iFixit Teardown Reveals Apple’s PROLED Logo Hack
iFixit teardown shows how Apple revived the glowing logo on its new touchscreen MacBook Pro with four LEDs and a two-way mirror.
TL;DR
- iFixit teardown of the touchscreen MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR display.
- Glowing logo uses four LEDs, reflective layer, diffuser and two-way mirror coating.
- Repair score 5/10; logic board removal needed for USB-C ports and fans.
Apple’s first touchscreen MacBook Pro just got the iFixit treatment. The teardown shows how the company revived the glowing logo without a traditional backlight.
The Glowing Logo Hack
Since the new model uses a tandem OLED display instead of LCD, Apple added a strip of four LEDs behind the lid. Light bounces off a reflective layer and through a diffuser for an even glow. The logo itself carries a two-way mirror coating that looks metallic when off but lets light through when the LEDs fire up.
Weight Cuts and Touch Tweaks
The laptop weighs 3 pounds, down from 3.4 pounds on the standard 14-inch model. Apple trimmed 92 grams from the chassis and 101 grams from the display assembly even after adding touch and the illuminated logo. The trackpad is slightly smaller too. The hinge is stiffer than on prior models so the screen wobbles less during taps.
Repairability Stays Tricky
iFixit gave the machine a 5 out of 10 repairability score. USB-C ports, fans, and the headphone jack still require removing the logic board. HDMI, SDXC, RAM, and storage stay soldered in place. Swapping logic boards between units worked smoothly, with the touchscreen, Touch ID, and other features calibrating correctly.
The Tea
Apple keeps chasing thinner, lighter, and flashier designs, but the repair tradeoffs remain the same old story. The glowing logo is a fun callback, yet getting to it means risking the whole OLED panel. Buyers paying top dollar might not care about fixes, but the rest of us are still left watching from the sidelines.