Topic: Apple

Cracking Open the Apple MacBook Air (2011 13-inch)

Summary: Bill Detwiler cracks open Apple's 2011 13-inch MacBook Air. Inside the ultra-thin notebook he found hardware from Intel, Toshiba, Hynix, and Broadcom.

By Bill Detwiler | July 22, 2011 -- 13:31 GMT (06:31 PDT)

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In July 2011, Apple released the 3nd generation MacBook Air (Model A1369). As with the 2nd generation Airs, the 2011 notebooks are available in 11-inch and 13-inch models.

We cracked open the 1st generation MacBook Air (released in 2008) and 2nd generation MacBook Airs (released in 2010). Follow along as we go inside Apple's ultra-thin laptop.

To disassemble the new MacBook Air you'll need a screwdriver with Torx T5 and T8 bits and either a very small Phillips screwdriver or special pentalobe bit.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Topics: Apple, Hardware, Laptops, Mobility

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10 comments

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RE: Cracking Open the Apple MacBook Air (2011 13-inch)

and how much these few parts cost ?

AdnanPirota
23 July, 2011 05:46

Reply Vote
- RE: Cracking Open the Apple MacBook Air (2011 13-inch)
  
  @AdnanPirota
  
  Probably about 1/3rd of what Apple wants to charge for them.
  
  Lerianis10
  23 July, 2011 17:37
  
  Reply Vote
  - RE: Cracking Open the Apple MacBook Air (2011 13-inch)
    
    @Lerianis10 That's make sense !!! And quite cheap if you ask me.
    If you produce tech and distribute, you better get that much profit. Produce new tech you better double or triple the cost price. Remember the cost of your designers and research.
    To distribute 30% is fair enough.
    
    Voltus
    23 July, 2011 21:09
    
    Reply Vote
This is it. This is the limit of the technically possible.

Awesome piece of technology. It can't be put further. That oughta be enough for every computer user.

By the way, nice from Apple to make an extra PCB for the ports. If they are worn out, you don't need to buy a new motherboard. Nice.

MatiriNYC
24 July, 2011 01:56

Reply Vote
RE: Cracking Open the Apple MacBook Air (2011 13-inch)

I paid $32.68 for a XBOX 360 and my mom got a 17 inch Toshiba laptop for $94.83 being delivered to our house tomorrow by FedEX. I will never again pay expensive retail prices at stores. I even sold a 46 inch HDTV to my boss for $650 and it only cost me $52.78 to get. Here is the website we using to get all this stuff, BidsNew. com

Kristie89
25 July, 2011 09:05

Reply Vote
- Obvious spam
  
  @Kristie89 Go away--ListMom, please delete.
  
  frabjous
  25 July, 2011 22:02
  
  Reply Vote
- RE: Cracking Open the Apple MacBook Air (2011 13-inch)
  
  @Kristie89
  Go play with your toys and leave the grown-ups alone, please.
  
  dwighthendricks
  27 July, 2011 15:17
  
  Reply Vote
Resistor off?

Slide # 48; is that right? I've only very rarely seen a resistor sitting at an angle like that unless it has been misplaced.

radsdau@...
25 July, 2011 15:37

Reply Vote
- RE: Cracking Open the Apple MacBook Air (2011 13-inch)
 
 @radsdau@... it can not be misplaced, it's an Apple. so it must be a spare part somehow. It's optional, so if you want to use it they will charge you for it. but most prob. the P&P machine lost this part (0402 / 0201?) and dropped it. On the other side of the chip you can see a place where it is missing something? very well spotted btw!!
 
 Galdang
 28 July, 2011 01:24
 
 Reply Vote
RE: Cracking Open the Apple MacBook Air (2011 13-inch)

So now that you can open the darn thing, can you turn it into a monster. IE: add a bigger HD,etc?

walkedtallstoopedover
27 July, 2011 15:54

Reply Vote