Samsung Chromebook Xe303c12-a01 Series 3 Teardown

Tools Required

• Phillips #0 Screwdriver
• iFixit Tech Knife
• Spudger
• iSesamo Opening Tool
• iFixit Opening Tool

Step 1: Initial Inspection

The Samsung Chromebook Xe303c12-a01 Series 3 features ports on the side including a headphone jack and an SD/SDHC/SDXC card slot. The back of the device has a USB 3.0 port, a USB 2.0 port, an HDMI port, and a 40W DC in charging port.

Step 2: Opening the Case

To open the case, you will need a Phillips #0 screwdriver, a knife, and a spudger. First, remove the 5 visible Phillips #0 screws on the bottom of the device. Then, carefully pry up the rubber feet to reveal and remove the 4 hidden screws underneath. Reusing the feet is possible if pried gently.

Step 3: Disassembling the Back Piece

Disassemble the back piece to make prying the bottom part easier and to avoid breaking any clips. If you have the 3G model, ensure the SIM card is removed from its slot before proceeding.

Step 4: Prying Open the Case

Begin by applying gentle force with a spudger to the back of the Chromebook. Listen for clicks as the case begins to separate. Continue working around the device, and the rest of the case should come apart with minimal resistance.

Step 5: Accessing Internal Components

With the under case removed, you can now see the internal components. To remove the battery, first remove the 6 battery screws, then carefully pry the battery connector straight up.

Step 6: Removing the Screen and Main Board

After removing the battery, disconnect the 2 antenna lines from the main board and the screen cable. Next, remove the 5 screws holding the main board in place. It is also recommended to disconnect the remaining 4 cables: the keyboard and trackpad ribbon cables, the audio cable, and the CMOS battery cable.

Step 7: Main Board Removal

With the main board disconnected, remove the 3 screws and tape securing the heatsink. The main board can now be fully removed.

Step 8: Identifying Main Board Components

The top of the main board features several key components:

• Samsung Exynos 5250 AEON main processor.
• SanDisk SDIN7DU2-16G NAND Flash storage.
• 4 x ELPIDA J2108EDBG-GN-F memory chips (with 4 more on the rear).
• MAX 77686 EWE 1237 power management IC.
• TPS65090 TI 291 power management IC.
• A "Servo" dev/debug interface.
• A connector for the 3G daughterboard.

Step 9: Embedded Controller and TPM

The Embedded Controller, identified via Google's documentation as STM32F100R8, is marked as "32F100B6" on the chip. The Trusted Platform Module is an Infineon SLB9635. The rear of the board primarily consists of RAM.

Step 10: Traces and Connections

This step highlights the internal traces and connections on the main board, noting their aesthetic quality rather than direct teardown relevance.

Step 11: Write Protect Screw

⚠️ By removing the flexible metal ring sticker, you disable the Write Protect feature of the bootloader's flash. This action carries a risk of making the device unbootable, potentially bricking it beyond repair. However, there are few other modifications that can be made to the interior of a Samsung Chromebook 3.

Reassembly

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.