Apple's MacBook Neo Earns Highest Repair Score in 14 Years

Apple just made a MacBook you can actually fix yourself, and repair experts are celebrating.

The new MacBook Neo earned a 6 out of 10 repairability score from iFixit, a website that tears down electronics to rate how easily consumers can repair them. That might not sound impressive, but for Apple laptops, it's the best score in fourteen years.

The big breakthrough is the battery. Previous MacBook batteries were glued into place, making replacements expensive and often requiring professional help. The Neo's battery sits in a removable tray secured by 18 screws.

"Screws still beat adhesive every time," iFixit wrote in their teardown. The team reported that this battery design change "sent cheers across the iFixit office."

Beyond the battery, Apple made several other repair-friendly choices. The display and keyboard are easier to replace than previous models. The laptop's Repair Assistant software accepts replacement parts without throwing error messages, a common frustration with older MacBooks.

The design also features what iFixit calls a "flat disassembly tree," meaning you don't have to remove dozens of components just to reach the part you need to fix.

The Bright Side

This shift matters for your wallet and the planet. When laptops are easier to repair, they last longer and stay out of landfills. Instead of buying a new $1,000+ laptop when your battery dies, you could replace it yourself for under $100.

The Neo isn't perfect from a repair perspective. Apple still solders the RAM and storage directly to the motherboard, meaning you can't upgrade memory or storage later. These limitations kept the score from reaching higher.

But iFixit emphasized that for a MacBook, a 6 out of 10 is "a strong score." The last time a MacBook earned anything close was over a decade ago, before the industry shifted toward thinner designs that prioritized looks over longevity.

The MacBook Neo is also Apple's most affordable laptop by far, making this repair-friendly approach accessible to more people. You get a budget-friendly price and a device you can actually maintain yourself.

Every screw instead of glue is a small victory for the right to repair, and a big step toward electronics that respect both consumers and the environment.