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Released June 2012 / Core i7 processor with Turbo Boost / Up to 1 GB GDDR5 Video RAM

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MacBook Pro 2011 to 2012 logic board swap?

I was curious if it is possible to swap a Macbook Pro 2011 logic board with one from the 2012 model.

Looking at the pictures below it looks possible....

Macbook Pro 2011 logic board:

http://guide-images.ifixit.net/igi/QWKKP...

Macbook Pro 2012 logic board:

http://guide-images.ifixit.net/igi/11bHZ...

Has anyone attempted it?

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hmmm thats a great question. From a picture point of view, it looks feasible. We haven't tried switching the logic boards ourselves just yet, but when we do we'll be sure to update this thread.

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Please let me know! I would love to see if this is a possibility! I really would like the speed boost.

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I just did it, i lost some configuration like, screensaver, energy saving, but the rest all good... it works!!!

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Hi any pointers on the swap Manuel? -Manuel

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can you be more specific? all i can say is, when i swap the motherborad, it had its own zinc, and you can follow this guide,

MacBook Pro 13" Unibody Late 2011 Logic Board Replacement

or this other

MacBook Pro 13" Unibody Mid 2012 Logic Board Replacement

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It's a model A1286 which goes back to the late 2008 15" Unibody. The only thing that concerns me is the Thunderbolt port.

UPDATE 2/7/16

FYI check these logic boards for this recall if you are having any issues:

https://www.apple.com/support/macbookpro...

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Greetings

I would like to do this on a 17" has anyone been able to do it?

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I see a lot of mixed or unclear answers here from people who claim to know what they are saying. What gives me the right to say I know? Well, I just did it last week!

I have an early 2011 model 15" MBP with a matte screen. I purchased a mid 2012 non-retina logic board (without the heat sink → reused my original one) and installed it successfully, upgrading my USB ports, Thunderbolt port, CPU, and GPU. It's like having a new computer!

The display cable was a tight fit, but working carefully and with a gentle yet firm hand, I was able to fit it into the logic board port. The only other difference is that the new boards do not have the small heat sinks over the USB controller and one other controller (not sure what they are). I've read that one guy butchered his old board and superglued the screw mounts onto the new board. Another person reported superglueing the heat sink directly to the controller. Both of these ways seemed a bit barbaric and unclean to me, so I just left the two controllers be; figured they would have the screw mounts if they needed the brackets, but they don't.

So over a week later, my laptop has been running completely fine. Actually super, because of all the upgrades! I have installed iStat Menus and have been monitoring my temperatures. Everything is within normal ranges during various workloads! I have also swapped out my DVD Superdrive with my original 750GB 5200RPM HDD, replacing the main drive with a 1TB Samsung 850 Pro. Oh, and my bluetooth module has been changed a long time ago, to allow AirDrop and Handover to work... as you see, just about everything in my laptop has been changed. I just really like my matte screen, and cannot believe they don't make them any more. These new "anti-glare" displays have nothing on the matte!

So the answer to whether an early 2011 logic board (15" MBP) is swappable for a mid 2012 non-retina one is: It absolutely is, and don't let anyone else tell you otherwise!

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Hi! Are You Mac still working fine?

I got an early 2011 MacBook pró 15'' a1286 and the Discrete GPU are not working. As I need it to use an external display i was thinking to get a 2012 board. Did You have some problems? Some precaution i need to know?

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Hello, and YES, it works flawlessly!

I do some pretty hardcore gaming on this machine up to 6 hrs at a time (Battlefield 4 on Windows and Minecraft with a very resource intensive texture pack on macOS), where the GPU and CPU will heat up to 80-90 (at times to 100+) °C, and no problem! I do use a manual fan control application (iStat Menus), because Apple doesn't increase fan speed until CPU reaches 100°...

The only precautions I consider worth mentioning are those already listed in my original post above. Other than that, the installation is pretty much the same as the removal. Make sure to follow the thermal paste guide link.

If you are still worried about the small heat sinks, don't be. The new board does not seem to need them. Like I said, I have been monitoring the temperatures during heaviest workloads and the Platform Controller Hub temperature, for example, never went over 38°C for me (I believe this is the larger die that used to have a small heat sink over it on the old board).

Hope this helps!

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ok I am very interesting with this, but I need to clear before buying it, I have a MacBook Pro (13-inch, Late 2011) with the original logic board 2.4 GHz Intel Core i5, I am replacing the logic board because this one is very old, so I am replacing it with A1278 i7 2.9GHz Logic Board 820-3115-B 661-6589 (2012), therefore I want to replace also the screen so I can get the high retina resolution. So my question is: this would work with that logic board and with my MacBook pro late 2011

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Any recommendations on where to get the 2012 board? I can't seem to find the one for non-retina display.

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Thank you Nuka Kola.

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I recently purchased a 2012 unibody and 2012 display and put a late 2011 logic board in it. The only thing that didn't line up was the heat sink. But everything else worked fine. I'm not sure if you were going from a 2011 unibody to a 2012 board. The lcd cable will fit fine either way yet I'm sure you will not have the high resolution with a 2011 display.

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when i swap the motherboards i did it with its own heatsink...

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Sorry just answering but I just realized about this message... Just keep the heat sink of each within... while the cases and boards are 2011-2012 you can swap among each other one

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they are the same model, A1286

make sure the heat sink is compatible. Pay attention to the dissipating heat after changing logic board

good luck

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The cables aren't any different and the connector is the same on the 2011 boards and the 2012 boards. High resolution is only what your graphics card can output to your monitor. If a 2012 has a high resolution display and a 2011 board has low resolution display then you will only be able to use a lower resolution. Lcd cables have been the same for years the only thing that changes is the technology they connect to. Unless your talking about hdtv's and monitors where an hdmi cable or Dvi cable is necessary. It's the same cable.

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It is not possible. Apple re-designed the LCD cable adapter on the logic board making it not interchangeable.

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I did it! It was a tight fit, but works just fine!

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I know it works as well yet for some reason people who haven't attempted it assume it won't work.

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They are probably worrying about the 2010 vs 2011 board in which the lcd cable was actually repositioned. A 2012 should be able to replace a 2011 board.

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This is false.

I took out the LB (820-2915) from my MBP 15" late-2011 HiRes-glossy display and placed in a LB (820-3330) from a MBP 15" mid-2012.

Took a nail file to remove some plastic, both sides, of the LVDS connector.

Watch out when you lift the plug for the audio cables, I lifted it with the connector and so the connector broke-off the old LB.

Good luck!

(If you also exchange the BT/AirPortCard [BT2.0, ...4AX to BT4.0 ...CAX] you may enjoy a genuine mid-2012 MBP that shall be Mojave compatible!)

BTW: I think it is totally not-needed to -take out- the battery as suggested by the iFixit guide (still should de-connect AND drain all power by pressing the start button once the battery is de-connected . Spares you buying a Tri-wing 0.

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All you need to do if carefully file the edge of the fiberglass tang with a fine nail emory board two or three strokes on each side its so little that needs to be knocked off.

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Hey guys,

I have just swap a Mid 2012 non retina logic board with the Early 2011 MBP. Works fine. The only glitch is the Automatic Graphic Switching seems not working. It always stay with High performance but not switch. I can even enter my original S/N into the Nvram with Set System Serial Number software. Anyway, my MBP is out of warranty and it is early 2011 model with AMD graphic went wrong by well know reason just after my Apple Care expired. So, DIY and works. I bought this logic board on Taobao and cost me US$560.00.

Charles

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If AGS is not working, try reinstalling the OS. If its still not working, you may have bought a bad logic board.

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Hello Charles! What model logic board did you buy? I am worried about my 2011 AMD board myself.

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@marcel151 -The system I'm banging on right now is a 2011 system which I replaced the logic board with a 2012. There is a slight alteration needed on the LVDS cable otherwise no issues with either gloss or matte displays.

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I don‘t know why you mentioned me, I already did the swap over a year ago with my 2011 15“. Works flawlessly until today. I didn‘t use a nail file. I just carefully put the connector in.

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@marcel151 - The fiberglass tang can breakdown if forced! Best to file it so it slides in smoothly without any friction.

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@danj I think you meant for this ANSWER to be directed towards F R (https://www.ifixit.com/User/3848828/F+R) and not @marcel151

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@danj That was the case with mine. No force at all.

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@marcel151 - Did you have the LVDS cable (display) replaced at some point? You would have gotten the newer narrower cable at that point the color of the connector and the cable end (gold or silver) is a good clue.

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Where do I find the logic board, and just to be sure I have a A1286 motherboard it’s the Early 2011 model with a i7 quad core processor, I would want an upgrade if possible. And where do I find all the other upgrades you did?

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To check double check your system plug in your systems S/N here EveryMac - Lookup

This is a listing of the available logic boards for the A1286 Mid 2012 15" MacBook Pro (unibody)

2.3 GHz Core i7 (I7-3615QM) - Apple P/N 661-6491

2.6 GHz Core i7 (I7-3720QM) - Apple P/N 661-6492

2.7 GHz Core i7 (I7-3820QM) - Apple P/N 661-6493

You'll need to search for them by P/N on google to find them

MacBook Pro 15" Unibody (Mid 2012) Hard Drive Cable for the newer SATA III (6.0 Gb's) HDD or SSD

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@danj

does it matter which motherboard i get?

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@humancentipede - All three versions where shipped in the 2012 15" MacBook Pro's. They are all exactly the same board just offering different CPU/GPU options. So its just a matter what your pocket can afford.

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@danj

when i look it up they all say sold out

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I guess you jumper over the last sentence You'll need to search for them by P/N on google to find them

In goggle type: Apple 661-6491

I promise you you'll find them!

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Hello everybody,

are there any known issues with the glossy/matte/HR/non HR displays? All interchangeable?

Could I put a 2012 board from a Macbook with glossy 1440 display into a 2011 Macbook with 1650 matte display? Connectors will fit, graphics will work?

Thanks a lot!

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Yes, since the boards doesn‘t differentiate between displays. I don‘t know exactly from what MacBook Pro display my board comes (I can look it up if you want). I use it on a 1680x1050 glossy.

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I have Successfully Swapped a Late 2011 13” Logic-Board to a mid 2012 13” Logic board i came across a tutorial on Youtube posted by a tuber named “psycolana” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swQIx4Vq...), you have to trim the plastic edge on the display data cable and it fits into the Logic board without any problems.

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