Microsoft recently launched the Surface Laptop and the new Surface Pro. iFixit has taken up the Surface laptop and attempted to disassemble the device to check its repairability. However, this time the folks at iFixit did not have a smooth journey.
Surface Laptop a tough cookie: difficult to tear down
iFixit discovered that either you keep the Surface Laptop as it is or you tear it down while damaging the components of the device. There was no way in between, and they learned it the hard way. It is almost impossible to disassemble the device without damaging its components.
The first hurdle that comes on the way is the laptop keyboard cover. Microsoft used a fabric named Alcantara to cover the Surface Laptop’s keyboard to give it a sleek, elegant look, as well as avoid spillage and absorption. However, underneath the suspicious-looking rubber footpads, the folks at iFixit found metal sheets instead of metal screws. Thus, to open the laptop one would have to peel the Alcantara fabric.
To reach the key components of the Surface Laptop is another hurdle. At first glance, it looks almost impossible as every minute part inside the laptop is covered by another part or a protective cover, which held in place more than one component. The complexity of component placement leads iFixit to declare that the battery of this device cannot be replaced at any cost unless one is okay with some internal part getting damaged in the process.
The laptop cannot be upgraded
It took iFixit ten steps to disconnect the battery from the all the components of the Surface Laptop and 12 steps to completely disassemble it. In conclusion, it said that it is “a glue-filled monstrosity.” The battery cannot be changed with time and, thus, cannot be upgraded regarding hardware.
The laptop, due to these shortcomings, would also not last long enough and cannot be opened without destroying or damaging some of its key components.
To remove the battery, folks at iFixit had to remove a most of the components, which included the speakers as well. The battery came in the form of a 45.2 Wh unit, which was approximately the same capacity as the new Surface Pro.
iFixit states that the Surface Laptop gets zero regarding repairability as it was manufactured with the intention of never being opened or repaired.
The engineers further stated that the device cannot be upgraded to the RAM, CPU, and storage were all soldered to the motherboard. Apart from this, the headphone jack also cannot be reached easily, and the non-replaceable battery restricts the lifespan of the device, once the performance goes down.
