Apple Macbook, Macbook Pro, and Macbook Air Upgradability / Repairability Chart (Hard drives, RAM, etc)

I’m sick of scouring the internet for which Apple computers are upgradable and which aren’t. As a computer repair shop owner of 4 years, and IT systems admin — I have a hard time buying a laptop that I can’t repair. Hard drives and solid state drives deteriorate and die (no matter what!) so something swappable is very important to me.

Here’s what I’ve found around the net for each model. Hopefully this helps others that may also be looking for the same information!

Upgradability, All 13″ Models (Other sizes are usually similar)

Macbook	Early 2010	Mid 2010	Late 2010	Early 2011	Mid 2011	Early 2015
HDD/SSD
RAM

 

Macbook Pro (NON-Retina)	Mid 2009	Mid 2010	Early 2011	Late 2011	Mid 2012
HDD/SSD
RAM

 

Macbook Pro (Retina)	Late 2012	Early 2013	Late 2013	Mid 2014	Early 2015
HDD/SSD
RAM

 

Macbook Air	Late 2010	Mid 2011	Mid 2012	Mid 2013	Early 2014	Early 2015
HDD/SSD
RAM

 

Note: Apple has announced in March 2016, that the Mid-2010 Class of laptops and older are now “obsolete”. Thus, if laptops are missing from pre-2010, that’s why. Some years may not have had a new laptop release, but may be mentioned on the charts indicating that hasn’t hasn’t screwed it up yet.

 = Standard & Inexpensive 2.5″ Size Hard Drive or Solid State Drive

 = Proprietary & Expensive, But Doable if you have to replace it.

 = Soldered down; You’re screwed.