I had an old HP notebook with a dead screen back in 2005. A friend needed a PC, so I disconnected the screen and ribbon cables and he had a free pc. Worked pretty great and he used it for a couple of years.
Yep! A friend of mine did the same thing with an MSI gaming laptop (I can't remember the model number) that had a cracked screen, and basically had a free gaming PC courtesy of my cousin who gave it to me (and I passed it on to him)!
I did something like this with a laptop I had some time ago. The screen stopped working, but it otherwise worked well, so I removed the screen from it and used it with monitors I had access to. Was really convenient as I had access to all my files, and made me look like the stereotypical "hacker" types (for better or for worse!) The laptop also recognised that the "main screen" was removed, and treated the attached display as the primary (and only) display. That said, the keyboard needs to be protected, but otherwise it was a great experience and wouldn't mind it again!
@@fetchstixRHD Laptop sleeve for on the go use for keyboard protection with something like a piece of cardboard over the keyboard if you are oduble paranoid?
@@Montisaquadeis: Yeah that would have been a good idea, even something like a paper notebook would help a bit (especially to stop keys being pressed!) Can't remember why I didn't get one now 🤔
An MBP without the screen really hits different... 🤣 This mod is not exactly a new concept, but with how MacBooks are *notorious* for their un-repairability, some people might be surprised with how easy it is to do!
There are sensors near the trackpad that tell the MacBook that the lid is closed. You can usually trigger them with some smalll neodymium magnets there. This will help with the extended display thing, and you won't waste bandwidth driving nonexistent pixels.
the more i watched the more i realized this has some great implications: imagine if you buy a MBP with a BROKEN display, those can run 500-700 even, so just turn it into a desktop, bam, and hell - you can buy an external 'travel' monitor and put them into a laptop bag and keep an entire mobile setup if you wanted. But I can also see the opportunity for someone who, maybe masochistically, didn't ever use their MBP as a laptop, but in a henge dock or just closed, with other monitors, they could remove the screen and SELL it as parts for several hundred dollars. Hmmmmm
Back in 2021, I thought this was a fun idea but apparently my friends thought it was stupid...I'm kinda glad this is a thing now. I might try it for myself in the future.
This was cool! My mind immediately went to those that have modded a DS lite by removing the top screen and just keeping the bottom screen… essentially making “Gameboy Macro” of sorts… good stuff Ken!
I have to say that it really shatters my heart when I see people ripping perfectly functional computers. On the other hand though, the slab book concept is very amazing, I really hope Apple starts getting innovative in the aspect of ultra small and portable Macs.
I mean, this is hardly innovative if you think about it. Most computers in the 80s and quite a few in the 90s were sold like this. Like the Commodore 64, many Commodore Amigas, Atari ST, and well, even most Apple 2 models (if not all of them, I can't remember).
i think it would be really cool to take this one step further and seperate then inbed the keyboard and mouse into a desk and have a seamless desk pc. Like the content Ken, you have a sub from me
@@DNKI Please make a video about it! I figure that's not what your channel focuses on as standard. But I think you and Austin would make an awesome desk I could give you some advice on how easy it is to do just that. Cool you got your own channel now too.
First thing I’m hoping is if the antennas have been rerouted. They are generally in the lid, could expect Bluetooth and wifi to be weak and possibly burn out without antennas connected
I did this for a friend ten years ago as he broke his screen but as he was at college could not afford to replace it. So simple and great fun. It ran for years
Unfortunately, this brings back sour memories. I started using my Macbook air (last iteration powered by intel processor) like this because its screen stopped working after about 13 months. And getting it repaired (especially here in India) didn't make financial sense.
my original and first macbook pro a mid 2009 model, was dragged off the table by my dog while magsafe was plugged in ( funny it didnt disconnect like it was supposed to) and landed right on the display and killed it. this would have been a cool idea if I wasnt a broke college student at the time lol but luckily i had applecare
Never used a Mac before but if people can figure out a way to extend their usage of a device, way to go! Less e-waste How comfortable is the keyboard on macs? Is it like any regular laptop? Keep it up!
Some of the butterfly switch MacBooks from a few years ago were hated by most people, but generally the keyboard layouts are great. I think more uncontested is the trackpad - arguably still the best in the business and have been for the past decade.
This is interesting. I've thought about buying a used Macbook to use in my office, just hiding the laptop in the desk. Never thought about finding one with a broken screen and having it on the desk. That would be especially helpful since I really enjoy Mac's touchpads and gesture navigation.
I used to do this with old Intel MacBook Pro's that had broken displays. The biggest issue with this mod is if you see any antennas going into the monitor you will have to get some replacements. However since I haven't taken a Mac display apart for a while and haven't looked on iFixIt I don't know if there are antennas that run through the display of newer Macs.
What a coincidence. I have the same macbook pro and i was about to sell it today for 170 haha. But i felt the hardware is just too good for me to sell it that little even though the screen isnt working so i backed out from that offer 😂
I just got a 2008 MacBook Pro with a smashed screen, and I considered setting it up as a desktop solution, but I ultimately was able to find the replacement parts I needed to get it turned into a laptop again.
I've been doing this for ages with my old laptops which had broken screens and deemed not worth the screen replacement costs. Removing the screen was more convenient to use without it blocking the external monitor I was hooking them up to.
@@troykutcha8846totally no display? I think u can try few things if you're sure the laptop and graphics still works: 1. Try a different VGA/hdmi cable 2. If you're using any converter try not to use it, or try change another converter 3. Try a different monitor 4. Ensure u selected the right output. Try switching between cloned, extended and external monitor.
Honestly kinda wanna see the return of C64/Amiga 500 style Wedge micro pc's, I have a console gamer friend who daily drives a Raspberry Pi 400 as his main PC alongside his Xbox and honestly I think its a neat little setup
I have a Raspberry Pi 400 in my bag as an "emergency computer", as it's so light and small that it's easy to carry, and can do quite a lot! Would quite love to see more computers in that form too...
Working in e-waste I get a fair number of old MBPs that come through, and I have toyed with the idea of bolting one to the underside of my desk and running and keyboard and monitor from it to make a desktop Mac, but I never really got around to it, and the idea of more stuff crowding my desk bothers me. Neat idea though.
When I saw teardown of M1 Mac mini, I actually thought about something like that, that is so small and efficient, that actually could fit on a magic keyboard, more thicker to add ports but could be a nice idea, you already use space in your desktop for the keyboard all the time, why not have all the computer and ports there? then, I saw the MacBooks without screens trending 😮
Just purchased a M1 MacBook Air 16GB / 512GB with a broken screen @ roughly 25% of original cost. Removed the screen. Using Apple Thunderbolt 27" Display with the MacBook resting on the display foot. Added Wireless Matias full keyboard + Magic Mouse 2. MagSafe 2 to USB-C adapter (Elect Anywatt) powers the MB from the display. With the screen removed the MB defaults to the TB Display as the primary display. All needed Apple Thunderbolt 2 to Thunderbolt 3 Adapter. Works perfectly.
Awesome video. As a long time Mac user (I use MacOS and Ubuntu both daily and have for a long while), I was kinda wondering how the software would work without the display. I have done software updates before a few times where the external display would not want to reconnect so I had to use the internal display to at least get logged in before I could dock it back to my monitors. Knowing that I no longer had said external display would make me sweat bullets everytime I had to update.
I did this for a while with my 15 inch MacBook Pro when my screen got broke until I got lucky and found a grade a screen replacement for a good price while it work good as a desktop I am really happy to have a screen on it now
It does make for a sleek setup especially if you can buy an M1 macbook used or broken. And since the M1's are so powerful you don't really loose performance.
Imagine the screen being underneath this “decapitated” MacBook, and how there’s a sliding case used to prevent the screen from scratching when you turn the MacBook around
I also had to remove the wi-fi antenna from the screen and connect it back to the computer; otherwise I could not pickup a signal. Kinda a pain and it doesn't look great but hey, it works!
I find laptops being de-screened (or decapitated if looking at the screen as its head) quite funny as it is closer to the idea of the early home computers where the keyboard itself also contained the computer. Some examples being the Commodore 64, Amiga 500, Atari 8bit computers, etc. with a modern counterpart being the Raspberry Pi 400, but a bit odd at the same time since computer were big then became small inside keyboard shaped cases to dedicated towers and the removal of screens on laptops seems like both a step back (lack of upgradability) and forward at the same time (having a battery). Being a laptop when its headless (or screen-less) its functionally a desktop-like computer with its own UPS due to having the battery. Which would actually be useful in places where electricity may be unstable at times and that battery will help prevent the loss of what's being worked on. LOL that this went quite long for a comment on an almost year and a half old video.
While it's not a Macbook, I snagged a HP Laptop i5 -10300H with 16GB of ram and a GTX 1650 added a 512 NVME and it's been my main driver machine for work in my living room closed up in a grip laptop holder so it's essentially a "desktop" and has worked well.
Modern MacBook Pro's with the TouchBar had the bits and bobs needed for WiFi and Bluetooth in the heat dissipation shield right where the screen bezel was so there was no fuss when you took the screen out but Apple has found a way to shove the antennas back into their ultra thin screens on the new line of MacBooks without the Touch Bar so good luck with that.
a topic worth to be covered by a good tech journalist, the only downside of it, you can't enter a recovery mode without using built-in screen, so one way or the other on some point you would need a replacement screen to be connected
the display issue can be fixed if you make it into clamshell mode, or attaching magnets to the particular area of the previous screen. that should turn off the primary display
My MacBook m1’s LCD is trashed sadly. Though the main front glass is fine so this seems like a perfect mod for people in my position, as explained in other videos the screen needs to be replaced anyway so going half way through the repair isn’t an issue.
Its like having a modern version of an 8bit Micro Computer like the Apple II, Commodore 64, Sinclair Zx Spectrum or an Amstrad CPC 464, just to name a few.
So I love the idea. Mostly at the moment because I have an old working MacBook pro and a broken screen, not even the back light comes on. I have managed to get into it on an external display. But at the moment I seam locked out. I would love a video on how to log in and navigate blind as I can't get the external monitor to connect at the moment
@@ibmpc: Nicee, something for me to bear in mind if mine fails! I honestly hate having to leave tech going to waste, and if it isn't hard then that's an idea for anyone I come across with that problem (and who doesn't want to get the screen replacement)
@@ThePC007 I got mine in 2020, not that new and if you are wondering how it broke, a lightning cable got stuck in the hinge and broke it, MacBook screens are fragile.
Leave the hinge on and keep it in closed state so the Mac would think it’s docked and connected to external display which will then act as a primary display
I did this about a year ago for my old 2015 mac pro with a busted screen. It's great as a backup computer.... very portable obviously. Sometimes I use it with the TV in the lounge.
Hey, im trying to do this with my 15" 2015 Macbook Pro. I noticed the antennas are connected to the displays and thus this wont work since my wifi/bluetooth wont work. Did you have a similar issue when trying to do this? Thanks!
@@curnaldinho there is this kind of rod that extends along the base width of the screen and the antenna is inside there. I think i had to disconnect the antenna wires from the motherboard while I removed the screen. Once the screen was removed it got pretty messy trying to remove the antenna "holder rod thingy" from the bottom but I managed to get it out and then reattached the wires to the motherboard. I could show a photo if you gave me your email or whatever. Other option is you could buy a small usb-wifi dongle.
I did the same thing years ago with an old 09 macbook. The original screen hinges broke, so I changed to a replacement lid with good hinges, but then the display's ribbon cable broke, so I took the lid/screen off and ran with to an external display. Sure it's not mobile anymore, but it's not my main laptop/computer either, but it still gets used now and then, and still works fine, especially with an SSD and max amount of RAM supported installed.
I was going to do something similar with a gaming laptop for travel but I haven’t found one with a broken screen and a decent price yet. I tend not to use the built in screen in most gaming laptops due to the performance lost with integrated graphics. If you plug directly into the gpu it bypasses the igpu and results in much better performance. Thank goodness mux switches are becoming commonplace in new gaming laptops.
When I was a kid in 2008, I had an Acer Aspire One, The screen broke, I wasn't tech-savvy at all back then, I took it to a repair shop and he told me it is dead and nobody will buy it for $30, I told him would you buy it for $25, he said OK. He ofcourse easily accessed all my data (I was too dumb I thought my data will get deleted if it is a "dead" laptop) I always regret my stupidity back then and this part of my life.
Many newer MacBooks won’t boot without a battery, but you can install Al Dente and set the max charge to 50% in order to reduce battery wear to a minimum.
I can't say for macbook user but I've been done this for a long time and use it pretty well for about 3-5 years before the laptop die. Its windows and unlike macbook that still think its still have screen connected, windows just output the display without much hassle and problem.
I used my Dell laptop like this, its screen was damaged accidentally. I didn't go for repairing the screen, rather bought a 27-inch monitor and continued using it. Laptops are not convenient to use the screen we have to look downwards, and bigger screens are better always... So I never had problem... I don't walk around with a laptop, if travelling, most of the hotels have HDMI-enabled Tv. Nowadays, we can do most things on the phone or tablet on the move....
I work for Apple’s depot repair for MacBooks. We legit have these but with an extended EDP cable (the one that connects the mainboard to the display) to test displays.
- macbook's keyboard + trackpad is quite perfect - separate keyboard + trackpad isn't as good. - I like the single-piece / integrated look. - the laptop's monitor might be too close when writing. - headless macbook fixes the problem. - BUT: maybe this is vain. Maybe it would be better to make a single piece keyboard + trackpad setup that would look like a headless laptop. - On the other hand: a plain headless laptop + external monitors would reduce the number of items decluttering the setup. Maybe the laptop as itself isn't a problem and the laptop monitor is OK. Perhaps this implementation works best when the objective is just to repair or reuse the broken macbook.
Samsung in its Galaxy S line has Dex mode that transform your phone in a computer, you just need a bigger display and a keyboard (wired or wireless) (your phone screen can function as a trackpad, or just connect a mouse) then you have samsung dex os
It's funny, I would probably never think of using it that way XD I would end up just docking it vertically off to the side somewhere and use a standalone kb+m :P
That trackpad skin tho! 🔥🔥 Thanks for this walkthrough vid!! I shattered the screen on my 2021 15" MBP. So, I'm in the process of converting it into my dedicated garage mac.
I also saw the Lew Later video and thought it looks cool and it is great. Especially you can buy these laptops for the fraction of the price. Nice to try this and made a video about it...
I did this to my late 2013 mac book pro retina back in 2018 after my screen was broken after a drop. Cant believe this video is coming out 4.5 years later haha
Truth. for the past 20+ years I have always used my MBP as a desktop connected to some sort of rigged docking setup closed. Today, I use mine as a second monitor to review video or streaming video. Main reason is because I have to disconnect to take the MBP to the office. I also have a water down vision of my docking setup at the office. Honestly, Im looking of getting the Mac studio instead of upgrading to the next MBP.
I was super disappointed when I got the Apple keyboard last year. I expected it to be the same as the MacBook keyboard, but it is just worse (at least for me) Doing this would solve that problem.
Years ago I had an old titanium mac book that had this done to it. It was given to me back in the day and lasted me about 3 years before I got my iMac.
Ive done this quite often when I was running my PC repair business, I would have a laptop like this for downloads and things I would need for pc that is being repaired while on jobs. One great way of recycling and reusing. Pawnshops and Goodwills is often a decent place for cheap electronics for this.
I run a 2019 macbook pro with an external monitor, keyboard, and mouse. Can confirm that it does take up a lot of desk space, especially with the 2 USB hubs I run off of it.
Got to try this with an old MBP lying around at home with a broken display. The challenge probably would be to try with an old MBP, like my mid-2010, rather than a plug-and-display USB-C Macbooks.
this right here is what I need. I don't really use the laptop monitor that much and all the power is already in the base of the laptop anyways. Also imagine all the desk space you will get back if you can tuck it away somewhere.
I basically have this set up. The MBP that I had got the torn ribbon cable issue, and now it stays permanently closed as a TV entertainment center, using a wireless keyboard lol
I had an old HP notebook with a dead screen back in 2005. A friend needed a PC, so I disconnected the screen and ribbon cables and he had a free pc. Worked pretty great and he used it for a couple of years.
wholesome
Yep! A friend of mine did the same thing with an MSI gaming laptop (I can't remember the model number) that had a cracked screen, and basically had a free gaming PC courtesy of my cousin who gave it to me (and I passed it on to him)!
I did the same with my gaming Laptop so now it is Gaming PC :D
I did that in, i believe, 2011 too. It was my mom's hand-me-down and it was good for gaming, i loved that thing.
Similar went for me, my laptop hinge broke and i took the screen down, voila I got a all-in-one pc
If the screen is broken, I think it's a great way for repurposing a broken mac, or any laptop.
I did something like this with a laptop I had some time ago. The screen stopped working, but it otherwise worked well, so I removed the screen from it and used it with monitors I had access to. Was really convenient as I had access to all my files, and made me look like the stereotypical "hacker" types (for better or for worse!) The laptop also recognised that the "main screen" was removed, and treated the attached display as the primary (and only) display.
That said, the keyboard needs to be protected, but otherwise it was a great experience and wouldn't mind it again!
yeah, don't bother having the screen repaired for several hundred dollars, just remove it and get any monitor or TV
@@aeonjoey3d: Matter of fact, buying a portable monitor would probably work out cheaper and mostly as usable anywhere(!)
@@fetchstixRHD Laptop sleeve for on the go use for keyboard protection with something like a piece of cardboard over the keyboard if you are oduble paranoid?
@@Montisaquadeis: Yeah that would have been a good idea, even something like a paper notebook would help a bit (especially to stop keys being pressed!) Can't remember why I didn't get one now 🤔
An MBP without the screen really hits different... 🤣
This mod is not exactly a new concept, but with how MacBooks are *notorious* for their un-repairability, some people might be surprised with how easy it is to do!
It amazes me that such a powerful computer fits in such a slim profile
Just like the home button they will end up selling it back to in a few monthhs
Why dont you pin this comment
There are sensors near the trackpad that tell the MacBook that the lid is closed. You can usually trigger them with some smalll neodymium magnets there. This will help with the extended display thing, and you won't waste bandwidth driving nonexistent pixels.
example: th-cam.com/video/jHRitOftCb0/w-d-xo.html
the more i watched the more i realized this has some great implications: imagine if you buy a MBP with a BROKEN display, those can run 500-700 even, so just turn it into a desktop, bam, and hell - you can buy an external 'travel' monitor and put them into a laptop bag and keep an entire mobile setup if you wanted. But I can also see the opportunity for someone who, maybe masochistically, didn't ever use their MBP as a laptop, but in a henge dock or just closed, with other monitors, they could remove the screen and SELL it as parts for several hundred dollars. Hmmmmm
Who would you remove a perfectly working screen though? Better to keep it plugged in and have a second monitor.
Or just buy a Mac mini?
My screen is broken. I tried it and it’s not working. I’m not going farther than the starting screen
You don't need a portable monitor. Your phone is the portable monitor. Put the iphone in a VR headset and you have a VR desktop.
Back in 2021, I thought this was a fun idea but apparently my friends thought it was stupid...I'm kinda glad this is a thing now. I might try it for myself in the future.
This explains why I'm seeing MBPs with busted screens still going for so much on Ebay.
Yes the sellers caught on, they used to be fairly cheap
This was cool! My mind immediately went to those that have modded a DS lite by removing the top screen and just keeping the bottom screen… essentially making “Gameboy Macro” of sorts… good stuff Ken!
same! i recently baught a ds lite too lol
Yo can you do that mod with a dsi?
@@haphazardlyhype it has no gameboy slot, so, probably not.
I have to say that it really shatters my heart when I see people ripping perfectly functional computers. On the other hand though, the slab book concept is very amazing, I really hope Apple starts getting innovative in the aspect of ultra small and portable Macs.
I mean, this is hardly innovative if you think about it. Most computers in the 80s and quite a few in the 90s were sold like this. Like the Commodore 64, many Commodore Amigas, Atari ST, and well, even most Apple 2 models (if not all of them, I can't remember).
but… they already did? people are using the innovative portable computers with the screens ripped off.
Well, i was using a (falling apart!) 2009 MacBook Pro 15" for years as a "Mac Mini"... awesome thing!
5 years from now..it will be a reality
i think it would be really cool to take this one step further and seperate then inbed the keyboard and mouse into a desk and have a seamless desk pc. Like the content Ken, you have a sub from me
I thought about that!! Maybe I find a desk I can cut into LOL
@@DNKI Please make a video about it! I figure that's not what your channel focuses on as standard. But I think you and Austin would make an awesome desk I could give you some advice on how easy it is to do just that. Cool you got your own channel now too.
It's the 80s all over again, and I'm all for it!
I thought of doing this to my broken laptop but sadly my external display is broken too.
I imagine your replacement for the externel display to be broken too XD
Had no idea Ken had his own channel, instant sub for you sir.
Yes
Apple: we're rolling out new updates to manage hardware integrity.
Mac: hardware error. Display not found.
First thing I’m hoping is if the antennas have been rerouted. They are generally in the lid, could expect Bluetooth and wifi to be weak and possibly burn out without antennas connected
I tried it, and you guessed it no Wifi
I did this for a friend ten years ago as he broke his screen but as he was at college could not afford to replace it. So simple and great fun. It ran for years
Hey I attempted this, and I have power (the capslock button will light up) but when I plug it in to my new monitor, it doesn’t work
@@troykutcha8846did you fix it and if you did how does it work?
Unfortunately, this brings back sour memories. I started using my Macbook air (last iteration powered by intel processor) like this because its screen stopped working after about 13 months. And getting it repaired (especially here in India) didn't make financial sense.
my original and first macbook pro a mid 2009 model, was dragged off the table by my dog while magsafe was plugged in ( funny it didnt disconnect like it was supposed to) and landed right on the display and killed it. this would have been a cool idea if I wasnt a broke college student at the time lol but luckily i had applecare
Never used a Mac before but if people can figure out a way to extend their usage of a device, way to go! Less e-waste
How comfortable is the keyboard on macs? Is it like any regular laptop?
Keep it up!
Some of the butterfly switch MacBooks from a few years ago were hated by most people, but generally the keyboard layouts are great. I think more uncontested is the trackpad - arguably still the best in the business and have been for the past decade.
@@DNKI Scissor switches only! Those keyboards were awful!
keyboard and trackpad on the M1 macbooks are awesome!
Apart from the horrid 2016-2019 butterfly keyboard, the MacBook keyboards have always been very good. In my opinion, they're second only to Lenovo.
@@DNKI Who uses the scratchpad; a mouse as u showed.
This is interesting. I've thought about buying a used Macbook to use in my office, just hiding the laptop in the desk. Never thought about finding one with a broken screen and having it on the desk. That would be especially helpful since I really enjoy Mac's touchpads and gesture navigation.
I used to do this with old Intel MacBook Pro's that had broken displays. The biggest issue with this mod is if you see any antennas going into the monitor you will have to get some replacements. However since I haven't taken a Mac display apart for a while and haven't looked on iFixIt I don't know if there are antennas that run through the display of newer Macs.
I read elsewhere that on the newer Macs they don’t do that anymore so not an issue.
The antenna goes around the hinge supports and vents, not through the display, so no problem.
Don’t know about doing this on a newer/expensive laptop but possibly on older ones. Nice to give a new life
Absolutely. I wanted a powerful side machine, so that's why I used what I used. If not for a video, I would have refurbed a way older unit.
@@DNKI 100% I respect that
What a coincidence. I have the same macbook pro and i was about to sell it today for 170 haha. But i felt the hardware is just too good for me to sell it that little even though the screen isnt working so i backed out from that offer 😂
You were gonna sell a MBP M1 for $170?
170? bro you could sell it for 4\500 easy
I hate that when selling tech lol. Not quite of use anymore but not worth what I would get for the sale
I just got a 2008 MacBook Pro with a smashed screen, and I considered setting it up as a desktop solution, but I ultimately was able to find the replacement parts I needed to get it turned into a laptop again.
I've been doing this for ages with my old laptops which had broken screens and deemed not worth the screen replacement costs. Removing the screen was more convenient to use without it blocking the external monitor I was hooking them up to.
Hey Frank, I attempted this, and I have power (the capslock button will light up) but when I plug it in to my new monitor, it doesn’t work
Any thoughts?
@@troykutcha8846totally no display?
I think u can try few things if you're sure the laptop and graphics still works:
1. Try a different VGA/hdmi cable
2. If you're using any converter try not to use it, or try change another converter
3. Try a different monitor
4. Ensure u selected the right output. Try switching between cloned, extended and external monitor.
Honestly kinda wanna see the return of C64/Amiga 500 style Wedge micro pc's, I have a console gamer friend who daily drives a Raspberry Pi 400 as his main PC alongside his Xbox and honestly I think its a neat little setup
I have a Raspberry Pi 400 in my bag as an "emergency computer", as it's so light and small that it's easy to carry, and can do quite a lot! Would quite love to see more computers in that form too...
Yankee with no brim.
I've got M1 Pro 16" with broken display for £300, just the screen is over £700. With external monitor it is working just fine.
Not a Mac fan but I would do this for fun with a older Mac
Been running my MacBook pro m1 like this for a month now and i am loving it
Think of a re-imagined Apple II powered by the M1 or M2. That‘d be beyond awesome (and retro).
Working in e-waste I get a fair number of old MBPs that come through, and I have toyed with the idea of bolting one to the underside of my desk and running and keyboard and monitor from it to make a desktop Mac, but I never really got around to it, and the idea of more stuff crowding my desk bothers me. Neat idea though.
If you attached some sort of touchscreen monitor and a hinge that could fold all the way back, you’d have an iPad killer!
When I saw teardown of M1 Mac mini, I actually thought about something like that, that is so small and efficient, that actually could fit on a magic keyboard, more thicker to add ports but could be a nice idea, you already use space in your desktop for the keyboard all the time, why not have all the computer and ports there? then, I saw the MacBooks without screens trending 😮
Just purchased a M1 MacBook Air 16GB / 512GB with a broken screen @ roughly 25% of original cost. Removed the screen. Using Apple Thunderbolt 27" Display with the MacBook resting on the display foot. Added Wireless Matias full keyboard + Magic Mouse 2. MagSafe 2 to USB-C adapter (Elect Anywatt) powers the MB from the display. With the screen removed the MB defaults to the TB Display as the primary display. All needed Apple Thunderbolt 2 to Thunderbolt 3 Adapter. Works perfectly.
how did you make the MBA default to the TB display? Did you remove any cable?
Awesome video. As a long time Mac user (I use MacOS and Ubuntu both daily and have for a long while), I was kinda wondering how the software would work without the display. I have done software updates before a few times where the external display would not want to reconnect so I had to use the internal display to at least get logged in before I could dock it back to my monitors. Knowing that I no longer had said external display would make me sweat bullets everytime I had to update.
Apple should make a keyboard computer like this as a throwback and calling it the Apple IV.
The Mac SE - with the screenless case of a 2016 Macbook Pro and the horsepower of a M1 Max 👍 what an idea
Great idea 👍
I did this for a while with my 15 inch MacBook Pro when my screen got broke until I got lucky and found a grade a screen replacement for a good price while it work good as a desktop I am really happy to have a screen on it now
What an interesting idea! Now if only the Macbook had a better keyboard to start with :)
Preach 😤
I feel like they're pretty nice as far as laptop keyboards go, but we all know we like our mechanical ones 🧐 😌
@@definingslawek4731 I found the keyboard on HP Elitebooks to be better than even newer mbp's. What is Apple even doing
It does make for a sleek setup especially if you can buy an M1 macbook used or broken. And since the M1's are so powerful you don't really loose performance.
Imagine the screen being underneath this “decapitated” MacBook, and how there’s a sliding case used to prevent the screen from scratching when you turn the MacBook around
I also had to remove the wi-fi antenna from the screen and connect it back to the computer; otherwise I could not pickup a signal. Kinda a pain and it doesn't look great but hey, it works!
I did this with my old broken screen dell laptop it was awesome, built in keyboard and mouse cd drive also. Also had 3 monitors connected to it.
I had a MacBook with a broken screen, and about a year or two ago decided to do the same. I called it a HalfBook. Works GREAT!
I find laptops being de-screened (or decapitated if looking at the screen as its head) quite funny as it is closer to the idea of the early home computers where the keyboard itself also contained the computer.
Some examples being the Commodore 64, Amiga 500, Atari 8bit computers, etc. with a modern counterpart being the Raspberry Pi 400, but a bit odd at the same time since computer were big then became small inside keyboard shaped cases to dedicated towers and the removal of screens on laptops seems like both a step back (lack of upgradability) and forward at the same time (having a battery).
Being a laptop when its headless (or screen-less) its functionally a desktop-like computer with its own UPS due to having the battery. Which would actually be useful in places where electricity may be unstable at times and that battery will help prevent the loss of what's being worked on.
LOL that this went quite long for a comment on an almost year and a half old video.
While it's not a Macbook, I snagged a HP Laptop i5 -10300H with 16GB of ram and a GTX 1650 added a 512 NVME and it's been my main driver machine for work in my living room closed up in a grip laptop holder so it's essentially a "desktop" and has worked well.
This is a cool idea. Curious to know how do you get the wifi & Bluetooth to work, doesn't the screen have the antennas for those functions?
Modern MacBook Pro's with the TouchBar had the bits and bobs needed for WiFi and Bluetooth in the heat dissipation shield right where the screen bezel was so there was no fuss when you took the screen out but Apple has found a way to shove the antennas back into their ultra thin screens on the new line of MacBooks without the Touch Bar so good luck with that.
The true OGs have been doing this since the early 2000s :) Great way for a "desktop" with built-in UPS.
a topic worth to be covered by a good tech journalist, the only downside of it, you can't enter a recovery mode without using built-in screen, so one way or the other on some point you would need a replacement screen to be connected
I also think this would be a great use of the touch bar as a welcome screen or to use as a micro display on it
Thank you! Now prices on these screenless Macbooks will raise in price considerately on the internet. 🤦🏻♂️
4:21 The Elecom 'HUGE' trackball, with the ball on top, is the best trackball mouse.
the display issue can be fixed if you make it into clamshell mode, or attaching magnets to the particular area of the previous screen. that should turn off the primary display
My MacBook m1’s LCD is trashed sadly. Though the main front glass is fine so this seems like a perfect mod for people in my position, as explained in other videos the screen needs to be replaced anyway so going half way through the repair isn’t an issue.
Its like having a modern version of an 8bit Micro Computer like the Apple II, Commodore 64, Sinclair Zx Spectrum or an Amstrad CPC 464, just to name a few.
Apple engineers:
Thanks unbox therepy now we will lock the mac in such a way that it won't turn on if there's no screen. 🛐🤣 For security reasons
Yeah🤭😂🤣
So I love the idea. Mostly at the moment because I have an old working MacBook pro and a broken screen, not even the back light comes on. I have managed to get into it on an external display. But at the moment I seam locked out. I would love a video on how to log in and navigate blind as I can't get the external monitor to connect at the moment
My M1 Macbook Air screen broke yesterday, thanks for the idea!
If you manage it, update us! That would be really cool
@@fetchstixRHD I’ve done it, looks great!
Wait, the M1 is like brand new. How did it break so quickly?
@@ibmpc: Nicee, something for me to bear in mind if mine fails! I honestly hate having to leave tech going to waste, and if it isn't hard then that's an idea for anyone I come across with that problem (and who doesn't want to get the screen replacement)
@@ThePC007 I got mine in 2020, not that new and if you are wondering how it broke, a lightning cable got stuck in the hinge and broke it, MacBook screens are fragile.
Leave the hinge on and keep it in closed state so the Mac would think it’s docked and connected to external display which will then act as a primary display
Yay 4 Ken in front the camera I feel dumb for not finding this channel sooner.
Back to the good old PC-in-Keyboard-Style
I did this about a year ago for my old 2015 mac pro with a busted screen. It's great as a backup computer.... very portable obviously. Sometimes I use it with the TV in the lounge.
Hey, im trying to do this with my 15" 2015 Macbook Pro. I noticed the antennas are connected to the displays and thus this wont work since my wifi/bluetooth wont work. Did you have a similar issue when trying to do this? Thanks!
@@curnaldinho there is this kind of rod that extends along the base width of the screen and the antenna is inside there. I think i had to disconnect the antenna wires from the motherboard while I removed the screen. Once the screen was removed it got pretty messy trying to remove the antenna "holder rod thingy" from the bottom but I managed to get it out and then reattached the wires to the motherboard. I could show a photo if you gave me your email or whatever.
Other option is you could buy a small usb-wifi dongle.
I did the same thing years ago with an old 09 macbook. The original screen hinges broke, so I changed to a replacement lid with good hinges, but then the display's ribbon cable broke, so I took the lid/screen off and ran with to an external display. Sure it's not mobile anymore, but it's not my main laptop/computer either, but it still gets used now and then, and still works fine, especially with an SSD and max amount of RAM supported installed.
I was going to do something similar with a gaming laptop for travel but I haven’t found one with a broken screen and a decent price yet.
I tend not to use the built in screen in most gaming laptops due to the performance lost with integrated graphics. If you plug directly into the gpu it bypasses the igpu and results in much better performance. Thank goodness mux switches are becoming commonplace in new gaming laptops.
When I was a kid in 2008, I had an Acer Aspire One, The screen broke, I wasn't tech-savvy at all back then, I took it to a repair shop and he told me it is dead and nobody will buy it for $30, I told him would you buy it for $25, he said OK.
He ofcourse easily accessed all my data
(I was too dumb I thought my data will get deleted if it is a "dead" laptop)
I always regret my stupidity back then and this part of my life.
If the MacBook is going to be plugged in constantly, you should probably remove the battery too.
Sure, but does your desktop have a built-in UPS? 😂
Many newer MacBooks won’t boot without a battery, but you can install Al Dente and set the max charge to 50% in order to reduce battery wear to a minimum.
@@ThePC007 30-40% is even better honestly. The lower the better for longevity and reducing heat.
I can't say for macbook user but I've been done this for a long time and use it pretty well for about 3-5 years before the laptop die. Its windows and unlike macbook that still think its still have screen connected, windows just output the display without much hassle and problem.
I 100% thought that thumbnail was going to be click bait. Props for an actually interesting story.
I used my Dell laptop like this, its screen was damaged accidentally. I didn't go for repairing the screen, rather bought a 27-inch monitor and continued using it. Laptops are not convenient to use the screen we have to look downwards, and bigger screens are better always... So I never had problem... I don't walk around with a laptop, if travelling, most of the hotels have HDMI-enabled Tv. Nowadays, we can do most things on the phone or tablet on the move....
I work for Apple’s depot repair for MacBooks. We legit have these but with an extended EDP cable (the one that connects the mainboard to the display) to test displays.
- macbook's keyboard + trackpad is quite perfect
- separate keyboard + trackpad isn't as good.
- I like the single-piece / integrated look.
- the laptop's monitor might be too close when writing.
- headless macbook fixes the problem.
- BUT: maybe this is vain. Maybe it would be better to make a single piece keyboard + trackpad setup that would look like a headless laptop.
- On the other hand: a plain headless laptop + external monitors would reduce the number of items decluttering the setup.
Maybe the laptop as itself isn't a problem and the laptop monitor is OK. Perhaps this implementation works best when the objective is just to repair or reuse the broken macbook.
Samsung in its Galaxy S line has Dex mode that transform your phone in a computer, you just need a bigger display and a keyboard (wired or wireless) (your phone screen can function as a trackpad, or just connect a mouse) then you have samsung dex os
Did not know Alvin Leung knows about his computer stuff. Good video
2004 called, it wants its haircut back.
Ken's so much more classy on this channel lmao
It's funny, I would probably never think of using it that way XD I would end up just docking it vertically off to the side somewhere and use a standalone kb+m :P
That trackpad skin tho! 🔥🔥 Thanks for this walkthrough vid!!
I shattered the screen on my 2021 15" MBP. So, I'm in the process of converting it into my dedicated garage mac.
Nice to see that we are returning to the good old Commodore 64 form factor
The screen is embedded directly onto our eyes as the most powerful retina display ever.
I also saw the Lew Later video and thought it looks cool and it is great. Especially you can buy these laptops for the fraction of the price. Nice to try this and made a video about it...
I did this to my late 2013 mac book pro retina back in 2018 after my screen was broken after a drop. Cant believe this video is coming out 4.5 years later haha
Truth. for the past 20+ years I have always used my MBP as a desktop connected to some sort of rigged docking setup closed. Today, I use mine as a second monitor to review video or streaming video. Main reason is because I have to disconnect to take the MBP to the office. I also have a water down vision of my docking setup at the office. Honestly, Im looking of getting the Mac studio instead of upgrading to the next MBP.
This idea isn't far fetched because Apple did this back in 1977 it was called the Apple II.
Just did this on my 2017 15’ MBP. I refuse to pay Apple $732 to replace the screen. This will have to do
I had a Acer laptop in 2018 witch my dad smashed the screen of. And i also used it without a screen for couple of years.
I was super disappointed when I got the Apple keyboard last year. I expected it to be the same as the MacBook keyboard, but it is just worse (at least for me)
Doing this would solve that problem.
Years ago I had an old titanium mac book that had this done to it. It was given to me back in the day and lasted me about 3 years before I got my iMac.
The Apple 2 was basically a headless MacBook before miniaturization. It contained the computer and keyboard in one piece, without a monitor.
i dont recommend removing the battery because it might cut the cpu perfomance in half
Lol, I literally just read the article over at The Verge about this exact thing, and then when I check my feed on TH-cam, I see this video 😂
Great cinematography and content! Glad I decided to subscribe!
Appreciate that you love the visuals. Thanks so much!!
@@DNKI Also don't tell Austin, but I think I enjoy your videos more.
Ive done this quite often when I was running my PC repair business, I would have a laptop like this for downloads and things I would need for pc that is being repaired while on jobs.
One great way of recycling and reusing. Pawnshops and Goodwills is often a decent place for cheap electronics for this.
You can also add it behind a display and use a caldigit dock and wireless kbm
I run a 2019 macbook pro with an external monitor, keyboard, and mouse. Can confirm that it does take up a lot of desk space, especially with the 2 USB hubs I run off of it.
Not gonna lie - demonic "Hey Guys" is basically what I hear at the beginning of every Austin video.
Got to try this with an old MBP lying around at home with a broken display. The challenge probably would be to try with an old MBP, like my mid-2010, rather than a plug-and-display USB-C Macbooks.
The only problem I have with this is that when you use it, the palm rest can get quite warm if not hot even on m1
this right here is what I need. I don't really use the laptop monitor that much and all the power is already in the base of the laptop anyways. Also imagine all the desk space you will get back if you can tuck it away somewhere.
Funny to me because for a very long time I thought about creating a computer like this. Didn't think people would like the idea.
Can we get in detail video on how to do it step by step? coz frankly it just blew my mind and wanna try to do it as well.
I basically have this set up. The MBP that I had got the torn ribbon cable issue, and now it stays permanently closed as a TV entertainment center, using a wireless keyboard lol
I saw a posting on Ebay for the Mac Mini once. And it had a picture of the Macbook Pro without its screen and a regular monitor