Dell Adamo Teardown

– We’re teaming up with TechRepublic for this teardown, and they’ve got a ton of useful tips and tricks for IT pros. Be sure to check them out for more helpful info!

– We’ll be sharing updates on Twitter about this project and other tech gadgets we’re diving into. Stay tuned for the latest!

– The shipping box is noticeably bigger than the one for the MacBook Air (think white box), but when you look at the two machines side by side, they’re practically twins in size.

– Alright, folks, the Adamo has officially left its cozy box.

– Now we get why that box was so roomy: the Adamo is snugly wrapped in a protective ‘time capsule’ plastic casing, and during shipping, it’s further cushioned by sleek black plastic caps.

– Removing the MacBook Air packaging? No sweat—just a simple process.

– The Adamo comes protected in a chamber that looks ready for a sci-fi adventure—every part safe and sound for the ride.

– We half-expected the case to open with a dramatic hiss and a swirl of fog, but nope. To free the Adamo from its clear casing, just press in the two plastic tabs at the bottom with a bit of muscle.

– Lenin would be envious.

– The Adamo and its accessories—simple, sleek, and stylish. Our accessories are all black, perfectly complementing our ‘onyx’ Adamo. If you happen to have the ‘pearl’ version, we’re guessing (given the price tag) your accessories will be white, just to keep it classy.

– Check out the rear ports of the Adamo, starting from the left and moving to the right:

– On the right-hand side of the Adamo, you’ll find a handy SIM card slot along with an audio out/headphone jack.

– RJ45 Ethernet

– eSATA USB

– 2x USB ports for all your connecting needs

– DisplayPort for those high-quality visuals

– And don’t forget the AC Adapter to keep your device powered up!

– Adamo, meet Air. Now that you’re familiar with each other, let’s compare their sizes: the Adamo’s dimensions versus the MacBook Air. The Air has a knack for playing with perception—sometimes it looks even slimmer than the Adamo, especially in height. Both the Adamo and Air boast impressive torsional rigidity thanks to their solid unibody builds. While it’s tough to say which feels more sturdy, the Adamo’s extra weight gives it a more substantial feel. In terms of size differences, the Air is about 0.23 inches wider, 0.56 inches deeper, and about 0.11 inches thinner in height. If you’re tackling a repair and need a hand, you can always schedule a repair for expert help.

– From this angle, the Adamo’s sleek design totally outshines the Air.

– Those Intel and Windows logos? They’re not just your average stickers; they’re actually painted right onto the case!

– In contrast to the Air, the Adamo sports a screw-free bottom. That said, the gaps between the case’s bottom and frame are noticeably wider than on the Air.

– Getting inside might take a bit of creativity…

– Time to bring out the big guns – a metal spudger!

– The Adamo has a clever locking system that keeps the bottom panel firmly in place.

– This system uses three rows of pins along the inside edges of the computer, which fit snugly into the bottom panel’s slots. This creates a super-secure connection that’s not easy to break.

– To remove the bottom panel, just use your trusty metal spudger to gently slide the metal ear connected to each set of pins to the right. Easy peasy!

– Once you free the pins, the bottom panel will lift right off, easy peasy!

– The battery is connected to the motherboard by a snazzy orange ribbon cable. Make sure to disconnect this cable before fully lifting off the bottom panel.

– Here, we’re removing the bottom panels from the Adamo and Air models. The MacBook Air in this guide is the original version, which has been around for over a year. Even though it’s a bit vintage, it still sports a speedy 1.6 GHz Core 2 Duo processor—faster than the Adamo’s 1.2 GHz. The Adamo, on the other hand, comes with a solid 4 GB of RAM right out of the box, doubling what the Air offers. Apple keeps things a bit more streamlined, but Dell’s parts labeling is more extensive, making things a tad easier to identify during the repair. Keep at it—you’re doing great—if you need a hand, you can always schedule a repair.

– Check out that bottom panel—it’s got a sleek, built-in 6-cell Li-Polymer battery pack.

– This battery is 11.1 V and packs 40 Watt hours of juice, which edges out the MacBook Air’s 7.2 V, 37 Watt hour battery. (Dell’s manual says 12.6 V, but we’re siding with what’s printed on the battery itself.)

– The Adamo is rated for a solid 5 hours of action, which squeezes out an extra 30 minutes over Apple’s MacBook Air claims.

– Ready to recycle the battery? You might need a plane ticket to Japan for that one.

– Let’s kick things off with the removal of the 128 GB solid state hard drive! This little gem is a sleek 128GB uSATA MLC. It’s powered by 16 Samsung 64 gigabit multi-level cell (MLC) flash chips that are ready to rock.

– Data transmission? Easy peasy! This drive connects through a standard SATA connector. And get this: it boasts a maximum power consumption of just 1.05 watts and can handle an operating shock of 1500G! Impressive, right?

– Now, the thickest part of our solid state drive is the 4mm SATA connector, while the rest of the drive is a mere 2.9 mm. Talk about slim!

– The Samsung chips are K9HCGZ8U1M, and they were manufactured in February of this year. Nice and fresh!

– This sensor is likely the ambient light sensor that helps keep the Adamo’s backlit keyboard just right. Dell has been using light sensors in a few of their newer notebooks to make sure your keyboard brightness adjusts perfectly. If you’re curious or run into trouble, you can always schedule a repair to get expert help.

– The Adamo is packed with wireless connectivity options. This particular model is the budget-friendly version, so it only came with two out of the three possible wireless types.

– The empty slot in the middle? That’s for the WWAN WiMax 5530 HSPA Mini Card for AT&T. Don’t worry if it’s missing, though – you can easily pop one in later if needed.

– You might be surprised to find that the Bluetooth board is actually twice the size of the 802.11n card. Go ahead, take a look!

– The antennas are already routed to the slot, all set and ready to roll!

– Take out the 802.11n card along with its three antenna cables. Nice and easy!

– According to the printed user’s guide for our Adamo, this machine has ‘803.11n Wireless LAN.’ We’re not sure if that’s just a typo or some secret new tech. Either way, let’s keep rolling!

– The wireless cards are connected to the motherboard with a single wide ribbon cable. This ribbon is secured with some sticky adhesive, so peeling it up takes a bit of patience. Work carefully, and if you need help, you can always schedule a repair.

– Take out the wireless data board with care—this little guy is right in the middle of the action.

– Fun fact: the hard drive ribbon cable actually takes a detour through the wireless data board before it finds its way to the motherboard.

– Start by unplugging a few ribbon cables from the motherboard—think of it as untangling some funky spaghetti before moving forward.

– You’ll spot six Phillips screws keeping the motherboard, heat sink, and fan locked in place—unscrew those and set them aside (bonus points for not losing them under the couch).

– The display data cable is hiding underneath the board; make sure to disconnect it before you try to lift out the motherboard.

– Time to take out the heat sink. It’s on the smaller side—guess that 1.2 GHz Core 2 Duo isn’t exactly a space heater.

– We didn’t spot any obvious thermal sensors here. If they’re around, they’re probably built right into the motherboard.

– Take a look at the top of the motherboard. Right in the middle, you’ll spot the 2 GB 800MHz DDR3 memory – it’s pretty hard to miss. Just a heads-up: upgrading the RAM on this low-end machine isn’t going to be an option down the line. So, think carefully before you make that purchase!

– Check out the underside of the motherboard.

– Absolutely, the processors are soldered right onto the motherboard. No surprises here! Just a friendly reminder, if you’re looking for cutting-edge processor tech, this might not be the machine for you.

– Sadly, all the ports are part of the motherboard. If something goes awry, it could lead to a pricier repair. But don’t worry, if you need help, you can always schedule a repair.

– Alright, let’s move on to the keyboard removal phase!

– You’ll find nine Phillips screws keeping that keyboard snug in place. Good news: one in the top left was already taken out when we removed the motherboard.

– Honestly, it could be way more complicated than this!

– If you’ve got big fingers, the Adamo is likely your new best friend! Those letter keys have a whopping 30% more surface area than the ones on the Air, making typing a breeze.

– And guess what? The keyboard—and probably the whole device—is crafted by Quanta Computers, the biggest name in the notebook world. They whip up machines for both Apple and Dell, so you’re in good hands!

– Grab your plastic opening tool and pop off that hinge cover—it’s just hanging on with magnets, so it should come off without a fuss.

– The Adamo’s hinge feels sturdy, but only time will reveal its true staying power. Hinge issues have been a headache for MacBook Air users, so fingers crossed this one ages better.

– To free the display assembly, you’ll need to remove 14 screws. Here’s the breakdown:

– Eight Phillips screws up top, with four on each hinge.

– Four Phillips screws on the bottom, two per side.

– Two small Phillips screws up top, one on each side.

– The display assembly is nearly free, but it’s still hanging on just a bit. Give it a little more attention!

– You’ll need to carefully reroute those antenna cables from the top case. Take your time, they’re a little tricky.

– First, let’s get that clutch cover off! You’ll see two Phillips screws holding it to the top case.

– Unscrew those bad boys, and once they’re out, the clutch cover will easily lift right off. Smooth sailing from here!

– Once you’ve popped off the clutch cover, you’ve got plenty of space to carefully thread those display cables through the top case and take out the whole display assembly.

– This display rocks an LED backlight, so no inverter needed here. As you can see in this step, the display data cable hangs out on the left, and the camera data cable chills on the right.

– Freedom at last!

– The display looks sharp—if you can see past the tangle of antenna wires. It’s almost a work of art, minus the spaghetti.

– And now, let’s dive into the whole Adamo experience…

– We’ve added the final snapshot from our MacBook Air First Look to give you a handy point of reference.