iFixit, which disassembled the Surface Pro 11 and Surface Laptop 7, highly praised Microsoft's commitment to repairability
From 0/10 to 8/10: Microsoft Puts Repair Front and Center | iFixit News
https://www.ifixit.com/News/96998/from-0-10-to-8-10-microsoft-puts-repair-front-and-center
Surface Pro 11 & Surface Laptop 7 Teardowns - Repairable, AI Powered Devices!!! - YouTube
iFixit says new Arm Surface hardware 'puts repair front and center' | Ars Technica
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/06/ifixit-says-new-arm-surface-hardware-puts-repair-front-and-center/
iFixit takes apart laptops, tablets, smartphones and other devices, inspects them and gives them a score out of 10 on how easy they are to repair.
The Surface Laptop (1st generation), released in 2017, could only be disassembled by cutting open the fabric cover, and the metal shield was spot welded rather than snapped in, so it had many parts that were 'irreversible,' earning it a score of 0 out of 10.
Microsoft Surface Laptop Teardown - iFixit
https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Microsoft+Surface+Laptop+Teardown/92915
The Surface Pro 5, also released in 2017, received a score of 1 out of 10 due to the use of adhesive to secure various parts and components and the fact that the SSD is not replaceable.
Microsoft Surface Pro 5 Teardown - iFixit
In response to these evaluations, Microsoft has continued to make improvements to improve repairability, and the Arm-equipped Surface Pro X released in 2019 had the drawback of 'the battery connector is firmly attached under the motherboard, so it must be almost completely disassembled to repair.' However, it was evaluated that most components, including the SSD, are modular and replaceable, and all the screws used are standard. It received a score of 6.
Microsoft Surface Pro X Teardown - iFixit
https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Microsoft+Surface+Pro+X+Teardown/127703
The 'Surface Pro 10 for Business' and 'Surface Laptop 6 for Business,' announced in March 2024, made further improvements, such as QR codes affixed directly to internal components that indicate the number of screws and screwdrivers needed, making them 'the easiest Surface devices to repair ever.'
According to iFixit, the Surface Pro 11 and Surface Laptop 7 also inherited the ease of repair, with a QR code on the bottom that links to the official service manual, and the inside also has 'Wayfinders' that show 'what type and how many screws are used in this part,' so it is easy to disassemble without looking at the manual.
Replacing the battery is extremely easy, requiring only the removal of a few screws and a bracket, while cleaning the fan requires the removal of a Surflink cable and three screws.
Although the number of components and multiple layers make it slightly more difficult to work with, iFixit gave the Surface Pro 11 and Surface Laptop 7 an 8 out of 8, saying, 'It's not a perfect 10, but I was impressed.'
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