Surface Pro 9 Teardown Reveals Modular Parts, Microsoft's 2023 Repair Plans

Microsoft has done a lot to make their flagship tablet-laptop more repairable. Following iFixit's recent teardown, the Surface Pro 9 was the "most repairable we've seen from the product line yet." Ars Technica shares the major findings: iFixit has consulted with Microsoft's hardware teams for a while now, providing advice on making devices more repairable. As evidence of this, Microsoft claims in a statement that it will:

- Make repair guides available for the Surface Pro 9's components by the end of the year
- Work with "a major US retailer" to build out an authorized (in-store) repair network by early 2023
- Offer parts to individuals and repair shops by the first half of 2023

All these factors improve repairability, both in practice and in iFixit's (and French, European, and potentially other nations') repair scores.

iFixit's editorial teardowns, however, are conducted independently. When the team dug in, they found that the glass display has some flex built into it now, making it harder to shatter when you pry on the (now softer) glue underneath. With the screen off, you have access to all the modular components: motherboard, thermal module, the Surface Connect Port, speakers, Wi-Fi module, front and rear cameras, and side buttons. Most notably, the battery is now screwed down instead of held in place with glue. That makes the most common and predictable repair to the device "just plain simple," iFixit claims. The RAM is soldered to the motherboard, something that iFixit would typically penalize in the past. But iFixit says that given the power savings and performance boost from proximity to the CPU, it can't punish the decision. "Adding it all up, iFixit gives the Surface Pro 9 a 7 out of 10," concludes Ars' report. "That's a notable leap from prior Surface models, like the Pro 7, which received a 1 out of 10. But the Surface Pro 9's score will likely move up a notch or two if Microsoft keeps its promises to release manuals and spare parts to anyone who wants them next year."

Good progress recently.

[flashflood]

It's great to see some of the big players make progress on this front.

I feel as though Microsoft is more genuine in this regard than Apple, who adopt such a convoluted process that only the most gifted of tinkerers would be proficient enough to approach repairs with confidence.

Re:

[ElizabethGreene]

I've worked with two customers that require drives be physically removed from systems before they can be recycled. On the older surfaces that wasn't easily possible so they destroyed the devices.

Newer surfaces have the SSD under a single-screw flap and that means those companies can recycle the devices instead of shredding them. That's a win.

Cost and Confidence

[fermion]

It would be better for MS to push out repairs to independent stores. When most think right to repair, that is what they want. To be able to call around and get a competitive bid few end users can make even simple repairs themselves

So it will come down to how much MS charges to license repairs and how much the geek squad markup will be. The challenge with MS has always been sky high licensing fees. And corporate repair shops are never affordable no matter how cheap the labor.

Re:

[deviated_prevert]

It would be better for MS to push out repairs to independent stores. When most think right to repair, that is what they want. To be able to call around and get a competitive bid few end users can make even simple repairs themselves

So it will come down to how much MS charges to license repairs and how much the geek squad markup will be. The challenge with MS has always been sky high licensing fees. And corporate repair shops are never affordable no matter how cheap the labor.

Perfectly good i5 desktops and even more laptops that only need a minor upgrade of the TPM to 2.0 were all ditched by our governments here in Canada just so Microsoft could sell more IS software and more importantly the industry could crank out a pile of new devices to keep the tech industry afloat. So the real truth about hardware is that it is as Steve Ballmer put it "worthless".

The chickens are coming home to roost and as the cycle of "upgrade" is just about over and I doubt that governments can afford t

Re:

[batkiwi]

I seriously doubt the Canadian government is upgrading to windows 11 for their entire fleet already. Most enterprises will be on Win10 LTS, which doesn't need TPM2.0.

Re:

[arglebargle_xiv]

This isn't an enterprise, this is the government, they're still on Windows 2000 with a long-term goal of moving to Windows 7 within the next 5-10 years.

Re:

[thegarbz]

Most enterprises will be on Win10 LTS, which doesn't need TPM2.0.

Most enterprises have been using TPM since for over a decade and part of their purchase agreements have had all devices shipped with an optional TPM chip very much enabled in Windows 10 as well. TPM wasn't invented with Windows 11 and 8th Gen Intel CPUs.

But your point is correct and the GP is completely off base. Windows minimum system requirements go far beyond TPM. There's specific feature requirements in modern CPUs (not just TPM) that are required by Windows to enable features such as core isolation.

Re:

[deviated_prevert]

Most enterprises will be on Win10 LTS, which doesn't need TPM2.0.

Most enterprises have been using TPM since for over a decade and part of their purchase agreements have had all devices shipped with an optional TPM chip very much enabled in Windows 10 as well. TPM wasn't invented with Windows 11 and 8th Gen Intel CPUs.

But your point is correct and the GP is completely off base. Windows minimum system requirements go far beyond TPM. There's specific feature requirements in modern CPUs (not just TPM) that are required by Windows to enable features such as core isolation.

See your point. I guess the same issues might have been a fair part of the Itanium disasters at intel. Either that or the SCO wars with Intel bringing out a better 64 bit compiler for linux that smoked the one released for windows. Sorry I don't trust Redmond except to put a squeeze on my wallet every 5 years of so.

Re:

[thegarbz]

It would be better for MS to push out repairs to independent stores.

They can be independently repaired. Not only have after market spares been available for a long time (even for the dreaded SP7 which scored a 1 out of 10 for repairability) but MS is making spare parts available as part of their repairability commitment.

The news here is the user has a hope in removing the screen without cracking it, and can get the battery out without setting themselves on fire (having replaced a battery on a Surface Pro 4 before it was an hour long process to pry the battery out with any w

Now just make screens removable

[jacks smirking reven]

Every repair of any device with a display today, no matter how repairable the internals are, involves a risky and sometimes treacherous glue screen removal.

While the step of MS to soften the glue is a good change it still carries a lot of risk of damage to the display or it's delicate cabling, especially for first time repairers imo.

Re:

[mobby_6kl]

Definitely the worst step by far. I was thinking how it could be improved and actually realized that my Cube Mix Plus tablet (Chinese tablet, similar to SP3 or something?) had a pretty good solution: the screen with the frame simply had little tabs that clip into the back cover. You just pop them open with a pry tool, it's a bit tricky and you might break a tab if you do this multiple times (as I have) but mine is still holding together just fine after like five years and at least three or four times openin

Re:

[thegarbz]

While the step of MS to soften the glue is a good change it still carries a lot of risk

Their changes went beyond just changing the glue. The screen is now far more flexible. Also we need to get away from this silly notion that repairability is only achieved when any hamfisted person with a flat head screwdriver can do it. Even the older Surface Pro devices were repairable and many shops happily offered this service. If you're careful enough with a basic set of tools you can remove an older Surface Pro screen yourself as well, to say nothing of the people who run professional repair businesses

Re:

[wakeboarder]

I'd rather have the glue, harder to repair but makes a better seal. Gaskets would not be fun either, you have to keep them clean and they are larger..

This seems like a fine idea

[zephvark]

This seems like a fine idea, although it probably won't affect either Surface Pro buyer. I mean, it's slightly more useful than rearranging the icons on the screen again, which is what constitutes Microsoft's usual "upgrade". However, I doubt either Surface Pro customer is going to even notice.

Come to think of it, that does make it one of Microsoft's best upgrades.

Re:

[ehack]

I can't mod you up, but I think you've perfectly summed it up.
The only real effect of this upgrade will be to ugrade the fixability number.
However, which will force the whole of the industry to follow.
And some of the third party laptops -eg Lenovo- may be genuinely user-repairable or even user -upgradeable.

Re:

[thegarbz]

although it probably won't affect either Surface Pro buyer

Actually it affected me. I was on the fence about getting a discounted Surface Pro 8 or a new one (my older Surface is on its last legs and has had a good life). The performance uplift didn't justify the price difference especially given the how older models are selling well below RRP now. But this pushed me over the edge.

Having replaced the battery of a Surface Pro 4 before which was an utterly painful process that took me the best part of a day, and knowing all our devices outlived their useful battery li

Hardware from Microsoft

[John.Banister]

feels like software from Google and cars from Fuju Heavy Industry. We are blessed with a better product because profit margin on that hardware isn't where they make their money. I'm glad they've opted for good will on right to repair.