KEY FINDINGS

• Before we deconstruct the Mate 10 Pro, we line it up next to one of its predecessors, the Mate 9, for a quick comparison. At first glance, differences are minor: there’s the new Leica dual camera with optical image stabilization, and the round fingerprint sensor below. More noticeable is the ergonomic curved glass back and a signature stripe highlighting the dual-lens camera. You may notice that the Mate 10 Pro is slightly smaller than the Mate 9—although the display is 0.1 inches bigger. The new 6.0-inch display is nearly bezel-less. • In the absence of twistable fasteners, we drop an iOpener and start heating the back of the phablet. Given that IP67 rating, perhaps we should expect trouble. Surprisingly, the heated adhesive doesn’t stick too well to the back cover, and with the use of some Opening Picks, we separate it from the main body. Like the Mate 9, the 10 Pro’s fingerprint flex cable still tethers the back cover to the rest of it. • The Mate 10 Pro’s valuables are well protected, and covered with a large metal shield. We remove one of the many liquid indicators and all the Phillips screws we can find, as well as a small metal shield covering the fingerprint sensor flex connection. The screws seem to be some kind of aluminum alloy—they don’t attract much to any of our driver bits, nor to the magnetic mat. With everything unscrewed, we rub our hands in anticipation of what we’ll find. Next to come out: the large shield holding the dual-LED flash, which protects all flex connections and contacts on the motherboard. • We’re excited to cleave our way to the motherboard, but first we spot something worthy of a detour: the battery! A big slab of adhesive spans nearly the entire bottom of the battery. With some heat and help from an iFixit Plastic Card, we can extract this 4,000mAh beast. With its 3.82V and up to 15.3Wh of power, it’s the same as in the Mate 9. It’s coupled with smart battery management that learns from user behavior to minimize wasted power and maximize battery life. Huawei promises a full day of use with just a 20-minute charge. • Repairability Score: 4 out of 10 (10 is easiest to repair). Despite the IP67 seals, the back cover is simple to open. The USB port, loudspeaker, and mobo are easy to remove. The Mate 10 Pro has very few screws, all standard Phillips, but unimpressed by magnetism—except one, buried beneath the display. With only one big cable, the Mate 10 Pro is cleanly arranged—though that cable is soldered to the USB port. A damaged front camera means switching the whole display, including the frame, or damaging the display while trying to remove it. And replacing the display—the most common repair—means taking out almost every component.