You won't believe what we had to do to tear down a OnePlus 2

Given that assessment, we were impressed when OnePlus called us and offered up their second device, the OnePlus 2. With futuristic features like a USB-C port, 4 GB of RAM, and Optical Image Stabilization, clearly OnePlus has made some changes. But were they for the better? While the OnePlus 2’s battery isn’t immediately replaceable, the minimal adhesive and handy Phillips screws didn’t put up much of a fight. Along with modularity and simple cabling, the design is a definite improvement from the first generation, earning itself a 7/10 on the repairability scale. Kudos to OnePlus! They showed that improved specs and improved repairability aren’t mutually exclusive. We hope more future phones follow this fashion.

OnePlus 2 Teardown highlights: The OnePlus 2 is one of the first mass-market smartphones with a USB-C port, offering faster wired data transfers with the added benefit of a reversible connector. An easily-opened case means increased repairability. Modular components that can be replaced independently of one another means even more repairability. Cool beans. The “not removable” battery is no match for our teardown engineer! Although this battery is tucked behind the midframe, it's actually much easier to extract than the previous One’s. Unfortunately, the LCD and digitizer glass are fused together and must be replaced as a single part. Also, a bit of heat is required to remove it from the midframe.

OnePlus 2's hardware:

• Qualcomm Snapdragon 810
• Samsung K3RG2G2 4 GB LPDDR4 dual-channel RAM
• Qualcomm PM899
• Qualcomm WCD9330 audio codec
• Qualcomm PM8994
• RF Micro Devices RF7389EU multi-band power amplifier
• Skyworks 77814-11 power amplifier module for LTE
• Qualcomm WTR3905 RF transceiver for dual SIM support
• Qualcomm QFE1100 envelope tracking IC
• Qualcomm QCA6174 802.11ac Wi-Fi 2x2 MIMO combo SoC
• Samsung KLMCG8GEND-B031 eMMC NAND flash memory
• NXP TFA9890 audio amplifier

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