Summary
Highlights
The video begins with an introduction to a full, unedited teardown of a Samsung Galaxy S20. The presenter outlines the purpose of the teardown: to demonstrate how to disassemble the device without damaging the glass. He explains that a separate video will cover glass replacements. Key tools for removing the back glass and glue are introduced, including a heating plate set to 85 degrees Celsius for safe operation with the battery intact. Crucially, the presenter warns against placing the phone face down on the heating plate above 100 degrees Celsius to prevent polarizer damage. The S20 in the video is in pristine condition and will be converted into a tester for AMOLED displays. The phone is placed on the heating plate for 3-5 minutes to toast it, softening the adhesive.
After heating the phone, the presenter showcases the necessary tools. These include a clear plastic card (obtained from OCA sheet packets), a rolling tool for glue removal, a clean cloth, safety goggles, safety gloves, tweezers, a Phillips head screwdriver, and a special 9666 liquid solution for cleaning glue and softening adhesives. Safety is emphasized, with a reminder to wear goggles and gloves. The presenter praises the heating plate's consistent heat distribution and vacuum function, which securely holds the phone during the process, making it superior to heat guns.
The process of removing the back glass begins by using the plastic card to find an insertion point. A small amount of the 9666 solution is applied to help loosen the adhesive. The presenter demonstrates a gentle sawing motion with the card, emphasizing the importance of not going too deep to avoid damaging internal components like the fingerprint sensor or the NFC/QI charger. He advises against using metal pry tools to prevent cosmetic damage. The back glass is successfully removed, with most of the OEM glue remaining intact and reusable. Any excess glue on the phone's frame is cleaned using the rolling tool, ensuring a clean surface for reassembly.
The presenter continues the teardown by detaching the NFC/QI charger adhesive while it's still warm. He then uses an electric screwdriver (Wow Stick) to remove all the necessary screws. He identifies some screws as being for the 5G antennas, noting that they didn't need to be removed as they were not holding critical components for this stage. He removes the backplates, the QI charger assembly, and disconnects the battery, emphasizing the importance of killing the power first. The lower bracket covering the charging port is also removed, revealing various flex cables. The speaker expresses a desire to remove the AMOLED display and charging port, but focuses on the logic board.
A crucial black screw on the logic board is removed to allow its lifting. The presenter points out his mistake of not removing the SIM tray first, highlighting it as an essential initial step. He notices the S20 does not have expandable memory, unlike the S20 Plus and Ultra models. The logic board, which is double-stacked for a compact design, is carefully lifted. The presenter then attempts to remove the front-facing camera, noting it appears to be glued in place with a 'cold-pressed glue.' He speculates this might be for water resistance or security.
The presenter places the phone back on the heating plate to warm it for battery removal. He demonstrates a simple trick: after applying a small amount of solution to the edges of the battery, it comes off easily with a pry tool (or tweezers in this case) without causing damage. He advises cleaning any residue from the battery compartment and reapplying adhesive during reassembly. He then successfully removes the front-facing camera, revealing the 'cold-pressed glue' used by Samsung. He warns against going too deep when removing the camera to avoid damaging the AMOLED display, recommending staying along the aluminum frame edges. The video concludes by noting the easy removal of the speaker and charging port, reiterating the straightforward nature of the device's disassembly.