Tag: USB-C

Things break. And sometimes change is a good thing. But how do you decide when to repair or replace your electronics? Well the answer is simple: it should be on your terms. Not the manufacturer’s.

How to decide to repair or replace

As a rule of thumb: if it costs under 50% of the price of the device to fix it, it’s worth fixing.

If your phone is a year old or older, and it’s seemingly getting slow, it may be due to battery degradation, in which case a battery replacement is all you may need to get back to 100%. (We help with those!).

If your storage is near full (and the storage is soldered like it is in virtually any phone or newer MacBook) and setting up cloud or external storage sounds daunting – a new device is probably in order. Just make sure you get the model that you think would serve your storage requirements! For future-proofing your phone, aim for 512 gigabytes and avoid 128 gigabyte models.

There are other factors that should be taken into consideration, such as RAM memory capacity (if it is not expandable) and processor speed, when making a decision to repair or replace an older device. Newer flagship phones are overbuilt, leading to 4+ year old phones like the Samsung S21 Ultra and iPhone Xs to be good, reliable options to this day.

In spite of the ‘experts,’ it may not be certain doom for your device just yet

Back in 2018, CBS did a segment featuring Louis Rossmann, a well-known repair advocate. In it, he revealed how a bent backlight pin on a MacBook’s display cable led to an Apple Store quoting a $1,200 logic board replacement:

And it never got better. I’ve had the pleasure of helping someone in the same boat – this MacBook was purchased used, complete with its original charger. After about six months’ use, while it was connected to the charger, the owner heard a loud crack. The laptop came in dead — unable to boot or charge.

This is what the USB-C port looked like:

So, the owner brought it to the Apple store. With no warranty or care plan, the cost for Apple to ‘fix’ the MacBook was prohibitively expensive. They told her to scrap it; and get a new one.

This happened before I officially founded CrispFix. At the time, it was a personal favor for a friend; someone who trusted me to take a second look before giving up on her MacBook. When I opened it up to look at the board, it looked absolutely fine. All the capacitors and components looked pristine; none were visibly blown.

Before even diving into board schematics (remember, this was a personal favor), I immediately suspected the problem was only with the port – a $20 part. In the repair and diagnostic world, we work with the clues we get. After a day of waiting and 15 minutes of reassembly, the MacBook was as good as new.

Therefore, before you’re convinced you need a replacement, it’s worth getting a second opinion from someone who isn’t trying to sell you a new device. Schedule a quote today, and let’s see if it’s really the end of the line.