The sleek white exterior of Apple‘s recently launched Vision Pro headset conceals an intricate labyrinth of advanced displays, sensors, and computing hardware, unlike anything the company has crammed into a consumer device before.

That’s according to a preliminary teardown conducted this week by iFixit, the popular DIY repair guide site known for picking apart the latest gadgets to assess their repairability. While not assigning an overall score yet, iFixit detailed many of the Vision Pro’s modular and tightly packed internal components, offering product enthusiasts and potential buyers the first glimpse behind the mixed reality headset’s stylish but opaque visor.

Gaining access inside required carefully applying heat to loosen the glass front panel held securely in place by a magnetic seal system. With the front glass removed, iFixit exposed the first layers of displays and sensors packed tightly into the limited space between the user’s eyes and exterior shell.

The headset features multiple low-resolution OLED displays with specialized lenses and layers to widen the viewing angles and create a 3D stereoscopic effect. This novel “EyeSight” system aims to provide immersive virtual environments, though some early reviewers found visuals lacking in sharpness and brightness compared to pancake lens designs used by competitors.

Deeper inside, iFixit discovered even more densely arranged circuit boards managing various sensors and processing chores. Cables stream data from user-facing components to a separate battery and computing pack connected via an integrated textile tether cable.

While impressed by ambitious features like automatic interpupillary distance adjustment motors and the use of modular plug-and-play components, iFixit pointed out potential downsides around repairability. Proprietary connectors, fragile speaker assemblies, and display layers intricately stacked and adhered together represent obstacles for do-it-yourself servicing or upgrades.

Nonetheless, the Vision Pro’s interconnected system of miniaturized projectors, waveguides, sensors, and chips represents an important step toward wearable immersive computing that Apple hopes will reshape personal technology much like the iPhone did for mobile devices. Just don’t expect to easily crack open and tinker with this tightly sealed package from Cupertino anytime soon.