What you need to know
- iFixit's team opened up the Surface Pro X to see how easy it is to repair.
- The SSD is now removable with a standard tool, and many components are modular.
- iFixit found the Surface Pro X to be "one of the most repairable tablets" they've seen lately.
Traditionally, Surface devices are famously difficult to repair. That trend started to change with the Surface Laptop 3's improved repairability score, and continues with the Surface Pro X. iFixit gave the Surface Pro X a repairability score of six out of ten, a dramatic improvement over previous Surface devices. iFixit's complete teardown includes steps to open the device and a detailed breakdown of components.
The main takeaway from iFixit's teardown is that the Surface Pro X is dramatically easier to repair than not just previous Surface devices but than most other tablets. iFixit states in their teardown, "We never thought we'd get into a Surface Pro this easily." With the Surface Laptop 3 being easier to repair, and the improvements of the Surface Pro X's repairability, the iFixit team seems impressed, stating
It would seem that Microsoft has placed at least one foot on the repairability train—between this Pro X and the Laptop 3, we can hardly believe all the repair-focused changes they've made!
iFixit highlights a few points that make the Surface Pro X easier to repair than other tablets.
We expected the replaceable SSD (it was better than we dreamed), and standard Torx screws, but were met by the extreme surprise of an easier-to-open display.
All these improvements to the Surface line don't mean that the device is perfect when it comes to repairability. After all, it did earn a six out of ten, but iFixit's teardown shows that Microsoft cares about repairability. Specifically, the Surface Pro X's battery is firmly glued down, and some cables are difficult to maneuver around.
The replaceable SSD, which only requires a T3 driver and foam adhesive that holds the display down, are the highlights of a Surface device that shows a marked improvement in repairability.
The most compact Surface Pro yet
Between its impressive USB-C ports, quality display, SQ1 processor, and its wealth of RAM and storage, the Microsoft Surface Pro X is a refresh to Microsoft's Surface Pro line.
Sean Endicott is the news writer for Windows Central. If it runs Windows, is made by Microsoft, or has anything to do with either, he's on it. Sean's been with Windows Central since 2017 and is also our resident app expert. If you have a news tip or an app to review, hit him up at sean.endicott@futurenet.com.
