TPS720105 Linear Voltage Regulator IC for MacBook Pro A1706 / A1708

Not every rail on a MacBook board comes from a switching converter. Small, low-current rails are often supplied by linear regulators, which are simple and quiet. The TPS720105 is a Texas Instruments linear regulator from the TPS720 family, and the listing places it on the 13-inch MacBook Pro A1706 and A1708 from late 2016 and mid 2017.

This listing sells the TPS720105 voltage linear regulator IC, a 6-pin package, for MacBook Pro A1706 and A1708 boards.

When a small regulator causes big problems

• A low-current rail missing, which can stop the board from starting.

• A rail shorted to ground through the regulator.

• Liquid damage, which these boards are very sensitive to.

• A cracked chip after a drop.

Diagnosis

Check the regulator's input, enable and output. If the input and enable are present and the output is missing, the regulator is likely faulty. If the output is shorted, check what it feeds before replacing it. The A1706 and A1708 boards are crowded, so work under a microscope.

Fit the new chip with fresh flux and gentle hot air, then measure the rail and test power-on. A rail at the correct voltage and a MacBook that boots normally mean the job is done.