daboss6

Q: where do i find my macbook pro model number? like a1398?

where do i find my macbook pro model number? like a1398?

MacBook Pro (Retina, Mid 2012)

Posted on Aug 25, 2013 2:10 PM

Close

Q: where do i find my macbook pro model number? like a1398?

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by Frank Caggiano,

    Frank Caggiano Frank Caggiano Aug 25, 2013 2:17 PM in response to daboss6
    Level 7 (25,796 points)
    Aug 25, 2013 2:17 PM in response to daboss6

    See MacBook Pro: How to find the serial number

     

    Basically if the system is running you can look in About this Mac->More Info

     


  • by Jan Andreas Knudsen,

    Jan Andreas Knudsen Jan Andreas Knudsen Sep 8, 2013 10:27 PM in response to Frank Caggiano
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Sep 8, 2013 10:27 PM in response to Frank Caggiano

    Frank Caggiano wrote:

     

    See MacBook Pro: How to find the serial number

     

    Basically if the system is running you can look in About this Mac->More Info

     


    The original poster was asking about the model number, not the serial number. I can't find the model number in About this Mac->More Info.

  • by clintonfrombirmingham,

    clintonfrombirmingham clintonfrombirmingham Sep 8, 2013 10:35 PM in response to Jan Andreas Knudsen
    Level 7 (30,009 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 8, 2013 10:35 PM in response to Jan Andreas Knudsen

    It's on the box - if you still have it - but only under "About This Mac," "More Info..." can you find "15-inch Late 2011," for example - not the 'model number'.

     

    Clinton

  • by babowa,

    babowa babowa Sep 8, 2013 11:00 PM in response to Jan Andreas Knudsen
    Level 7 (32,103 points)
    iPad
    Sep 8, 2013 11:00 PM in response to Jan Andreas Knudsen

    Apple changed to identify models by a model identifier number some time ago and it is shown in the file path mentioned above - here is mine from my laptop:

     

    Screen Shot 2013-09-08 at 10.57.31 PM.png

     

    My model identifier is MBP 9,2. They've also started identifying models by "iMac mid 2010", "MBP late 2012", etc.

  • by Jan Andreas Knudsen,

    Jan Andreas Knudsen Jan Andreas Knudsen Sep 9, 2013 12:09 AM in response to babowa
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Sep 9, 2013 12:09 AM in response to babowa

    Aha! Do you have any sources that support the claim that they've dropped model numbers? The box on my Mid-2013 MacBook Air has model number A1466 printed on it. And Apple have been using Model Identifier names for many years.

  • by clintonfrombirmingham,

    clintonfrombirmingham clintonfrombirmingham Sep 9, 2013 12:20 AM in response to Jan Andreas Knudsen
    Level 7 (30,009 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 9, 2013 12:20 AM in response to Jan Andreas Knudsen

    They haven't dropped 'part' numbers - which is what's on the box. Now, however, Macs are identified with a model identifier (e.g., "9,1") or size/dates of release (e.g., "15-inch Mid-2012").

     

    The part number is on the box and can't be found using any software that I know of.

     

    Clinton

  • by babowa,

    babowa babowa Sep 9, 2013 8:20 AM in response to Jan Andreas Knudsen
    Level 7 (32,103 points)
    iPad
    Sep 9, 2013 8:20 AM in response to Jan Andreas Knudsen

    Here is some info:

     

    http://www.everymac.com/systems/by_capability/mac-specs-by-model-number-family-n umber.html

     

    As you can see, the model number is now used for several different models in the same "family" and is no longer unique, whereas previously (and if I remember correctly) every Mac had its own model number: if it was a 1.8 GHZ, it was MB1xxxLL/A  vs. same family, but a 2.0 GHz, the number would be different. And, by saying "dropped using model numbers", I meant that Apple no longer really identifies a machine by that number - I'm not "claiming" anything. They now regularly use the "iMac 9,2" Identifier as evidenced in About this Mac System Info.

     

    FWIW, the EMC number (found on the bottom of the stand for iMacs) is far more precise (but that is not a model number). I don't know where it would be located on other Macs.

  • by Jan Andreas Knudsen,

    Jan Andreas Knudsen Jan Andreas Knudsen Sep 10, 2013 10:45 PM in response to babowa
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Sep 10, 2013 10:45 PM in response to babowa

    Great, thanks for the info!

  • by evelinapr,

    evelinapr evelinapr Dec 1, 2013 5:06 PM in response to daboss6
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 1, 2013 5:06 PM in response to daboss6

    I found it.  It's on the bottom of your laptok in a very small letter. I have three macbook different years and all of then have it there. Hope this help.

  • by KadenP,

    KadenP KadenP Dec 14, 2013 10:55 PM in response to evelinapr
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 14, 2013 10:55 PM in response to evelinapr

    Unfortunately, that's not it either.  On the bottom of my MBP from Mid 2010 it says "A1286".  That's great, but that's not the unique model number.  For instance, looking for a keyboard for it I found one that is compatible with:

     

    (MC371LL/A, A1286, MacBookPro6,2) - Mid 2010
    (MC372LL/A, A1286, MacBookPro6,2) - Mid 2010
    (MC373LL/A, A1286, MacBookPro6,2) - Mid 2010

     

    Each one of those is MBP6,2 from Mid 2010, model A1286, but what about those first sets of numbers?  Is mine one of those three?  Or did they make more than just those three and mine may be one of the ones not listed?

     

    I can't seem to find any way to know for sure, short of ordering the thing and hoping that it fits.  :-/

  • by EVO67,

    EVO67 EVO67 Dec 15, 2013 4:12 AM in response to KadenP
    Level 2 (305 points)
    Dec 15, 2013 4:12 AM in response to KadenP

    KadenP wrote:

     

    Unfortunately, that's not it either.  On the bottom of my MBP from Mid 2010 it says "A1286".  That's great, but that's not the unique model number.  For instance, looking for a keyboard for it I found one that is compatible with:

     

     

    (MC371LL/A, A1286, MacBookPro6,2) - Mid 2010
    (MC372LL/A, A1286, MacBookPro6,2) - Mid 2010
    (MC373LL/A, A1286, MacBookPro6,2) - Mid 2010

     

     

    Each one of those is MBP6,2 from Mid 2010, model A1286, but what about those first sets of numbers?  Is mine one of those three?  Or did they make more than just those three and mine may be one of the ones not listed?

     

    I can't seem to find any way to know for sure, short of ordering the thing and hoping that it fits.  :-/

    Those are "order numbers", in this case:

    • MC371LL/A = 2.4 GHz CPU
    • MC372LL/A = 2.53 GHz CPU
    • MC373LL/A = 2.66 GHz CPU

     

    These are all the flavors there exists for a model A1286 with identifier "MacBookPro6,2".

     

    Going back to the excellent earlier post of babowa  I believe it works as follows:

     

    • The model number (A1286) which you can find on the bottom of your MBP doesn't say too much: it's used from late 2008 to mid 2012 MBP 15" models.
    • In addition you have model identifiers (MacBookPro6,2), which in your case nears it down to a mid-2010 model.
    • But you can also have different model numbers for a single model identifier and there comes in the EMC number Balboa mentions. I believe it's a unique comination between a model number and a model identifier. For example, the MacBookPro3,1 can be a 15" or a 17", which each a different model number (A1226 and A1229) so they each have a unique EMC number. I wouldn't know where to find the EMC number on a MBP, by the way.
    • One step down: within each model identifier you have several order numbers, the three you have listed above. Generally they distinguish different CPUs in standard configurations. However, if there is CTO/BTO option to upgrade a CPU it would not have its own order number. My BTO MBP 17" mid-2010 has an i7 2.66 GHz CPU but the order number is equal to the standard i5 2.53 GHz CPU.

     

    Apart the very good website babowa provided a link to, you can download the free (donationware) application Mactracker from the App Store, which is a well maintained database of about every piece of hardware and every OS Apple ever released with a very friendly user interface. Click on "This Mac" and you got all the info I described above.

     

    Message was edited by: EVO67

  • by SonicSquirrel,

    SonicSquirrel SonicSquirrel Apr 13, 2014 10:50 PM in response to daboss6
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 13, 2014 10:50 PM in response to daboss6

    Toolbar > Apple Menu > About This Mac > More Info


    Click the "Support" tab in upper right of toolbar.

    It will link to the Apple Support page dedicated to yur make and model.

    About half way down the page is a table with your model #s -

     

    #s are based on the processor config. so you have to go back and double cheeck which processor you have if you don't know. Table looks like this:mac.png