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For a long time, Microsoft’s Surface hardware was difficult, if not Array, to open and repair, and devices as recent as 2019’s Surface Pro 7 still scored just 1 out of 10 on the iFixit scale. The original 2017 Surface laptop had to be physically cut off. access to its internal components, so you practically try to repair the device without destroying it.
But in recent years, partly under pressure from shareholders and others, Microsoft has made serious efforts to improve the repairability of its devices. The company has published detailed repair manuals and videos and made adjustments to the design of its hardware over the years to make it less difficult to open them without breaking them and makes it less difficult to upgrade parts once inside. Microsoft also sells some parts of its own for fixes, not all parts of every Surface are available, and Microsoft and iFixit have also partnered to be offering other portions.
Today, iFixit has dismantled the most recent Snapdragon X-powered Surface Pro and Surface Laptop devices and most often praised both devices in its initial teardown video. Both devices score 8 out of 10 on the iFixit Repairability Scale, thanks to Microsoft’s service manuals, the relative ease with which any of the devices can be opened, and the obviously classified internal components.
To open the Surface Laptop, iFixit says you just want to unscrew 4 screws hidden under the computer’s rubber feet; At this point, the back of the device is only secured by magnets, rather than breakable retaining clips. The opening on the back of the computer provides easy access to the battery and an M. 2 2232 SSD. The labels on the inside of the device indicate which screws you want to remove to upgrade, which parts, and what type of screwdriver you will need to perform the task; Scannable barcodes also make it easier to locate manuals and repair parts on Microsoft’s website. Most of the other parts are easy to remove and update once the back of the computer is removed.
The Surface Pro’s most productive repairability feature is its seamlessly available M. 2 2232 SSD, which is situated beneath a detachable canopy on the back of the tablet. From there, things get more difficult: accessing the battery and other factors requires cutting the screen, which is held in position with adhesive rather than screws or magnets. This adhesive needs to be removed: iFixit cuts it with a thin plastic tool, and to finish safely, the pad will most likely require the application of a new adhesive. Once inside, the parts and screws are obviously still labeled, but you’ll have to remove the entire heatsink before you can reposition the battery.
iFixit uses slightly different criteria to compare the repairability of laptops and tablets, as tablets are more tightly integrated devices. So, despite the same repairability scores, the Surface Pro is still a bit harder to open and repair than the laptop; iFixit simply compares it to devices like the iPad Air and Pro than to other laptops, and the Surface Pro is still better than other tablets in comparison despite the use of adhesive.
The teardown video doesn’t explain exactly why iFixit removed the issues from each device’s repairability score, although iFixit did take note of the soldered, non-upgradeable RAM and Wi-Fi/Bluetooth modules. Both devices also use a lot more screws and clips than anything else. like Laptop Framework, which can also be a factor.
We’ve been using the new Snapdragon-powered Surface devices for a few days now and we’ll be taking more account of the percentage of hardware and its functionality in the coming days.
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