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A1708/EMC 3164 — Released June 2017, this entry-level MacBook Pro retains its traditional function keys (as opposed to the OLED Touch Bar).

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Should I run it headlessly?

I found this MacBook Pro 13" in an e-waste bin, with a busted display (or GPU, or cable). I managed to connect it to an external display, wiped out the hard drive, and installed Ventura on it. It seems to be running fine in the clamshell mode.

The minimalist in me is thinking, since the display is broken anyway, why not just remove it and run it headlessly? There's a couple of questions though, before opening it up and removing the screen.

  1. Every laptop I've opened up has WiFi and Bluetooth antennas in the lid, behind the screen. Is that the case for this particular MacBook Pro? I have Ethernet on my docking station and the laptop isn't really mobile anyway though.
  2. I suppose removing the screen will make macOS think it's not in the clamshell mode. I think I can just set the internal display to mirror the external one. But would I be able to change the setting without the actual internal display?

What are your thoughts? And what else might I be missing here? Thanks.

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Using the system without the display does create some issues which you need to either overcome or just find a good display assembly even if it’s not perfect.

As far as the antennas they are held along the back edge, here’s a deeper view MacBook Pro 13" Function Keys 2017 Antenna Cable Assembly Replacement

The SMC logic depends on voltage and thermal sensors if you leave them dangling SMC gets upset and will put the system into CPU Safe Mode, lowering the CPU’s clocking and in some models ramp up the fan’s RPM.

The next issue is the display sensor which is a Hall sensor meeting up with a magnet in the lid. Without the magnet the system will always be running and will take much longer going to deep sleep as it still thinks the display is active. If you are running on battery that will shorten its run time.

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Thank you for the quick and detailed responses! They are very helpful!

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Hello @delingren!

You're actually in good company here. There are many who have taken a MacBook with a busted screen, like yours, and simply amputated the screen to get a nice desktop computer with a built-in battery, keyboard, and trackpad.

For your first concern about the wireless antennas, you're in luck! As you can see here, the wireless antennas are actually in a bar right around the the hinge in the bottom section of the computer, so Wi-Fi and Bluetooth will still function with the display gone.

Also, about the display problem, you can just press Command+F1 to enable mirroring mode if the laptop ever tries displaying your login screen or anything else on the absent built-in screen. I double-checked that this works with a 2017 MacBook running Ventura, and it does, so you'll always have a plan if that does happen.

There are also many good videos and articles online about using a headless MacBook, so you may want to check those out before you proceed.

Good luck and enjoy your headless MacBook!

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