Tech Repairability Rankings
U.S. PIRG Report Grades Major Tech Brands on Device Repairability, Favoring Motorola and Google
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U.S. PIRG has released its fourth annual "Failing the Fix" report, grading major tech brands on how easy — or hard — their devices are to repair. Motorola earned the top smartphone grade of B+, while Apple landed at the bottom with a D-, according to U.S. PIRG.
The report graded 105 devices across brands. It used a tougher new scoring system based on EU standards for the first time. Laptop grades barely moved from last year, a sign the industry is not improving fast enough, Consumer Affairs reported.
Motorola Leads, Apple and Samsung Fall to Near-Failing Marks
Motorola topped the smartphone rankings with a B+. The company improved its modular design and partnered with iFixit to sell genuine parts directly to consumers, according to PCMag. Google came in second but still only earned a C-, with low disassembly scores holding it back.
Samsung received a D. The company declared only the minimum five-year software support in EU databases, despite promising longer, Tech Times reported. Apple scored the worst at D-, largely because of "parts pairing" — a software lock that stops users from swapping in salvaged or third-party components without Apple's approval.
Laptops Stuck in Place as Industry Resists Change
Asus held the top laptop spot for the second straight year with a B+, though its score slipped from an A-. Acer earned a B, and Lenovo improved from an F to a C after making repair manuals more available, according to Tech Times.
Apple again ranked last in laptops, earning a C-. Experts say laptop grades are stagnant because most state Right to Repair laws focused on smartphones. Laws like New York's were "watered down" by industry lobbyists to exclude older models and business equipment, PCMag noted.
A New Scoring System Raises the Bar for All Brands
This year's report is the first to use EU product registry criteria instead of the older French Repairability Index. The new system grades brands on four things: how hard a device is to open, how long spare parts are available, how long software updates are provided, and whether repair manuals are public, according to Android Authority.
Lucas Gutterman, director of U.S. PIRG's Designed to Last campaign, said, "It's long past time we get off the treadmill of disposability. Consumers should be able to choose electronics they know are fixable." The higher bar helps explain why some brands that looked decent before now look worse.
Right to Repair Laws Spread, But Industry Pushes Back Hard
Colorado's Right to Repair law took effect January 1, 2026, banning parts pairing and requiring manufacturers to supply tools and parts to independent shops. As of February, 20 states had active Right to Repair bills for 2026, U.S. PIRG reported. A bipartisan Fair Repair Act was also introduced in Congress this year.
Industry group TechNet, which represents Apple and Samsung, argues that forcing open access to repair tools will "diminish creativity and threaten innovation." Consumer advocates counter that 78.9% of American voters support Right to Repair laws, according to the Project On Government Oversight. Americans buy roughly 160 million new smartphones each year, generating 23.7 million tons of raw material demand — a figure repair advocates say could shrink significantly if devices lasted longer.
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