Apple’s MacBook Neo Earns Highest Repairability Score Since 2012

Quick Facts

• iFixit awarded Apple’s MacBook Neo a 6/10 repairability score, the highest for a MacBook since 2012
• The $599 laptop uses screws instead of adhesive strips to secure its 36.48 Wh battery, making repairs easier
• Apple targets 15% of the affordable laptop market by 2026, up from just 2% in 2025

Apple’s new MacBook Neo earned a 6 out of 10 repairability score from iFixit, making it the most repairable MacBook in 14 years. The teardown specialists praised the laptop’s screw-secured battery and modular design approach.

The Neo represents a significant shift in Apple’s repair philosophy. Unlike previous MacBooks that relied on stretch-release adhesive strips, the Neo’s 36.48 Wh dual-cell battery is held in place with 18 screws. This eliminates the need for solvents or risky pull tabs during battery replacement.

“No sticky tape, no tricky adhesives, modular parts… it’s just super straightforward, elegant design,” iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens said. “We haven’t been as happy about a MacBook since 2012.”

The MacBook Neo launched this week at $599 for consumers and $499 for educational institutions. Apple built the laptop around the A18 Pro chip, limiting it to 8 GB of RAM and storage options of 256 GB or 512 GB. Neither component is upgradeable after purchase.

Apple aims to capture 15% of the affordable laptop market by 2026, up from 2% in 2025. The company targets the education sector specifically, where Chromebooks currently dominate with 93% market share in American K-12 schools.

“Students in the Oakland repair internship program fix thousands of Chromebooks per year, and their feedback about which devices have replaceable screens, batteries, and keyboards feed back into purchasing decisions,” Wiens noted. School IT departments prioritize devices that can be easily repaired.

The timing benefits Apple as market conditions shift. Global PC prices are projected to rise 17% in 2026, and Gartner warns that component shortages could force manufacturers to eliminate sub-$500 laptop configurations by 2028.

Thomas Boger, Apple’s VP of Mac product marketing, said the company had been planning an affordable MacBook but waited until “all the stars aligned.” The Neo represents Apple’s first serious attempt to compete with budget Windows machines and Chromebooks on price while maintaining Mac build quality.

Industry competitors are taking notice. Nick Wu, CFO of Asus, called the Neo “a shock to the entire market,” predicting that “the entire PC system will launch corresponding products to compete with Apple.”

Read more: The MacBook Neo is ‘the most repairable MacBook’ in years, according to iFixit