Techrestore Follow

Laptop screen hinges are one of the most delicate parts (besides your LCD screen) on your MacBook or MacBook Pro. Older MacBook Pro systems are especially vulnerable to hinge damage due to the very thin aluminum that surrounds the LCD screen to keep it in place. First of all, let's discuss a few ways to avoid having your hinges get damaged in the first place.

Rule number one: ALWAYS use both hands when opening your screen. If you obey this one simple rule, your screen hinges and screen support assembly will last much longer. It sounds so simple, and yes, we forget about this important rule all the time, but when you grab your MacBook Pro and flip open the screen with one hand, you are flexing your screen in ways that it was not meant to be. Place your hands on either side of the screen and open slowly - it's easy, take a breath and relax before you "flip the lid". If you own an older MacBook Pro, be sure the latch on the front is released BEFORE you try and open your screen. It is very easy to bend your screen housing, or worse, break your MacBook Pro LCD screen.

Rule number two: Keep your MacBook Pro away from the edge! The edge of the table, the edge of the seat of your car, the edge of your desk...you get the idea. Another simple rule that can save you hundreds of dollars in repairs or parts replacement. Most hinge and screen frame damage is caused by drops - many of which could have been avoided if we all simply put our MacBook Pro away from the edge of whatever we are setting it on.

Rule number three: If your MacBook Pro is "parked" most of the time, you can probably skip this one - but, if you carry your MacBook Pro around a lot, get yourself a "sleeve" made of silicon, leather or other material that will help keep your MacBook Pro from slipping out of your butter fingers. Yeah, like we've never dropped ours before....trust us - you want a sleeve.

Rule number four: Get a good carrying case - one with a decent suspension. And no, we're not talking about your cars suspension - get a back that has a suspended inner section for your MacBook Pro if possible. This will keep your laptop from coming into contact with the ground, since we know you like to toss your bag around at the end of the day.

OK, so you followed all these rules and it still happened - your MacBook Pro screen is all bent up, or out of alignment with the rest of the computer. Or, maybe you can't even open the screen up. First thing....STOP - do not pass go, do not attempt to open up your screen. There are all kinds of wonderful cables and such that are housed right around your MacBook Pro hinge assembly. These delicate cables can get ripped apart easily, increasing the cost of the repair you are going to get done so you can use your MacBook Pro again. Go borrow someone else's computer to Google "MacBook Pro Hinge Repair"  - don't risk opening up your screen and doing more damage.

When scheduling your repair you want to be sure to ask these questions:

Do you use Apple Certified Technicians to do your repairs?  (YES)
How long of a warranty do you offer? (AT LEAST 1-YEAR)
Do you offer free shipping for repairs? (YES)
How long will the repair take? (24-HOURS)
Are you working out of your garage? (NO)
Do you offer toll-free customer support where I can speak to a human being? (YES)

We hope these tips help to keep your MacBook Pro running safe and strong. If you do wind up with a defective hinge or screen that needs replacement, you'll at least know some important questions to ask when scheduling your repair.

TechRestore, Inc.
115 Mason Circle
Suite E
Concord, CA 94520
Apple lcd Screens