NVIDIA’s SHIELD Gets Naked, Courtesy of iFixit

As per usual, at a time when those who own tech’s latest hotness are being so careful with it so as to not leave even a minor smudge on it, the folks over at iFixit take it, tear it down, and expose its goods. The latest victim: NVIDIA’s gaming handheld, SHIELD.

Behold, the probably-not-usuable-in-this-form SHIELD:

It appears as though SHIELD is easy to get open, but getting to some components – especially inside of the display – is a challenge. The internal design is quite interesting, though, with three batteries being creatively placed (bottom right-hand object in the shot above) rather than side-by-side (not a surprise given the odd shape and size of SHIELD). In the center, an active fan, albeit a small one (mobile SoCs typically won’t get that warm).

Overall, iFixit gave SHIELD a 6/10 repairability score, with 10 being the best. A major upside to the device is that it has a very modular design, so specific parts should be easily replaceable should you be able to get ahold of them (and chances are, you will, at least in time).

Perhaps one of the coolest findings here is that the actual “shield” portion (the silver piece) is easily removable, and seemingly perfect for etching. I think it goes without saying that some SHIELD owners will definitely take care of that, and I’m looking forward to seeing some results.