The master disassemblers at iFixit have applied their expertise at turning gadgets into piles of raw components to the Samsung Galaxy Alpha. And while not chock full of surprises, the lack of an official waterproof IP67 rating — like the Galaxy S5 boasts — didn’t stop Samsung from being generous with the glue, which makes repairing the Galaxy Alpha a bit more challenging.
The easily removable 1860mAh 7.17Wh battery also can’t quite compare to the hefty power source hidden away inside the Galaxy S5, but it’s comparable to the iPhone 6’s 1810mAh battery, which seems to be the Galaxy Alpha’s direct competitor.
But to service components like the home button, which is what’s most prone to failure on smartphones, requires a lot of patience to remove the glued screen display and motherboard first. On a scale of one to 10 iFixit has rated the Samsung Galaxy Alpha a disappointing five, so don’t forget your heat gun if you’re attempting to dive into out-of-warranty repairs yourself. [iFixit]