2020 Macbook Pro A2251 Screen Failure

You are unlikely to save any money by doing this yourself. However, if you want to do this yourself, then use the Apple Self Repair Program to acquire the parts (Display Assembly & Lid Angle Sensor). This will allow you properly configure the Lid Angle Sensor and it will configure the Display Assembly as well. You can also access the Apple service guide for models supported by that program before you even initiate a repair so you can review the process.

There are a lot of very fragile easily damaged cables & connectors as well as extremely tiny screws. In fact the connector for the Battery Flex Cable is very easy to break no matter how careful you are. If that breaks, then you are going to need a new Logic Board (I've managed to reinsert the broken latch with much practice...even lost a few of them because they get lost easily, but it is never the same again). Even if the instructions look easy enough for you, I can tell you from personal experience it will be more difficult than it looks.

You will need a new Lid Angle Sensor which needs to be calibrated with the replacement Display Assembly & paired to your Logic Board. If you try to re-use the original Lid Angle Sensor will result with incorrect triggering of system sleep/wake when moving the lid. Plus trying to use one from else where may not work since it is not paired to your Logic Board even if it is calibrated to the replacement Display Assembly.

Emmseegee_ wrote:

My second failed MacBook in 8 years. Also my last.

£3500 on laptops in 8 years with zero sell on value at the end. Ridiculous.

Apple store would have been happy to charge £480 for a repair.

Is it only me who feels ripped off that a £2000 fails after 5 years of light use? Am I expecting too much?

Any one specific experience does not necessarily bear on the statistical likelihood of this over millions of laptops, but of course it is still very real for the person that experiences it.

I have been buying AppleCare+ for all our devices because they are all compact compressed into small spaces ... laptops, iMacs, iPhones ... that said, over maybe more than a dozen computers and more than half a dozen iPhones, I have made only two claims over more than 20 years, both for iPhones, and both were replaced with new devices. So I no doubt have paid WAY more for the AppleCare than I would have just paying for repairs or new devices. But I continue to get AppleCare, maybe to have peace of mind and not have the experience that you had. So that is an option.

I looked up what ConsumerReports says about failure and repair incidence for laptops. ConsumerReports has millions of subscribers and obtains its statistics and rating by canvasing those millions for their experiences.

Apple laptops have the highest reliability rating, 97 out of 100 score. In the 14-inch category next best is a Samsung laptop with a reliability rating of 69/100. Similar for 13-inch and 16-inch categories.

By the way, the "sell value" after 5 years of a used laptop is very low. Maybe $300-$400 US. At most.

We have thousands of these Apple laptops in use at my employer. I don't recall any failing like this but I am sure some have. For my personal devices, I go with Apple because I prefer the user interface and the reliability ratings are far higher than Windows machines. And I also get AppleCare+ just in case. But you have a right to be chagrined and are free to no longer use Apple devices. But statistically, repairs or failures are far more likely with the Windows type laptops. On the other hand, Windows laptops are cheaper, so maybe it works out.

I am not going to tell you that 5 years lifetime is adequate, I believe computers should last much longer than that. I am using a 2015 iMac right now, and also have a 2010 MacBook Air still working on its original SSD and battery (which has 84% life still) and a 2013 MacBook Air, and newer Macs (including Silicon ones).

If I were you I would get one of the new Apple MacBook Pros (such as the M5 14-inch) and let go of that $300 resale value (which is less than 3 years of AppleCare coverage cost). And I would get the AppleCare+ for the new laptop. I would not pursue repair of the laptop with the broken screen, it's a difficult repair for someone without the right Apple-specific training and not cost effective.