The battery connector is no easy pop-off top; it requires some precision spudgering to chase it out of its socket.

After that, it still isn't a perfectly clean getaway—the speaker wires are strategically taped to the battery in a half dozen spots, which we'll have to liberate to free the battery. (Admittedly, it could have been a lot worse.)

These same wires are trapped under the battery screws—so speaker replacement means battery removal. It looks like the XPS has some layering issues.