Do you have a computer or smartphone that’s easy to repair? Or, when your laptop or phone needs service, will you be forced to buy a whole new device?
A new report from the U.S. PIRG Education Fund takes a look at just how repairable laptops and smartphones are from some of the biggest computer companies in the world and graded them with a repairability score.
One notable stat from the report is that while most smartphones have become easier to repair compared to last year’s report, laptops have moved in the opposite direction. HP laptops, for example, are harder to repair than they were in previous years.
Asus tops the laptop repairability list
Only one computer company received a grade in the A’s for laptop repairability and that’s Asus with an A- score.
Acer was close behind with a B+, followed by Dell, Microsoft, and Samsung, with each receiving a grade of B-. HP received a C, followed by Apple with a C-.
While this is an improvement for Apple when compared to previous reports, the company still falls into last place when it comes to laptop repairability.
Lenovo received a failing grade of F. However, the U.S. PIRG Education Fund noted that it failed Lenovo because it was only able to test one device due to the fact that the company did not provide the “full French repairability index for 12 of the 13 models available in both the U.S. and France.”
France requires companies to make repairability scores and information available to the general public. A survey found that 86 percent of French consumers utilize the repair score when making purchasing decisions. The report could not properly grade Lenovo without this information. For what its worth, Lenovo received a C grade in the 2024 repairability report
A tie on the smartphone repairability list
When it comes to the smartphone repairability rankings, Apple and Google are both tied at the top of the field with a B- grade.
Motorola comes in with a C+. Samsung is in last with a C-.
Right to Repair
On the smartphone end of things, it appears that the Right to Repair movement has had an effect. Longtime iPhone users might recall just how difficult it used to be to repair Apple’s smartphone device.
Right to Repair is a legal right for consumers to be able to modify and repair products that they purchase and requires tech companies to provide access to service information and affordable replacement parts.
However, while the Right to Repair has been successful in changing how smartphone manufacturers operate, it appears the movement needs to shift focus towards laptops where repairability appears to be lagging if not outright regressing.
