Mac Repair London carries out a screen replacement on the MacBook Pro 15-inch Unibody from our Central London workshop, for home users and businesses.
The 15-inch unibody has a separate glass panel over the LCD on glossy models; matte anti-glare models have no separate glass, so any damage means replacing the whole display assembly. We work out which you have and whether the LCD or only the glass is damaged, then quote accordingly.
About this model: 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.
Signs it needs a screen replacement
- Cracked glass, working image
- Damaged or flickering LCD
- Backlight fault
- Anti-glare panel damage
How we do it
Before quoting for a new screen, we connect an external display and inspect the display cable, so we know whether the fault is in the screen itself, the cable or the logic board.
Before we hand it back, we test the new screen on a full range of colours and brightness levels and check the camera and sensors.
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
Take a photo of the damage while the Mac is on, especially if the fault comes and goes. It helps us tell a panel fault from a cable or graphics fault.
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
From £185 + VAT for the LCD panel, plus £75 + VAT fitting. Glass panel only: £150 + VAT, supplied and fitted. All prices are subject to inspection, and nothing is done without your approval.
Questions we’re often asked
Do you use genuine Apple parts?
Yes, wherever they still exist. For a Mac this age Apple no longer makes many parts, so we fit genuine Apple parts recovered from donor machines and tested before fitting. Where no genuine part is available at all, which mostly applies to batteries, we tell you before any work starts.
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.