It's becoming tradition that with every new high-profile gadget release, we showcase whatever findings the repair commandos at
iFixit.com share with us, whether it's the latest
iPhone 5S and 5C, the
Nvidia Shield,
Moto X smartphone, or the yet unfinalized
Oculus Rift VR headset.
In a follow-up article we'll list devices and gadgets you
can
service on your own. But if it's controversy and indignation you want,
this is the week you've been waiting for! Here are iFixit's top 10
hardest-to-repair electronics.
We have to wonder what the late Steve Jobs (who was so obsessive
about making his gadgets user-friendly) would think to see a whopping
six Apple products
filling out iFixit's list of the least repairable objects. Not
surprisingly, a few of the top slots are taken up by the line of
environmentally unfriendly Macbook Pros with Retina Display, which
iFixit boss Kyle Wiens once slammed as "
designed to fail."
10
Category: MP3 Player
iFixit Verdict: "Clips and adhesive (and no external screws) make
it difficult to open the case. Once inside, several components are
soldered into two main assemblies, increasing cost of replacement for
any individual part."
Fixability Score: 3
9
Category: DSLR
iFixit Verdict: "Similar to the D5100, components are very
densely packed, and desoldering is required for disassembly.
Additionally, the LCD is fused to the rear case and cannot be replaced
without swapping the entire back of the body."
Fixability Score: 2
8
Category: Tablet
iFixit Verdict: "Just like in second and third generation iPads,
loads of adhesive secure the screen and battery to the case. This makes
it difficult to open the device for repairs, and especially difficult to
remove the battery to install a replacement."
Fixability Score: 2
7
Category: Tablet
iFixit Verdict: "Components are held in place with either
copious amounts of adhesive or tape, or incredibly tiny and easy-to-lose
screws. Especially annoying, the Lightning connector is soldered to the
logic board, so broken connector pins will mean replacing the entire
assembly."
Fixability Score: 2
6
Category: DSLR Camera
iFixit Verdict: "Disassembly requires desoldering several
components and removing a ton of screws. Components are densely packed
into the device, complicating repairs."
Fixability Score: 2
5
Category: Laptop
iFixit Verdict: "Slightly better than its 15" predecessor, the
MacBook Pro Retina 13" still features a glued-in battery, proprietary
screws and SSD, and soldered-in RAM."
Fixability Score: 2
4
Category: MP3 Player
iFixit Verdict: "Because of the small scale and construction,
it's impossible to open this device without destroying it. Additionally,
the battery is soldered to the logic board, increasing repair
difficulty."
Fixability Score: 2
3
Category: Laptop/Tablet Hybrid
iFixit Verdict: "The Surface Pro's display assembly is
incredibly hard to remove, sealed in place with tons of adhesive. Once
you have the cover removed, there are more than 90 screws inside to keep
you from the rest of the components."
Fixability Score: 1
2
Category: Smartphone
iFixit Verdict: "This phone is very difficult, if not
impossible, to open without destroying the rear case. Even if you can
get it open, the battery is buried beneath the motherboard and adhered
to the midframe, and incredibly difficult to replace."
Fixability Score: 1
1
Category: Laptop
iFixit Verdict: "Proprietary pentalobe screws, soldered and
non-upgradeable RAM, a proprietary SSD, and a glued-in battery make the
15" Retina Pro the least repairable laptop we've ever seen."
Fixability Score: 1
So what are your gadget repair horror stories, and which items belong
on this list (or don't) based on your experience? If nothing else, the
presence of six Apple items here, we would hope, should serve as a wake
up call to Apple CEO, Tim Cook: Make your products more repairable, and
thus less likely to wind up in landfills. In the meantime, learn all
about the gizmos you can overhaul all by your self, complete with how-to
guides and instructions, at
iFixit.com.
