HardwareNov 11, 2026, 10:43 PM UTC·2 min read

iFixit Tears Down MacBook Pro With Light-Up Apple Logo

iFixit's teardown of the touchscreen MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display shows how the illuminated Apple logo works and gives the laptop a 5 out of 10 repairability score.

Image: 9to5Mac

iFixit has published its teardown of the new MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display, revealing how Apple brought back an illuminated logo on the lid. The laptop earned a repairability score of 5 out of 10.

How the glowing logo works

According to iFixit, the logo is lit by a strip of four LEDs that work together with a reflective layer and a diffuser to spread the light evenly. The logo itself carries a two-way mirror coating: it looks shiny and reflective when the LEDs are off, and lets light through when they are on. Reaching it was not easy, though. iFixit destroyed the OLED panel in the process and asked whether anyone had managed to remove it intact.

The teardown also examines the tandem OLED, which stacks two light-emitting layers for higher brightness than a conventional single-layer panel. Under a microscope, iFixit found that the blue subpixels are larger than the red and green ones, which should reduce strain on the materials and could extend the display's lifespan.

Lighter, but still hard to repair

The new model weighs 3 pounds (1.38 kg), down from 3.4 pounds (1.55 kg) on the standard 14-inch model. Apple trimmed 92 grams from the chassis and 101 grams from the display assembly, even with touch and the logo added. The battery is only 2 grams lighter, and the slightly smaller trackpad saves 8 grams.

Much of the disassembly is familiar. Replacing the USB-C ports or fans still means removing the entire logic board, even though both parts are independently replaceable, and the headphone jack requires the same. The HDMI port, SDXC port, RAM and storage remain soldered to the board.

One improvement: after a logic board swap between two machines, the new MacBook Pro recognized the battery, display and Touch ID sensor, with True Tone, brightness controls and the touchscreen all working. Last year's M5 MacBook Pro failed to complete Touch ID calibration through Apple's Repair Assistant. iFixit could also enroll a fingerprint with the donor board installed.

The 5 out of 10 score is one point above last year's M5 MacBook Pro and one point below the cheaper MacBook Neo.

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Tags:ifixitmacbook proappleteardownoledrepairability