I am cry $400 to fix a broken keyboard on my laptop.

[DCal430]

The P and Enter key on the laptop stop working and I need to replace the keyboard. The cost to replace is $400. I am going to cry. :'( Highway robbery.

 

[alfa147x]

Do it yourself? Find another place?

Go throw the laptop at jesus?

 

[ThatsABigOne]

Buy one from Ebay, and install it yourself.

 

[Schadenfroh]

You can replace the keyboard yourself, it is not difficult, I guarantee the keyboard itself costs a fraction of that. The service manual for your laptop should be available online if you need instructions.

 

[FleshLight]

I'm guessing Sony laptop?

 

[gevorg]

Should be very easy unless its an Apple laptop.

 

[DCal430]

This is a macbook pro, the keyboard it self can be had for $200, but it isn't a simple keyboard replacment. the Problem with the unibody macbooks is there is no way to replace only keyboard, it comes as part of the whole top cover which includes the trackpad, power switch, and speakers. It is all one thing together and cannot be seperated.

 

[alfa147x]

Should be very easy unless its an Apple laptop.

You just need a new top case

 

[alfa147x]

This is a macbook pro, the keyboard it self can be had for $200, but it isn't a simple keyboard replacment. the Problem with the unibody macbooks is there is no way to replace only keyboard, it comes as part of the whole top cover which includes the trackpad, power switch, and speakers. It is all one thing together and cannot be seperated.

I would try a local mac repair shop. Though $200 is not terrible for laptop keyboards

 

[Locut0s]

This is a macbook pro, the keyboard it self can be had for $200, but it isn't a simple keyboard replacment. the Problem with the unibody macbooks is there is no way to replace only keyboard, it comes as part of the whole top cover which includes the trackpad, power switch, and speakers. It is all one thing together and cannot be seperated.

Might be able to get a broken Macbook Pro on Ebay for cheaper no?

 

[alfa147x]

Might be able to get a broken Macbook Pro on Ebay for cheaper no?

no not a unibody.

 

[DCal430]

I would try a local mac repair shop. Though $200 is not terrible for laptop keyboards

$200 is just the top case + keyboard. It doesn't include the installation. I seen instructions, but you have to disasemble the whole laptop and it seems rather complex.

I replaced a dell and thinkpad keyboard before and they were both much cheaper and simpler than this.

Everyone else seems to make laptops parts easily replaceable, everyone except apple. On the Dell I could swap out the batter, upgrade the HDD, upgrade the memory with such ease. Not so on an apple.

 

[Locut0s]

no not a unibody.

That sucks. Well that's one of the prices you pay for going with apple. I'm not really anti apple but they are expensive.

 

[alfa147x]

$200 is just the top case + keyboard. It doesn't include the installation. I seen instructions, but you have to disasemble the whole laptop and it seems rather complex.

I replaced a dell and thinkpad keyboard before and they were both much cheaper and simpler than this.

Everyone else seems to make laptops parts easily replaceable, everyone except apple. On the Dell I could swap out the batter, upgrade the HDD, upgrade the memory with such ease. Not so on an apple.

I;m not getting into a dell / pc vs apple discussion with you. I understand that you have to disassemble the entire laptop to get to it. That is why I said you should take it to a repair shop that way you can hold someone accountable.

I personally like my unibody macbook. My last one had a bad trackpad and I walked into an apple store and the guy handed me a newer gen macbook pro. The MBP was a month out of warrantee

 

[alfa147x]

That sucks. Well that's one of the prices you pay for going with apple. I'm not really anti apple but they are expensive.

They actually aren't too terrible you just need a steady hand and some organization.

http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/MacBook-Pro-13-Inch-Unibody-Early-2011-Upper-Case-Replacement/6042/1


Actually that seems a lot easier than my last HP laptop. If you can keep track of screws that link should help you.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

That sucks. $400 to repair a laptop is beyond the pale. I'd transfer everything to a desktop and sell it.

 

[Schadenfroh]

<lecture>

I replaced a dell and thinkpad keyboard before and they were both much cheaper and simpler than this.

I know it is a bit late, but let this be a lesson to you, do not purchase equipment or models from vendors that are so proprietary that you cannot perform routine maintenance. Also, suggest to your friends and family, whose PCs you will likely be repairing, not to purchase such proprietary models.
</lecture>

 

[Locut0s]

They actually aren't too terrible you just need a steady hand and some organization.

http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/MacBook-Pro-13-Inch-Unibody-Early-2011-Upper-Case-Replacement/6042/1


Actually that seems a lot easier than my last HP laptop. If you can keep track of screws that link should help you.

Wow that's a fair bit of work. I could certainly do it and that's a useful link thanks (though I don't own a mac). What I dislike the most is the use of the different torqx bits, that just seems unnecessary to me. That and I always hate it when companies use tape for anything, it never sticks back as nicely as it was originally.

 

[alfa147x]

Wow that's a fair bit of work. I could certainly do it and that's a useful link thanks (though I don't own a mac). What I dislike the most is the use of the different torqx bits, that just seems unnecessary to me. That and I always hate it when companies use tape for anything, it never sticks back as nicely as it was originally.

Yeah it's a bit of work but what I've always hated about working on Dell's and HP's is that they use/d a lot of clip on parts. Those clips never did go back on correctly. Also it looks like Apple used a lot of ribbon type cables those are much easier to re-route.

^I worked IT repair at my university. Though I am now an Apple fan boy

 

[Locut0s]

Yeah it's a bit of work but what I've always hated about working on Dell's and HP's is that they use/d a lot of clip on parts. Those clips never did go back on correctly. Also it looks like Apple used a lot of ribbon type cables those are much easier to re-route.

^I worked IT repair at my university. Though I am now an Apple fan boy

Yeah FAR prefer some type of screw or other hard type of connection to clips. D:

 

[DCal430]

I;m not getting into a dell / pc vs apple discussion with you. I understand that you have to disassemble the entire laptop to get to it. That is why I said you should take it to a repair shop that way you can hold someone accountable.

I personally like my unibody macbook. My last one had a bad trackpad and I walked into an apple store and the guy handed me a newer gen macbook pro. The MBP was a month out of warrantee

I will never buy a dell again. Cheaply made crap. Whole laptop casing made from nothing but plastic. Even the hinges to hold the screen to the latop was made from nothing but plastic. Really low quality.

That is one thing I like about apple, they seem have high quality material and build.

 

[alfa147x]

Yeah FAR prefer some type of screw or other hard type of connection to clips. D:

Oh another thing that KILLED me was those slide in ribbon connectors. They have the little bar that locks into place? Yeah fucking hated them.

Oh and these too:

I much prefer the press down type. I also prefer apple's build down idea with the unibodys. Makes disassembly much easier. But sucks when you have to replace something like the keyboard /trackpad / power button

 

[alfa147x]

I will never buy a dell again. Cheaply made crap. Whole laptop casing made from nothing but plastic. Even the hinges to hold the screen to the latop was made from nothing but plastic. Really low quality.

That is one thing I like about apple, they seem have high quality material and build.

yeah but it's more $$$

 

[Locut0s]

Oh another thing that KILLED me was those slide in ribbon connectors. They have the little bar that locks into place? Yeah fucking hated them.

Oh and these too:

I much prefer the press down type. I also prefer apple's build down idea with the unibodys. Makes disassembly much easier. But sucks when you have to replace something like the keyboard /trackpad / power button

Eeew I just noticed they use adhesive to hold the speakers in place? HATE that.

 

[alfa147x]

Eeew I just noticed they use adhesive to hold the speakers in place? HATE that.

ugh yeah that looks rough