iFixit

Let's see what ICs Amazon threw into the Fire HD to make it burn:

• Samsung KLMAG2GE4A eMMC 16 GB Flash Memory and Flash Memory Controller
• Elpida B8164B3PF-1D-F 8 Gb (1 GB) DDR2 RAM
• Texas Instruments TWL6032 Fully Integrated Power Management IC
• Broadcom BCM2076 Multifunction Monolithic IC with GPS and GLONASS AGPS, Bluetooth 4.0, and FM Receiver/Transmitter
• Wolfson WM8962E Ultra-Low Power Stereo CODEC
• B50 5222 12507A9A10, which the folks at Broadcom tells us it's a BCM43239 802.11n Wi-Fi package.

The backside of the board is mostly blank, save for the InvenSense MPU-6050 gyroscope / accelerometer and one of the two Wi-Fi antennas used for MIMO technology

Last year, Amazon hid the Texas Instruments OMAP processor underneath the Hynix RAM chip, so that prompted us to roll up the sleeves and do some delayering.

With no processor in sight on the Fire HD's board, we figured they had tried to pull one over on us again—and we were right!

The Texas Instruments OMAP 4460 dual-core processor we uncovered is an upgrade from the standard Fire's 4430 processor.

Amazon states that the Kindle Fire HD has a 1.2 GHz processor, even though TI claims the 4460 operates at up to 1.5 GHz. Rooters, take note.

We also delayered the regular Fire's processor for the lolz (second pic). Turns out it's the same 4430 we found way back in the Dark Ages of 2011.

While we're at it, let's see what changed on the updated non-HD Kindle Fire's motherboard:

• Samsung KLMAG2FEJA 8 GB Flash Memory
• Elpida B8164B3PF-1D-F 8 Gb (1 GB) DDR2 RAM
• Texas Instruments 603B107 Fully Integrated Power Management with Switch Mode Charger
• Texas Instruments LVDS83B Power Controller
• Texas Instruments WL1270B WLAN Solution

In short: the non-HD version now has twice the RAM, but is largely unchanged—processor included.

We proceed by removing the dual-driver speaker system from the inner framework of the Kindle Fire HD.

According to Amazon, the Kindle Fire HD features "exclusive, custom Dolby audio, dual-driver stereo speakers" which work in conjunction along with the "auto-optimization software" to provide a "clear, crisp, balanced audio" experience.

The speakers sound pretty good, but don't expect your head to explode when Skrillex d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-drops the bass.

Next out is the front-facing (and only) camera.

• As usual, a number of folks are complaining about the lack of a rear-facing camera on the Kindle Fire HD. We're left a little puzzled as to why this is such a deal-breaker, considering how funny you look taking pictures with a tablet.

Amazon doesn't publish the resolution of this camera, and rather states that it is an "HD camera."

Assuming that the camera captures images in the Kindle Fire HD's native resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels, that would be a whopping 1.0 megapixel—nothing worth writing home about.

This is solely speculation, and we would have to get our hands on an image captured with the Kindle Fire HD to say for sure what the camera's resolution is.

Once the battery and the motherboard have been removed, the inner framework can easily be lifted up off the LCD assembly.

Good news everyone! The second Wi-Fi antenna is held in place by mild adhesive, so it comes out fairly easily.

In addition to housing the Wi-Fi antenna, the inner framework is home to the ambient light sensor/microphone/front-facing camera ribbon cable and headphone jack ribbon cable. Check them out:

• Ambient light sensor
• MD v1.2 Microphone

The display is manufactured by LG Electronics, and is labeled as LD070WX3-SL01.

Bad news everyone! The LCD and front glass panel are fused together. This means you have to replace the entire assembly as one unit rather than two separate entities.

It seems as if this particular display was designed on April 19, 2012.

Finally, we found the Atmel maXTouch™ mXT768E mutual capacitance touchscreen controller hiding underneath a piece of tape.

Kindle Fire HD Repairability: 7 out of 10 (10 is easiest to repair)

• The rear case is very easy to open, granting trouble-free access to the internals.
• The battery is held in with absolutely no adhesive.
• Simplistic design and limited functionality means fewer components and less headache for disassembly.
• Mostly all screws found inside are Phillips #00 screws—except for one T5 Torx screw.
• Copper tape over the processor is somewhat difficult to remove and to readhere correctly.
• The LCD is fused to the front glass and plastic frame, meaning you'll have to replace both components together.