Repair or Replace Your Laptop? What Apple and Microsoft Actually Charge in 2026
Updated October 23, 2026 · Built from Apple's, Microsoft's and Google's own published prices and support policies, read October 23, 2026
Most repair-or-replace advice comes down to a guess at what the repair costs. You don’t need to guess. Apple and Microsoft both publish their out-of-warranty prices, and Apple, Microsoft and Google all publish how long they support a device. Those two numbers settle most decisions.
The short answer
- A battery is nearly always worth replacing. Apple charges $149 to $249 for MacBook battery service. Microsoft charges $280 to $600 for Surface batteries. Either way, that’s a fraction of a new laptop.
- A screen is a closer call. Apple doesn’t publish an out-of-warranty screen price, so you have to get a quote. Microsoft lists Surface screen and physical-damage repair at $470 to $1,010, which is close to the price of a new machine on some models.
- Liquid damage on an older laptop usually means replace. Microsoft’s liquid damage prices run $580 to $1,800 per Surface.
- Check the software first. Before you pay for a repair, make sure the laptop can still get security updates. If it can’t, a repair only buys you a machine you shouldn’t keep using online.
Step 1: Can the laptop still get security updates?
This is the question that ends the most decisions, so ask it first.
| If you have | Support status (from the maker) | What it means for a repair |
|---|---|---|
| A Windows 10 PC | Support ended October 14, 2025. Microsoft sells consumer Extended Security Updates through October 12, 2027: free if you sync your PC settings, 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points, or a one-time $30. | A repair is worth it if the PC can run Windows 11, or if you only need it until late 2027. |
| A PC you want on Windows 11 | Windows 11 needs a 2-core 1 GHz processor on Microsoft’s approved CPU list, 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB of storage, UEFI with Secure Boot, and TPM 2.0. | If the PC fails these checks, put the repair money toward a replacement. |
| A Chromebook | Google gives Chromebooks 10 years of updates from the date the model’s platform was released. Google’s Auto Update policy page lists the end date for each model. | Check the date before repairing. Once it passes, Google stops providing technical support. |
| A Mac | Apple calls a product vintage 5 to 7 years after it stopped selling it, and repairs depend on parts availability. After 7 years it’s obsolete, and Apple ends hardware service. Mac laptops are the exception: battery-only repairs can be available for up to 10 years. | A Mac past 7 years can still get a battery from Apple. For anything else you’ll need an independent shop, and parts may be hard to find. |
Step 2: What does the repair actually cost?
MacBook battery service (Apple, out of warranty)
Apple’s own price list, by model family:
| Model | Apple’s battery service price |
|---|---|
| MacBook Neo (13-inch, A18 Pro) | $149 |
| MacBook Air 13-inch: 2017, Retina 2019 and 2020, M1, M2, M3 | $159 |
| MacBook Air 13-inch: M4, M5 | $179 |
| MacBook Air 15-inch: M2, M3, M4, M5 | $199 |
| MacBook Pro 14-inch: M5, M5 Pro/Max | $229 |
| Every other MacBook Pro, 2019 to 2024 (13, 14, 15 and 16-inch), the 16-inch M5 Pro/Max, and the 12-inch MacBook (2017) | $249 |
Apple doesn’t list a screen or “other damage” price. It quotes those after inspection. With AppleCare+, the fees are fixed: $99 for screen damage, $99 for enclosure damage, $299 for other accidental damage (the MacBook Neo is $49, $49 and $149), and battery service is free once capacity drops below 80%.
Surface repairs (Microsoft, out of warranty, U.S. prices)
A selection from Microsoft’s published list:
| Model | Liquid damage | Screen or physical damage | Battery | General repair |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surface Laptop Go 3 | $610 | $520 | $280 | $450 |
| Surface Laptop 13.8" 7th Edition | $900 | $600 | $330 | $560 |
| Surface Laptop 15" 7th Edition | $950 | $650 | $330 | $600 |
| Surface Laptop 5, 13.5" | $850 | $750 | $480 | $650 |
| Surface Laptop 4, 15" | $999 | $900 | $530 | $790 |
| Surface Laptop Studio 2 | $1,149 | $1,010 | $460 | $850 |
| Surface Pro 12" (256GB/512GB) | $580 | $470 | $350 | $450 |
| Surface Pro 8 | $850 | $640 | $370 | $600 |
| Surface Pro 9 | $850 | $640 | $400 | $600 |
| Surface Pro 11th Edition | $850 | $640 | $340 | $620 |
Microsoft’s prices exclude tax in the U.S. and can change after the device is inspected. Older models like the Surface Pro 7+ and Surface Pro X have a single repair price ($850) and a separate battery price ($449).
Step 3: Make the call
Here’s a simple rule of thumb (ours, not the manufacturers’). Repair when the fix costs less than half of what a comparable new laptop costs and the machine still gets updates. Otherwise, replace.
How that works out in practice:
- Battery won’t hold a charge: repair. At $149 to $249 for a Mac and $280 to $480 for most Surfaces, a battery is the best-value repair there is.
- Cracked screen on a laptop under three years old: usually repair, especially with AppleCare+ ($99). Without coverage, get a quote and compare it with the price of a new model.
- Liquid damage on an out-of-warranty laptop: usually replace. Microsoft’s own liquid damage prices are close to, or above, what a new Surface costs.
- Slow but working: don’t replace yet. If the laptop takes upgrades, extra RAM or a solid-state drive often helps more than a new machine would. Many newer laptops have soldered parts, though, so ask a shop first.
- Can’t get security updates any more: replace. That applies to a Windows 10 PC that can’t run Windows 11 (after October 2027), a Chromebook past its update date, or a Mac Apple calls obsolete. A repair fixes the hardware but not the risk of using it online.
Before you pay for any repair
- Check the battery yourself first. On a Mac, open System Settings > Battery and click the info button next to Battery Health. If it says “Service Recommended”, the battery is the problem. On Windows, run
powercfg /batteryreportin a command prompt and compare “Full charge capacity” with “Design capacity”. - Back up your files. Any repair that touches storage or the logic board can wipe the drive.
- Get a written quote from an independent shop too. Independent shops often replace batteries and screens for less than the manufacturer, but none of them publish a price list we could check, so call around. Our city pages list shops in 20 cities with their hours and ratings, starting with Houston, Los Angeles and New York.
Sources
- Apple: Mac laptop repair pricing (out of warranty and AppleCare+), support.apple.com/mac-laptops/repair
- Apple: vintage and obsolete products policy, support.apple.com/102772
- Microsoft: Surface out-of-warranty service prices, United States, support.microsoft.com
- Microsoft: Windows 10 end of support and consumer Extended Security Updates, microsoft.com/windows/end-of-support and microsoft.com/windows/extended-security-updates
- Microsoft: Windows 11 system requirements, support.microsoft.com
- Google: ChromeOS Auto Update policy, support.google.com/chrome/a/answer/6220366
Prices and dates were read on October 23, 2026. Manufacturers change them, so check the source before you decide.