Introduction
The Redmi Note 3, released on November 24, is Xiaomi's first metal-bodied phone with a fingerprint sensor. This teardown examines the device's internal design and components.
Unboxing note
Unboxing: Redmi Note 3 — metal body and fingerprint sensor, price 899.
Tools Used
Tools used for this teardown: Phillips screwdriver, tweezers, pry tools, plastic picks, heat gun or hair dryer.
Step 1: Remove the SIM tray
Remove the SIM tray.
Step 2: Remove the back cover
Insert a plastic pry between the USB port and the case to open a gap.
The Redmi Note 3 metal body is held by snap-fit clips, so the back cover can be removed without a heat gun.
After prying open the back cover, lift it off.
Do not fully remove the back cover immediately, because the fingerprint module is still connected to the mainboard.
Disconnect the fingerprint module BTB (Board-to-Board) connector, then remove the back cover.
With the back cover removed, you can see the Note 3 uses a single-layer design without a secondary midframe; it uses a common breakaway board layout.
Step 3: Disconnect mainboard power
Disconnect the battery BTB connector to power down the mainboard.
Step 4: Remove the rear camera
Before removing the rear camera, disconnect the various connectors on the mainboard.
The mainboard connectors include two types: BTB (Board-to-Board) and ZIP (compression connector).
In the photo, the blue dashed boxes mark ZIP connectors and the green dashed boxes mark BTB connectors.
From left to right, top to bottom, these connectors are:
- Blue: front camera, TP (touch panel), side key ZIP, screen ZIP
- Green: rear camera, battery BTB, main FPC
Disconnect the RF antenna.
Disconnect the rear camera BTB.
The rubber gasket on the rear camera cannot be removed separately before the camera assembly is fully lifted out.
Remove the rear camera assembly.
Step 5: Remove the front camera
Remove the screws securing the antenna bracket.
The Redmi Note 3 uses two types of screws, 12 screws in total: black screws for the antenna bracket and speaker box, silver screws for the mainboard.
Remove the antenna bracket.
Remove the front camera.
Step 6: Remove the mainboard
Remove the screws on the mainboard.
Remove the steel clip securing the vibration motor.
Lift the mainboard from beneath the rear camera after peeling back the copper heat foil.
Remove the mainboard.
Key components on the mainboard:
- Green: SoC and RAM — MTK Helio X10 with Samsung 3 GB LPDDR3
- Yellow: Power management — MTK 6331P and MTK 6332P
- Blue: Flash storage — Toshiba 32 GB eMMC 5.0
Step 7: Remove vibration motor, side key FPC, and earpiece
Heat along the screen edge and remove the vibration motor.
Remove the earpiece.
The earpiece is fixed with double-sided foam adhesive and is difficult to restore perfectly after removal.
Peel up the side key FPC.
Step 8: Remove the battery
Pull the pull-tab on the back of the battery to loosen it.
Remove the battery.
The Redmi Note 3 uses a 4000 mAh battery. The bundled power adapter output is 5 V/2000 mA.
Step 9: Remove speaker box and daughterboard
Remove the screws from the speaker box.
Remove the speaker box.
Disconnect the main FPC BTB.
Remove the RF antenna.
Remove the daughterboard.
Step 10: Remove the fingerprint module
Under the metal back cover there is an additional plastic support frame.
Apply slight heat, then peel back the graphite thermal pad to expose the fingerprint module.
Remove the fingerprint module.
The fingerprint module is fixed to the back cover with double-sided foam adhesive.
