Looking for MacBook Pro 15-inch Unibody repair in London? Our technicians diagnose and fix it in-house, with a quote before any work starts.
The 15-inch unibody MacBook Pro (A1286) was the professional’s laptop for four years. It shares the easy-access drive and RAM of the 13-inch but adds a discrete graphics chip, and that’s where the trouble is: the 2011 models with AMD Radeon 6490M, 6750M or 6770M graphics are notorious for GPU failure. The 2008–2009 models with NVIDIA 9600M GT have their own graphics issues. Everything else about the A1286 is very serviceable.
Common faults we fix
- No video or grey/blue screen at start-up (2011 Radeon GPU)
- Distorted graphics on 2008–2009 NVIDIA models
- Hard drive failure or slowness
- Swollen battery
- Cracked glass or dead LCD
Services for this model
We have dedicated pages for the most common jobs:
- Graphics (gpu) repair
- Ssd upgrade
- Ram upgrade
- Battery replacement
- Screen replacement
- Data recovery
- Logic board repair
We also handle fault diagnosis, macOS reinstallation, data migration (from £79 + VAT) and full cleaning and servicing (from £95 + VAT).
At a glance
| Years | 2008–2012 |
|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Core 2 Duo, then Core i5/i7 with NVIDIA or AMD graphics |
| Storage | Standard SATA drive |
| Memory | Socketed, upgradeable |
| Battery | Screwed in (no glue) |
| Power / charging | MagSafe 1 |
Before you bring it in
Write down the fault in a sentence or two, any error messages, and the login password if you’re happy for us to test macOS. Bring the charger too.
Which model do you have?
This page covers the MacBook Pro 15-inch Unibody (2008–2012) (MacBookPro5,1 to 9,1; A1286). Open the Apple menu, choose About This Mac, then More Info or System Report. The A-number is also printed in small text on the underside. Not sure? Bring it in and we’ll identify it for you.
Price
We give you a fixed quote after a free initial assessment, before any work starts. The initial assessment and advice are free, as long as we don't need to open your Mac. If a technician needs to open it and spend time diagnosing the fault, or you need a report for an insurance claim, it is booked in as a diagnostic at £45 + VAT (£54). All prices are subject to inspection, and nothing is done without your approval.
Questions we’re often asked
Is a Mac this age worth repairing?
It depends what you use it for. For recovering data, running legacy software or keeping a working studio setup, often yes. We give you the cost upfront and an honest view on whether it makes sense.
Can you fit an SSD while it’s here?
Yes. This model uses a standard sata drive, and swapping to an SSD at the same time is often the best-value upgrade you can make.
How much does it cost?
See the price section above. We always quote before starting, and if we can’t fix it, you don’t pay for the repair.
Book a repair
For a free, no-obligation quote, call 020 7394 2528 or email info@mac-repair.london.