Surface Laptop 7 is “Astonishingly” Repair-Friendly, Says iFixit

Microsoft’s freshly released Surface Copilot+ PCs just earned a high mark in repairability from the hardware experts at iFixit. After tearing down the new Qualcomm-powered Surface Pro 11 and Surface Laptop 7, it’s now clear that there’s been huge progress since the original Surface Laptop received a 0/10 repairability score, with iFixit describing the device as a “glue-filled monstrosity.”

“The Surface line of devices have performed such a stunning and swift U-turn from unrepairable to very repairable that we can’t help but be impressed, even if they don’t score a perfect 10/10,” the iFixit analysis reads. Both devices received an 8/10 repairability score, even though the Surface Pro 11 is still slightly more difficult to repair due to its 2-in-1 form factor.

The experts described the Surface Laptop 7 as an “astonishingly repair friendly device, almost the antithesis of the original Surface Laptop.” They praised the QR codes on the components linking to official service manuals, as well as the “Wayfinders” icons on the different components indicating the type and number of screws used to screw in components. “A special mention should be made of how most components are accessible without the need to remove additional layers,” the report also emphasized.

Many of the repairability improvements iFixit noticed on the Surface Laptop 7 also apply to the Surface Pro 11. If removing the screen still requires extra caution, QR codes and Wayfinder markers now make it easier to remove other components. Even the battery is easy to remove thanks to Microsoft entirely replacing glue with screws.

Microsoft’s Surface devices have always been quite expensive despite the absence of top-of-the-line specs, but the latest generation of consumer devices is quite different. Both the Surface Pro 11 and Surface Laptop 7 start at $999.99, and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X series chips offer exclusive AI-accelerated Copilot+ experiences and superior battery life. Stay tuned for Paul’s upcoming review of the 15-inch Surface Laptop 7.