iFixit

10.5″ iPad Pro teardown finds 4GB of RAM, Toshiba flash storage & more

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 14, 2017

A teardown analysis of Apple's new 10.5-inch iPad Pro was shared earlier today by repair experts at iFixit. According to the analysis, the new iPad Pro is essentially a scaled-down, streamlined version of its 12.9-inch predecessor when it comes to the internal layout.

Considering the 12.9-inch iPad Pro had a completely new internal layout relative to the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, the new 10.5-inch iPad Pro is not just a scaled up version of the 9.7-incher.

“One move we’re particularly happy with is the retention of the 12.9-inch iPad Pro’s danger-free display cable placement,” notes the analysis.

Here's an excerpt from the teardown analysis:

Apple put the display cables right down the center, out of harm’s way. We’ve seen this arrangement in an iPad only once before, in the 12.9-inch iPad Pro model, and it appears Apple finally managed to unify the Pro line around this somewhat more symmetrical design.

As for the device's ProMotion display with 120Hz refresh rate, double the other iPads, it requires double the number of connecting cables on the display.

120 Hz is a blisteringly fast refresh rate for this many pixels, which is probably why it needs four (!) connecting cables. (Its ginormous older brother got by with just two.)

They found a 30.8-watt-hour battery inside, a slight downsize from the 38.8-watt-hour battery powering the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, but an upgrade from the 27.91-watt-hour battery in the 9.7-inch iPad Pro. The battery package is pinned under the logic board and firmly adhered in place, lacking the 12.9-inch iPad Pro’s removal tabs.

The iFixit team was able to identify 4GB of 1600MHz LPDDR4 RAM from Micron Technology, Toshiba-manufactured flash storage and more. The only other iOS device with 4GB of RAM is the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. The 9.7-inch iPad Pro still has 2GB of RAM.

The display cable bracket is secured using Phillips screws rather than the three-point screws used in iPhone 7. iFixit also noted that their Wi-Fi-only model had plastic blocks where the antennae might be found in an LTE model.

“We're speculating that they add support to the display assembly, as opposed to the usual empty space seen in earlier iPads,” noted iFixit.

Because of Apple's use of strong adhesives for the display, logic board, speakers, ribbon cables and other components, the 10.5-inch iPad Pro earned a repairability score of a rather low 2 out of 10 on iFixit's scale.

iFixit’s $300 kit lets you boost the RAM on Apple’s new 21.5-inch iMac to 32GB

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 9, 2017

Repair experts at iFixit have announced a DIY $300 upgrade kit for the new 21.5-inch iMac with 4K Retina display after finding user-replaceable RAM via a pair of removable SO-DIMM slots instead of the memory modules being soldered onto the logic board.

The baseline 3.0GHZ Core i5 machine has 8GB of RAM, which can be maxed out to 16GB.

Customers who need more RAM can opt to double the machine's 8GB of RAM to 16GB of RAM for an additional $200 via Apple's build-to-order options. However, only the $200 pricier system with Intel's 3.4GHz Core i5 chip allows you to boost the RAM all the way up to 32GB but the build-to-order option adds a whopping $600 on top of the price of that system.

Therefore, it makes a lot of sense from a financial standpoint to invest into a third-party DIY kit if all you need is more RAM, up to 32GB, on the baseline model.

The iMac Intel 21.5" Mid 2017 Max RAM Upgrade Kit includes the following:

Two 32GB (2x16GB) DDR4-PC2400 2400MHz RAM modules Replacement Display Adhesive Strips iMac Opening Wheel iMac Service Wedge Plastic Cards Spudger Tweezers Phillips #00, T5, T8 and T10 Bits Driver Handle

iFixit's repair guide details the 63 steps required to replace the RAM.

Although the machine features removable RAM sockets, the RAM is not meant to be user-replaceable because getting to the memory modules requires removing the back cover, the display, the logic board and other components.

In other words, the procedure isn't for the faint-hearted.

Opening them machine involves cutting through adhesive that will need to be reapplied after you finish the repair. You'll also need to remove the logic to remove or replace the RAM.

From the iFixit team:

This guide is marked "potentially dangerous" because it requires you to handle a power supply that contains large capacitors. Unplug the iMac and hold the power button down for at least 10 seconds to help discharge the capacitors. Handle the board by the edges and do not touch surface components.

iFixit also noted that the machine's Kaby Lake processor sits in a standard LGA 1151 CPU socket rather than being soldered onto the logic board. “For the first time in years it's possible to replace or upgrade the CPU without a reflow station, and that's a big win,” wrote iFixit.

Considering that the baseline iMac provides options for 8GB or 16GB of RAM, but not 32GB, this is currently the only way to bring the machine up to the higher capacity.

Apple’s new 21.5″ iMac with 4K Retina screen has user replaceable RAM and modular CPU

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 8, 2017

Apple during the Worldwide Developers Conference refreshed the iMac lineup with faster Intel chips and updated internal architecture. Good folks over at iFixit have now taken Apple's new $1,299 21.5-inch iMac model that has a 4K Retina display, discovering something really interesting.

The machine features both removable RAM (via a pair of removable SO-DIMM slots) and Intel's Kaby Lake processor that—surprisingly—sits in a standard LGA 1151 CPU socket rather than being soldered onto the logic board.

The modular CPU design suggests owners of the all-in-one desktop might be able to replace or upgrade the CPU in the future without a reflow station. The last time the 21.5-inch iMac had user-replaceable RAM was back in 2013. 2012 models of the 21.5-inch iMac also came with a modular CPU.

The stock configuration they tore apart had Intel's SR32W Core i5-7400 Kaby Lake chip, 8GB of 2400MHz DDR4 memory, a Radeon Pro 555 graphics card with 2GB of VRAM and a 1TB 5400-RPM hard drive.

According to iFixit:

Our teardown confirms that the new 21.5-inch iMac with 4K display has both removable RAM and a modular CPU. Of course, Apple would say neither is user-replaceable. Accessing and replacing these components isn't exactly easy, but we’re saying it’s possible. Maybe even probable.

A tinker-happy user (armed with the right tools and guide) could at least double the base 8 GB of memory, turning their new iMac with Retina Display into an iMac Semi-Pro.

Here's the machine's socketed CPU.

Other teardown highlights:

A warranty void sticker on the heat sink discourages users from removing the modular CPU underneath. The Retina display is manufactured by LG Display. There's a single microphone below the display vs. dual microphones on previous models CMOS battery is replaceable A built-in 3.5-inch SATA hard drive is upgradeable There's no SSD connector on the board

And here's the user-replaceable RAM module.

Despite the upgradable RAM and CPU, iFixit gave the machine a 3/10 for repairability.

That's because the computer is difficult to open as everything is buried under “a finicky glass panel,” in iFixit's own words. A speciality pizza-cutter-like tool is required to breach the adhesive before any repair.

And because the cover glass and the Retina display itself are fused together, the cost of a display replacement will be high.

At any rate, this is still good news for anyone in the market for a new iMac. Upgradability is paramount with all-in-one designs like iMac's. And with replaceable RAM and CPU, customers will be able to get more use and more years out of their computer.

Teardown analysis finds Apple’s new 9.7″ iPad is a repackaged iPad Air with a few differences

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 30, 2017

Repair experts over at iFixit tore apart Apple's new iPad with a brighter 9.7-inch screen. What they discovered doesn't come as surprise: the canonical iPad is basically an original four-year-old iPad Air with a more repairable screen and some new jewelry in the form of Touch ID, Apple Pay, Apple's homegrown third-generation 64-bit A9 chip with the embedded M9 motion coprocessor and other minor updates.

Unfortunately, the device's A9 processor is outfitted with two gigabytes of RAM. iPhone 6s's A9 chip has two gigabytes of RAM as well, just like iPad Air 2's A8X chip, so this may not be that big of a deal. On the other hand, it's a letdown considering iPhone 7 Plus is rocking three gigabytes of RAM.

Teardown analysis suggests AirPods charging case quality issues might have caused delayed launch

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 20, 2016

Having torn apart Apple's AirPods wireless earphones and their charging case, repair masters over at iFixit have now posted their initial observations. AirPods have so many components crammed into tight space that the they're virtually not repairable or recyclable. As for the charging case, an X-ray analysis of its logic board reveals a few “quality issues” that may have contributed to the delayed AirPods launch.

Teardown confirms both 13″ and 15″ Touch Bar MacBook Pros have non-removable SSDs

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 18, 2016

iFixit on Friday published its teardown analysis of the 15-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar (model number A1707), just two days after taking a peek under the hood of the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar. Comparing the two Touch Bar-equipped notebooks to the 13-inch MacBook Pro without Touch Bar, which iFixit also disassembled, the repair site has confirmed that only the baseline 13-incher with a standard row of function keys has a removable SSD.

Teardown of 13″ MacBook Pro with Touch Bar reveals “cosmetic” speaker grilles, other tidbits

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 16, 2016

After disassembling the base 13-inch MacBook Pro model without the Touch Bar, teardown wizards over at iFixit have now taken apart Apple’s Touch Bar-equipped 13-inch MacBook Pro. From the inside, it’s an entirely different computer with a totally different design that has more in common with its 15-inch brethren. Among other things, the teardown analysis has found that the external speaker grilles in the top half of the case exist mostly for “cosmetic” purposes.

That's because the improved sound is being projected from a pair of air vents on the sides of the case. By comparison, the base 13-inch MacBook Pro without the Touch Bar does push sound through the speaker grilles as it lacks the air vents.

Other differences between the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar and its cheaper 13-inch variant that lacks the Touch Bar include a differently laid out internal components to make room for the Touch Bar itself which, by the way, is hard to replace.

iFixit tears down the 2016 MacBook Pro base model

Anthony Bouchard ∙ November 1, 2016

iFixit officially got its hands on the 2016 MacBook Pro without the Touch Bar at the top of the keyboard, and their team has already completed one of the detailed teardowns the firm is known for.

The new MacBook Pro appears to contain a lot of new tech, highlighting large advancements in Apple's pro notebook lineup.

Pixel XL teardown reveals modular components, earpiece mesh made of cloth & more

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 21, 2016

YouTubers like JerryRigEverything and repair wizards over at iFixit tore apart their Pixel XL smartphone from Google to peek under its hood, revealing easily removed battery, standard screws, the use of modular internal components that can be replaced independently and—quite surprisingly—the front-facing earpiece slit which is made of cloth.

Launched on October 4, both new Google-designed smartphones, the Pixel and Pixel XL, are exclusive to Verizon in the U.S. Contract-free Pixels are available via Google's online store and from Best Buy.

Apple’s iPhone 7 Lightning headphone adapter packs in a surprising amount of circuitry

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 6, 2016

Repair wizards over at iFixit along with their pals at Creative Electron gave Apple’s new $9 iPhone 7 Lightning headphone adapter a thorough X-ray treatment. The analysis has revealed a surprising amount of circuitry inside of the dongle.

Most notably, it packs in a pretty unique integrated circuit that's most likely a built-in digital-to-analog (DAC) converter. There’s actually a lot going on in the diminutive adapter aside from the DAC, writes iFixit, including things like an integrated amplifier and an analog-to-digital-converter (ADC).

“We’re surprised how much electronics Apple was able to include inside this little cable,” said Creative Electron, which builds X-ray inspection systems for electronics.

iFixit publishes detailed iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus repair guides

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 29, 2016

Want to learn how to perform DIY repairs of the iPhone 7/Plus? Look no further than iFixit, the world's top authority when it comes to repairing consumer electronics devices like smartphones, tablets, game consoles, computers and so forth. Today, the site published a series of repair guides with detailed instructions on replacing the iPhone 7/Plus display, battery and the Taptic Engine.

iPhone 7 Plus teardown: 3GB of RAM, faux speaker grille, bigger battery & more

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 16, 2016

Repair wizards over at iFixit flew out to Japan to obtain their iPhone 7 Plus (in Rose Gold), performing their ritual teardown dance which has helped confirm what we've been suspecting all along: that a second grille at the bottom doesn't house a second speaker.

Other interesting observations gleaned from peeking under the hood of the iPhone 7 Plus include a replaceable Home button, a lot bigger Taptic Engine than in the iPhone 6s, a bigger 2,900 mAh battery, dust and water-proofing measures and other tidbits.