iFixit Gives Galaxy Note 10.1 a Teardown, Rates Repairability

News
By Tuan Mai
published

Philips screws, non-glued parts and repairable LCDs oh joy!

The DIY repair pros over at iFixit have done it again with another detailed product teardown. With the disastrously difficult to repair MacBook Pro Retina still haunting our dreams, Samsung's newly released Galaxy Note 10.1 scores refreshingly high on the repairability scale. Scoring an excellent 8 out of 10, the Note can be repaired inexpensively without the need for specialized tools.

One of the great things about the Note, according to iFixit, is its easy access interior. With only a handful of Phillips screws and clips to release, the Note is secure enough to keep meddlesome kids out, but easy enough to open for anybody looking to make repairs. Once inside, users will notice a modular layout with 16 connectors, allowing for easy component replacement and access.

For more specifics on the Galaxy Note innards and some insight on how to repair yours, head on over to the teardown at iFixit.

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Tuan Mai
Tuan Mai
Tuan Mai is a Los Angeles based writer and marketing manager working within the PC Hardware industry. He has written for Tom's Guide since 2010, with a special interest in the weird and quirky.
14 Comments Comment from the forums
  • A Bad Day
    I think Samsung's lawyers should have used the phrase, "Our products' repairability and internal design are vastly different than Apple's." in court.
    Reply
  • idroid
    I doubt that a tablet with such quality manufacturing will need a repair.
    Reply
  • A Bad Day
    idroidI doubt that a tablet with such quality manufacturing will need a repair.
    Murphy's Law: "Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong"

    There is no such thing as an indestructible tablet. I'd rather pay for a $30 repair job than a full tablet replacement. Thank you.
    Reply
  • scottiemedic
    What a great job, tear sh*t apart and get paid for it, ahhh my childhood dream (Mom wasn't as pleased as I was) :P
    Reply
  • killerclick
    I tend to shy away from laptops and tablets because I can't replace all the parts myself if something goes wrong. Imagine having to send it for repairs with all your data and having to wait for weeks (only to get something 'refurbished').

    Also, the girl that does iFixit YouTube videos is stupidly hot.
    Reply
  • belardo
    The Titanic was deemed unsinkable... odd how it sunk on its maiden voyage.

    Had the Titanic not sunk, it would have disappeared as just another ship that was broken up. She had two sister ships, one sunk (a mine, and she still should not have sunk - water to shallow, its easy to get to in only 400ft of water) - the other destroyed for scrap.
    Reply
  • bit of a petty whine but it does get my back up, "phillips screws"? what are they? surely you mean cross head scews....just as "Phillips screwdrivers" are actually crosshead screwdrivers (Phillips also make flatheads too).....Phillips is a brand name not a type of screw or screwdriver
    Reply
  • jonnyhuk2
    FairyLiquid7bit of a petty whine but it does get my back up, "phillips screws"? what are they? surely you mean cross head scews....just as "Phillips screwdrivers" are actually crosshead screwdrivers (Phillips also make flatheads too).....Phillips is a brand name not a type of screw or screwdriver
    The "Phillips screw" is named after Henry F. Phillips who invented and patented the cross within the head type of the screw. No relation to the Phillips electronics company.
    Reply
  • rosen380
    FWIW: I googled the following:

    phillips-head screwdriver: 1.4M results
    cross-head screwdriver: 725k results

    cross-head screw: 2.7M results
    phillips-head screw: 868k results

    Based on the internet usage, sounds like cross-head screw and phillips-head screw driver are the common terms. Seems like a confusing way to refer to two things that you'd use together :)

    ---
    FWIW2
    homedepot.com, lowes.com and acehardware.com have no cross-head screws or cross-head screwdrivers. They do have phillips-head screws and screwdrivers though...
    Reply
  • g00fysmiley
    idroidI doubt that a tablet with such quality manufacturing will need a repair.

    it can be of great quality built to last, but if i drop it or my dog knocks it off a table and shatters a screen i'd be happier to be abel to fix it than buy a whoel new one. it ws a pain but swappign the screen in my palm pre several years back was $40 vs paying $100 for a replacement through insurance or had i not had insurance $300 for the phone (it was several years ago i know i could now get the phoen for a few bucks)

    Reply