Microsoft Surface 2 dinged for low repairability by iFixit
The Surface 2 received a 1 out of 10 rating for repairability, due mainly to the possibility of damaging the device while trying to open it.
The Surface 2, Microsoft's latest entrant in the tablet market, isn't one that most people would want to take apart.
iFixit on Tuesday published photos and a guide on how to take apart Microsoft's new Surface Pro 2. It scored a 1 out of 10 for repairability, just like its predecessor, the Surface Pro.
"The delicate and arduous opening procedure leaves no room for mistakes: one slip-up, and you'll likely shear one of the four ribbon cables in the edge of the display," iFixit reported. "Tons of adhesive hold everything in place, including the display and battery."
The task of taking apart the Surface Pro 2 seems arduous, to say the least. According to iFixit, the device has more than 90 screws and dozens of mechanical fasteners. But after the company was able to break into the device, it found several components in addition to the Intel Core i5 processor. iFixit discovered that the device's 128GB SSD drive is an SK Hynix offering, along with its 4GB of RAM. Atmel made the touch-screen controller and AVR microcontroller.
The big story from the teardown, though, appears to be the exceedingly difficult task of breaking open the Surface Pro 2 and accessing its components. Even opening the tablet could put users in danger of damaging the slate.
