Did you accidentally spill liquid on your MacBook, and it’s not working anymore? Then, you may plan to take it to an Apple Store and get it fixed. But before doing that, you must know that fixing water-damaged MacBooks can be quite expensive. So is it worth the price? Let’s find out!
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Is It Worth Fixing A Water Damaged MacBook?
If your MacBook still meets your needs, has enough space left on its hard drive, runs fast, and is a newer model, then it is worth fixing your water-damaged MacBook. But it is not worth fixing if you have an older model with most of its hard drive space already occupied and its slow performance.
Imagine you are working on your MacBook and drinking water. Suddenly, you’re startled by something (say, your pet) and end up spilling all the water on your MacBook. So now your MacBook is water-damaged.
If your MacBook has got water damage, taking it to an Apple Store will give you quite an expensive quote. It will cost you anywhere between $500 to $850. And at such a costly repair, that’s almost half of the MacBook’s value. So you may not be sure whether or not to go ahead with the repair.
Before proceeding with the expensive repair, you need to ask yourself a few questions.
Does your Mac still meet your needs? Does it still run fast like it did when you bought it? Is there more than enough space left on its hard drive? Does it have the latest features like the Retina display? Is it less than three years old?
If your answer is yes to all these questions, it will be wise to gather money and fix it. Because you still like this MacBook, it has all the features and functionality you need. If nothing is compelling for you in the newer models, you should fix your old MacBook.
But if your answer is no to any or all of these questions, you may as well get a new model. That’s because water damage affects the logic board, which is one of the most expensive parts of your Mac.
If the logic board has been damaged, Apple will replace it, and the new one may cost you more than a new MacBook to repair your older model. Unfortunately, you cannot repair logic boards. So whenever you take your Mac to an Apple Store, they will replace the damaged logic board.
So the wise decision here would be to sell your damaged MacBook, use the money earned for repairs, and buy yourself a brand new MacBook that will last you longer than your older one. As a bonus, you will get all new features and more space in the newer models.
Are you planning on upgrading your old MacBook? Read my article to find out if upgrading your old MacBook Pro is worth it.
Can A Mac With Water Damage Be Fixed?
You can fix a MacBook with water damage by replacing all the damaged parts. If you take your water-damaged MacBook to an Apple Store, they will replace the broken parts with new ones. Since there is no such thing as “water damage repair,” Apple replaces those parts.
Apple repairs water-damaged MacBooks if the damage is not too catastrophic. The most common issues in water-damaged MacBooks are:
- A damaged logic board.
- Damaged trackpad or keyboard.
- Burned-out screen cable resulting from high voltage line for the LCD backlight.
- MacBooks not turning on the battery not being recognized.
So if your MacBook has water damage and you take it to an Apple Store for repair, they will replace the damaged parts to repair water damage. There is no such thing as Apple repair. Apple replaces the broken pieces.
Of course, this will not be free. Apple will charge you anywhere between $500-$850 for repairing water damage. AppleCare+ covers liquid damage and will cost a little less than the original repair costs if you have AppleCare+. Unfortunately, you cannot protect water-damaged MacBooks with a one-year warranty.
Just make sure you don’t tilt your MacBook after spilling the liquid, as it will spread the damage to other parts. Instead, keep your MacBook still and unplug it immediately after you have spilled liquid on it. Then, please take it to an Apple Store to get it repaired.
If the repair costs are more than a newer model, you should instead use that repair money to buy a new Mac and sell your damaged MacBook.
If you have a screen protector on your MacBook, it may change the Retina display. Read my article to learn if screen protectors affect Retina displays.