A new iPhone 17 Pro Max teardown shows how much Apple has reworked the inside of the flagship. A new screwed-in battery tray, electrically debonding adhesive, and even a vapor chamber cooling system set it apart from its predecessor. While the new battery design is a clear win when it comes to repairability, other aspects of it are more complicated.
Teardown reveals Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro Max has a screwed-in battery tray, vapor chamber cooling, and tougher overall repairability
Apple has implemented a clever system that will allow technicians to break down the glue with a small electrical current, making battery replacements far easier than in the iPhone 16 Pro models. The company used the same technique in last year’s iPhone 16 models, which never made it to the higher-end variants. The iPhone 16 Pro models used traditional adhesive pull-tabs that often tore midway through the battery removal process, which shows that the new addition is more than a welcome change.
However, what's different is that the 'Pro' models introduce a screwed in battery tray, which makes replacements easier and cleaner. It also reduces the risk of damaging nearby components when technicians perform the repair process.
However, not all changes make it easier for professionals to take the iPhone 17 Pro apart, as last year’s iPhone 16 Pro gave a two-way entry point into the device - front and back. This time around, the company has removed the dual-entry design, which makes it compulsory to remove the display to get into the device for repairs. This adds risk and time to the process, especially since the display remains one of the most fragile components to handle.
One of the biggest firsts is the addition of a vapor chamber cooling system under the battery, a solution that Android flagships have adopted for years. It works by spreading the heat from the A19 Pro chip across the tray and into the aluminum body, and tests show that the iPhone 17 Pro sustained workloads at cooler temperatures than the iPhone 16 Pro, which throttled once it hit higher heat levels, according to iFixit. It is a big deal for users engaged in gaming and video editing on the device, but side by side, it also adds another complex layer inside, which makes repairing the device a tricky task.
A big surprise this time around is the company’s decision to introduce Torx-plus screws in the iPhone, and fourteen of them hold the battery tray in place. While the new screws are good to have, they only make the process harder as it adds more driver types that slow down the process. The USB-C port replacement has also become more difficult as it is connected to multiple components, which makes the process tedious and time-consuming.
Here’s how the iPhone 17 Pro differs from the iPhone 16 Pro in terms of internals:
- Battery: New screwed-in tray with electrically debonding adhesive that replaces the traditional pull-tab strips.
- Access: Dual-entry design is gone, as all major repairs require opening the display.
- Cooling: New vapor chamber cooling system that keeps the A19 Pro chip cooler under heavy load.
- Ports: USB-C replacement is more complex as it is connected to additional components.
- Fasteners: Apple introduces Torx-plus screws that add to the tool-switching hassle.
iFixit has also conducted a scratch test on the iPhone 17 Pro’s aluminum frame and found that the camera plateau is particularly prone to damage. The publication consulted David Niebuhr, a mechanical engineering professor at Cal Poly, who explained that the effect is known as 'spalling.' Since the plateau is sharp and has a flat edge, the anodized finish does not stick as strongly, which makes the colored layer more vulnerable. This means that when the surface comes into contact with a hard object, the finish can easily rub off, leaving behind visible marks, as seen in the durability test conducted by JerryRigEverything.
In the end, the iPhone 17 Pro Max earns a provisional repairability score of 7 out of 10. It is more repair-friendly in some areas, but worse in others. While Apple clearly thought about repairs this time, we can also see that design priorities still sit higher than repairability. Would you trade easier battery replacements for tougher overall repairs if it meant better performance in daily use?
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