The Galaxy Note 8 is moderately repairable, according to iFixit
It seems that the innards of smartphones are getting less and less accessible to end users with every new release, and this year’s flagships are no exception. However, where there’s a will, there’s a way. Coming off the nigh irrepairable Essential Phone, iFixit has torn into Samsung’s new Galaxy Note8. And guess what? This bezel-less smartphone can actually be fixed!
The iFixit team posted the teardown earlier today and, considering its form factor and design, the Note8 is fairly accessible. The biggest obstacle facing would-be DIYers is the glue holding the glass back panel to the main chassis of the device. Heat can make short work of the adhesive, but care should be exercised when prying the back panel off: there’s a thin ribbon cable connecting the fingerprint reader to the mainboard that could easily be torn.
There’s some good news once you’re inside the phone. Many of the components of the device are modular and replaceable, and every screw is a standard #000 Phillips Head. The only internal component that’s glued into place is the battery, which unfortunately does require some effort to remove. The display is also secured by glue, so screen replacements will be difficult.
Overall, iFixit gave the phone a 4 out of 10 for repairability. That’s not the best score ever seen by a Samsung phone, but it’s about par for the course for a 2017 flagship. It’s a far cry better than other flagship devices (like the Essential Phone, which scored a measly 1 out of 10). So rest assured that repairs are possible with some effort. Heck, you could even strip the paint off the glass back panel to make a transparent phone like JerryRigEverything.