Despite laptops overtaking their towering cousins in market share, these portable computers still lack one vital trait that has kept stationary desktops still relevant today. Desktop computers are, to a very large extent, modular by design, making it easier to upgrade and replace components as needs and technologies change. Sure, some laptops have upgradable RAM and storage, but that’s pretty much all there is to them given certain limitations in design.

Those limitations include the design of the motherboard itself, an all-in-one all-or-nothing object that is pretty much the soul of a computer. Intel, however, is proposing a rather ground-breaking change that will help make these components more repairable and less wasteful. If followed by its partners, it won’t just kick off a new age of modular laptops, it could even give Intel and AMD a huge edge over their Arm-based rivals such as Qualcomm and, of now, Apple.

Designer: Intel

The difference in motherboards between desktops and laptops is like night and day. Desktops follow an industry convention that has been shaped over decades, allowing components from rival companies to be mixed and matched as the consumer desires. Laptop motherboards, on the other hand, are often designed based on brand needs and whims. More importantly, they come as a whole package, with many parts soldered onto the board, including the ones that get worn out faster than others.

Intel’s proposed guidelines try to split the laptop motherboard into three distinct parts, two of which would hold the I/O or input out components such as USB and HDMI ports. The third would be where the core silicon is located, specifically the CPU and the GPU, among others. The modularity would allow different affected parts to be replaced if broken or, if desired, even upgraded, without throwing away the rest of the motherboard.

Those guidelines also have something for mini PCs, which are like the middle child between desktops and laptops. In this matter, the CPU and motherboard are separated from the graphics card and other components, making it easier to swap out GPUs or CPUs in the future. The growing popularity of mini PCs, partially thanks to the Mac mini and Mac studio, could be the driving force behind this initiative. Ironically, Intel itself has given up on the form factor, licensing its “NUC” brand to ASUS.

Designer: Framework

These guidelines might be ideal for reducing e-waste and promoting the right to repair, but it still all depends on whether other players are willing to play ball. Laptop manufacturers might be hesitant to do the work redesigning their laptops, and Intel’s rival AMD might not be keen to cooperate either. It’s still a distant dream, but one can already have a foretaste of the future today with the Framework laptops, proving that it can indeed be done with the right design.

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It has only been a month since Microsoft unveiled its latest Surface-branded computers, and while the tech industry was awash with discussions on the company’s aggressive Copilot AI push and ARM-based Snapdragon X silicon, the products’ design may have left some people less than impressed. The Surface Pro 11 and Surface Laptop, for all intents and purposes, look exactly like their forebears, making one wonder if Microsoft has run out of creative juice or is desperate to milk its current design until it runs dry. Fortunately, that isn’t the end of the new Microsoft Story, as it turns out that the latest Surface Pro and Surface Laptop computers have one “invisible” upgrade it didn’t really talk about much: an easier repair process that has even the meticulous and stingy iFixit impressed.

Designer: Microsoft (via iFixit)

Laptops have come a long way from being impregnable fortresses that made even the smallest repairs or upgrades a hellish experience, though there are still some companies living the past in the present. Initially, the Surface Laptop was part of that group, requiring cutting through fancy Alcantara fabric just to open the laptop to replace a battery or upgrade the storage. This year’s design almost makes a complete U-turn with a bottom plate that’s only held down by four screws and magnets; no adhesive in sight. Even the battery can be easily removed by just removing screws and a few layers of parts blocking those.

Tablets are even worse news for repairs, especially with displays that are glued on top of the frame. To its credit, Microsoft has at least made changing the Surface Pro M.2 SSD painless by having an accessible magnet-locked panel to get to that storage instantly. The 11th-gen model takes things further by employing as little adhesive as possible, though you still have to go through the risky process of removing the screen first. Fortunately, getting to important parts like the battery is less of a grueling task, especially since it’s only held down by screws as well.

Even more impressive, however, is the fact that Microsoft officially supports such self-repair processes. It has made repair guides publicly available since day one and has even clearly marked out the number and types of screws that hold certain components in place. It’s far from perfect and definitely not on the same level as a Framework laptop, but it’s still an unexpected yet pleasant surprise, especially considering it’s Microsoft we’re talking about.

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