Why it matters: Repair-friendly hardware means you'll get to keep your device for longer, making it kinder to your wallet and the environment. Now, iFixit, the company famous for hardware teardowns, toolkits and repair guides, has announced a partnership with Microsoft in which the latter will allow it to manufacture and sell official Surface repair tools to authorized repair shops.
Microsoft's Surface line, like most modern electronics, employs lots of adhesive to keep components in place. This makes repair jobs like screen or battery replacements tricky, resulting in most Surface devices scoring quite poorly in iFixit repairability scores. Microsoft is addressing the issue by working with iFixit to make its official service tools more accessible to independent repair shops.
In the announcement, iFixit revealed that it would launch three new Microsoft-designed tools for newer Surface models. The first is a display bonding frame that comes with thick foam rubber used to carry out screen replacements on the Surface Pro 7, Pro 8 and Pro X. The second is a battery cover for the Surface Laptop line to protect internal components, and the third is a debonding tool (or pick) designed specifically for prying open displays on the Surface Pro 7+, Pro 8, and Pro X.
iFixit's disassembly of the Microsoft Surface Pro X
Appreciating Microsoft's stance towards making hardware repairing more accessible, iFixit said that these new tools would help technicians perform accurate, high-volume repairs, allowing them to match factory-level adhesion.
Repair guides for these devices are currently being produced, and more importantly, iFixit noted that this partnership wouldn't affect how it tears down and reviews future Microsoft products.