14 DAY TRIAL // Teardown specialists iFixit have always criticized Microsoft for how hard it makes for users out there to repair their Surface devices.
But the debut of the Surface Pro 9 represents a major turning point. This is because the software giant has substantially improved the device in such a way that repairing the 2-in-1 is much easier now.
While massive refinements have been brought in most key areas, including when it comes to installing a new SSD, the battery comes with the biggest upgrade in terms of repairability.
“Lastly, we come to the battery, where perhaps the biggest change is evident. Gone are the days of prying at each cell and using copious amounts of isopropyl alcohol and a spudger to lever away the absurd amount of glue that kept it lodged in there. This battery is held in place with nothing more than screws, and the removal and reassembly process is just plain simple,” iFixit says in a teardown of the Surface Pro 9.
Replacing most common parts is quite easy on the Pro 9
While the SSD can be replaced quite easily, not the same thing can be said about the RAM, as Microsoft has embraced a common industry practice and soldered the memory onto the motherboard.
At the end of the day, Surface Pro 9 is the most repairable Surface ever released, and this is the reason it received a 7 out of 10 points from iFixit.
“We’ve awarded the Surface Pro 9 a respectable 7 out of 10 on our repairability scale. Because the service manuals and spare parts are not currently available, the Surface is ineligible for receiving points on those grounds—this score will be revised up as soon as we gain access to the promised service manuals and spare parts,” the company explains in the most recent teardown report.
