Microsoft’s Surface Pro X Is the Most Repairable Surface Ever

Microsoft’s Surface devices aren’t known for their repairability. In the past, Surface devices have been incredibly hard to repair or upgrade, though that has changed with Microsoft’s latest line of Surface devices.

The Surface Laptop 3, for example, was significantly more repairable than before, getting a repairability score of 5 out of 10. And Microsoft’s newest Surface device, the Surface Pro X, beats that with a slightly better repairability.

Windows Intelligence In Your Inbox

Sign up for our new free newsletter to get three time-saving tips each Friday — and get free copies of Paul Thurrott's Windows 11 and Windows 10 Field Guides (normally $9.99) as a special welcome gift!

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

[ad unit=’in_content_premium_block’]

As usual, the folks at iFixit tore down the latest Surface Pro X, and they found the SSD to be really easy to upgrade, as Microsoft had promised. It’s also easy to open up the screws around the device, and many of the components on the device are modular and can be replaced independently.

The display of the Pro X is still a little harder to remove and replace, but it’s a necessary step for almost all repairs. And the only major down point of the Pro X hardware design is how the battery is firmly glued in place, making it significantly harder to replace.

Still, the Surface Pro X received a repairability score of 6 out of 10, which is higher than any other Surface ever. And if that wasn’t enough, the Surface Pro X’s repairability score also beats that of Apple’s iPads which is a major win for Microsoft.

Tagged with

Share post

Please check our Community Guidelines before commenting

Conversation 7 comments

  • briantlewis

    08 November, 2019 - 8:22 am

    <p>Doesn't really matter though. The Surface Pro X isn't really useful without x64 app support.</p>

    • thejoefin

      Premium Member
      08 November, 2019 - 9:10 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#487274">In reply to briantlewis:</a></em></blockquote><p>Software can be upgraded but hardware cannot, so it obviously matters that this device is easier to repair.</p>

  • jwpear

    Premium Member
    08 November, 2019 - 8:46 am

    <p>Glad to see Microsoft moving in this direction of more serviceability. If we got the ability to swap the battery easily–similar to the drive swap–I think we'd be where we need to be. Would be nice to see an easy RAM upgrade too, but that's really a stretch. </p><p><br></p><p>I expect the opposite of what is today's reality–cheaper devices are more serviceable than the premium. In my mind, easy serviceability and premium go hand in hand. </p>

  • harmjr

    Premium Member
    08 November, 2019 - 10:10 am

    <p>I cannot wait to see how that take these improvements and add to the Surface pro 8. I am excited for the next one. </p><p>To me SSD and battery should be changeable on all devices those are the easiest items to fail imo.</p>

    • wolters

      Premium Member
      08 November, 2019 - 11:28 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#487296">In reply to harmjr:</a></em></blockquote><p>I am too…I agree that the "Surface Pro" line is looking dated and want to see this design, alone with the Stylus holder in the SP8. </p>

  • SYNERDATA

    09 November, 2019 - 10:57 am

    <p>But seriously, who repairs a tablet rather than just buying a new one.</p><p>How does this even matter?</p>

  • dontbeevil

    09 November, 2019 - 2:14 pm

    <p>Lol i cannot even write that's more repairable than the ipad, please tell me which community rule break this comment </p><p><br></p><p>p.s.</p><p>finally this my third comment, with a complain, wasn't deleted</p>

Windows Intelligence In Your Inbox

Sign up for our new free newsletter to get three time-saving tips each Friday

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Thurrott © 2024 Thurrott LLC