iPad 7 Teardown
Duration: 45 minutes
Steps: 8 Steps
Apple’s 7th-generation iPad is here, bringing some fresh upgrades! Along with a sleek new 10.2” display, it still carries over a lot of the tried-and-true features from its fancier siblings. What other familiar features has Apple included? We're ready to dive in and show you all the inside details with this teardown. Want the latest teardown news? Keep up with us on YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook, and don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter for more cool teardown updates.
Step 1
Guess what? This iPad has a shiny new model number: A2200! And just like before, the iconic iPad name is boldly displayed on the back, sticking to its roots while the trendsetting iPhones take a different path.
- Before we dive in, let's take a quick look at what we've got under the hood. This device is rocking a mix of classic and cutting-edge tech:
- Apple A10 Fusion chip with a built-in M10 motion coprocessor (perfect for those beachside iPad jogs, if that's your thing!)
- A 10.2-inch Retina display that’s multi-touch and packs 2160 × 1620 pixels (264 ppi) for crystal-clear visuals.
- Choose between 32 GB or 128 GB of internal storage, depending on your needs (more space, more memories!).
- 8 MP rear camera with 1080p resolution, plus a 1.2 MP front-facing FaceTime HD camera for those crisp selfies or video calls.
- Dual-band MIMO Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n/ac) + Bluetooth 4.2, so you're always connected.
- Touch ID fingerprint sensor, 3-axis gyro, accelerometer, barometer, and an ambient light sensor to round out the smart features.
Step 2
Maybe this is to make things easier for the Smart Keyboard?
- The team at Creative Electron has been putting in the extra hours this week, and when we asked for a glimpse inside this iPad, they managed to gather some more electrons for us to explore.
- Peeking beyond the iPad's sleek exterior, we can see that the magnet pattern along the edges has taken a new twist compared to last year.
- And check out that Smart Connector cable! It takes a bit of a scenic route around the battery, but hey, it’s definitely a smarter move than previous designs that left the cable tangled under a glued-down battery.
Step 3
With great size comes great capability: the latest iPad finally embraces Apple's Smart Connector for seamless keyboard connection. Productivity just got a boost!
It seems we've taken a step up since our last iPad teardown.
- This iPad is packing some serious extra screen real estate—it's now a 10.2" model, up from last year's 9.7". Bigger, better, and ready to go!
- We're diving right in! No time for detours—there's plenty to get through, so we're jumping straight into our reliable heat-and-suction method to start things off.
- Okay, maybe it's just us getting better at handling these adhesive-packed devices, but this iPad feels surprisingly... easier to open? Could we be imagining it?
Step 4
Replacing the cracked glass on the iPad 7 might take a bit of patience, but the good news is the parts are still easy on your wallet—you won’t have to swap out the whole display like with those other iPads that use LOCA-laminated screens.
- Getting through this much glue isn't exactly our cup of tea, but hey, we press on... no backing down here!
- Luckily, just like before, the glass comes off smoothly, leaving the display behind—a nice surprise, and one we appreciate!
- After tackling all that adhesive, we’re pleased to see a Phillips screw—what a relief after last week's tiny tri-points!
- This time, our Battery Blocker only fits into the battery terminal after a little snip-snip with scissors, but trust us, it’s worth it to ensure a safe LCD removal.
Tools Used
Step 5
Apple has managed to stretch the battery life a bit more this time around, still boasting the same claimed 10 hours of usage as the iPad 6, even with that larger screen. Keep on scrolling!
- Let's compare this year's 10.2" digitizer panel (top) with last year's 9.7" version (bottom). Same design, but a bit more space in the new case!
- The battery is labeled A1484, rated for 32.9 Wh—yep, it's the same battery we've seen for the past couple of years, even with the extra room in the larger case. We were hoping for a bit more after that big iPhone battery upgrade, but here we are!
- Take a look at that crisp 1.2-megapixel selfie camera. Honestly, who knew such clarity could fit into such a small package!
- The home button looks pretty much the same as last year. It’s not a huge upgrade, which might make screen swaps a bit trickier—just like last year's model.
- Good news on the cable front! This year’s panel has simplified things a bit—fewer cables to worry about during the disassembly. Two of them are now thoughtfully overlapped, leaving you with one less potential headache. Nice touch!
Step 6
Looking for an affordable iPad that works with a Smart Keyboard? Good news—Apple made it happen!
Guess it’s either corrosion protection, tamper resistance, or maybe a nod to the sticky stuff enthusiasts out there.
- Check out that new Smart Connector, all decked out in its adhesive glory!
- No moving parts here, so a Smart Connector replacement is likely not something you'll need to stress about. But if you ever do, this Smart Connector is surprisingly easy to get to by iPad standards.
- Now, over on the logic board, we have these gooey antenna cable sockets. What's the deal with this new goo?
- With cables out of the way, let's bring the heat one last time to free this sticky logic board from its cozy home.
- Oh, sticky logic boards, why do you cling so? Every time we think of you, you make us feel a little queasy.
Step 7
- We have a solid guess about what’s inside here, but let’s take a closer look to confirm:
- Apple A10 Fusion APL1W24 SoC sitting on top of Micron D9WQC (MT53B384M64D4TP-062 XT:E) 3 GB LPDDR4 SDRAM (that’s half again as much RAM as last year’s model)
- SanDisk SDMRSEFJ2 032G 32 GB flash memory
- Broadcom BCM15900B0 touchscreen controller
- NXP Semiconductor 100VB27 NFC controller
- Cirrus Logic CS42L83A low power audio codec
- Apple 343S00314-A0 (PMIC) and Murata 339S00445 Wi-Fi/Bluetooth module
- Skyworks 850946, 203153033561852, and 13790697311912
Step 8
With all the updates this year, take a wild guess at what the repairability score could be!
- Alright, here it is — the 10.2" iPad 6 and iPad 7, stripped down and ready for inspection.
- This update is pretty chill! Just a bump in size, the addition of a Smart Connector, and an extra gig of RAM to keep things running smooth.
- The display and digitizer still keep their separate vibes, even with some Pro-level features thrown in, which we're pretty happy to see sticking around.
