MacBook Pro Retina screen teardown shows uniform assembly
updated 11:44 am EDT, Tue June 19, 2012
Backs up claims of high replacement cost
iFixit has conducted a narrower teardown of the new MacBook Pro, this time concentrating solely on the computer's Retina display. The repair firm notes that the LCD is "essentially the entire display assembly," in that instead of combining with a back case and a sheet of glass in front, the LCD exists on its own, with the Pro's case serving as a frame. The reduced glare of the notebook is attributed to removing front glass from the equation.
The display is nevertheless said to be just over 7mm at its thickest point, and a little over 3mm at the thinnest, making it less than a millimeter thinner than non-Retina Pros. A strip of 48 LEDs at the bottom is used for backlighting. Apple's concern with efficiency extends to cables, which are routed through the display's hinges, meaning that both parts must be replaced simultaneously if one or the other breaks.
iFixit complains that because of the display's tight integration, it's impossible to replace just the LCD. The company in fact notes that the very process of opening the display means that if anything else breaks, the whole assembly must be swapped out. Any kind of screen failure, therefore, may be extremely expensive.
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Joined: Aug 2001
Expensive machine ...
... so you should learn to take care of it.
In NORMAL use, the "unfixability" of the display should not be a problem. But if you're rough on your equipment (and I understand that's sometimes unavoidable, but I think you know the types of people I'm talking about), then you have to take some extra precautions -- or settle for a non-Retina MacBook Pro.
I've had portables for years. I always grip them with both hands when moving them, move carefully if there's any risk of misstep, and generally treat it like I'm holding a $2000+ item (like putting it in a well-padded case when travelling). Result: only one incident in 15+ years (I tripped on a sidewalk), and no damage to the machine. It's not utterly foolproof -- nothing is -- but it certainly increases the odds.