MacBook Pro teardown details illuminated logo and repair limitations
iFixit assigned the touchscreen model a repairability rating of 5 out of 10 and successfully tested Touch ID after swapping logic boards.
The new MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display uses four LEDs to illuminate its lid logo, according to iFixit’s teardown, which also identified repair obstacles despite successful tests with a replacement logic board. The touchscreen laptop received a repairability rating of 5 out of 10.
Reaching the logo proved difficult: iFixit destroyed the OLED panel while trying to access it. Inside, the team found an LED strip paired with a diffuser and reflective layer to spread the light. A two-way mirror coating makes the logo reflective when unlit while letting illumination pass through when switched on.
Repair access remains restricted in several areas. According to iFixit, technicians must remove the whole logic board to replace the USB-C ports, fans or headphone jack. The HDMI and SDXC ports, along with RAM and storage, are soldered in place.
A logic board transferred from another MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display worked with the battery, screen and Touch ID sensor, iFixit found. Fingerprint enrollment also succeeded, and the touchscreen, True Tone and brightness controls functioned normally. By contrast, its test of last year’s M5 MacBook Pro could not complete Touch ID calibration using Apple’s Repair Assistant.
The display uses two stacked light-emitting layers. Microscopic inspection showed larger blue subpixels than red or green ones, a design iFixit said could ease material strain and potentially improve display longevity. The team also reported weight reductions of 92 grams for the chassis and 101 grams for the display assembly.
