Different Machines, Different Failure Modes
An iMac is a desktop all-in-one. A MacBook is a portable laptop. The difference in use cases creates very different patterns of failure and very different repair approaches.
MacBooks travel, get dropped, have liquid spilled on them, and suffer battery degradation through constant charging cycles. iMacs sit on desks, rarely move, and fail differently — the most common iMac faults are storage failure (the hard drive or SSD), display issues, and performance degradation from dust accumulation over years of use.
Understanding this distinction helps set realistic expectations before you bring either machine in.
Common MacBook Faults
Battery degradation is the most common MacBook issue by volume. Lithium-polymer batteries have a finite cycle life, and a MacBook used daily will typically need a battery replacement every three to five years.
Liquid damage is the second most common category. Coffee, tea, and water spills find their way into MacBook keyboards and, in more serious cases, reach the logic board. The outcome depends on what was spilled and how quickly the machine was powered off.
Screen damage — cracked or shattered displays — affects MacBooks that are dropped or have something placed on the lid. Retina display replacement is a significant repair.
Keyboard faults — particularly on the butterfly keyboard generation (2016–2019 MacBook Pros) — are common. Sticky keys, non-functioning keys, and debris ingress are all frequently seen.
Logic board failures occur in MacBooks but are less common than the above. Certain generations are more prone to this (the 2011–2013 MacBook Pro with AMD discrete GPU is a well-known example).
Common iMac Faults
Hard drive and SSD failure is the most common iMac fault. Many iMacs shipped with mechanical hard drives, which have a typical lifespan of three to five years under regular use. iMacs from 2009 through to approximately 2017 are in an age range where original hard drives are likely to be at or near end of life.
Slow performance is closely related to storage. An iMac that was fast when new but has become increasingly sluggish over several years is very often running on a degrading hard drive. The same machine with an SSD fitted performs dramatically better.
Display issues — including backlight failure, flickering, and image retention — affect iMacs more commonly than MacBooks. The display is the dominant component in an iMac, and it’s subject to more hours of continuous use than most MacBook screens.
Overheating caused by dust accumulation is more common in iMacs than MacBooks. Desktop machines run for longer periods continuously and accumulate dust inside the chassis over years. An iMac that shuts down unexpectedly or runs fans at high speed constantly often just needs internal cleaning.
GPU faults on certain iMac generations (particularly 2011–2013 27-inch iMacs with AMD discrete graphics) are well documented. These cause graphical artefacts, scrambled display output, or failure to boot past a grey screen.
Opening Procedure: A Major Difference
MacBook
Modern MacBook access requires removing the bottom cover — typically 6–10 screws, a panel lift, and ribbon cable disconnection. The internal components are then accessible. For most MacBook repairs, this is a 5–10 minute process before the actual repair begins.
iMac
Opening an iMac is considerably more involved. The display is held to the chassis with either strong adhesive (on thin iMac models from 2012 onwards) or Phillips screws on a bezel (on older models). Adhesive-sealed iMacs require heating the adhesive with a heat gun or iMac opening wheel, cutting through the adhesive carefully without damaging the display or the chassis, and then managing the display panel, which is large and fragile.
Any iMac repair that requires accessing internal components — hard drive, SSD, RAM (on some models), logic board, fans — requires this display removal step. It adds complexity, time, and a small risk of display damage if not done correctly. This is reflected in iMac repair costs being generally higher than equivalent MacBook repairs, even for the same internal component replacement.
RAM and Storage Upgrades: What’s Possible
iMac
Older iMac models (27-inch iMacs from 2012–2019) have user-accessible RAM slots under a small door at the bottom of the stand. These can be upgraded relatively easily. SSDs and hard drives require display removal.
On the Apple Silicon iMac (M1, M3 — 2021 onwards), both RAM and storage are integrated into the system-on-chip. No upgrades are possible after purchase.
On Intel iMacs (21.5-inch), RAM is soldered on the later models. Upgrading is not possible.
MacBook
On Apple Silicon MacBooks (2020 onwards), RAM and storage are integrated and cannot be upgraded. On Intel MacBooks, some models had upgradeable RAM (pre-2012 MacBook Pros), but most modern Intel MacBooks have soldered RAM and cannot be upgraded after purchase. The exception is some MacBook Pros from 2015 and earlier.
The practical implication: For both iMacs and newer MacBooks, if you want more RAM or storage than the base configuration, you need to specify this at purchase time. After the fact, the only option is a SSD upgrade on models that support it.
Data Recovery Differences
MacBook: On Intel MacBooks, the SSD (or in older models, the hard drive) can typically be removed from the chassis for data recovery work, even if the logic board has failed. This makes data recovery more straightforward in many cases.
iMac: iMac storage is similarly accessible once the display is removed. Data recovery from a failed iMac drive follows the same process as from any other drive once it’s removed from the chassis.
Apple Silicon exception: On both Apple Silicon MacBooks and the M1/M3 iMac, storage is soldered to the logic board. If the logic board fails catastrophically, data recovery requires specialist tools and is significantly more complex. Regular backups (Time Machine, or a cloud solution) matter considerably more on Apple Silicon machines for this reason.
Cost Comparison
As a rough guide:
| Repair | MacBook | iMac |
|---|---|---|
| SSD replacement / upgrade | £120–£200 | £160–£280 |
| Screen replacement | £150–£450 | £250–£600 |
| Battery replacement | £90–£200 | N/A (iMac has no battery) |
| Logic board repair | £200–£400+ | £250–£500+ |
| Internal cleaning | £60–£80 | £80–£120 |
iMac repairs are generally higher due to the display removal requirement on modern adhesive-sealed models.
Which Repairs Are Worth Doing on Older Machines?
For an iMac that’s 8–10 years old, the decision typically comes down to whether the storage and software situation makes the machine viable long-term. An older iMac with a new SSD and a clean macOS install can feel dramatically improved — and if the display is good, it may be worth doing. If the display also has faults, the repair cost can approach replacement cost, and the calculation changes.
For older MacBooks, similar logic applies. A MacBook Air from 2015 with a new battery and a clean system can be a useful machine for light tasks — but it won’t run the latest macOS, and browser performance is limited by the hardware ceiling.
We always give an honest assessment. If a repair isn’t economically sensible, we’ll tell you.
Our Putney workshop handles MacBook repair and iMac repair across all generations. Call 020 7610 0500 or contact us to discuss your machine.