Microsoft Surface Book (gen 1) component upgrades

[James Blonde]

Anyone know if there is a repairer in the UK who can do Microsoft Surface Book upgrades - specifically SSD and RAM?

 

[sizzling]

Anyone know if there is a repairer in the UK who can do Microsoft Surface Book upgrades - specifically SSD and RAM?

Not sure if a company doing SSD upgrades. From what I saw online as I feared the RAM is soldered in and not upgradable.

 

[punkncat]

These are designed as disposable/timed obsolescence. It is meant to be used for a while and then "thrown out" when you buy the newer shiny one. Real shame TBA, but it is what it is. Much like mobile phones.

 

[James Blonde]

I doubt I would have bought it if I knew quite how sealed up and un-upgradable it was - to even make upgrading the basics next to impossible is criminal. As nice a device as it is, I certainly won't be buying another - Microsofts loss! And they don't even offer a route to upgrade, as I found when they told me it couldn't be fixed! Very curious to know how my insurance company is fixing it mind you, though I suspect they've found someone who will provide the keyboard base (which I think is what was broken) separately (which M$ don't...)

Its not like the processor is bad, just wish it had extra ram and in particular, more than 256gb storage now - it would give it a new lease of life. Sure I can plug a USB drive in, but always nice to have something more on board!

 

[USAFRet]

I doubt I would have bought it if I knew quite how sealed up and un-upgradable it was

Most people who buy such a device would not ever do any hardware upgrade.

They buy new and give the old one to the kid or nephew.

 

[James Blonde]

Yeh I guess so! More fool me! I suppose 5 years isn't terrible, but....

 

[USAFRet]

Yeh I guess so! More fool me! I suppose 5 years isn't terrible, but....

These things are lifestyle devices.
Not hotrod upgradable systems.

And 5 years? You done good...😉

 

[punkncat]

And 5 years? You done good...😉

I agree, for a device of that nature it was a great lifetime, and surely there is some manner of usefulness left to it?

I honestly got away from tablets, netbooks, laptops (mostly) and that manner of item exactly because of the above. I carry a smart phone in my pocket that is powerful enough to get me through some stuff, and they do the same thing. I try to make them last, but eventually you have to make the plunge. Lol, if it weren't for needing to deal with editing .pdf on my phone (for signatures) I could likely get by on a flip phone.

 

[USAFRet]

I agree, for a device of that nature it was a great lifetime, and surely there is some manner of usefulness left to it?

I honestly got away from tablets, netbooks, laptops (mostly) and that manner of item exactly because of the above. I carry a smart phone in my pocket that is powerful enough to get me through some stuff, and they do the same thing. I try to make them last, but eventually you have to make the plunge. Lol, if it weren't for needing to deal with editing .pdf on my phone (for signatures) I could likely get by on a flip phone.

And we're mostly at the other end.
PCs and big monitors for almost everything.

Phones get minimal use. Prepaid Tracfone, used for text from the kids, and a very occasional voice call.
I have like zero apps on it.
Can't have the phone at work, don't need it at home...$160 for 2 years, and I'm still using minutes/data from 4 years ago.
Number of times I've accessed Toms from my phone? Zero.

The last year working from home saw more phone use than the previous 4 years combined.

2 tablets...a Asus ZenPad, which is the TV remote (paired with the Logitec Hub), and a few construction level apps. Inclinometer, etc.
Amazon Fire bought a couple weeks ago. It has one purpose, to be the screen for the flying robot.

2 laptops, used only as travel devices. My Asus Transformer, and a Lenovo something.

Everything else happens on the PC's.

 

[punkncat]

^ I typically don't 'surf' on my phone simply cause I can't see the darned thing without my glasses.

 

[James Blonde]

My primary machine has always been a highish spec desktop with 2 big (and calibrated) monitors for my landscape photography hobby, gaming. I was already working from home 3 days a week before the pandemic so used it to dial into the work virtual desktop.

Similarly I'm using my big and high spec phone for browsing and email - it's taking over most of the stuff I'd have used the laptop for, except photography (and the light gaming). That wasn't so much the case when I got my surface book.

The intention was to use the surface book to do photo editing / posting on the move or general mobile productivity / light gaming, but found the screen was too high resolution, and the device a bit too slow for heavier photoshop work (panoramas). I've enjoyed using the touch screen, and the pen has come in handy occasionally, but I don't think I've ever detached the keyboard for any meaningful reason! So it never got the use it deserved. I was kind of hoping that the insurance company couldn't repair it and I could modernise / get something upgradable, especially given Microsoft couldn't help, but somehow the insurance repairer say they can fix it! 😂

Ironically I've been ill and confined to the sofa for the last month or so, and really could have used the laptop if it wasn't broken! facepalm - I'll get it back just as I get better!