All articles tagged with #repairability
At CES 2026, laptop manufacturers showcased a trend towards modular, repairable designs with new processors from AMD, Intel, and Qualcomm, emphasizing sustainability and serviceability, alongside innovative models like Lenovo's Space Frame X1 Carbon and HP's portable EliteBoard G1a, highlighting a shift back to user-friendly, upgradeable laptops.
The article discusses the frustrations with the Framework 16 laptop, emphasizing that its value is often misunderstood; while it offers repairability and upgradeability, many users and critics overlook these features' limited practical impact compared to other factors like build quality, performance, and price. The debate highlights broader issues about consumer priorities, sustainability, and the trade-offs in modern laptop design.
A teardown of Meta's Ray-Ban Display smart glasses reveals they are extremely difficult to repair due to sophisticated lens technology and glued components, making repairs or lens replacements impractical and costly, with most repairs requiring replacing the entire device.
Apple's latest M5 MacBook Pro features a minor improvement in battery repairability, allowing battery replacement without removing the trackpad, but the process remains complex and costly, with a repairability score of 4 out of 10.
The Pixel Watch 4 is the most repairable smartwatch on the market, featuring screws instead of glue for the display and battery, easy access for repairs, and the ability to replace parts without voiding the warranty, marking a significant shift towards sustainability and user serviceability.
The Pixel Watch 4 has received high praise for its design, software, and battery life, but notably stands out for its exceptional repairability score of 9/10 by iFixit, making it the most repairable smartwatch on the market, a significant improvement over its predecessor and surpassing the Apple Watch.
The Pixel Watch 4 is designed to be easily repairable, with simple access requiring only a few screwdriver bits, and no adhesive sealing the components. iFixit has provided a detailed teardown and repair manual, giving it a high repairability score of 9 out of 10, and Google has released official repair manuals for the device and other products.
The Pixel Watch 4 introduces a domed, convex display with a subtle 3D effect, improved brightness, and a fully repairable design, along with Wear OS 6's refreshed Material 3 design and AI-powered features like 'Raise to Talk' with Gemini, making it a significant upgrade for existing Pixel Watch users and a compelling choice for new buyers. Battery life remains strong with fast charging, and the watch offers enhanced notifications and health tracking, though it retains familiar design elements. Priced at $349-$399, it is recommended for those on older Pixel Watch models.
iFixit gave the AirPods Pro 3 a 0 out of 10 repairability score due to their glued-together design, making battery replacement and repairs nearly impossible without damage, highlighting concerns about their sustainability and repairability.
Genuine repair parts for the Pixel 10 series are now available, with the Pixel 10 Pro featuring a more expensive screen and back glass, but cheaper batteries and cameras. Google and partners are also hosting an event to promote repairability and educate consumers on repair options.
The AirPods Pro 3 are considered impossible to repair, receiving a score of 0 in an iFixit teardown, highlighting their low repairability.
iFixit’s teardown of the iPhone 17 Pro reveals a new vapor chamber cooling system, a removable battery tray, and confirms the scratch-prone issue known as scratchgate, with the device scoring 7/10 for repairability due to design choices like the front-only access and non-dual-entry design.
The iPhone Air, despite its slim design, remains quite repairable due to clever engineering that simplifies access to key components like the battery and modular parts, making maintenance easier even with its compact size.
The iPhone Air, despite its thin design, is highly repairable with easy battery replacement, modular USB-C port, and accessible components, earning a 7/10 repairability score from iFixit, similar to recent iPhone models.
iFixit’s teardown of the iPhone Air reveals Apple’s design innovations for making the thinnest iPhone yet, including a camera plateau, a partially embedded logic board, and a modular USB-C port. Despite its slim profile, the device is relatively easy to repair, with efforts to simplify component removal and repairability, earning a 7 out of 10 score. The teardown also confirms the use of a custom Apple battery in the MagSafe Battery pack, and highlights the use of 3D printed titanium alloy for the USB-C port.