Microsoft Surface Pro 2 Teardown Shows Woes For DIYers

The industrious folks at iFixit have taken to tearing into Microsoft's Surface Pro 2, putting it through the same dismantling process the Kindle Fire HDX, iMac 2013, and other devices have recently undergone. Unfortunately, those who grab the Microsoft slate are going to have quite a battle if they ever elect to go the DIY route, with the Surface Pro 2 scoring a dismal 1 out of 10 repairability score.

On the upside, the Surface Pro 2 does not have a battery that is soldered to the motherboard, which means those who find it necessary will be able to crack the device open and replace the battery on their own. Likewise, the SSD can also be replaced, but neither of these tasks will be easy, and iFixit reports that opening the tablet will risk damaging it before any work can be done, meaning those without extensive skills should probably go the warranty route.

That concludes the upsides to the device, with the only neutral aspect iFixt lists being the inclusion of more than 90 screw inside the Surface Pro 2. That's quite a substantial number, and while not the worse hassle one could end up dealing with, it will slow DIYers down considerably. The list is mostly comprised of negatives, however, of which there are a few.

The display has a fused glass panel and LCD, making what is typically an easy repair difficult. In addition, there's "tons of adhesive" inside keeping the components together, something that is in addition to the vast number of screws and includes both the battery and the display. And rounding out the downsides is a very difficult time opening the device, with iFixit saying that a single slip could ruin one of the cables.

SOURCE: iFixit