Apple and Lenovo Receive Failing Grades for Laptop Repairability, PIRG Report Finds
Key Takeaways
- ▸Apple scored lowest among laptop manufacturers with a C-minus grade, primarily due to difficult disassembly and poor repair accessibility
- ▸Lenovo tied with Apple at C-minus despite slight improvements, but continues to fail at meeting French regulatory requirements for displaying repairability information
- ▸Major manufacturers including Apple, Dell, and Samsung faced score penalties for funding industry groups that oppose right-to-repair legislation in the US
Summary
The Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) Education Fund released its 2026 repairability report, grading major laptop and smartphone manufacturers on how easily their devices can be repaired and how accessible repair information is to consumers. Apple received the lowest grade for laptops with a C-minus, followed closely by Lenovo with the same C-minus grade. Both companies scored poorly primarily due to low disassembly scores, making it difficult for consumers and repair technicians to access internal components. The report analyzed the 10 newest laptops available on manufacturers' French websites in January, using criteria based on France's mandatory repairability index.
The analysis revealed structural issues beyond just physical design. Apple, Dell, and Samsung each lost a full point for membership in industry groups opposing right-to-repair legislation, while Lenovo additionally lost points for failing to properly display required French repair score PDFs on its website—a compliance issue that persisted from the previous year despite company assurances of resolution. PIRG emphasized that manufacturers should apply France's repairability standards globally, not just in the EU market where such transparency is legally mandated.
- The report analyzed devices using France's mandatory repairability index as a baseline, advocating for global adoption of these transparency and accessibility standards
Editorial Opinion
This report underscores a growing disconnect between consumer expectations and manufacturer design philosophy. Apple's consistently poor showing reflects a deliberate design-for-closure approach that prioritizes sleekness over repairability—a choice that ultimately harms consumers' right to repair and extends electronic waste cycles. The fact that Lenovo, despite showing awareness of compliance issues, continues to fail at basic transparency requirements suggests that voluntary commitments from manufacturers are insufficient; stronger enforcement mechanisms and global regulatory standards are necessary to drive meaningful change.
