Question Broke internal speakers to motherboard connector - can it be fixed?

orkie

Distinguished
Nov 21, 2010
128
0
18,690
Hi all,

I was replacing the keyboard+palmrest of my Dell XPS 15 9520 laptop as the keyboard buttons were not working correctly. To do this, you have to take off most things off, including disconnecting the internal speakers from the Mobo.

When I was trying to connect back the internal speakers, the silly cable just wouldn't go into the slot. After about 10 mins, I tried to use more force than I should have and snapped off the port on the Mobo.

I cannot survive without internal speakers, I know I can use external ones or headphones but I don't like using headphones, nor carrying anything extra around. The question I have is - can a solution to fixing the internal speakers be found for less than replacing the whole laptop/motherboard assembly.

From what I saw on the internet + asking chatgpt:
- The motherboard for this laptop does not come standalone but as an assembly with the CPU and GPU. I could find those on ebay for about £600 but I'm not sure I want to risk installing that myself when I see decent 2nd hand laptops with same spec for around £800.
- The sound port is not sold neither by ebay/aliexpress sellers, nor by Dell as it is part of the Mobo assembly.


One thing I saw suggested by Chatgpt was to solder the internal speakers connector to one of the USB C slots via some conversion or something. I have no idea if someone can do that or if it will be cheaper to do than getting a 2nd hand laptop for £800. Any idea if that will work? or if I found a cheapish equivalent dead laptop, could the sound port be taken off it and soldered on to mine?

I did contact a few repair centres but as it was over the holiday period, some don't do any soldering, others didn't answer me, so appreciate if anyone can chip in if they think the hassle is worth the pain.

Never been so frustrated with a repair, it's like Dell purposefully designed things in a way so that they are easy to break.
 
You're asking multiple different questions.
Can it be fixed? Maybe, probably.
Can you do it? Probably not.
Is a repair less expensive than a new component? Depends on who is doing the repair.


And this is not just Dell.

This goes for any circuit board with surface mount components. Break something off, repair is expensive or impossible.
 
You're asking multiple different questions.
Can it be fixed? Maybe, probably.
Can you do it? Probably not.
Is a repair less expensive than a new component? Depends on who is doing the repair.


And this is not just Dell.

This goes for any circuit board with surface mount components. Break something off, repair is expensive or impossible.

Apologies, my main question is - "Is a repair less expensive than a new component?".

Based on your answer, I assume I have to do some more digging if there any soldering specialists that can quote lower or just replace mobo/laptop.
 
Apologies, my main question is - "Is a repair less expensive than a new component?".

Based on your answer, I assume I have to do some more digging if there any soldering specialists that can quote lower or just replace mobo/laptop.
Repair cost can only be known after you find a trusted shop that says "Yes". And with some sort of guarantee.
 
  • Like
Reactions: orkie
Can you supply photos of the issue?

Parts are designed to fit only one way. If you needed excessive force, you were probably trying to fit the part the wrong way.

I tried both ways with little force, couldn't get it to work and slowly increased the force but nothing worked. I saw videos of other laptops and they have the connector where it has the click mechanism and is very easy to slot in.

It's my fault for pushing so hard knowing that I may be doing something wrong when I could have taken it to someone who knows what they are doing, but it was the last step before I put the battery and case back on so I wanted to finish it.

video: View: https://imgur.com/a/GhQhXdi

image: View: https://imgur.com/a/M6vk3uz