SSD of Surface Laptop 3 turns out to be very easy to replace yourself
It is very easy to replace the SSD of the Surface Laptop 3 yourself, contrary to what Microsoft claims. That’s according to a teardown from iFixit. However, it is not clear whether upgrading to an SSD with a larger capacity is possible.
When announcing the Surface Laptop 3, Microsoft emphasized the ability to open the laptop for easier upgrades and repairs. The company also showed the presence of a loose SSD. Later, however, the manufacturer wrote on the product page of the Surface Laptop 3 that the SSD cannot be replaced by the user, but only by trained technicians who follow Microsoft’s instructions.
Website iFixit proves the contrary in a new teardown step-by-step plan and even concludes that the m2-2230-ssd is ‘completely modular and easily accessible’. To open the Surface Laptop 3, it is sufficient to unscrew the screws under the four rubber feet with a Torx Plus screwdriver. The top cover with the keyboard is connected with only one cable and the connector at the end is attached magnetically, instead of with a fragile clip.
Furthermore, iFixit notes that the top cover also attaches magnetically to the chassis. The first component that caught the eye during the teardown was the laptop’s SSD – in this case a 256GB one. It didn’t take more than a Torx Plus screwdriver to loosen the m2-2230 SSD. In a press release sent by e-mail, iFixit emphasizes that it is not clear whether an upgrade to a larger SSD is just possible. The website probably didn’t try that itself.
Earlier this week, Microsoft told PCWorld that employees of Microsoft stores will not perform SSD upgrades for the time being. It’s not clear why that doesn’t happen. It is also not certain whether there is a technical reason for this, it could also be related to the availability of the individual SSDs.
Why Microsoft claims that the user cannot replace the SSD is unclear. Presumably, the company wants to deter consumers from working on the SSD of their laptop themselves. Microsoft uses 30mm m2 SSDs in the Surface Laptop 3. It concerns BG4 SSDs from Toshiba Memory, the brand that will continue next year as Kioxia.
Image: iFixit