iFixit took a Samsung Galaxy S21 apart and gave it a repairability rating of 4 out of 10. Although the S20 never received an official rating from iFixit, this year’s flagship is clearly easier to repair. Watch the video below for an overview of the critical areas.
In short, the plastic back is easier to remove than a glass panel (you don’t have to worry about cracking it). The flat screen is also easier to remove, this also allows the screen cable to be detachable now.
The less than perfect score is due to the fact that the two most common repairs – changing the battery or the screen – are still quite difficult. Samsung sticks the batteries on its phones instead of using pull tabs, so removing them is not easy.
Samsung Galaxy S21: iFixit repairability score • Comparison of the size of the fingerprint reader with the S20
See the iFixit report for more details. By the way, the video features a great side-by-side photo of the new fingerprint reader alongside that of the S20 – it has a much larger area (the sensor is discussed after the 3-minute mark in the video).
