[_ph_]

Your comparison misses the point. A modern smartphone or laptop consists of dozens of parts. Of course, no one can fix an error on a CPU. I don't even ask to fix proplems on a PCB. But a laptop should not consist of a single PCB, but be split into CPU/GPU, memory, storage, battery. At least these components should be replaceable for a skilled worker, especially those which age with time, as the battery and ssd-storage. And of course any fan built into the device, as the clog and wear out.

[xxs]

many (incl. myself) people have no issues with the pcb and soldering on them, provided the entire thing is not potted in epoxy.

Soldering SSD and RAM is another issue, which makes standard components useless (mostly on purpose)

[_ph_]

And at least with SSD there is the risk of the drive wearing out. One should not have to throw away the CPU and GPU just to fix a broken drive.

[xxs]

I'd bet the some capacitors would go into fail mode way earlier than a moderate quality SSD would wear off.

Saying that: home, we've got 3 laptops - all of them have removable drives and 2 drive bays (3 if counting SATA2 optical drive). All of them have replaceable and upgradable ram. All of them have replaceable cpu (one has been upgraded as well). Replaceable keyboards, trackpads... and batteries too.

It's kind of new trend to make anorexic laptops with everything soldered straight to the PCB, and if you're Apple apply no conformal coating either.

[sagarm]

Worse, it means you can't pull the drive out of a dead or to-be-resold laptop to salvage or secure the data on it.