KEY FINDINGS
• The Pixel 2 XL is a waterproof smartphone, which means all the ingress points must be sealed. We find our first evidence of Google’s efforts in a gasket on the SIM tray. In a departure from standard smartphone opening procedure, we leave the iOpener behind. The Pixel 2 employs foam tape that can be separated without heat. Inside are long cables—a welcome respite from treacherous openings with past smartphones. • We have to untether the display before going further. Its two cables are secured by plastic plugs in the midframe, and they only come out with some encouragement from a hefty pry tool. As in the original Pixel XL, a magnesium midframe separates the display from the innards, and provides a solid backing behind the display. Piggybacking on to that midframe, we find a brand new heat pipe. Looks like this phone might run a bit hotter than its previous incarnation. • Last year, the HTC-built Pixel XL showed us a novel way to remove an adhered battery—a perforated outer label let you pull the battery out of its shell, then easily peel off the rest of the label. This year, it seems LG’s industrial design doesn’t include any provision for easy battery removal. • We peel back some copper tape to unleash the XL’s beast of a main camera. Although the megapixel count on this camera is close to last year’s, the similarities between the sensors end there. This year, Google switched to a dual-pixel sensor, added optical image stabilization, and opened the aperture up to f/1.8 from last year’s f/2.0. • Along with a few other connectors, all that’s holding the motherboard in place are the midframe screws. The 8MP front-facing camera pops free readily, and can rest easy, knowing it’s a full megapixel better than the latest iPhone offerings. With the meat of the Pixel pulled out, we just have a few case peripherals to attend to. • Repairability Score: 6 out of 10 (10 is the easiest to repair). Many components are modular and can be replaced once the display assembly is removed. All the screws are common Phillips #00 screws. The display is still thin and poorly supported, especially around the grilles, but foam adhesive makes the opening process easier. The battery’s loss of pull-tab adhesive, plus tightly walled-in placement, makes it harder to remove. The stubborn midframe and tight-fitting display cable mean more labor-intensive repairs.