The Surface Pro 7+ has a swappable SSD -- but there's a catch

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By Mark Anthony Ramirez
published

Microsoft Surface Pro7+ SSD is swappable but, Microsoft warns against upgrading

Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Plus
(Image credit: Microsoft)

Microsoft is frustrating consumers with its recent statements regarding the swappable SSD in the Surface Pro 7+.  Although Microsoft announced, they were introducing SSD Commercial Spares specifically for the Surface Pro 7 Plus. It seems like an odd announcement when you read further through the announcement. 

Microsoft stated the intentions behind making the SSD on the Surface Pro 7 Plus swappable were for data retention and safety. The Surface Pro 7 Plus was unveiled last month, and it's geared mostly towards on-the-go business users. The Pro 7 Plus is a needed update for the aging Surface Pro 7 line and features updated CPUs and leveled-up RAM and SSD storage. 

The storage options which target enterprise users more than consumers, will be available through Microsoft's U.S. resellers and comprise 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB versions. The SSDs are not compatible the Surface Pro X or Surface Laptop Go.

Microsoft made it easy to swap out the SSD on the Surface Pro 7 Plus. That's especially handy if you're someone who purchased the system with an 128GB SSD and realized it's way too small considering how much drive space Windows 10 consumes. So the option to swap it out for something much larger is tantalizing. However, make sure you get one from an authorized reseller because Microsoft included the following statement to warn against just throwing old SSD in. 

Microsoft cautioned  "Installing a non-Microsoft or a Microsoft SSD of different volume than the one provided originally may lead to reduced performance and unsupported configurations."

I mean, sure, this could be nonsense, or it could be something serious. At the end of the day nobody wants to risk harming their precious computer. However, as it's been proven by the inventive team at iFixit,  you can upgrade the SSD in a Surface Pro X rather easily. Still, you must be careful when doing so because the SSD has some proprietary shielding, meaning that normal M.2 2230 drives might not be fully compatible. 

It just seems counterproductive for Microsoft to offer Surface Pros of any ilk that have easily upgradable SSD's but then warn against it unless you buy one through them. Sure it's obvious they want our dollars, but people are very clever and will find alternatives every time. 

Mark Anthony Ramirez
Mark Anthony Ramirez

Mark has spent 20 years headlining comedy shows around the country and made appearances on ABC, MTV, Comedy Central, Howard Stern, Food Network, and Sirius XM Radio. He has written about every topic imaginable, from dating, family, politics, social issues, and tech. He wrote his first tech articles for the now-defunct Dads On Tech 10 years ago, and his passion for combining humor and tech has grown under the tutelage of the Laptop Mag team. His penchant for tearing things down and rebuilding them did not make Mark popular at home, however, when he got his hands on the legendary Commodore 64, his passion for all things tech deepened. These days, when he is not filming, editing footage, tinkering with cameras and laptops, or on stage, he can be found at his desk snacking, writing about everything tech, new jokes, or scripts he dreams of filming.