Nexus 7 2nd Generation Teardown

Geschrieben von: Walter Galan
Veröffentlicht: 27/07/13
  • Kommentare: 86

Nexus 7 2nd Generation Teardown

Veröffentlicht: 27/07/13

Teardown

Einleitung

Heads up, Nexus 7's up! We didn't get enough Google this morning with the Chromecast, so we're back at it tearing into the second iteration of Google's Nexus 7 tablet. Without even allowing our spudgers time to cool down, we eagerly dove into the deep, dark depths of the newest tablet.

We're tearing down devices faster than molasses in January, and misquoting idioms like it's everybody's business. So don't miss out: Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook will keep you in proximity of the crazies that create these teardowns!

  1. ZVEaJW6JYeSQ5Irf
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    • Seven tech specs about the Nexus 7? Sure, we can do that!

    • 1.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor

    • 7-inch 1920x1200 IPS LCD screen

    • 2 GB of RAM

    • Adreno 320 GPU

    • 5 MP rear-facing camera

    • 1.2 MP front-facing camera

    • Android 4.3 Jelly Bean

    To replace the charging port do you replace the whole board it is on??

    Bamafrog Hippie -

    Unfortunately, unless you are comfortable with soldering, you will need to replace the whole daughterboard. Follow the replacement guide here.

    Sam Goldheart -

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    • Comparing the second generation Nexus 7 to the first, we notice a drastic change in body type.

    • The second generation (left) is thinner, narrower, and taller than its beefier predecessor, and lacks texture on the rear panel.

    • Other obvious changes include the addition of a rear-facing camera, and an upgrade to stereo sound. There are now three grilles (serving two speakers): two at the base, and one up top.

    • It also appears that while the micro USB port remains in place, the headphone jack has been…transported.

    The "old" Nexus 7 also has stereo sound. Both speakers are behind the grille at the bottom.

    When you hold the grille in in front of you you can hear stereo sound.

    spaarclix -

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    • The second round of rejoicing commences as the only tool we need to open this tablet is a plastic opening tool.

    • Goodbye patience, goodbye warped glass, goodbye thermal opening—instant gratification for the win!

    • A warning for Nexus 7 openers out there, our gentle procedure opened a bit of a crack in the rear case.

    • And…we're in, but not surprised. The first glance reveals a huge battery, the standard for tablets these days.

    Do be careful when prying: The micro USB connector shell extends through the back, so pry the other three edges free, then unhook the connector edge. I disabled my connector by forgetting this. :=(

    Nicholas Bodley -

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    • But wait! There's more? An inductive charging coil?

    • Hats off to the great Tesla, forefather of wireless charging.

    • Although inductive charging has been around for a while, this is the first time we've seen it in a tablet since the HP TouchPad. We're pleased with the trend, as it may help eliminate wires as a source of e-waste in the future. Now, if we could only make batteries infinitely rechargable...

    • The NFC Module is layered on top of the inductive charging coil.

    HP Touchpad had one, did you not tear it down?

    joker unm -

    The inductive charging in tablets had been implemented in HP Touchpad years (two, precisely) ago. WHY YOU'RE LYING?

    evgsyr -

    I find wireless charging to be rather useless, a con instead of a pro. First of all, doesn't the base need it's own wire? It does. But instead of removing the wire, which could simply go directly inside the phone, it also adds one more device on your desk. So I don't see how does it really help, especially since is not as optimized as wired charging.

    The best solution, I think, is the charger that uses a usb cable. The charger is smaller than the wireless base (basically a small brick these days), and the removable cable can be used for data transfer, therefore eliminating the need for one more cable. As it is now, wireless charging is not really wireless unless it charges the phone no matter where it is in a given range. 50 meters, for example? Have it in the kitchen, select "charge" on-screen, and it charges from a base situated in the living-room. Untill then, this is just another fancy trend without much use.

    Stefan Constantin Dumitrache -

    Its not useless if your USB charging connector is bent /broke or just not working and you don't want to pay someone to repair it for you or you find it a pain in the but to repair it yourself!

    Someone can just buy a Qi wireless charging pad and its done , no tearing apart nothing and only spending 20 something bucks ain't bad.... Why did you say its useless when it appears to be very useful. Duh!

    Joshua Syms -

    @Stefan Constantin Dumitrache

    Wireless charging still means the charger base does indeed require a wire to be connected to it from an outlet, but the "wireless" reference is indicative of a lack of a wire between the device being charged & the charger. Instead of having to plug the device in & then lay it down on your desktop, you simply lay it down on the charger base. And believe it or not, my Samsung GS4 gets charged in under 70% of the time it charges through a wired charger. I can't say this will be the case for everyone as it depends on the size of the charger coil & receiver coil

    You also complain of having to have another device (the charger base) on your desktop only to then analogize that the charger cable can also be used for data transfers. Well, if you are doing any data transfers, then more often than not, you're doing so to a desktop, with a keyboard & a monitor or a laptop computer on your desk. So much for wanting to preserve desktop space!

    Don't knock it down until you've tried it.

    Omar NotMyLastName -

    You say "The NFC Module is layered on top of the inductive charging coil." Where exactly? On top of??? Is it evident in the pictures? Could you highlight it please?

    Are those 4 round things in pictures 2 & 3 magnets??

    edgoldsmith2 -

    Hi Neil, make sure the soft rectangular grounding strip is placed back same as in one of the picture in this article. Very important!

    kmewes -

    I have the LTE version and mine has a thin black cable with gold connectors on each end (I think it's an RF cable?)... Can you tell me a part number or something like that so I can figure out how to order a new one?

    eromrab -

    Are there some Nexus 7 2013 models that do not have inductive charging? Because I have a 16gb model that doesn't seem to have it.

    Also, when checking the version of the tablet, it reports as 2012 model even though it looks like the 2nd gen with the camera on the back. Was there a 2nd gen that was still from 2012?

    okdna -

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    • Time to set our trusty connector-seeking spudger loose to free the battery from its bonds.

    • Seals cover two of the screws in the Nexus 7—one on each of the main boards—so replacing either board will likely void your warranty.

    • We consulted Seal seal, our seal expert, and gave us the seal of approval to proceed. He concluded that our teardown was more important than our warranty.

    It is superhard to remove the wide silver cord from the connectors on the boards. The instruction does not say how it is done and I broke away my connectors from the board. I guess the cord should carfully be pulled along the face of the battery without opening any locking mekanism.

    Pierre Andersson -

    I think you meant “copper”. So sorry to tell you, but the connectors are ZIF, which clamp the removable item in place, like removable CPUs on motherboards. The black plastic strip is the clamp. To unclamp, lift one edge. It will have definite friction. I’ve forgotten which edge, though. The black plastic is strong, but relaxes with time and fails to clamp across the whole width.

    When that happens, your sensors go dead (and maybe the mic. as well?).

    You'll note foam pads on the back cover which were to help clamp,but they’re much too soft! Small-cell polyethylene foam might work. I need to fix mine. Hope this helps!

    Nicholas Bodley -

    No, he does not mean the copper one, but the wide silver one - the one that is *not* mentioned in any of the steps above. It is held in place on both sides by sticky tape. Loosen that, and the cord slides out of its connectors towards the battery. This cord seems to affect the rotation of the screen.

    Cillit Bang -

    To release the wide silver cable, the catch is on the back of the connector, so it is NOT the black plastic, it is the white plastic

    Youtube Source

    Keith Va -

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    • The battery tray comes out, no problem.

    • The tray is held in place by only a few screws (yay!), but the battery is secured to the tray with pretty sticky adhesive (boo!).

    • The battery is rated at 3.8 V, 15 Wh, 3950 mAh, with a charging voltage of 4.35 V and is made by Celxpert Industrial.

    • Despite the 4326 mAh battery of the original Nexus 7, this new generation boasts an extra hour of battery life. Devices with lower power consumption give more bang for the ecological-impact buck, so it's definitely a nice trend.

    You might see a black fabric tab attached to the battery connector. Try pulling on it to disconnect! Sweet.

    Nicholas Bodley -

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    • It's time for the daughterboard to leave the nest; seals can't hold her captive forever. The board houses a single IC nested among the connectors.

    • ELAN eKTH325BAWS, which we guess to be the capacitive touchpad controller from ELAN's eKT line.

    Ok you know it's a seal, and you know how to remove it, but I don't.

    cambium0 -

    Is this the only flash storage in the device? SK Hynix H26M52003EQR 16 GB eMMC NAND Flash

    Removing for parts so my personal data isnt left on it

    Clement C -

    I broke my usb plug until roots..

    AndrewSu -

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    • Flushed with teardown fever, we pluck the motherboard from the casing, as well.

    • The front- and rear-facing cameras are easy pickings.

    • Alas, consumers will still be able to take awkward tablet photos. Will it ever end?

    • If you happen to see bigfoot and need to take a picture with your new Nexus 7, you'll be getting a 5 MP image.

    • For selfies, you only get 1.2 MP.

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    • The hardware powering this nifty trick of a tablet:

    • Qualcomm APQ8064 Snapdragon S4 Pro Quad-Core CPU (includes the Adreno 320 GPU)

    • Elpida J4216EFBG 512 MB DDR3L SDRAM (four ICs for 2 GB total)

    • Analogix ANX7808 SlimPort Transmitter

    • Texas Instruments BQ51013B Inductive Charging Controller

    • Qualcomm Atheros WCN3660 WLAN a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 (BR/EDR+BLE), and FM Radio Module

    • SK Hynix H26M52003EQR 16 GB eMMC NAND Flash

    • Qualcomm PM8921 Quick Charge Battery Management IC

    Hi editor, you forgot the Broadcom 20793M NFC Controller!

    006jht -

    Hello guys, thanks for the great job. But what GPS chip does it have?

    koekto -

    I also need to know where is located the gps antenna or the gps module... i'm having some problems with the gps fix. best regards

    Kazzar TeK -

    Does FM radio work?

    Marcis Buhholcs -

    Yeah does the FM radio module work???? Also where is the WiFi antenna?

    Kenny Bateman -

    The Wi-Fi antenna is in step 11. This tablet does not have an FM radio.

    Chris Clawson -

    What's audio chip name?

    Son Pham -

    Guys, where is the GPS antenna?

    bartgrosemans -

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    • The updated speakers come out next.

    • What do we know about these speakers?

    • They're stereo.

    • They sound cool.

    • They are labeled DN17128L000.

    (2017-11) My speaker at the camera end sounds raspy when loud. Maybe the “cone“ has a crack, or has partly detached from the voice coil…

    Nicholas Bodley -

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    • Here we find the rear of the front panel, home to the Wi-Fi antennas.

    • We take small steps and find wireless frequencies are made possible by contacts to the outside universe.

    • What does the universe say?

    • ME571K_WIFI_3DC

    Where is the network sim card antenna?

    gamingtechmark -

    That “ME“ number looks like an Asus model number. Maybe within Asus, a Nexus 2B (this one) is known by that number within Asus?

    Nicholas Bodley -

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    • Nexus 7 2nd Generation Repairability Score: 7 out of 10 (10 is easiest to repair)

    • The rear case is very easy to open, and requires minimal prying effort with a plastic opening tool to remove... But we cracked it, even though we were quite careful during the opening procedure.

    • All fasteners inside are Phillips screws—no security or proprietary screws here.

    • While the battery enclosure is easy to remove, some patient spudgering will be necessary to peel the battery off the tray.

    • The front glass is adhered to the display frame, meaning you'll need a heat gun to get the LCD out—or replace the whole front panel.

    After tearing down the entire tablet, I had gotten to the final step of removing the glass from the display frame. The tutorial says "The front glass is adhered to the display frame, meaning you'll need a heat gun to get the LCD out". This single step took much longer to do than the rest of the tear down combined. The adhesive that is used to secure the glass to the display frame is shockingly strong. I used the heat gun and you really need heat resistant gloves to be able to hold the metal frame after it's been heated up. Not only that, as brittle as the screen is, it just shattered every time I made any progress. This tutorial doesn't say anything about needing double sided adhesive but after finally removing all of the old glass off of the frame, the adhesive was gone. So, if you are going to remove the glass from the frame, be aware that it will not come off easy AND after it does come off, you will need adhesive to fix it to the frame.

    Brett Wertz -

    Did you happen to take photos or document this process? I didn't realize that I would have been better off getting the whole assembly and wound up getting only the glass for christmas. I was hoping for some better documentation of this step.

    Cody Stamps -

    does the n7/2 has gorilla ? it doesn't appear so because my n7 2 had a scratch with the slightest of scractch

    KMeronq tEe -

    To add to the glass replacement comments..... do not attempt to do this if you are not a professional who has done glass replacement before (and willing to take the loss if you screw it up)... The plastic on the bezel actually has a LOWER heat tolerance than the glue that holds the glass to it. Which means you're going to warp/damage the bezel and likely the wifi/LTE antennas also just trying to get the glass off.

    Also, the guide is misleading when it says you'll just replace the whole thing. You CANNOT order a replacement bezel for the 2013 Nexus 7 (wifi OR lte). Since you also cannot separate the glass/LCD without destroying the LCD... you have to buy the glass/LCD as a combo, AND you have to hope like heck you don't damage the bezel with the heat gun.

    Best advice: Repairability of ZERO on the glass would have been a better rating.

    Alvin Brinson -

    Having trouble removing the Bezel from the lcd/digitizer . Was going to just buy a bezel , but like you said There is no place to just buy the bezel on the 2013 version of the Nexus 7. Anyone know of a place to do so , please post it here. Thanks

    fallguy2006 -

    Fallguy2006: I was finally able to buy a bezel/LCD/Glass assembly for around $50 on ebay. Less than I'd paid for just the glass/LCD! It appears that the WiFi/LTE versions are actually the same, but there may be two variations on the bezel itself out there. Because the bezel I bought was definitely WiFi, but it has the cutouts for the LTE antenna at the bottom, which some don't. So make sure you get a PHOTO of the assembly you buy and that it matches yours, though if you have the WiFi only version it may not matter.

    As far as finding it on eBay, you just have to keep looking. There were none available when I first looked, then two people listed them at the same time.

    Alvin Brinson -

    Alvin Brinson, was it easy to replace this bezel/LCD/Glass? Did you use the heat gun or it can be replaced without it? Can you provide the exact link of this screen on ebay? Thank you.

    Max -

    What about the small board with the reset/volume/mic? Does the mic come off easy?

    Alex -

    It doesn't come off at all you need to buy a whole new Power Volume Flex strip i Finally found one here.

    http://www.globaldirectparts.com/categor...

    Nicholas Anderson -

    Since a long time, I've been looking for a tablet without camera that has cellular option. Did not succeed.

    So is it possible to remove all the cameras in the Nexus 7 2nd gen and make the location of the camera disappear?

    or remove the front camera of Nexus 7 1st gen and make the location of the camera disappear?

    Can somebody help or any suggestions, please?

    Sid, Dec 6

    Mohammed -

    Theoretically, you can remove the camera from any device that has one. However, you will more likely have to deal with notifications each time you reboot notifying you that the camera module is missing/not located/in-operational. Some devices might not boot at all and instead either lock up or give an error message.

    You would be better off simply blocking the camera lens using a small piece of tape or something similar.

    Omar NotMyLastName -

Tinte & Feder

Walter Galan

685541 Reputation

43 Kommentare

You say this is the first inductive charging plate you've seen in a tablet, but the HP Touchpad must have one in order to use the HP's Touchstone® charger.

William Lampert -

"Although inductive charging has been around for a while, this is the first time we've seen it in a tablet since the HP TouchPad." Since is the keyword there.

Andrew -

One of the surprises I had was the the original Nexus7 did not have a microphone-in as the 4-th? ring on the Headphone Jack so that there was no convenient way to use an external microphone to get louder/more directional... sound into the Nexus7, did you check to see if this had been "fixed" in the Nexus7.1?

Also, by the lack of any comments, I assume that there were no other ports in the 7.1 system, but that I have heard that there is some way to drive a HDMI display via hardware connection?

Mike Liveright -

It does in fact, have a headphone jack that supports headsets / microphones.

Protonus -

1st inductive charging coil in a tablet? Have you never seen the HP Touchpad? I haven't plugged my Touchpad in for over a year or more... I use the HP Touchstone inductive charger...I just set it there and it charges...LOVE IT! But the Nexus 7 is NOT the first one to use it...

Jim -

what about the 4g LTE chip- who makes that?

notforeme -

The ghost of christmas future.

Brandon Berhent -

Headphone or headset jack? I want my mic in.

Jaq zez -

Yes, it has a headset jack, you can use a mic

Protonus -

I am quite concerned about the wireless charging affecting this devices microwaveability, I will cautiously test and report back.

Ding Patel -

I have now tested this devices microwaveability, and can confirm the wireless charging does seem to produce some undesirable effects, buth with the N7 itself, and also with my microwave oven, which put on a short lived but impressive light show, and is now, I presume in some sort of "safe mode" is sitting there with all lights off, and some type of smokey stuff wafting from its vents.

The N7 is, at present, failing to boot, I imagine this is as a direct result of the wireless charging coil being submitted to microwave radiation.

I am presently making an adaptor lead so I can try to " jump start" the device from the mains electrical supply.

If successful I may market the leads.

I will report back

r

Ding Patel -

One question: are the WCN3660 FM pins grounded?

Erick Garcia -

I hope so, it costs nothing...waiting for someone that tests radio FM capability.

Enrico Tomaello -

What DAC is it using?

David Gerryts -

Any information on the location of a sensor that triggers the sleep/wake function using a case with a magnet? Want to add a magnet to an existing case.

Duane -

I thought it might have part of the circuit in Step 7 but now I wonder if its attached to the screen circuitry. Nonetheless I have calculated the magnetic sensor to be in the bottom left corner, if you are facing the screen in portrait. I am not sure if it is supposed to work by default but for it to work for me I had to install Magnet Screen Lock app. Handily the app will also tell you the strength of the magnetic field detected by the sensor.

Cas -

I replaced the Daughter Board in my Nexus 7 2, because the micro usb was damaged. Now it charges fine, although the touch screen has stopped working, does anyone know what is causing this and how to fix it? Thanks in advance

Paddy -

Have the same problem, did you find a solution? Thanks

neil dopwell -

Have the same problem, did you find a solution? Thanks 0

neil dopwell -

I am having the same problem. Its charging but touch screen doesn't work which makes the tablet useless. I appreciate a fix for this issue after spending time & money.

jdemola -

I have both the wifi and lte models does anyone know if the screens are compatible? I dropped the lte and cracked the screen, can I replace it with my wifi screen?

Benjamin ODonnell -

You can replace the glass, but be careful to not damage the frame with heat because the WIFI and LTE frames are not compatible.

artlong4 -

Where is the hard disk ? Is it replaceable?

Pedro -

My Nexus 7 might be first generation and this would only apply to the 3G variety, but I used the SIM slot to pry open the case with scissors. I removed the SIM tray and gently removed the case with no damage using child scissors. A large flat head screw driver would have worked as well.

drleeds -

Hy there,

Has someone who knows where can I buy replacment speakers for my Nexus? It has been damaged and sounds terrible.

Thanks

hnorbert0 -

Is there a difference with the LCD screen & frame between the WiFi only model and the LTE version.

I have the LTE model, and just cracked the screen. Looking to purchase and replace the screen and frame.

Tom Blazon -

Not cheap and very helpful way to fix some thing.

Praska -

Hi,

May Nexus 7 (2013) got bricked by Google update last March. I brought it on service center and told me that its already unrepairable thru re-installation of Android OS. I also tried by myself but it failed to continue. My question is, what parts do I need to replace in order my tablet to be usable again? Thanks!

Echo -

Hi. Is it possible to add more Ram? Is the limit on the motherboard? Thanks.

Jim Boyle -

I replaced my screen and motherboard bought from iFixit. Device powers up but only shows white grain noise on screen; Please suggest possible fixes.

Device: nexus 7 2013[32 GB]

Shashank Sharma -

Couldn't get the screen to work, but I could hear the screen reader. I am not able to figure out which part is exactly defective.

Shashank Sharma -

I completed the screen replacement on my 2013 N7 and have to agree that the hardest part is removing the screen from the bezel. In my case, the removal weakened the brittle plastic of the bezel, and when I went to clean off the old adhesive, bits broke off. I was able to reattach with crazy glue. We'll see how long this holds together. Fortunately, the screen itself provides structural integrity. I don't think it will make it through another repair of this sort, through. Another disassembly, and the bezel will come completely apart.

A tool recommendation, however. Get an automotive feeler gauge. slim spring steel, with a rounded front. Slips into the adhesive seam easily, and doesn't mar the surface the way a blade would.

All in all, a successful repair. If you can find a screen+bezel unit for a reasonable price, just do that. It's much easier. Be worth another $30 to me.

Martin Knutson -

Hi! Does anyone know and can help me with the failing flipping screen?

PEPERE1988 -

I have 3 of the 2013 model and I can not get an external mic to work. I purchased a Rode TRS to TRRS adapter. The adapter works fine on my K1 Shield tablet but not the Nexus's. Does anyone know if there is a specific TRRS adapter I have to use to input an external mic? Really need to get this working. Thanks for any help!!

timmyd -

In Step 8, it shows four gold coloured contact things that are bendy. Basically in line with the volume up button.

What do they do?

Prying open my case, one of them broke a little bit.

Jody O'Halloran -

Go back and look at Step 4. You'll notice similar gold contact pads inside the back shell of the case. (Red circle. ). Two connect to the inductive charging coil. Two more to the NFC (I think).

In my unit the inductive charging stopped working, but was pressure sensitive and would come on if pressed in the right place. Stretching the gold spring ever so slightly restored the correct contact and operation.

nateoceanside -

What is the part number of 42-pin flat connector on the left from ELAN eKTH325BAWS on daughterboard?

* * -

hi, what do you call the little connectors that connect the wifi and gps wires which you did not show in your teardown. and where can you buy them as i can not afford 15.00 ea for the wires.

Thank you!

ellik -

Hello, I have a question. It is possible to add a microSD module inside the nexus 7 2013? If yes, how?

wilfrield -

No mention of how the power/volume strip is connected to the board or how that is removed. Given that is a knows fault area that is dissapointing,

B0 M0A0K -

I've a question. My Nexus7 mobile broke, is the nexus7 Wi-Fi motherboard compatible with the mobile versio

Elisa Matassa -

You did not show how to actually remove the ribbons baring the access and removal of the battery. Pretty useless guide, all things considered.

Alexandru Ghetaru -

Is there any way to JTAG and rescue the data on eMMC on a broken motherboard?

Girl Usocrzy -