14 DAY TRIAL // The Surface Studio all-in-one PC is now being shipped to the first lucky buyers, and this offered iFixIt the opportunity to perform its typical state-of-the-art teardown and let us know what’s inside Microsoft’s first such device in history.
One of the surprising things under the case of the Surface Studio is the processor itself, as the Redmond-based software giant opted for an ARM chip on an Intel-powered configuration.
While few people expected to see Microsoft going for this processor, it’s also confirmation that the firm still believes in ARM and continues to invest in it - rumor has it that several projects involving ARM chips are being developed at Microsoft, including an emulator that would make it possible for future Windows phones to run x86 apps.
iFixIt also reveals that the Surface Studio’s base is easy to open and it hosts several modular components, including the SATA hard drive and the SSD, so you can replace any of them quite easily. This is one of the reasons the device received a repairability score of 5 points out of the maximum 10, the engineers explained.
No hardware upgrades
But it’s not all just milk and honey on the Surface Studio and there is something that’s likely to make some people think twice before ordering a certain configuration.
It turns out that the device cannot be upgraded in terms of RAM, CPU, and GPU, as all of them are soldered to the board. This means that the configuration you choose is pretty much it, and if you decide to add more RAM or change the CPU at a later time, you won’t be able to do it.
Furthermore, iFixIt says that there are parts that are embedded in the display, such as the speakers, which are very difficult to replace in case they break down.
All in all, the Surface Studio got the same score as the new MacBook, but this doesn’t mean anything. You’re not supposed to break the device open on your own anyway, but those limited hardware upgrades should make you think twice when choosing your configuration.
