I have some surface-mount fRAM ICs i have big plans for, but I chickened out and got tiny breakout pcbs for them :D
Very true re laptops, but that's a real tradeoff decision.
More repairable means less powerful, which means more work on the software side for equivalent functionality. Which is the way I'd jump, but others will have different priorities.
So, pics of your post-apocalyptic work backpack?