Apple Watch Series 5 Teardown: 9 Things You Need to Know

In more ways than one, Apple Watch Series 5 is a notable upgrade from the Series 4. However, if you seem to be in two minds about whether or not to buy the smartwatch, we are here to take you through the Apple Watch Series 5 teardown, revealing what it has to offer.

While Apple Watch Series 5 may have a striking similarity with Series 4 in terms of design, the 5th-gen smartwatch has got plenty of improvements under the hood.

1. Starting with the LTPO (Low-Temperature Polycrystalline Oxide)display on the Series 5, it doesn’t look different from the Series 4 display that also featured the same technology. However, the LTE antenna connector sports a slightly different form-factor that doesn’t allow the display from working interchangeably.
2. The heat-and-slice action brings up the display. Notably, the clam-shelled is shut a little tighter than normal.

Image credit: Digit

3. The Force Touch gasket connector is placed in the corner behind the display cables, where it has existed since Series 4. The screen detaches using ZIF connectors.
   In terms of repairability, the screen doesn’t score much. If you had been expecting the screen to be easily repairable, you would be slightly disappointed. So, you need to be battle ready to bear the comparatively high screen repair cost of your Apple Watch Series 5. From an end user’s perspective, it seems to be counterproductive from both ends.
4. Expectedly, the battery is glued-down. Thus, you need to first extract the battery before disconnecting the power.Image credit: iFixit

6. Interestingly, Apple has labelled the energy source as A2181 and delivers 1.129 Wh (296 mAh at 3.814 V). As compared to last year’s 1.113 battery, it’s a (1.44%) minor improvement.
   
7. Another thing worth taking note of is that the 40 mm Apple Watch Series 5 sports a new battery design which plays a vital role in providing a 10% capacity boost. Much to our surprise, the 44mm watch lacks this battery design.Read – Apple Watch Series 5: Top Features
8. As for the battery replacements, they are quite easy. You can change the worn-out or ill-functioning battery without much trouble.
9. Apple has mounted many component flex cables directly to the S5 package. As a result, it requires steep micro-soldering for replacement.

The Bottom Line

As mentioned above, Apple Watch Series 5 is a worthy but not a significant upgrade from the previous generation. Having taken a close look into the innards, we would like to underline both upsides and downsides to make things easier for you.

Starting with upsides, though the screen replacements may not be straightforward, they aren’t complex either. Besides, battery replacements are also painless. Considering how important a role these two components play, the repairability of Apple Watch has certainly gotten a slight boost.

Talking about the downsides, Apple has used way too many small tri-point screws throughout the smartwatch. The presence of tri-point screws proves to be the major hindrances in the way of repairing the device.

Probably the biggest con is that a number of component flex cables are directly mounted to the S5 package. It requires precision micro-soldering for replacement.

Now comes the focal point as to whether or not you should upgrade to the Apple Watch Series 5. Well, if you are already using Series 4, you may not find the 2019 Watch a big upgrade.

However, if you are using Series 2 or 3, you may find the upgrade huge. The always-on display, much-improved battery life, greater navigation tools, double the onboard storage (32 GB, up from 16 GB) and significant performance enhancements make the Series 5 a remarkable switch from these older models.

So, that’s all about Apple Watch Series 5 teardown. We are soon going to dig through the Apple Watch Series 6 to reveal what it has to offer. More importantly, we will also divulge details whether or not the latest generation of Apple Watch is worth upgrading.

Do not forget to share your valuable thoughts about this teardown and what’s your expectation from the Series 6 in the comments section down below.

Read Also – Sleep Tracking in Apple Watch Might Be Useless Unless Battery Life Is Improved