iPad Mini Retina: Peek inside with iFixit
The new tablet gets the very Apple-esque score of 2 out of 10 for repairability, due mainly to its hard-to-find screws and "copious amounts of adhesive."
Apple's iPad Mini with Retina display, which hit store shelves this week, is not so easy to repair, according to iFixit.
iFixit on Wednesday released its official teardown of the iPad Mini with Retina display and discovered that the device, like the Apple tablets that preceded it, would prove a challenge for anyone who wants to take it apart and attempt some repairs. In fact, iFixit gave the device a 2 out of 10 for repairability; the higher the number, the easier a device is to repair. The bottom line: the iPad Mini with Retina display isn't so DIY-friendly.
According to iFixit, the iPad Mini's repairability was reduced by screws that were hard to find, Apple's decision to solder its Lightning connector to the logic board, and "copious amounts of adhesive" used to hold the components in place.
Still, the iPad Mini Retina was lauded on a few fronts. iFixit was pleased to see that Apple didn't solder its battery to the logic board. Apple was also given high marks for not fusing its LCD and glass together, thus allowing them to be replaced independently if something goes wrong.
In taking apart the tablet, iFixit found that its model came with an LG display. The touchscreen controllers were made by Broadcom, while the device's flash storage came from Toshiba. Apple's branding is on the A7 chip, as well as the M7 motion coprocessor, according to iFixit.
The iFixit teardown comes just a couple of weeks after the company provided the same treatment to the iPad Air. Like the iPad Mini with Retina display, the iPad Air received a repairability score of 2 out of 10 from the company.