No, this is a bad solution. If you want a repairable machine, buy one. They exist. Others have already mentioned Framework, but there are other options that aren't that far down the spectrum either.

One of the things macbook users praise the most is "build quality", which often means the solidity of the device, lack of flex, etc. These quality features are, in part, achieved by the same choices that make it hard to repair. Ease of repair and "build quality", are to some degree (although not entirely) tradeoffs against each other.

I say this as a framework owner who would never buy something as irreparable as a macbook. Regulation is not the answer here.

The board is riveted in, but there are enough screws to hold the replacement in place. Removing the board is a shockingly violent process, but it worked for me.

Keyboard: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CQBVMM3X (price has gone up).

Video of rivets breaking: https://i.tonybox.net/9f2083b218d5.mp4 (you can see I missed a screw and slightly cut my hand here too).

This video is a good overview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGmMpEEP5ls

Broke my keyboard, a few days later i had a new one that didnt even take a minute to swap. Wanted to upgrade my GPU twice, didnt even take 10 minutes. Biggest difficulty was swapping the motherboard, but even that was easy.

The ports i need change all the time, and i can just swap them all the time :D

While a framework might be a bit expensive, overpriced even, i think the repairability and upgradeability is worth it for me

It's worth mentioning that the Neo finally does away with the pairing of topcase and keyboard that has been present ever since the launch of the plastic and unibody macbooks! Probably to comply with upcoming EU regulations.

As others have already alluded to, drills and self-tapping screws exist, as do replacement keyboards without the top case.

In many other machines, it is common for the factory to use rivets on initial assembly, but to service you drill them out and replace with bolts or screws. This is the expected procedure and even described in the service manual. I actually did this a few weeks ago for an old fan.

I'm advocating for right to repair as anyone else, and not fond of Apple's decisions in general, but this seems like a tempest in a teapot.

I had this problem in my Framework. I fixed it by... holding the laptop upside down and mashing the offending key for several minutes. Didn't work immediately, but now you wouldn't tell that it was ever broken. I've managed to panic-order (~€80) another keyboard though, so now I have a spare.

For context a laptop keyboard is build like this:

https://www.iqsdirectory.com/articles/membrane-switch/membra...

This problem is caused by the layers sticking together. In the case of the Framework 16 the "d" key sits on top of a foam pad which in turn is placed on top of a heat pipe, so this area gets particularly hot under load. The layers are often made from PET, which starts softening anywhere in the range of 65-87C - so easily within range of a laptop heat pipe.

By mashing the key I was hoping to detach the layers and apparently it worked.

That being said for gaming I use an external keyboard now, because the one built-in is made by an external supplier and I don't think they'll start using a more heat-resistant material anytime soon.

I got to experience Apple's customer hostile practices.

Many years ago l decided never to buy an Apple product again.

Unfortunately, AFAICT, these repairability issues are largely due to the move to thinner and lighter laptops. Replacing my MILs Microsoft Surface tablet was a pain in the butt. Had to cut the case open and tape it back together. But that thing was insanely small and light. My MIL liked it because she has a lot of trouble carrying anything very heavy.

> Here’s hoping governments regulate laptop manufacturers to actually make repairable machines in the future.

So there is already a solution on the market but for some reason the immediate desire is for the government to get involved and start regulating laptop keyboards?

Great idea! Though I'd suggest to use RightCmd instead of Capslock, it's more ergonomic - you use your right hand just like before.

(and yes, it's both insane that the hardware is not repairable and that the OS software sucks so you have to use some other apps)

I sent it back for repair to the manufacturer, they gave me an "estimate" that it wouldn't be repairable, and generously offered a replacement with a refurbished one, at $10 off the price of new (plus shipping, of course). I declined the "repair" and asked for the camera back.

When it arrived, the stickers I had put around made it clear it hadn't even been open. Having seen enough Louis Rossmann, I brought it to a camera shop around which is doing microsoldering. They replaced a single capacitor (after making me sign papers that it would probably never work again, and charging me quite a bit - still better than wasting an otherwise perfectly functional camera). The unrepairable camera was repaired.

It is so disappointing and unsurprising that a manufacturer wouldn't put even remotely any effort into actual repairs, that a street shop with actual expertise will happily do. I've come to expect no expertise from any service department I communicate with. Sending something for repair is almost a sure way that it will be broken even further. When even replacing the top case in the example of that mac seems overkill, when they could probably replace the faulty key with skill and will.

I guess that's a matter of incentives, given that in mass market, repairability is not something people look into when shopping.

Unfortunately a Macbook is a hard requirement for travel simply because of battery life, at my desk I use my Windows gaming rig for work.

I too looked at Framework and like the idea, unfortunately in my case the supply chain was too slow to be tolerable, before even considering the price-performance ratio.

I strongly support the idea that the EU should force vendors to make consumer device repairs cost-effective and available or open source and expose their component interfaces in exchange for the right to sell in Europe. After all, the EU brought us USB-C, so we know regulatory pressure works. Thanks, EU!

https://de.ifixit.com/News/115827/new-thinkpads-score-perfec...

Any purchase is a gamble, macs are one of those gambles that seems more risky with its difficulty to repair, however I guess the expectation is that it's less likely to need it.

That’s all it took with my Framework laptop, and I’m very grateful for it. I was in a good place financially when I got it, but now I’m not. I feel a strong sense of relief that if an accident occurs and I need a repair, it won’t set me back too much.

https://www.ifixit.com/products/macbook-pro-14-a2442-a2779-a...

Maintainability is actually not a mandatory standard, but a design trade-off; the biggest problem with the MacBook is not this, but rather that Apple does not allow other means of repairing the MacBook, such as various certification chips, etc.;

IMO, Apple hardware was never the company's strong point. And they refused to supply individual replacement parts.

you need to visit the confessional for that

I have an ASUS Zephyrus G15 (2021), GA503QM. I’ve been using it extremely heavily for five years. After about three years the left arrow key gradually stopped working. I adapted. Some keys have become a little less reliable, too, most notably E, and it’s nowhere near as crisp as it was when new. But it’s still a decent keyboard, which definitely wasn’t the case for two of my three previous laptops after even three years.

Anyway, a couple of weeks ago I tried getting a replacement keyboard on Amazon, not clearly identified as inauthentic (looks identical to the original; perhaps you should guess it, as a brand name is attached, WeFly in this case; but I know some of these things do claim to be genuine parts despite that). Worst new keyboard I have ever even heard of, barring those dumb roll-up keyboards. F2 a little sticky, have to press it straight. F and J requiring firm pressing to activate. Space not activating at the ends. And maybe worst of all, 2KRO (the original is NKRO!), with horrific ghosting. When you touch-type, you frequently have three keys active at once. Typing “you” would get a bonus F11 activation around half the time. “he ” a bonus N activation. Mashing the keyboard put the laptop to sleep, which doesn’t even make sense, and badly messed up key pressed state (though that’s possibly a software problem). Some combinations activated keys which don’t even exist, like Numpad 0.

With difficulty I was able to return it and get my money back. (I also got a refund on a counterfeit battery purchased at the same time—branded Wistar but unquestionably labelled as a genuine ASUS part, it was labelled in depth as 90Wh, but reported a design capacity of 74Wh and behaved so. Not sure if you can even find that information under Windows—maybe in Device Manager? So alas, for now I’m back on my original battery which is down to 51Wh capacity.) I wrote detailed one- and two-star reviews on Amazon, which were approved, and then deleted (one same day, one after a few days) for no apparent reason.

I’m trying to talk to ASUS to see if I can get a first-party replacement, but they don’t sell them independently at least, and can’t tell me a price, so I have to try talking to the local service centre. Hopefully it’ll be possible and not too expensive. Definitely not going to try third-party again for the keyboard, though maybe for the battery I’ll try one clearly marked as third-party.

Since reinstalling the original keyboard last week, a few days ago both Control keys stopped working, and the right tweeter (which gradually died a year or two ago) has started producing white noise when powered up. I should try reseating cables and such. It’s definitely fairly invasive surgery to replace the keyboard. The keyboard, incidentally, is fastened to the case by about 70 tiny screws (mine had 71 holes but only 69 screws). For now, I mapped Right Shift to Right Control, and have since been discovering that I used Right Shift more often than I realised!

Case in point: I don't put a lot of stress on my laptop keyboards.

Overpriced COTS garbage.

(first video I found on a search)

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/WYT7YIh00Xk

I know in the Butterfly days those keys would break when you removed them.

No charge. I was pretty grateful!

went to ebay bought the key, replaced it with tweezers after removing it from above without disabling the keyboard (I know, a little brutish) and it worked again for years.

give it a try

Fought with them for weeks. Escalated. They lied and said they were doing a no cost replacement. Had to fight the charge. Then they lost my return.

So much so that I’ve started switching to Linux and de-googled phone. (Switching off of iPhone just to go to google seems like the greater of evils)

The non Apple ecosystem is much more mature than last I checked but still irritating. De googling was my biggest challenge. Getting a viable replacement for Mac OS was the easy part.

I still just ordered a MacMini M4 (I know the M5 is coming but we've got something like 20 computers at home, including servers, NUCs, laptops, desktop, etc. so I may not mind buying a M5).

Still... Apple, from the bottom of my heart: FUCK YOU.

unfortunately, the karabiner workaround will work for a little while, but the rest of the keys will start failing until it's impossible to remap the keys :/

Otherwise fuck apple I'm not paying 700+ to fix a key.

if you thing government regulation will help you you are lying to yourself that's not how the world works

Much as a laptop would suit me, I opted for a mini and a large display.

Come keyboard time, I was ready to spend $$$$$ for an Apple keyboard, but the only backlit ones come on laptops. I'm using a Logitech now, with the option of charging it all the time, else the lights dim themselves to conserve battery.

Yes, I was 19 once. And three times after that. But there we go again, stuff designed for 19 year-olds.

How about this? (image at imgbb.com)

https://i.ibb.co/66RZd3b/mbp16-m3-max-01.jpg (JK)

Apple has been doing this since forever and people keep buying its hardware.

You cannot replace a screen even if you buy a genuine one because Apple locks hardware ID via firmware, so only they can replace that!

Apple own customer is the reason why Apple does what it does best: You rent your hardware, you don't and never will own an Apple hardware!!

The author doesn't mention ever contacting Apple to get his keyboard fixed. Maybe he could have gotten pleasantly surprised?

"Here’s hoping governments regulate laptop manufacturers to actually make repairable machines in the future."

However, this quote is not a surprise at all, and goes perfectly in line with Swedish philosophy. And the philosophy of this message board as well.