MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Early 2011 AirPort/Bluetooth Board Replacement
Upgrades
You can cost-effectively upgrade a number of components in the MacBook Pro 15" Early 2011.
- Memory: If your MacBook Pro is still running with only the stock RAM, upgrading will provide a dramatic performance boost at minimal cost. [invalid guide link] to the maximum of 16 GB (two 8 GB modules) is simple and provides unmatched performance.
- Hard Drive: 500 or 750 GB hard drives came standard with the MacBook Pro 15" Early 2011. You can [invalid guide link] the drive up to 2 TB to expand your storage.
Troubleshooting
Track down a number of hardware problems using the MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Troubleshooting page
Identification and Background
The MacBook Pro 15" Early 2011 Unibody was announced in February of 2011.
Use the laptop identification system to help you identify your machine. MacBooks tend to look very similar, and it's important to know which machine you have before ordering any replacement parts.
The MacBook Pro 15" Early 2011 Unibody's case is composed of a single block of aluminum, following the same process of the MacBook Unibody and the MacBook Pro 17" Unibody Repair. The Unibody revision also introduced some features that were never before seen on an Apple laptop: the inclusion of dual video cards (one for regular use, one for graphics intensive applications), the Mini DisplayPort (which replaced the full-size DVI display connector), and larger hard drive and RAM capacities.
The MacBook Pro 15" Early 2011 is one of the first Apple laptops powered by an Intel quad-core i7. It features an AMD Radeon HD graphics processor. The newest addition to the family is Intel's new high-speed connector technology called Thunderbolt. Thunderbolt is supposed to transfer data at a rate of 10 gigabits per second. It can also be used to connect computers to external monitors and transfer data at the same time, all with a single cable.
Additional Information
- iFixit: List of Troubleshooting Guides
- iFixit: Mac OS X HD Reinstallation Tips
- iFixit: DIY Laptop Upgrades
- Wikipedia: MacBook Pro Page
- Mactracker: Application with Apple Product Specs
- EveryMac: MacBook Pro Product Specs
- Apple: MacBook Pro
- iFixit Blog: MacBook Pro Unibody Headphone Jack Issues
- iFixit Blog: MacBook Pro 15" Teardown