Motorola Xoom torn down, shows all for the world to see

By Kyle Gibb
last updated

The people over at iFixit must really be on a roll because we have already seen both the Motorola Atrix 4G and the Samsung Galaxy S 4G get torn apart this week. Now it is the Motorola Xoom's turn, and they spared no time removing every screw and clip to be found on the tablet. Here is a rundown of the major components they found:

  • Nvidia Tegra 2 dual-core CPU alongside a low-power GeForce GPU
  • Toshiba NAND Flash memory
  • Samsung DRAM
  • Broadcom 802.11n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, and FM tuner chip

In their testing, iFixit got 10 hours of WiFi use out of the Xoom's 3250 mAh battery, putting it on par with the iPad. They also noted that the only tools one would need to take apart the Xoom for repairs would be a spudger alongside T5 and T7 Torx screwdrivers.  Overall, the Xoom got an 8/10 score for ease of repair, which we are sure is in no small part thanks to the free LTE radio upgrade. Full (warranty-voiding) disassembly instructions past the link. [iFixit]

Kyle Gibb
Kyle Gibb
6 Comments
  • Wow. The radio changeout on this device is so easy, you could probably do it yourself. See this picture. Two screws, unhook antennas (snap on connectors), and unplug. This suggests that this tablet may have a long life, as upgrades to the radios and repair-ability are designed in.
  • Well I'm pretty sure LTE stands for long term evolution. So a device that is so easily upgradeable would be worth paying for. K might just have to get one now.
  • The question isn't about what LTE stands for, everyone knows that. The question is what does XOOM stand for, and how much will Motorola have to pay to continue using the name. California-based Xoom Corp. sued Motorola this week for trademark infringement, claiming that it has rights to the Xoom name. http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2380938,00.asp
  • The battery capacity is a bit low, even for a 7" tablet. For a 10" it really should be a lot bigger.
  • 10 hours is about par for tabs.
  • And why didn't they ship these things with the upgrade already in place? Seems like a waste of time and money for Motorola and the customer. You're not getting the upgrade for free, you're paying for it upfront!