We’ve all heard the saying: “What’s an oxymoron? … Microsoft Works.”. And while that is pretty funny, it becomes much less funny if you just dropped $1000 on a Pro, and find out that once it inevitably has an issue, it’s virtually unrepairable.
According to iFixit, it’s one of the LEAST repairable devices that they’ve ever seen, receiving a 1 out of 10 in repairability (ouch).
If you thought it was difficult to repair an RT or an iPad, you got another thing coming when your Surface Pro breaks down.
So… what makes it so impossible to repair? Well, let’s start with the battery. The battery is put in place with enough adhesive to glue an anvil to a ceiling. So, if you have to replace the battery… you also have to replace the back cover as well… So far so good? Let’s continue…
Not only is that glued into place, but you’ll find that the screen is as well. You can’t even take it off without using a heat gun, and then something thin but sturdy to pry the screen out once the adhesive has started to melt… Not only that, if you even try to pull out the screen, four thin cables are all around it, so unless you have unbelievably steady hands, your bound to break it. Then it’s off to the store to get yourself an iPad. Are we having fun yet?
If all the glue isn’t enough, you can also expect to get carpel-tunnel from unscrewing all the 29 screws that hold together the exterior of the device, and that’s only 29 of a total of 90 screws. Where do they put them all you have to wonder?
The reason for this, is because Microsoft basically wanted the Surface Pro to be a laptop power-wise, but with the look, and feel (and touchscreen) of a tablet, so, in order to do so, they ended up just taking a bunch of glue, a bunch of screws, and just cramming everything together to make the thing work.
With all this power, you have to wonder how it’s going to stay cool, considering the fans in this device are much smaller than in the iPad. Was this an intelligent decision, or did Microsoft just decide that there wasn’t enough space in the tablet to keep it properly cooled? Well, considering how hard we now know that it is to repair, we can only hope that this small fan doesn’t cause an overheating issue. But one thing’s for certain, I wouldn’t leave the device on in your car, with the windows rolled up, else your Surface Pro might become a big blob of glue and screws.
So, should this deter you from actually purchasing a Pro, if you haven’t already, or even act as a stimulus to return the one you have? Well, that’s up to you, but with Microsoft’s reputation for devices and operating systems that fall apart on account of a gentle breeze, it might be something to take into consideration on your next visit to Best Buy.