Surface devices, great as they are, have always been infamous for being unnecessarily difficult to repair. Luckily, if you were looking to buy a Surface Pro 9, you’ll be happy to hear that repairs are slightly easier compared to Microsoft’s previous tablets.
iFixit released a teardown of the Surface Pro 9, and the company was happy to report that the new model is much more repairable than other Surface devices in the past. The older Surface Pro 7 notably earned a 1 out of 10 rating from the site, the lowest possible rating iFixit can give. The new model, however, scored a much better 7 out of 10, indicating a massive leap in repairability, although some things can probably be done better.
Dismantling the device is much easier than in previous years. For an SSD upgrade, all you have to do is lift a tiny magnetic flap from the body of the device. For any further upgrades/repairs, you’ll need to take it apart, which is much easier this time around – the edges of the screen are much easier to pry off, to prevent breakage during disassembly.
Once you’re inside, the internal layout is also greatly improved. While the RAM is soldered, everything is modular, even the battery – which is no longer glued, but held in place by screws. Microsoft has also promised that official parts and manuals will be available, and we should expect them to come out in 2023.
All in all, this seems like a big improvement over previous models. This is an important factor as self-repair becomes more popular – the easier a device is to repair, the longer it can last, saving you more money in the long run.
Source: iFixit