iFixit has posted their in-depth teardown and repairability review of the next-gen MacBook Air M4. The MacBook Air’s new model brings with it an updated CPU in the form of Apple’s M4 silicon, but unfortunately it seems that Apple has not brought the many strides in repairability it has introduced to its iPhone line to its laptops just yet.
The MacBook Air M4’s battery isn’t that difficult to remove, but iFixit’s repair gurus note that they would prefer if Apple utilized the handy electrical-releasing adhesive it implemented in its iPhones instead of traditional adhesive strips. Thankfully, the new model continues the M3’s trend of not gluing down the battery cable, which was a huge pain for self-repair in Apple’s older laptops. Additionally, iFixit applauds the M4’s port design, which the company says allows “for relatively straightforward repairs to these high-wear components.”
All in all, the M4 certainly doesn’t take any steps backwards for right-to-repair advocates, and some things are much easier than they were with older models. It’s just a shame Apple hasn’t applied the same design philosophy found in recent iPhone releases to its MacBook line.
See also: WATCH: iFixit showcases new soldering toolkit
