- Framework CEO says MacBook Neo not repairable enough
- Founder says Apple laptop is made to lure you into the walled garden
- But the reality may not be so simple
Apple’s MacBook Neo has earned rave reviews for its affordable price and impressive build quality, while presenting users with Apple’s most serviceable design in recent memory. However, it has still drawn criticism from the maker of a rival laptop, who has chided Apple’s device, saying “a computer should be yours.”
The rival in question is Framework, known for making highly repairable laptops that can be disassembled, replaced and reassembled with great ease. However, for Framework founder Nirav Patel, the MacBook Neo has too many compromises when it comes to repairability.
In a video posted on YouTube, Patel decided to take down a MacBook Neo to see how it was laid out inside and then compared it to a disassembled Framework laptop. In the case of the Framework, the internal parts were clearly labeled and easy to remove. While the MacBook Neo features plenty of quickly removable parts, its keyboard comes with dozens of screws holding it in place, while the screen can’t be changed without removing the entire top section of the laptop.
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Patel used these differences to argue that the two products have very different philosophies. For Patel, the purpose of the MacBook Neo is to “capture new MacBook users early on and then bring them into the walled garden that Apple has created for them,” with the idea that they will then upgrade to a more expensive Apple laptop, such as a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro.
The Framework Laptop, on the other hand, Patel says, is designed to reduce e-waste “by making the product easy to use for as long as you want… If you have a Framework Laptop, we want you to be able to continue updating it so it works well for as long as you need it.”
Analysis: different users, different needs
Patel is right that the Framework Laptop and MacBook Neo come from very different schools of thought. Apple has always wanted to maintain control over its products and has had a hard time convincing the company to start opening up its devices, mainly the threat of legal action from organizations such as the European Union (EU).
But there are other reasons for Apple’s decision to make its laptops less repairable than others. One is a simple case of practicality: making thin products with many internal components often requires squeezing everything together tightly, which of course makes product parts difficult to remove. On top of that, Apple has talked in the past about how it leans toward longevity over repairability, and modular and repairable parts are potential points of failure that can affect the lifespan of a device.
In the case of the MacBook Neo, this is a laptop designed for new Mac users and people with modest demands; In other words, the type of customer who is highly unlikely to want to open their device and fiddle with its innards. Framework users tend to be the polar opposite, having purchased a laptop designed specifically to be taken apart. If Apple knows that its MacBook Neo customers aren’t interested in repairing their own laptops, it will likely focus on long-term reliability rather than easy access to internal components.
That approach is reflected elsewhere. While Patel says the Framework can be continually updated to make it last longer, it’s not like Apple’s MacBooks fail quickly. A recent study showed that MacBooks last around twice as long as Windows PCs in business environments, while another analyst claimed that the MacBook Neo could cost half as much in the long run compared to a similarly priced Windows PC thanks to the lower replacement frequency of Apple laptops.
Of course, if you are one of those who repair a small laptop at home, Framework will be ideal for your needs. It allows you to upgrade it multiple times throughout its lifespan, giving you much more control over your device than Apple will ever allow for the MacBook Neo. And in that sense, Patel makes a good point, but it may not be the whole picture.
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