Difficulty

Difficult

Steps

18

Time Required

                          30 minutes - 1 hour

Sections

1

  • Wacom Cintiq Pro 13 Disassembly
  • 18 steps

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Introduction

  • Main screws holding the casing to the display are hidden under rubber feet held by strong adhesive.Most screws however, are common #0 Phillips type and come into two sizes, easy to distinguish between casing screws and mainboard screws.Replacement components are not easily available and the easiest way to get them is to buy a broken unit and swap parts as needed.

Before you begin, there are not a lot of user serviceable parts inside - take a look on the “Internal Components” list on the main page of the device to see what can be replaced without soldering and mainboard component level servicing knowledge.

What you need

Step 1

              Removing the back panel
  • Place the device with the display facing the floor.
  • Make sure the surface won’t scratch the display of the the tablet

Place the device with the display facing the floor.

Make sure the surface won’t scratch the display of the the tablet

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Step 2

  • Remove two rubber feet on both sides of the tablet
  • Use plastic tools to lift rubber feet to avoid scratching the back cover
  • Remove two #0 Phillips screws hiding under rubber feet

Remove two rubber feet on both sides of the tablet

Use plastic tools to lift rubber feet to avoid scratching the back cover

Remove two #0 Phillips screws hiding under rubber feet

Step 3

  • Remove two T5 Torx screws on the bottom of the device
  • Remove two plastic covers as they come loose
  • Removing two T5 Torx screws and shields on the top side is not required to disassemble the device

Remove two T5 Torx screws on the bottom of the device

Remove two plastic covers as they come loose

Removing two T5 Torx screws and shields on the top side is not required to disassemble the device

Step 4

  • Heat up the bottom rubber plate near holes using heat gun or hairdryer and try to insert prying tool as adhesive softens.
  • A drip or two of isopropyl alcohol on the plastic tools can soften the adhesive even further
  • If you’re using Heat Gun do not overheat the rubber plate as it may melt. You should be still able to touch the rubber plate with bare hands after heating it up.
  • Watch out for ribbon cables hiding in holes, as covers with T5 Torx screws are now removed.
  • As the adhesive softens, try to insert flat plastic tool on the top
  • Heat up the rest of the rubber plate and slide plastic tool along upper side of the rubber plate
  • The bottom side of the plate has plastic clips (third image). Trying to push plastic tool too hard in lower part may result in damaging plastic clips
  • Remove the rubber plate

Heat up the bottom rubber plate near holes using heat gun or hairdryer and try to insert prying tool as adhesive softens.

A drip or two of isopropyl alcohol on the plastic tools can soften the adhesive even further

If you’re using Heat Gun do not overheat the rubber plate as it may melt. You should be still able to touch the rubber plate with bare hands after heating it up.

Watch out for ribbon cables hiding in holes, as covers with T5 Torx screws are now removed.

As the adhesive softens, try to insert flat plastic tool on the top

Heat up the rest of the rubber plate and slide plastic tool along upper side of the rubber plate

The bottom side of the plate has plastic clips (third image). Trying to push plastic tool too hard in lower part may result in damaging plastic clips

Remove the rubber plate

Step 5

  • Remove three #0 Phillips screws

Remove three #0 Phillips screws

Step 6

  • Unclip ONE of top left/right clips holding back plate to display frame
  • Do not push in any of red circled holes - it may break ribbon cables, display or front glass

Unclip ONE of top left/right clips holding back plate to display frame

Do not push in any of red circled holes - it may break ribbon cables, display or front glass

Step 7

  • Push gently on the clip to allow flat plastic tool to be inserted on the corner of the device
  • Pushing too hard or pushing in holes circled red in last step may result in damage
  • Insert flat plastic tool between the rubber glass frame and the back panel

Push gently on the clip to allow flat plastic tool to be inserted on the corner of the device

Pushing too hard or pushing in holes circled red in last step may result in damage

Insert flat plastic tool between the rubber glass frame and the back panel

Step 8

  • Unclip rest of visible clips

Unclip rest of visible clips

Step 9

  • The bottom part of the device will come loose allowing you to place finger between the case and the display assembly
  • Unclip hidden clips on left or right side and continue to opposite side. Plastic flat tool may come in handy here
  • You can insert plastic tools up to 2 cm / 1 inch inside and not damage anything. Third image will guide you through clips and other obstacles
  • Unclip all twelve clips. Keep one hand on the display to decrease display bending and second to slowly lift the back cover.
  • There is nothing connected to the back panel - no need to worry about hidden flex/ribbon cables
  • Remove the back cover

The bottom part of the device will come loose allowing you to place finger between the case and the display assembly

Unclip hidden clips on left or right side and continue to opposite side. Plastic flat tool may come in handy here

You can insert plastic tools up to 2 cm / 1 inch inside and not damage anything. Third image will guide you through clips and other obstacles

Unclip all twelve clips. Keep one hand on the display to decrease display bending and second to slowly lift the back cover.

There is nothing connected to the back panel - no need to worry about hidden flex/ribbon cables

Remove the back cover

Step 10

              Internal components removal
  • Remove ten #0 Phillips screws

Remove ten #0 Phillips screws

Step 11

  • Remove the shielding and various tape strips holding cables
  • Pulling too fast and/or too hard may disconnect cables with the shielding or tape strips causing them to be damaged or even damage cable connectors on the mainboard

Remove the shielding and various tape strips holding cables

Pulling too fast and/or too hard may disconnect cables with the shielding or tape strips causing them to be damaged or even damage cable connectors on the mainboard

Step 12

  • Remove thermal pads
  • You can place thermal pads onto the back plate, as there are special holes for every of them

Remove thermal pads

You can place thermal pads onto the back plate, as there are special holes for every of them

Step 13

              Remove audio jack board
  • Release the latch of the audio jack flex cable port on the mainboard
  • Try to slide the flex cable towards the audio jack board and then lift it up

Release the latch of the audio jack flex cable port on the mainboard

Try to slide the flex cable towards the audio jack board and then lift it up

Step 14

              Unplugging Control and power button board
  • Release the latch of the control board flex cable
  • Try to slide the flex cable towards the mainboard and then lift it up
  • Repeat the procedure for the flex cable connector on the mainboard
  • Remove the cable

Release the latch of the control board flex cable

Try to slide the flex cable towards the mainboard and then lift it up

Repeat the procedure for the flex cable connector on the mainboard

Remove the cable

Step 15

              Disconnecting digitizer boards
  • Remove the digitizer board cable
  • Try to hold it as near the plastic connector as possible and then pull it towards the digitizer board
  • Do not pull by the middle or opposite end of the cable

Remove the digitizer board cable

Try to hold it as near the plastic connector as possible and then pull it towards the digitizer board

Do not pull by the middle or opposite end of the cable

Step 16

  • Remove the adhesive from the mainboard
  • Do not remove it entirely - it’s a part of the cable
  • Slide the cable towards the mainboard by holding it as near the connector as possible
  • Do not pull by the middle or other end of the cable
  • If cable seems hard to remove, try to push one side of the connector using a pair of tweezers by spots marked on third image
  • Do not push center part of the connector as it can be easily bent
  • Repeat the steps for another end of the cable connected to the mainboard

Remove the adhesive from the mainboard

Do not remove it entirely - it’s a part of the cable

Slide the cable towards the mainboard by holding it as near the connector as possible

Do not pull by the middle or other end of the cable

If cable seems hard to remove, try to push one side of the connector using a pair of tweezers by spots marked on third image

Do not push center part of the connector as it can be easily bent

Repeat the steps for another end of the cable connected to the mainboard

Step 17

              Disconnecting the display
  • Remove the display connector
  • Press on the latch on left or right side of the cable
  • Slide one part of the cable just a bit
  • Repeat steps for the other side of the cable
  • Slide out the cable
  • If you wish to replace the cable, steps to disconnect the cable from the LCD display are the same as digitizer cable from last step
  • Do not pull by the cable - try holding onto the plug

Remove the display connector

Press on the latch on left or right side of the cable

Slide one part of the cable just a bit

Repeat steps for the other side of the cable

Slide out the cable

If you wish to replace the cable, steps to disconnect the cable from the LCD display are the same as digitizer cable from last step

Do not pull by the cable - try holding onto the plug

Step 18

              Removing the mainboard
  • Remove the mainboard by sliding it forward and then lift it up
  • Watch out for three clips holding the mainboard on the bottom side of the tablet

Remove the mainboard by sliding it forward and then lift it up

Watch out for three clips holding the mainboard on the bottom side of the tablet

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order. It is recommended to replace adhesive under rubber feet and the bottom rubber pad.

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                    hyperhexa

Member since: 07/23/2020

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sim marriott - Aug 2, 2021

Reply

Thanks for this guide - it’s great!! I have a Wacom Mobile Studio Pro 13, and have just managed to order a new battery - would the guide above be enough to follow to access and remove the battery? Or do you think there may be some additional steps? Im not familiar with the Cintiq pro, but assume theyre reasonably similar…

Gerald Degeneve - Oct 31, 2022

Reply

Thank you for the Guide. The Cintiqe Pro 16 is of the same build and the open up part of the guide also works for that.

Differences:

Step 5: There are 7 Screws under the rubber

Step 9: The full cover has the two fans embedded into it, which are connected with 2 cables to the baseboard. You can simply unblug those to get the cover off.