After iFixit completed its 24-inch iMac teardown, its attention turned to the new Apple TV 4K, which launched on the same day last week. A new YouTube video shows the process of opening and servicing the streaming box and its brand-new, fully redesigned remote.

The internal components found in the new Apple TV 4K are not a surprise. The device contains Apple’s A12 chip (the same found in the iPhone XS), which is a substantial upgrade for gaming performance over the A10 in the 2017 model. Apart from that, though, the machine looks pretty much the same as before.

The 2021 Apple TV 4K ended up being simple to disassemble and service. Like its immediate predecessor, the new Apple TV 4K can be opened with a screwdriver, its components are modular, and those components are relatively easy to remove and put back in. As with the 2017 model, iFixit gave the new streaming box an 8 out of 10 repairability score.

The remote, though, was another story. While getting inside was possible, it was difficult without scarring the enclosure. And to access key components, iFixit had to remove all the buttons.

The remote contains a 1.52 Wh battery, but the device has to be disassembled so completely to access this battery that it’s clear no user battery replacement is intended. Most people will have to just buy a new remote if their battery dies. Fortunately, the device is rechargeable, so that eventuality will be distant.

iFixit didn’t give the remote a repairability score, but if it had, we can assume that score would be low.

The Apple TV 4K with the new Siri Remote went on sale last week, on May 21, and starts at $179. The remote is also sold on its own for $59, and it’s not just for the new Apple TV 4K—it works with the Apple TV HD and the previous generation of the Apple TV 4K as well. And while the Apple TV HD itself didn’t get updated last week, Apple began shipping it with the new remote design bundled in.

Listing image by iFixit

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