AC adapter and cable

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Top - Screen in standard position

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Lid open

With the lid open and the screen in the standard position, the Inspiron Duo looks like any other small notebook or netbook.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Flipping the screen

Gently pushing on the top of the screen you can flip it into tablet mode.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Top - Screen in tablet position

In the tablet position the screen is flipped to face outward and the lid is closed.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Audio-out/headphone connector and USB ports

The audio-out/headphone jack and USB ports are hidden behind plastic covers.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Remove the label panel

The removable “label panel” hides the Windows product key sticker, SIM card slot, and three more case screws. You’ll need to remove these screws next.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Removing the keyboard

After removing the six exposed case screws and those hidden under the label panel, you’ll need to remove the keyboard. Underneath it are the last for case screws and several ribbon cables that must also be disconnected before opening the case.

To remove the keyboard, gently pry up from the top using a thin metal blade or plastic spudger.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Keyboard ribbon cable

Take care when removing the keyboard. You’ll need to disconnect the keyboard’s ribbon cable before lifting it away from the Inspiron Duo.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Keyboard removed

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

keyboard - Back

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Top cover ribbon cables

Three ribbon cables connect components mounted on the upper case panel to the mother board. You’ll need to disconnect these ribbon cables before continuing.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Removing the last case screws

The last four case screws are located under the keyboard.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Popping loose the top half of the case

With all the case screws removed, you can pop loose the upper case panel with a thin plastic spudger. Start at one corner and work your way around the entire case.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Lifting the upper case panel off

As we lift up the upper case panel, we get our first look inside the Dell Inspiron Duo.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Upper case panel - Internal

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Unknown PCBs

I’m not sure what the two small PCBs on the underside of the upper case panel are. They are connected to the metal frame under the keyboard, so they could be sensors to determine when the keyboard is in place.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Touch pad - Internal

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Internal hardware

With the upper case panel removed, we can see the key hardware inside the Inspiron Duo (battery, mothetboard, HDD, cooling fan, RAM, wireless card, and speakers.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Removing the batter

Next we’ll remove the battery. First, we’ll disconnect the battery cable and then remove the three Phillips screws that hold the battery assembly to the case.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Removing the RAM

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Hynix 2GB DDR3 SDRAM

Hynix 2GB DDR3 SDRAM

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Removing the hard drive bracket

The hard drive is held within a metal bracket, which is attached to the plastic case with Phillips screws.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Hard drive and bracket

Four Phillips screws hold the drive to the bracket.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Hitachi 320GB 7200RPM SATA hard drive

Hitachi 320GB 7200RPM SATA hard drive

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Removing the wireless card

The Inspiron Duo’s wireless card is held in place with a single Phillips screw. We’ll need to remove it and the two antenna wire connectors before lighting the card away from the motherboard.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

AzureWare AW-NB048H 802.11 b/g/n + BlueTooth card

AzureWare AW-NB048H 802.11 b/g/n + BlueTooth card

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Disconnecting the display cables and lid hinges

Next, we’ll remove the Inspiron Duo’s lid. Disconnect all the cables that connect the lid components to the motherboard. Then remove the Phillips screw holding each lid hinge to the case.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Lid and display removed

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With lid removed

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Disconnecting the speaker, cooling fan, and AC power jack cables

Before removing the motherboard, you’ll need to disconnect the cables for the speakers and AC power connector. You might as well disconnect the cooling fan’s cable as well. We’ll remove the cooling fan and heatsink assembly in a few minutes.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Removing the motherboard screws

Next, remove the remaining Phillips screws the hold the motherboard to the case.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Motherboard removed

With all the screws removed and cables disconnected, you can lift the motherboard away from the case.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Near empty case

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Speakers and AC power connector

Only the speakers (bottom right) and AC power connector (top right) remain attached to the case.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Motherboard and cooling assembly - Top

We’ll need to remove the heatsink/cooling fan assembly and black stickers before we get a good look at the chips on the motherboard.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Motherboard and cooling assembly - Bottom

More black stickers cover chips on the underside of the motherboard.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Removing the heatsink and cooling fan assembly

Three screws hold the heatsink and cooling fan assembly to the motherboard.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Heatsink and cooling fan assembly removed

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Heatsink and cooling fan assembly

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Motherboard - Top

With the heatsink/cooling fan assembly removed and stickers removed we get a better look at the Inspiron duo’s chips.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Samsung K4W1G1646E-HC12 graphics DRAM

Samsung K4W1G1646E-HC12 graphics DRAM (1Gb 64Mx16)

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Braodcom BCM70015 - HD advanced media processor

<>?a href=”http://www.broadcom.com/products/Consumer-Electronics/Netbook-and-Nettop-Solutions/BCM70015″Broadcom BCM70015 – Single-Chip High Definition Advanced Media Processor

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On Semiconductor ADP3211A

On Semiconductor ADP3211: IMVP6.5, 7-Bit, Programmable, Single-Phase, Synchronous Buck Controller

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4XGK HM55 043 MLT

Chip with markings 4XGK HM55 043 MLT

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Intel Atom N550 CPU

Intel Atom Dual Core Processor N550 (1.5GHz, 512K L2 Cache)

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Motherboard - Bottom

Now let’s look at the main chips on the underside of the motherboard.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Intel CG82NM10 southbridge chip

The Dell Inspiron Duo uses the Intel NM10 Express chipset, which consists of an Atom N550 CPU and a southbridge chip (shown here). The Intel CG82NM10 southbridge chip handles support for things like the HDD and external ports.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

ENE Technology KB926QF E0 keyboard controller IC

ENE Technology KB926QF E0 keyboard controller IC

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Realtek RTM890N-397 Clock Generator

This chip is likely a Realtek RTM890N-397 Single-Chip Clock Generator for Intel Chipsets

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Macronix MX25L160 8E 16MB Serial Flash

Macronix MX25L160 8E 16MB Serial Flash

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Intersil ISL6251 battery charger controller

ISL6251 Low Cost Multi-Chemistry Battery Charger Controller

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Removing the display panel screws

Eight screws hold the cover to the display assembly (four on each side). You can access the screws by flipping the display perpendicular to the display housing.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Popping off the display panel

With all eight screws removed, you can use a plastic spudger or thin metal blade to pop loose the display panel.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Display panel removed

With the panel removed, you can see the back of the display.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

EETI EXC7200 capacitive touch controller

EETI EXC7200 capacitive touch controller for the touchscreen

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EETI EX5404

The EETI EX5404 works with the EETI EXC7200 to provide the Inspiron Duo’s touchscreen functionality.

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LG Display SW0633A LCD controller

LG Display SW0633A LCD controller

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler