The Evolution of MacBook Parts: A Look Back at Apple’s Innovative Component Designs

Apple created the MacBook brand of Macintosh laptop computers. For twenty years, its renowned laptops have seen a significant evolution, starting with the release of the original MacBook in 2006 and continuing with the MacBook Pro and Air. 

We examine Apple’s laptop development, design, and innovative MacBook parts, starting with the original PowerBook and ending with the most recent MacBook Pro and Air models.

1. The PowerBook Era (1999-2005)

The PowerBook deserves mention before discussing the first Macbook. With cutting-edge features, including 2 MB of RAM, a PowerPC G3 processor, and a CD and DVD drive, the PowerBook was a very popular model during its time. With the PowerBook G4, which began to resemble the first MacBooks, the PowerBook era continued for more than ten years. Even though it weighed more than five pounds, the design was compact for 2001. It had a PowerPC G4 CPU, 128MB RAM, and a 5-hour battery life.

2. The First MacBook Pro (2006)

The original MacBook was introduced in 2006. It was the first to feature the recognizable illuminating keyboard, but it weighed more than five pounds and was one inch thick. Additionally, it was the first design to provide fall safety. 

It came in two colors — white and black. It had a 13.3-inch glossy widescreen display that was 79% brighter than previous models, an integrated iSight video camera, a MagSafe power connector, a Sudden Motion Sensor, and a scrolling trackpad. With a 67 GHz Intel Core Duo processor (up to four times faster than the PowerBook G4), 512 MB of RAM, a scrolling TrackPad, an integrated iSight camera, and an 80 GB hard drive, it has a lot of remarkable new features.

3. The First MacBook Air (2008)

Apple introduced the MacBook Air only a few years after the MacBook Pro. During its infamous introduction at Macworld 2008, CEO Steve Jobs claimed it to be the thinnest laptop in the world. Due to its small size, the MacBook Air was the first to remove the optical drive and add a multitouch touchpad with gesture support.

It had a 13-inch LED display, a full-size keyboard with backlighting, an integrated iSight camera, and other features. Later, Apple unveiled an 11.6-inch model to take on netbooks and ultrabooks. 

4. The MacBook Pro With Retina Display (2012)

In 2012, the MacBook Pro with Retina Display was finally released. Apple introduced its renowned high-resolution displays from iPhones to its Mac lineup. With more than 5 million pixels, it was the highest-resolution laptop display at the time. Additionally, it was the thinnest MacBook Pro ever and almost as light as the MacBook Air.

The features include an Intel Core i7 Quad-Core (2.7 GHz to 3.7 GHz), up to 16GB RAM, 768GB flash storage (SSD), and an HD camera. The battery life is up to 7 hours.

5. The Thinnest MacBook Pro (2015-2019)

After the line combined with the MacBook Pro in 2009, Apple returned the cherished MacBook. The new MacBook replaced the MacBook Air as the smallest and lightest Mac ever at barely 2 pounds and 13.1 mm thick. A 12-inch Retina display, a keyboard with a new butterfly mechanism, and a Force Touch trackpad were all included.

To achieve a thinner form and greater power efficiency, Apple implemented Thunderbolt 3/USB-C connectors in place of the MagSafe adaptor and traditional USB-A connections. The new MacBook had a fanless design and came in a variety of colors, including gold, silver, space gray, and, subsequently, rose gold, to match the iPhone 6s and iPad Pro ranges. In July 2019, Apple discontinued the MacBook, removing model overlap with the MacBook Air.

A full-size keyboard, new USB-C ports, a 1 GHz Dual-Core Intel Core M CPU (up to 2,4 GHz), 8 GB of RAM, and 256 GB of flash storage (SSD) are among the features. The battery life is up to 10 hours.

6. MacBook Pro (2016-2019)

In 2016, a new MacBook Pro series was unveiled. The first versions with the new Touch Bar above the keyboard and a Touch ID sensor were the new 13-inch and 15-inch variants. 

An Intel i5 (up to 3.1 GHz) or i7 (3.6 GHz) CPU, 256GB SSD (up to 2 TB), and 8GB RAM (up to 16 GB) are among the features. There are also Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) connectors, a 50% bigger trackpad, and more.

7. MacBook Air M1 (2020)

The most recent MacBook Air features a 7- or 8-core GPU and Apple’s new 8-core M1 processor. With graphics that are five times faster and SSD performance that is twice as fast, Apple claims the new Air is 3,5 times faster than its predecessor. With its fanless construction, the Air is silent and offers up to 18 hours of nonstop video playing. Both the MacBook Pro and the MacBook Air feature Apple’s updated “Magic” keyboard. It comes in silver, space gray, and gold colors.

8. MacBook Pro 13-in. M2 (2022)

The 13-inch MacBook Pro, which was unveiled alongside the most recent MacBook Air, switches to the M2 processor, which has an 8-core CPU and a 10-core GPU. It continues to be the only Apple laptop with the Touch Bar and now supports up to 2 TB of storage and up to 24 GB of unified memory. It still comes in silver and space gray, weighs 3 pounds, and has a 720p camera and dual speakers.

To Sum Up

Finding replacement parts for MacBooks gets harder each year as more new and better versions reach the market.

We can provide any parts you could need for the A1990 Pro model. The HDD storage capacity of the laptop is either 256 GB or 512 GB. Many logic boards with either i7 or i9 processors are available for search. Currently, 13-, 15-, and 17-inch LCD panels are offered. Top and bottom cases, cable adapters, cooling fans, audio boards, or clutch covers are always available at Appleparts.io.