One Plus X
The recently launched OnePlus X looks like a marvel. With its glass build and metal sides, it is sure to be an eye (and fingerprint) catcher. Unfortunately, the X is also difficult to repair due to its closed enclosure and sealed internals. And the lack of service centers around, relatively speaking, make the OnePlus X a tougher nut to crack.
Samsung Galaxy Note 5
A reader can, almost at once, see a theme building up here since most of the phones in this roundup are stellar looking devices that sacrifice some form of hardware accessibility in favor of a superior build and a premium feel. Ever since the Galaxy lineup of phones decided to ditch the removable battery and microSD expansion in favor of a glass-metal build, starting with the launch of the Galaxy S6, their ease of repairability has decreased as well. Prying it open requires a specific set of tools and a lot of patience. And then, there is the issue of inserting the S-Pen inside in the opposite direction that cracks the phone open.
Samsung S6 Edge Plus
A similar story here with the S6 Edge Plus(and the S6 as well) ensues, since the S6 Edge Plus is, essentially, the Galaxy Note 5 with a curved screen. That curved screen may even make replacing it tougher than the Note 5 depending on a number of factors such as availability of spare parts etc.
iPhones
iPhones, since the launch of the original one back in 2007, have been infamous for their lack of repairability. Granted that some iPhones fare better than others in this regard but they are still one of the worst phones for a user to task themselves with repairing. Add to that the relative high prices of repair, the use of proprietary screws and sealed parts, and you can see why the iPhone has made it in our list. Fortunately, a lot of guides and tools do exist on the Internet that can help you out if you do decide to venture into a self-repairing quest.
HTC One M9
Lastly, the HTC One M9 makes it on our list since it is one of the toughest phones to replace owing to its layout of components internally. Not only do you need a handful of tailored tools, you also need a tom of patience since the internals and the gateways to get to them are sealed shut with adhesive. Lastly, a task as simple as replacing the display requires you to tunnel through the entire host of components, which is certainly a pain for users looking to repair their phones on their own.
Conclusion
While we would still prefer slender, stupendous and stellar build qualities, we do realize that there is certainly a market for users who like to improvise. And if you pride yourself in that fact, this list should help you have a clearer idea of which phones are the easiest for a user to repair. Let us know what you think of these phones and on which end of the spectrum you lie in the comments below.
