Samsung’s Galaxy Note7 was just recently launched, and the device is currently available in a number of big markets around the world. The new phablet features some very impressive specs and a head-turning design, but now we get to see the beauty that’s on the inside.
The folks over at iFixit did what they do best, and what most of us are not willing to risk: they opened up the Galaxy Note7 to see what makes Samsung’s latest flagship tick. Even though, spoiler alert, the handset scored a low reparability score, the teardown did reveal some interesting features, including how many of the phone’s internals are waterproofed.
The double glass panels, both on the front and the back of the Note7, together with its curved display make opening up the device without damaging it almost impossible. That being said, the phone’s components seem to be arranged much more neatly as compared to those inside the Galaxy Edge S7, leaving tinkerers with easier access. The wireless charging coil, battery and motherboard all come off independently of each other.
The Note7’s cameras also came out neatly, including the iris scanner, which is a unique feature in Samsung’s lineup. It’s interesting to note how the iris scanner also features an IR blaster to illuminate your eyes. And speaking of cameras, this teardown confirms what we were already pretty sure of, that the main camera on Note7 is the same Sony IMX260 featured on the Galaxy S7 and its Edge variant.
The motherboard contains the usual slew of chips, controllers and modules. That includes the 4GB of LPDDR4 RAM, layered on top of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 SoC.
Moving on to the last few components, the 3.5mm headset jack, volume rocker, S Pen chamber and even the battery, show signs of waterproofing efforts including gaskets and extra glue. This helps the Note7 get its IP68 certification, which means the handset is dust-proof and should survive being immersed in shallow water for up to 30 minutes.
As mentioned at the start, the iFixit team only gave the Note7 a score of 4 out of 10 when it comes to reparability. Even though the modular components can be easily replaced, the glass plates, curved screen, and risk of destroying waterproofing ended up bringing the handset’s score down. In other words, opening up the Note7 is a risky proposition at best.
Still, we got to see what’s inside Samsung’s latest and greatest, and seeing what makes “the magic” happen is always a fascinating experience. To see even more images and go a bit more in-depth, check out the source link.
Source and Images: iFixit