit
Check us out on Facebook: facebook.com/iFixit
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Is Apple’s most affordable laptop ever also one of its most repairable? Sounds crazy, but it’s true: We haven’t been as happy about a MacBook since 2012.
It’s not all music to our ears, though. Reviewers claim the speakers don’t measure up to the usual MacBook bar. And you’re stuck with 8GB of RAM, thanks to the limitations of the A18 Pro System on Chip. Can the Neo deliver where Chromebooks fail? Let’s open it up and find out.
In the video, we mention that we recently gave another laptop, the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 7, a perfect 10/10 score. Learn more here:
ifixit.com/News/115827/new-thinkpads-score-perfect-10-repairability
Chapters
00:00 Apple’s Cheapest MacBook… and Most Repairable?
00:33 The Neo’s Price & Chromebook Competition
00:55 Two MacBook Neo Models Explained
01:05 Opening the MacBook Neo
01:32 First Look Inside: Surprisingly Sensible Layout
02:07 The Big Repair Win: Screw-Mounted Battery
02:52 EU Repair Laws & Battery Design
03:06 Removing the Logic Board
03:27 Soldered RAM and Storage Explained
04:10 Is the Neo Just an iPhone With a Screen?
04:47 Modular USB-C Ports and Antenna
05:27 Repair Assistant & Parts Pairing Test
05:46 Speakers and Modular Headphone Jack
06:10 The Mechanical Trackpad Surprise
07:12 Easier Screen Replacement
07:26 Why the Neo Weighs the Same as a MacBook Air
08:02 The 41-Screw Keyboard Replacement
08:28 MacBook Neo Repairability Verdict
09:24 Final Score: 6/10 Repairability
Subscribe to our channel for all our latest teardown and repair videos!
youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=ifixityourself
Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/ifixit
Check us out on Facebook: facebook.com/iFixit
Sign up for our Newsletter ifixit.com/Newsletter
