Microsoft exposes glue-free guts of the Surface Laptop Studio
- Reference: 1650888790
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2022/04/25/surface_laptop_studio_repair/
- Source link:
[1]Youtube Video
In a video uploaded to the company's Microsoft Surface YouTube channel, Colin Ravenscroft (senior DFX engineer), took viewers through a blessedly glue-free journey into the insides of the latest flagship device.
[2]
The video follows [3]another earlier this year concerning the company's Surface Laptop SE. A comparison between the two shows Microsoft taking steps forward and back, although the existence of repair guides at all is a welcome development.
[4]
[5]
Remarkably few tools are needed to open up the hardware. We were, however, a bit concerned about the feet and cosmetic plate around the side of the base which had to be removed in order to access the screws – Ravenscroft did not reassemble the device once stripped, and we can't imagine that cosmetic plate going back on smoothly.
[6]Back to school for Microsoft as it prises apart the repairable Surface Laptop SE
[7]Microsoft discounts HoloLens 2 devices for educators
[8]Cryptocurrency-mining AWS Lambda-specific malware spotted
[9]Only 29% of techies truly want to stay in current job
However, once inside, there were positives and negatives. A big plus was the ability to pull out the SSD, fans, audio jack and Surface Connect port and speakers with just the aid of tweezers and screwdriver.
While the motherboard could be lifted out of the way, RAM was resolutely soldered onto it, meaning upgrades are pretty much impossible for the self-help community. Sacrificing replaceable memory in pursuit of ever-thinner devices has never been a good thing for this writer.
The battery also seems as if it would not be easily replaceable, and is stuck to the inside of the laptop.
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During the teardown, Ravenscroft raised hopes that Microsoft had made the unit easier to replace when he highlighted the pull tabs for stretch-to-release – before dashing them with the comment "that's to aid with disassembly of the battery when it comes end-of-life-recycling."
Still, at the least the plate to which the battery was secured can be replaced easily enough.
Overall, Microsoft deserves some kudos for this approach and while RAM is still not upgradeable and battery replacement not as straightforward as we'd like, the ease with which other commonly broken components (such as the Surface Connector and headphone jack) can be replaced is a step in the right direction.
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Microsoft's Surface Studio might not require a heat gun and a healthy dose of bravery to get into, yet plenty of PCs out there still do. ®
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[1] https://youtu.be/cnBAeUD0Li4
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2YmbFta7PqY3OqTIAXdUZVAAAAYU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://www.theregister.com/2022/01/11/surface_laptop_se/
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YmbFta7PqY3OqTIAXdUZVAAAAYU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YmbFta7PqY3OqTIAXdUZVAAAAYU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2022/01/11/surface_laptop_se/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2022/04/14/hololens_2_education/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2022/04/07/aws_lambda_malware/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2022/03/09/gartner_only_29pc_of_it/
[10] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YmbFta7PqY3OqTIAXdUZVAAAAYU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[11] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YmbFta7PqY3OqTIAXdUZVAAAAYU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[12] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
There is now no reason why the engine should not start.
>The old Haynes manual rule applies. Reassembly is the opposite of disassembly.
Yes, but you swear in different places.
If any screws is left after assembly they get tossed!
"...Sacrificing replaceable memory in pursuit of ever-thinner devices has never been a good thing for this writer..."
I agree. It is also not beyond the realms of engineers to design a slot on the edge of a PCB that would allow e.g. RAM or SSD to plug in therefore not raising the profile of the board. It's lazy and it's designed to get puchasers to overprovision when they buy.
Looking at you, Lenovo! Why are you soldering in one slab of RAM and have another socket to be populated by the user?
The battery seems replacable, the SSD is, as is the WLan-card.
Not really surprised
> Headphone jack? No problem. More RAM? Er, about that...
Well, there is no money in headphone jack options, but there definitely is in RAM options. You can't allow those suckers to get precious RAM without you adding your mark-up...
As for the thin laptops, don't get me started. I'm about to buy a new one, and I want/need it chunky , big, with excellent cooling, beefy CPU, an absolute minimum of 32 GB of RAM, and I don't care if it weighs a dead horse, it's for working, not walking.
Re: Not really surprised
My attitude to really heavy laptops has been that, oh well, carrying it is just bonus exercise. :)
Re: Not really surprised
I do carry mine rarely, and when I do it's just from the desk to the car, and from the car to some other desk. Unlike apparently most other people, I never ever took it with me while mountain climbing or trekking. Go figure.
Re: Not really surprised
32GB RAM? Sorry, no can do, sir. We do however have these lovely-looking 32GB storage laptops which will last you until at least until Windows next updates.
Re: Not really surprised
True, but then again I run Linux so 32 GB, while not plenty, would be enough for my uses. 64 GB would be better of course, but that's not always an option.
Re: Not really surprised
Are Clevo chassis builds still available from the various custom PC merchants? Those used to exactly meet your requirements.
I misread that as Gluten-Free guts...
Crumbs
Well, actually, Gluten is Latin for glue...
Looking forward to the edible computer - (n)oodles of RAM(en), multi-Platter storage, nice big Dishplay - surely someone must be working on the ultimate recyclable tech?
I've used Surface tablets, and much like Macbooks, they're hugely overpriced, and just seem to be fashion accessories, rather than actual computers.
> I've used Surface tablets, and much like Macbooks, they're hugely overpriced, and just seem to be fashion accessories, rather than actual computers.
Your grammar is terrible. It isn't "much like" it's "much prefer".
I've used Surface tablets, and much prefer Macbooks , they're hugely overpriced, and just seem to be fashion accessories, rather than actual computers.
;-)
If you think a MacBook is a fashion accessory and not an actual computer, you've never used one. Current M1Pro MBPs kick the guts out of any Windows laptop out there in terms of sheer performance and getting the job done, and in terms of looks are resolutely utilitarian; absolutely no frills whatsoever so not even close to a 'fashion' anything.
Ooh, does that mean I can now install Steam and run my whole library of Windows games on the M1Pro?
Yup. Steam, Epic Games, Rockstar Launcher, and the Xbox app will all run. And even through an emulator it'll beat pretty much all Windows laptops that aren't specifically designed for gaming. 2560x1440 through Steam at max settings 60fps pretty much across the board (except Sekiro). The M1Pro chip really IS that powerful.
https://www.techradar.com/news/we-try-gaming-in-parallels-desktop-again-with-an-m1-pro-macbook
EVE Online
Is also native now.
Thing is the new …errr
“ Sacrificing replaceable memory in pursuit of ever-thinner devices has never been a good thing for this writer.”
I have never understood the fixation with making everything so thin. If it’s credit card sized then fine; you may as well make it credit card thin as well so you can keep it in your wallet. But for everything else it’s pointless. Just think how much more battery life your average phone could have if it was just a bit thicker. And how much easier to hold it would be!
On a laptop, it’s even sillier. Within reason, who gives a monkeys how thick it is? Laptops started off being about 50mm or so thick and nobody complained then. Make it lighter, fine. But so thin it bends? No thanks
Re: Thing is the new …errr
Or to put that another way. Thin for what purpose? What is the use case for a thinner laptop?
Re: Thing is the new …errr
Fashion statement. Apparently most people buy into the crap because when you look at the laptop selling web sites (I'm currently looking to buy a laptop, a fat one), "slimness" is the first characteristic they mention: Nowadays you don't buy a laptop model because it's capable of running your workload better than the others, but because it's slim. *facepalm*
Re: Thing is the new …errr
15mm is about as thick as will fit into my camera bag's padded side sleeve.
My Surface Pro tablet has been to six continents in that bag.
50mm? I'd have to buy a second device that would fit.
Re: Thing is the new …errr
Size is for show, weight for a pro. I couldn't care less about size within reasonable limits, but as a traveller I do care about weight. I'd prefer to have another couple of cm on the thickness rather than another half kg in weight.
Re: Thing is the new …errr
The MacBook Pro recently got a bit thicker, and I'll admit that it was sort of weird switching from an older model to the current. But worth it once I started typing.
Trying hard to avoid irrelevancy.
When the other one can get away with charging 2 grand for oodles and oodles of superglue, why ever not?
"Ravenscroft did not reassemble the device once stripped,"
The old Haynes manual rule applies. Reassembly is the opposite of disassembly.