Exterior reference photos

The laptop isn't ingress-proofed, so many gaps in the keyboard and lower case—including ports, vents, speaker grilles, etc.—may allow water damage or particle buildup.

The lower case is held in place with five Phillips screws and some plastic clips.

The screws are all captive, eliminating the chance of losing them.

The clips are sturdy and require some force to disengage. They don't seem likely to break over the lifetime of the device.

Nothing is left in the rear case, making for an easy and inexpensive replacement if it breaks.

Almost everything in the computer itself is immediately accessible. A flat design makes for easy, independent replacement of interior components.

Several important components are available for removal as soon as the lower cover is removed.

Pictured here: RAM, battery, SSD, fan, heat sink, wireless card, speakers, DC power input.

The RAM, SSD, and wireless card are all industry-standard parts, allowing for easy consumer replacement or upgrading.

All the above components including the battery are held in place with Phillips screws and / or clips. The fan and heat sink use captive screws.

Once the battery is out of the way, the trackpad and its buttons are available for removal.

Also underneath the battery is the CMOS battery, only lightly adhered in place.

The USB A ports are on their own board under a metal bracket.

The motherboard is held down by four Phillips screws.

Unlike the USB A ports, the two USB C ports and the HDMI port on the opposite end of the main board are soldered in place, meaning users will likely not be able to replace them on their own.

Almost every connection port, screw socket, and cable on the motherboard is conveniently labeled.

Underneath the motherboard, a thermal sticker covers the keyboard which is riveted to the top cover, bundled as one assembly.

The display is accessible as soon as the lower case is open.

The bezel is attached to the display with clips and adhesive. It is fairly easy to remove, though prying around the screen is unnerving.

The display panel is adhered in place with two extremely forgiving stretch-release adhesive strips.

The pull tabs are not very obvious and may potentially be overlooked, resulting in some dangerous prying. Thankfully they are noted in HP's documentation.

The hinge cover clips to the bottom of the display assembly. The cover required significant force to remove.

Once the display panel is removed, the microphone, ambient light sensor, and camera assembly are accessible.

Final layout shot