Spilt water on my Surface Laptop Go 2 - won't charge and only repair option is a refurb from Microsoft :-(

Forums › Laptops and mobile computers › Spilt water on my Surface Laptop Go 2 - won't charge and only repair option is a refurb from Microsoft :-(

lchiu7

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#316254 30-Sep-2024 09:33

Carelessly spillt a glass of water on my Surface Laptop Go 2

(this is the closest link I can find https://www.microsoft.com/en-nz/d/surface-laptop-go-2-essentials-bundle/8rpj1ck09v7t?activetab=pivot:overviewtab )

and it worked for a bit but then powered off and won't charge.

Took it in for service and was advised these are not repairable. Have to send to Microsoft and they replace with a refurb that will cost me $800.

Given I can get a new Surface Pro 7+ for $1150

https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/TABMST720525621/Microsoft-Surface-Pro-7-Business---Platinum-256GB

Might as well spend the $300 extra and get this. It doesn't have a keyboard with the Go does but I have a new Surface Pro 4 keyboard still unboxed I can use. The Windows machine is only a secondary machine for me. My primary Windows is a desktop and my primary mobile are Chromebooks.

What do folks think? Is the Surface repairable at all or Microsoft can't be bothered?

Staying in Wellington. Check out my AirBnB in the Wellington CBD. https://www.airbnb.co.nz/h/wellycbd PM me and mention GZ to get a 15% discount and no AirBnB charges.

gehenna

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#3287933 30-Sep-2024 09:38

No insurance I assume? That's a text book claim. It's self-serviceable if you find the parts you want and follow the guides, but it's not worth the time or effort of a service provider, retailer, or Microsoft to do it. You can try ServicePlus but I wouldn't bank on it.

lchiu7

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#3287935 30-Sep-2024 09:44

gehenna:

No insurance I assume? That's a text book claim. It's self-serviceable if you find the parts you want and follow the guides, but it's not worth the time or effort of a service provider, retailer, or Microsoft to do it. You can try ServicePlus but I wouldn't bank on it.

I have insurance but there is a $500 x/s. And I took it to Serviceplus who told me they cannot repair it and I had to return to Microsoft.

It looks so sealed up that it would be a challenge to fix myself :-(

Staying in Wellington. Check out my AirBnB in the Wellington CBD. https://www.airbnb.co.nz/h/wellycbd PM me and mention GZ to get a 15% discount and no AirBnB charges.

gehenna

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#3287937 30-Sep-2024 09:49

This is the challenge with the appliance-ification of tech over the years. The small form factors come with certain trade off considerations. Repairability is one of them.

Regarding a replacement - it depends on your requirements. If you want a small form factor like a Go, your options are few. If you can step up to a Surface Pro or Laptop size, then you have lots of options across a few recent generations. Your current Laptop Go will be far less powerful than the Pro 5 onwards, and the Laptop 4 onwards (just an educated guess, don't @ me). So if you can get one of those in a comfortable budget range, you'll be better off than before in every way other than size.

lchiu7

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#3287960 30-Sep-2024 10:06

gehenna:

This is the challenge with the appliance-ification of tech over the years. The small form factors come with certain trade off considerations. Repairability is one of them.

Regarding a replacement - it depends on your requirements. If you want a small form factor like a Go, your options are few. If you can step up to a Surface Pro or Laptop size, then you have lots of options across a few recent generations. Your current Laptop Go will be far less powerful than the Pro 5 onwards, and the Laptop 4 onwards (just an educated guess, don't @ me). So if you can get one of those in a comfortable budget range, you'll be better off than before in every way other than size.

This unit doesn't look so bad in terms of opening it up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFsRrjRKWfU

Trouble is, once I do that I have no idea what component to replace and if it's surface mounted stuff, that's way outside my area of competence

Staying in Wellington. Check out my AirBnB in the Wellington CBD. https://www.airbnb.co.nz/h/wellycbd PM me and mention GZ to get a 15% discount and no AirBnB charges.

gehenna

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#3287961 30-Sep-2024 10:09

Don't bother. You don't even know which component is faulty.

lchiu7

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#3287966 30-Sep-2024 10:13

gehenna:

Don't bother. You don't even know which component is faulty.

Exactly. If there was somebody who repaired laptops and knew what they were doing I would risk it but that's not me :-(

[UPDATE]

These guys say they can repair it Just need to send it in for an assessment.

https://electronicsrepair.co.nz/surface-go-2-auckland/

Might try that.

Staying in Wellington. Check out my AirBnB in the Wellington CBD. https://www.airbnb.co.nz/h/wellycbd PM me and mention GZ to get a 15% discount and no AirBnB charges.

gehenna

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#3288046 30-Sep-2024 11:08

Anyone telling you they can repair something without knowing what is faulty, is worth me coming back in a month to see the post about the result.

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lchiu7

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#3288054 30-Sep-2024 11:20

gehenna:

Anyone telling you they can repair something without knowing what is faulty, is worth me coming back in a month to see the post about the result.

They charge a $39 assessment fee which informs them if they can repair it. That seems reasonable.

And the fact when I open the lid (I was advised to stop doing that!) the Microsoft logon appears briefly seems to indicate the MB might be okay. And they provide a 90 day warranty on repairs so that is assuring also.

The insurance company wants me to send the unit for an assessment to these folks

https://connectnz.co.nz/

I will see what their advice is

Staying in Wellington. Check out my AirBnB in the Wellington CBD. https://www.airbnb.co.nz/h/wellycbd PM me and mention GZ to get a 15% discount and no AirBnB charges.

1101

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#3288380 30-Sep-2024 19:45

I only know of 2 component level laptop repair companies in AK (may be more) , that was 2 years ago when I worked for a computer repair company ,
We just sent the 'dead' laptops to them . They could repair them , trace motherboard faults & replace surface mount chips.
Water / liquid damage was common & could be repaired .
So there are options .

Try these guys
http://www.techcentral.co.nz/Default.aspx

lchiu7

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#3288409 1-Oct-2024 07:50

1101:

I only know of 2 component level laptop repair companies in AK (may be more) , that was 2 years ago when I worked for a computer repair company ,
We just sent the 'dead' laptops to them . They could repair them , trace motherboard faults & replace surface mount chips.
Water / liquid damage was common & could be repaired .
So there are options .

Try these guys
http://www.techcentral.co.nz/Default.aspx

Thanks. Will contact them but I wonder about their professionalism when they let their site certificate expire (get an Chrome error)

Staying in Wellington. Check out my AirBnB in the Wellington CBD. https://www.airbnb.co.nz/h/wellycbd PM me and mention GZ to get a 15% discount and no AirBnB charges.