Microsoft’s new Surface Laptop is a masterpiece device. It’s the first laptop from Microsoft designed for competing with the Apple MacBook Air. With how thin the product is, one has to wonder if it is capable of repair, and that’s something the folks at Ifixit wanted to find out.
The guys tore down the laptop to get an idea of how to fix it, or if it’s even possible to be fixed. According to the report, the outcome is obvious; the Surface Laptop is not repairable by the hands of just anyone. It will need the assistance of professionals, and that will cost quite a lot.
What’s it like to remove the components
The folks at iFixit noted that no screws were holding the chassis together, which means, technicians were forced to pry open the covers to get inside. We do not recommend regular folks to go down this route, seeing as they might use the wrong tools and ultimate break the product and void a warranty.
Furthermore, the components are difficult to remove due to being glued down. The motherboard is covered with a type of thermal pad, and the keyboard is glued down. When it comes down to disconnecting the battery, this is not possible until the removal of several gears.
It gets worse once the team gets to the battery, only to find out the component is glued directly to the case for some odd reason.
“It’s a glue-filled monstrosity. There is nothing about it that is upgradable or long-lasting, and it literally can’t be opened without destroying it,” according to the iFixit team.
Microsoft Surface has never scored well with iFixit
The revelation that the Surface Laptop is tough to repair shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who keeps up with the company’s products.
Surface devices from Microsoft tend to fail in the reparability aspect, and that’s something we expect to continue for the foreseeable future.
One of the reasons many products nowadays are so difficult to repair might have a lot to do with size. Microsoft has done quite a lot to make its Surface products as thin as possible, and with such design achievements, reparability tends to sit at the back.
Will things change in the future?
With competition getting stiffer and products getting smaller, chances are, things will never change. Furthermore, consumers are asking for smaller devices, and that force the hands of manufacturers to meet such a demand.
Still, some customers still want the ability to repair their hardware without the assistance of outsiders, but that’s only for the minority. The majority would rather bring their devices to a technician rather than attempt to fix a broken product themselves.
