Nexus 5 Teardown is Another Star on an Already Stellar Resume
Other than the fact that demand is currently outstripping supply, there's not a whole lot to dislike about Google's Nexus 5, at least on paper. Spec for spec, it's a better version of the Nexus 4, and there are many happy Nexus 4 owners in the wild, You might be one of them. Of course, it would take a hands-on evaluation and formal review to really cover the phone's high and low points, but in the meantime, there's proof outside of a spec sheet that Google has something special on its hands.
The gadget nerds (a term we use affectionately) over at iFixIt snagged themselves a newly minted Nexus 5 and plopped it on their operating table for a full autopsy. Things got off to a good start when iFixIt discovered that the initial unwrapping of this KitKat device meant dealing with some plastic clips. The clips proved "stubborn," but not near as headache-inducing as a glued panel would have been.
There was a bit of glue on the inside of the Nexus 5, but not much, and it was easily thwarted with a "few swipes of a plastic opening pick." Google also applied a smidgen of glue to hold the battery in place, albeit just enough to get the job down. According to the teardown analysis, removing the battery is done with minimal prying and virtually no bending.
"Non-LG manufacturers, take note! We don't want none of your 'that ain't possible' funny business when it comes to using glue in devices," iFixIt says.
When all the dust settled, the Nexus 5 earned an 8 out of 10 "Repairability Score" for its modular design that allows independent replacement of parts, mild use of adhesive, and standardized screws. Well played, Google and LG.
The gadget nerds (a term we use affectionately) over at iFixIt snagged themselves a newly minted Nexus 5 and plopped it on their operating table for a full autopsy. Things got off to a good start when iFixIt discovered that the initial unwrapping of this KitKat device meant dealing with some plastic clips. The clips proved "stubborn," but not near as headache-inducing as a glued panel would have been.
There was a bit of glue on the inside of the Nexus 5, but not much, and it was easily thwarted with a "few swipes of a plastic opening pick." Google also applied a smidgen of glue to hold the battery in place, albeit just enough to get the job down. According to the teardown analysis, removing the battery is done with minimal prying and virtually no bending.
"Non-LG manufacturers, take note! We don't want none of your 'that ain't possible' funny business when it comes to using glue in devices," iFixIt says.
When all the dust settled, the Nexus 5 earned an 8 out of 10 "Repairability Score" for its modular design that allows independent replacement of parts, mild use of adhesive, and standardized screws. Well played, Google and LG.
