iFixit has once again performed that teardown voodoo that they do so well. The new Apple TV 4K is the “victim” this time.
Two long years have passed since our last encounter with an Apple TV. Today on our teardown table, we have a shiny new Apple TV 4K plucked straight from the technology orchards of Cupertino. So what are we to do with Apple’s first 4K HDR streaming device? Binge-watch Stranger Things? We definitely thought about it… but nah, we’re tearing this sucker apart!
The new set-top device boasts Apple’s own homegrown 64-bit A10X Fusion chip (we already knew that) with a total of 3GB of LPDDR4 RAM supplied by SK Hynix. (Up from 2GB RAM in the fourth-generation Apple TV.)
The new streaming box also sports a 12V 1.083A power supply, which is a slight bump from the 12V 0.917A power pack in the fourth-gen ATV.
Cooling is handled by a new, replaceable fan driven by a Nidec brushless motor. The fan pushes the heat out through eight exhaust ports at the bottom of the device. The new fan uses the same heat sink/EMI shield assembly used in the fourth-generation Apple TV.
Outwardly, the design of the 4K ATV looks largely unchanged, excepting the removal of the USB-C diagnostics port. The power port, HDMI connection, and Gigabit Ethernet port remain.
iFixit gave the Apple TV 4k a respectable repairability score of 8 out of 10 points. They found the device to be easy to open, with repair-friendly plastic clips securing its bottom panel.
Internally, the ATV 4K contains modular components. However, the components are soldered to the logic board, so repairs will either require board-level soldering or complete board replacements.
