teardown
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iFixit shows you what's inside an iPhone SE
Now that Apple has produced an updated small iPhone, naturally the next question is what's inside? iFixit stands at the ready with spudgers, screwdrivers and other tools for their latest teardown. Not just an iPhone 6s in the body of an iPhone 5s, the iPhone SE blends components from both devices, plus some custom pieces to make it all work together. For extra angles, Creative Electron has contributed some X-ray looks at the device while Chipworks drops in their usual detailed breakdown of components.
Oculus Rift teardown reveals an easy-to-fix VR headset
Now that the finished version of the Oculus Rift is here, you might be wondering what's inside and how easily you can replace parts if something goes terribly wrong. You won't have to guess after today, though: the repair-it-yourself crew at iFixit has torn down the virtual reality headset. The production model isn't quite as easy to fix as the original developer version due to its "intricate design," but it's still accessible -- if an earpiece breaks, you might have a chance at replacing it on your own.
Wrong house gets torn down based on a Google Maps error
We've seen our share of GPS-guided mishaps, but what happened to the owners of a Texas duplex is particularly heartbreaking. Their house was torn down by mistake (no, this isn't the first time that's happened, it's not even the first time in Texas) after it was damaged by a tornado, and the demolition company apparently blames Google Maps for the error. They lived at 7601 Calypso Dr., and as you can see below, on Google Maps it lists the same location for that address as it shows for 7601 Cousteau Dr. --the home a block away that was supposed to be demolished. (At the time of this writing, both Apple Maps and Mapquest have what appears to be the correct listing for 7601 Cousteau Dr.)
Samsung does its own Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge teardown
While iFixit is quick to tear apart new devices to gauge repairability, Samsung has its own look inside the new Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge. The company offers a breakdown of the components that make up the two handsets rather than a step-by-step process. However, it does include a bit of an explanation on that cooling heat pipe. iFixit noted that the part was more like a "copper twig," and Samsung says the pipe condenses vapor to liquid in order to keep the temperature down. The feature is meant to lend a hand with processor-heavy tasks, like gaming, dissipating heat with that pipe and a thin thermal spreader. There's a close-up look at the rest of the device as well, if you're after a different perspective than the teardown earlier in the week.
iFixit pulls apart Samsung's new Galaxy S7
One thing that's as inevitable as the annual appearance of a new Galaxy phone is iFixit tearing it down. The repair people have, as usual, sought to understand Samsung's Galaxy S7 by exposing its various parts including the heat pipe it uses for cooling, which is really more of a "copper twig." There's also evidence of all the new seals that contribute to its IP68-rated water resistance, the larger 3,000 mAh battery (compared to 2,550mAh in the S6, 1,715 mAh in the iPhone 6S and 2,750 mAh in the iPhone 6S Plus) and Dual Pixel-equipped 12MP camera sensor. The only bad news? If repairing your own device is important to you, some of the strategies used to increase its waterproofing will actually work against you, but you can read the teardown for all of the details.
iFixit pries open the iPad Pro
As they usually do, the folks at iFixit have welcomed the launch of a new device by grabbing their tools and taking a peek inside. This time the device being examined is Apple's iPad Pro, the bigger and better addition to its tablet family. The teardown is still ongoing at this time, but they've managed to tease out the device's logic board complete with 64-bit A9X CPU, 4GB of RAM and more. Interestingly, all of those components are now mounted in the center of the tablet, while its four speakers come at the cost of some potential battery space. Any nod on its repairability is yet to come, although the team has surprisingly discovered handy pull-tabs on its battery cells -- check out the teardown here for a better look at how super-sized tablet is put together/comes apart.
Microsoft's Surface Book is near impossible to fix yourself
If you took one look at Microsoft's unique Surface Book and guessed that it'd be an absolute bear to fix... you guessed well. The do-it-yourself repair crew at iFixit has torn down the hybrid laptop, and it's just as tough to repair as the Surface Pro line despite the larger two-piece design. Just about everything is glued or soldered, and the "upside down" circuitry means that you'll usually be yanking out the whole motherboard to access parts. About the only thing you can realistically replace is the solid-state drive, and that's provided that you can get the system open. The inaccessibility isn't completely surprising -- Microsoft had to slim down that oddball shape somehow, and fused-together components are usually how you do it. Still, this may be a disappointment if you were hoping to keep the Surface Book in tip-top shape without paying someone else to fix it.
Google Nexus 6P's display will be tough to replace
Google's new big phone, the Nexus 6P, has no separate display assembly: that's what iFixit has discovered when it tore its first Huawei-made device down. Upon pulling the phone apart, almost all its internal components besides the NFC antenna came right off in one piece. The team was able to separate the parts from each other (and some were pretty easy to pry off), but that means anyone repairing a damaged display will have to dig through the whole phone. Troublesome, since display issues are one of the most common problems. iFixit also notes that it's "very difficult" not to injure the camera cover when opening the device, and it will be hard putting in replacement components in general due to the 6P's unibody design. Nevertheless, the team says the phone feels durable, has a humongous battery and has all the other components Google says it does -- you just have to be careful not to break it.
Good luck repairing anything in the new iMac
If you've read our review of the new iMac, you already know that a majority of what's really new about Apple's latest all-in-one is its accessories. The destructive folks over at iFixit say that the 21.5-inch model has what "looks like" an LG ultra-HD display and a Texas Instruments chip, while the fan and HDD are the same -- the speakers are too. The logic board is where the surprises come in, and they might not make you too happy. Configure a machine without flash storage or a Fusion Drive? You won't be able to add one at a later date because those don't include an onboard connector to do so.
Apple pulls iFixit's app after it tears down the new Apple TV
The team at iFixit is learning a hard, hard lesson about the importance of honoring developer agreements. Apple has banned an iFixit developer account (and consequently, the iFixit app) after the repair-it-yourself outfit tore down a pre-release Apple TV sent out to developers, violating Apple's terms and conditions. The crew just couldn't resist deconstructing new gear, apparently. Before you ask, though, iFixit isn't trying to stir up internet drama. It knew the risks going in, and isn't about to fight a decision that most anyone could see coming a mile away. This will have ramifications if you relied on iFixit's (admittedly old) native app for tips: if you're on iOS, you'll have to use the company's mobile website for help from now on. The tradeoff won't be all that damaging, but it's safe to say that other devs will think twice about prying open gear that isn't strictly off-the-shelf.
iPhone 6s teardown confirms smaller battery, heftier display
The launch of a new iPhone means the iFixit team also has something new to take apart. This year, the team's teardown efforts have confirmed that the iPhone 6s sports a 1715 mAh battery that's comparably smaller to the previous generation's (1810 mAh). As we mentioned in the past, it's most likely to make sure that the phone isn't that much bulkier than its predecessor despite the addition of a Taptic engine (the silver component below the battery above) and a heftier display. The whole display assembly is apparently thicker than before and is 15 grams heavier at 60 grams, due to the extra capacitive sensors that enable 3D Touch. iFixit has also taken a closer look at the device's other components, including its more pixel-rich cameras and two microphones, giving it a decent repairability score of 7 out of 10. By the way, if you're wondering, the rose gold iPhone comes with screws colored to match.
The new Apple TV is surprisingly easy to tear open
It's practically a cliché to say that Apple's products are difficult to repair yourself, but that isn't universally true. The crew at iFixit has managed to tear down the new Apple TV before it even ships, and the biggest surprise is simply that it's easy to pry apart. This is a very modular set-top box, and it'd be relatively trivial to replace components like the motherboard or power supply. Even the remote, despite being sealed by adhesive, isn't that hard to dissect. iFixit's only major gripe is that the most crucial parts are integrated on the main board, which could lead to a costly fix if you're just trying to replace a damaged port.
A peek inside the new iPad Mini 4 reveals how it got so thin
The super-sized iPad Pro may have been the star of last week's festivities, but what about the iPad Mini 4? It brings the first major update to the line in a couple of years, and of course, the folks at iFixit wasted no time cracking one open. The spec sheet showed it's both thinner and lighter than the version it's replacing, and now we know what had to change to make that happen. First, the battery is a little smaller, at 5124mAh compared to the iPad Mini 3's 6471mAh. It's still rated for the same 10 hour runtime by Apple, but worth considering if you're looking to upgrade. It also has a fused, fully laminated display that helps a lot with weight, but could it make it more expensive to replace if it breaks. Whether you're considering its DIY potential or just curious about exposed wiring, check out the full teardown to see what's hiding within.
Google OnHub teardown reveals a curious, complicated WiFi router
If you think Google's OnHub router looks like a strange machine on the outside, wait until you get a look at the inside. DIY repair outfit iFixit has torn down Google's first WiFi access point (technically TP-Link's), and it contains some components you definitely aren't going to find anywhere else. The OnHub's signature, congestion-fighting antenna looks more like a set of crosshairs than any kind of networking gear, and there's another diamond-like antenna for focusing signals in specific directions. You'll also find wires that dangle like "tentacles," and a heat sink that pulls warmth through the circuit board.
'Star Wars' BB-8 toy torn apart to see how it works
If your social feeds are anything like mine, they're full of folks squeeing with delight over their new BB-8 droid today. The folks at uBreakiFix got one too, but instead of playing with Star Wars: The Force Awakens' charmer, they cut it apart to see what makes the toy tick. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the little rascal operates on a gyroscope, pair of wheels and sizable counterweight to keep everything balanced inside its plastic case. Meanwhile, a magnet keeps the adorable android's head attached to the spherical body. The video below is brief, but that won't make it easier to watch for anyone who's lusting after the $150 tie-in (and either can't afford or find one) from a galaxy far, far away. I'm truly sorry.
OnePlus 2 teardown reveals easy-to-replace modular components
We previewed the OnePlus 2 for you in the past, but if you'd rather see some internal component porn, iFixit has got your back. iFixit has taken the device apart like it did the first OnePlus phone (and many, many other gadgets before it) to examine its inner workings. The eye-catching orange battery is still there and its display parts are still fused (and expensive to replace!), but the OnePlus 2 is apparently more repairable than its predecessor. Many of its components, including the USB-C port, are modular and can be easily swapped out -- sure, you might not be repairing it yourself, but it's still good to know if you're thinking of getting one. After all, it's not easy getting your hands on what the company's touting as the "2016 flagship killer:" you need an invite code to be able to buy it. And if you're in North America, you won't even be getting your unit anytime soon.
Apple's iPod Touch shows its muscle in iFixit teardown
If you want everything Apple's iPhone can do except the "phone" part, the $400 cheaper 6th-gen iPod Touch is for you. It even has the iPhone 6's A8 chip, albeit running a tad slower. The iFixit team has taken the 4-inch device apart to view its guts and see whether Joe Shmoe could fix it with the right tools. Its findings? The Touch has a pretty nice camera for a music player, but lacks the iPhone's image stabilization and has a slightly slower f/2.4 iris. It's also missing the pricier sibling's touch sensor, but otherwise shares a surprising number of parts. And if it breaks? Unless you're prepared to heat, tweeze and pry, you'd best leave the fixing to Apple.
iFixit Hero4 Session teardown: it's impossible to repair
The new GoPro Hero4 Session is an impressive waterproof camera capable of capturing 1440 video at up to 240 frames per second without the need for a waterproof case. It's also quite expensive, retailing for $400. But is the palm-sized action-cam really worth that much cash, what with its distinct lack of replaceable parts? iFixit recently disassembled one to find out.
Robot autopsy shows Pepper's head may be replaceable
Don't worry, the gruesome image (above) of SoftBank's Pepper isn't part of Elon Musk's robot takedown plan. It's actually a teardown by Japanese website Nikkei showing exactly what makes the emotion sensing 'bot tick. The head came off the body easily enough, but Pepper probably won't get an "easily repairable" score as Nikkei's technicians had to drill to get it apart. Once it cracked the cranium, however, it confirmed that yes, Pepper has Intel inside -- an Atom processor, to be exact. The site theorizes that since the head detaches easily from the body, SoftBank might let users upgrade just by dropping in a new one with a different CPU.
LG's Watch Urbane bucks the trend of hard-to-fix wearables
Think that smartwatches are tough to fix by their very nature? LG is seemingly determined to prove otherwise. The repair-it-yourself team at iFixit has finished tearing down the Watch Urbane, and it turns out that this Android Wear timepiece is surprisingly easy to maintain. You'll have to unstick the glued back, but it's usually a cakewalk after that -- there's little stopping you from pulling out the motherboard or the battery. The biggest challenge is replacing the display, which is fused to the glass. No, you probably won't need to pry apart your Urbane any time soon, but it's good to know that the wearable won't be reduced to a ritzy-looking paperweight if it breaks when you're out of warranty.
