Apple's new 9.7-inch iPad, which was unveiled at an education-focused event in Chicago last week, bears much resemblance to its 2017 predecessor (they both notably start at $329). A teardown by the iFixit team reveals they also share some similarities on the inside. 

The new iPad features the same NXP 8461A1 Touch ID chip found inside the last iPad model, as well as the same battery. As was the case in the former iPad, the battery is quite challenging to remove thanks to a super strong adhesive holding it in place. 

The biggest difference in the new iPad likely stems from its support for the Apple Pencil stylus. Its logic board includes the same 2x Broadcom BCM15900B0 touchscreen controller found in the 10.5" and 12.9" iPad Pro, as well as an Apple A10 Fusion APL1W24 SoC, which is also found in the iPhone 7. 

As the new iPad competes with devices like Google's Chromebooks, which are popular with students thanks in part to their low cost, durability is critical. The newest iPad features air-gapped, separately replaceable cover glass and LCD, making it much cheaper to replace cracked glass.

The iFixit team gave the iPad a "repairability" score of 2 out of 10, with 10 being easiest to repair. The biggest hindrance to repairs is the super strong adhesive throughout. The LCD also has foam sticky tape attaching it to the front panel, which increases the risk of damage when disassembling the iPad.