My A1398 has graphics glitches — is this the GPU failure everyone talks about?
Almost certainly yes. The AMD Radeon GPU on the A1398 has a known solder joint failure mode that produces exactly that symptom: lines across the screen, color corruption, kernel panics with GPU errors in the crash log. BGA reball is the standard repair. Bring it to us for a free diagnosis to confirm before committing to repair.
What is "Staingate" and can you fix it on my MacBook Pro A1398?
Staingate is the peeling or clouding of the anti-reflective coating on the A1398 Retina display. Apple ran a free replacement program that ended in 2019. We fix it by replacing the full display assembly — the coating can't be reapplied. Bali's humidity noticeably accelerates the delamination process.
Is it worth repairing a MacBook Pro from 2013 or 2014 in Bali?
It depends on the repair. Battery, SSD, and keyboard repairs are almost always worth it — they're cheap relative to the machine's utility. GPU reball is borderline: if successful it extends the machine's life significantly, but success is not guaranteed. We'll give you an honest assessment and worst-case estimate before starting.
My A1398 trackpad is clicking by itself — is this a battery issue?
Likely yes. A swollen battery in the A1398 pushes up against the trackpad from below, causing phantom clicks and reduced trackpad travel. This is a safety issue — swollen batteries can rupture. We treat it urgently. Battery replacement typically resolves the trackpad issue immediately.
Can you upgrade the SSD in a MacBook Pro A1398 to get more storage in Bali?
Yes — we upgrade A1398 SSDs using compatible third-party blade SSDs in larger capacities. It's one of the best bang-for-buck improvements on this model. We can go up to 2TB in many cases. The process takes about one day and includes a clean macOS reinstall with your data migrated.
