Apple products have a well-established reputation for being difficult to repair, forcing many customers to opt for an Apple Care plan and have their devices repaired at a designated Apple Store. However, at least with the new MacBook Pro 2021, Apple has made opening the device for minor repairs a little easier, if still cumbersome.

According to a recent video by iFixit, the site was surprised by the relative ease of opening Apple's latest device. To get inside, all you have to do is remove a handful of screws and pry open the bottom panel. This is a big relief for MacBook fans who have had to deal with nearly unrepairable units since the Touch Bar days.

A major issue of concern for laptop owners is battery replacement. Batteries do not last long, and given the enormous price of the new MacBook Pro, which starts at $2,000, users will want to keep their devices as long as possible.

The new MacBook Pro's battery is divided into six units, each of which is held in place by an adhesive strip that can be easily pulled out. Once pulled out, a new replacement battery module can be ordered and slotted into place.

That does not mean that the rest of the machine can be easily disassembled. There are many small screws that can easily be lost. Also, replacing the entire screen would be a complicated mess. But at least it is possible. The ribbon cable that attaches the screen to the motherboard is also thankfully longer this time around.

Still, iFixit gave the new M1 Pro and M1 Max MacBook Pro a repairable score of 4/10, a far cry from the Framework Laptop, which scored a perfect 10/10. Still, 4/10 is much better than the dismal 1/10 for the MacBook Pro with Touch Bar, which was released in 2016.

It is unfortunate that the new MacBook Pro does not have user-upgradable storage, but let's hope Apple does not go back to a design where the battery is glued to the chassis.