That's a drop in the bucket. You can't change the RAM or the SSD, recover data, or change things without proprietary tools. Also, no schematics. And two programs Apple launched for independent retailers and consumers are PR stunts. My friends own a phone and laptop repair shop chain capable of component-level repair.
It's not inevitable. They took a cue from Apple to make dumb product decisions like followers. I bailed out from Lenovo at the T480 stop because the T490 was contaminated by Apple KoolAid. Dual internal batteries for real 10 hour runtime, 64 GiB RAM (Intel and Lenovo both say it shouldn't work but it does. memtest86 proved it), quad core i7 (a little old but plenty fast), discrete graphics, plenty of ports, USB-C charging, repairable, good keyboard with spill drain holes, optional magnesium display top cover, mil-spec drop rating, compact, a bit on the heavy side, and swappable external batteries.
If I had to buy another laptop today, it would be difficult. Probably another T480.
I gotta wonder what you do with one of these machines when the SSD finally kicks the bucket... Sure there are incredibly difficult board-level repair options, but I'll be forever baffled as to why Apple didn't just put an M.2 slot in there for the hell of it. There's a freakin' SD card reader on there, they couldn't be bothered to drop in an NVMe slot? I know which one most professionals would prefer...
Beginning around 2014, slots were taken away by CFO Tim "F Coolness, Make Em Pay" Cook to overprice RAM and SSDs so prosumers couldn't upgrade them ourselves with commodity parts.
Edit: They took away the SD card reader for a while too. "Buy a dongle! Use Time Machine! Buy a new one!" are the most common "solutions" offered.
I have come to realise that the most important thing about my MBP is the large trackpad. I am getting a standalone Apple trackpad to see if it will work with a PC / Laptop.
If it does give me the same experience that I am so used to, its time for me to ditch the MBP.
I am seeing older, professional users move away from MBP, making way for the younger 'use and throw' generation. Repairing is already a dying way of life.
And the Apple tax is only getting more and more soul-sucking.
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[ 3.5 ms ] story [ 21.2 ms ] threadIf I had to buy another laptop today, it would be difficult. Probably another T480.
Edit: They took away the SD card reader for a while too. "Buy a dongle! Use Time Machine! Buy a new one!" are the most common "solutions" offered.
Better not see anyone storing their bitcoins on that thing and cry later because they 'forgot to backup' as their M1 laptop just 'died'.
I am seeing older, professional users move away from MBP, making way for the younger 'use and throw' generation. Repairing is already a dying way of life.
And the Apple tax is only getting more and more soul-sucking.