A very different Surface story
Surface fans will remember how this went in the past. The original Surface Laptop, launched in 2017 at $999, scored 0/10 from iFixit. iFixit said it couldn't be opened without a lot of damage. The jump from zero to eight is a large shift in Microsoft's hardware design and support approach.
The Surface Laptop 7 sat in between. In iFixit's laptop listing, its listed strengths include uncomplicated entry and access to main components. Its drawbacks include a keyboard riveted to the chassis. The Ultra keeps one familiar weakness, as covered below: the keyboard is still tied to the chassis.
What makes the Surface easy to open
According to Notebookcheck's account of the iFixit teardown video:
- Four clip-on feet hide screws. Remove them and the bottom cover comes off.
- The layout is conventional, with two fans and a replaceable M.2 SSD. The SSD comes out or can be upgraded by removing one screw.
- The 92 Wh battery is held in by screws rather than adhesive. It also has a QR code that links to the repair manual.
- The stereo speakers, the 3.5 mm headphone jack and the magnetic USB-C port are similarly straightforward to replace.
Microsoft's own Surface self-repair page lists the Surface Laptop Ultra's replaceable components. They are the audio jack, battery, display assembly, enclosure, fan, feet, motherboard, removable SSD, speakers, magnetic USB-C charging port, USB-A, keyboard, trackpad and USB-C charging port.
"Replaceable" and "easy" are different things, though. That list says what Microsoft will support with parts and service guides. It does not say every job is simple.
Where the 8 out of 10 has asterisks
The teardown found several limits:
- RAM: Memory is factory-installed and can't be removed. Notebookcheck says this is the case for all laptops based on Nvidia RTX Spark, so you have to pick your memory configuration at purchase.
- Ports: The other USB-C ports are soldered to the motherboard.
- Keyboard: Replacing it means replacing the entire chassis cover, which requires almost completely disassembling the laptop.
- Complex jobs: Motherboard, display and trackpad repairs are described as relatively complex.
Why the MacBook Pro scored lower
iFixit's laptop-score listing for the 14-inch MacBook Pro (M5, 2025) credits it with doable battery replacement, a highly modular Thunderbolt port design, and a full service manual with a good selection of parts for end users. The listed cons are storage that is not removable or serviceable, a riveted keyboard, and Pentalobe screws on every repair.
iFixit's M5 teardown adds detail on the battery. Apple's official procedure requires swapping the entire top case, keyboard included, to replace the battery. iFixit said at the time that the Self Service Repair store sold only a full top case assembly for the M4 model, at $527. The same article carries a later update: Apple published a revised battery removal procedure in December 2025 with more direct access to the battery. I have not seen detail on that revision, so the original comparison may be somewhat harsher than Apple's current procedure.
How to read an iFixit score
iFixit explains that its score rests on three things: the service manual, replacement-part availability and the product's design for repair. Design accounts for 80% of the total, and the rest is split between documentation and parts. Engineers trace each critical repair path using time-based proxy values and tool factors. Parts pricing counts too: iFixit mainly awards points for parts priced at 25% of MSRP or less.
It also warns that its rubric changes over time. That means scores compare best between contemporaries. The M5 MacBook Pro was scored under scorecard v2.2. I could not confirm which scorecard version applies to the Surface Laptop Ultra.
One more caveat: iFixit says it may give provisional credit for parts that aren't on sale yet, based on a manufacturer's track record. Notebookcheck describes Microsoft's spare-parts plan as something it intends to offer through outlets including iFixit's store "in the future". So parts availability at launch is a point to check, not assume.
What Microsoft says about doing it yourself
Microsoft is blunt that this is not for everyone. Its support page says self-repair is intended for out-of-warranty repairs. It requires the skills to complete complex electronic repairs.
- Before you buy parts: Microsoft recommends troubleshooting first. It points to the Surface Diagnostic Toolkit and the Surface app. Then review the service guide for your exact model.
- Parts and tools: Parts are sold through Microsoft Store and iFixit. Availability varies by country and can change with supply and demand. Tools are sold separately through iFixit.
- Warranty: Repairing with a replacement component doesn't affect Microsoft's Limited warranty. But damage from a repair by anyone other than Microsoft or an Authorized Service Provider isn't covered.
- Support: Microsoft customer support won't help you finish a repair you've started. Its suggested fallback is an authorized provider or an out-of-warranty repair order.
- Parts lifetime: For Surface devices released on or after April 9, 2024, Microsoft says parts are available for a minimum of three years after production ends. That applies in listed regions including the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Taiwan, the EEA, Switzerland and the UK.
What this means for buyers
For a laptop that reportedly costs $3,299 (Notebookcheck cites an Amazon price), the practical gain is in the most common failures. Batteries wear out, SSDs fill up, and fans and ports take abuse. The Surface offers screw-secured access to several of those, plus a published manual. Storage is replaceable on the Surface and not on the MacBook Pro.
There are also limits on what we can say:
- Neither score tells you what a repair will cost. The reporting contains no part prices or labor estimates for the Surface.
- A repairable laptop isn't automatically cheaper to own over its lifetime.
- The fixed RAM cuts against upgradeability. If you might need more memory in three years, buy it now.
- Gadget Review's framing, that the score gap shows which machine is built for longevity, is an interpretation. The evidence supports "more repair options for particular failures", not "lasts longer".
For IT admins weighing Surface for Business fleets, the self-repair page points to Microsoft's authorized service provider route for business devices. That matters more than a DIY score if you manage a fleet. It's worth checking parts terms and service options before you standardize on any model.
Bottom line
An 8/10 from iFixit for a Surface, up from an infamous 0/10 for the first-generation Surface Laptop, is a real turnaround. The Surface Laptop Ultra gives owners screw-secured access to the battery, a one-screw SSD, an official manual and a stated parts program. The soldered RAM, the keyboard tied to the chassis and the soldered USB-C ports keep it from being a Framework-style tinkerer's laptop. Compared with the MacBook Pro's top-case battery procedure and non-serviceable storage, though, the Surface has the clearer path for the failures most owners are likely to meet.