iFixit tears apart the Dell XPS 13 and finds it easy to repair

The recently launched Dell XPS 13 with Windows 8.1 is the latest subject of the iFixit teardown team. They used their collection of screwdrivers, tweezers and other tools to break down this impressive notebook and found that it can be repaired, if needed, without much fuss.

Dell put a 13.3-inch UltraSharp QHD+ 3200x1800 display inside a body that would normally hold an 11-inch screen for its Dell XPS 13. In its teardown, iFixit used heat to remove the display from the case but then found something interesting inside:

After painstakingly cracking the clam, we find a mysterious black thread running along the inside of the top case. There's no mention in the service manual, but we're betting we just stumbled onto the easy way to get the LCD out—without the pain or the staking. The thread is routed in a channel beneath the display adhesive—pulling along the side ought to slice right through and free the panel, like cutting clay off a block.

Dell XPS 13 from iFixit

iFixit says the only real repair issue with the Dell XPS 13 is with its RAM; it's soldered onto the motherboard, which means owners won't be able to upgrade it after they buy the notebook.

Source: iFixit

John Callaham