The right driver, or a rounded screw
A driver one size off rounds a screw head in about two seconds, and a rounded screw turns a twenty minute repair into an hour with a drill bit and a bad feeling. These are the drivers GA Tech NZ uses on its own bench, in the sizes that actually appear inside phones, tablets and laptops.
Pentalobe. Five rounded lobes. The external case screws on iPhones and MacBooks. P2 opens most iPhones, P5 most MacBooks.
Tri-point Y000. Three points. Internal Apple brackets over the battery connector and display cables.
Phillips. The small precision sizes, roughly PH000 to PH00, used throughout phone and tablet interiors.
Torx. Six straight points, common in laptops and Android devices, and easily confused with Pentalobe by eye.
Which one opens an iPhone
A Pentalobe P2 removes the two screws either side of the charging port. Inside, you will need a small Phillips for most brackets and a Tri-point Y000 for the ones over the battery and display connectors. A kit covering all three is the sensible first purchase, and individual drivers make sense once you know which sizes you wear out.
When to replace a driver
Precision tips wear faster than people expect, and a worn tip is what rounds the screw rather than the screw being stubborn. If a driver starts slipping in a screw it used to turn cleanly, replace it before it costs you a housing.
Buying precision screwdrivers in New Zealand
GA Tech NZ has run a repair workshop since 2017 and stocks the drivers it goes through, which is why the sizes are narrow and the ranges are deep. Stock is held in Queenstown rather than ordered in per sale, so orders placed before the 2pm cut-off dispatch the same working day and reach most New Zealand addresses overnight. Local pickup is available by appointment, and repair shops and resellers can request trade pricing through wholesale deals.
Complete sets are under repair kits, and the parts to fit are under spare parts.
Screwdriver questions answered
Which screwdriver opens an iPhone?
A Pentalobe P2 removes the two screws beside the charging port. Inside you will also need a small Phillips and a Tri-point Y000 driver.
What is the difference between Pentalobe and Torx?
Pentalobe has five rounded lobes and is used by Apple on external screws. Torx has six straight points and appears in laptops and Android devices.
Should I buy a set or individual drivers?
A kit is better value for a first repair. Buy individual drivers once you know which sizes you wear out, because tips wear faster than expected.
Why does my driver keep slipping?
Usually a worn tip rather than a stubborn screw. Replace a driver that starts slipping in screws it used to turn cleanly, before it rounds a head.
