Samsung’s new Galaxy S5 may well be a tiny step into the future, but while its dimpled back may feel like somewhat of a throwback, its insides claim to be anything but. Now, they have been laid bare by iFixit.
The crew over at iFixit have torn the Galaxy S5’s little frame right apart, and happily shared with us exactly what lurks within. Here are some highlights:
- No tools are required to whip the back off and change the battery. In fact, not only is it replaceable, but it has to be user-installed when it arrives. Praise be!
- However, the only way to get into the rest of the phone is by removing the entire display assembly — with heat and force.
- Even then, opening the case can cause you to rip some important ribbon cables, so go carefully.
- Unlike previous S models, where the guts of the phone were attached to the back of the display, they’re now sandwiched between it and the battery in a specially-hard-to-access compartment of their own.
- Essentially, this thing is a nightmare to repair.
- Deep within, the guts are as promised and many of the components — cameras, headphone jack, vibrator motor, and speakers — are modular and easy to replace.
Overall, the S5 scored a pretty meagre 5 out of 10 for repairability. Essentially, replacing anything other than the battery is a pretty risky business. You can go read the full teardown over on iFixit. [iFixit]