Building an iPhone 13 Pro From AliExpress: A DIY Experiment
Ever wondered if you can build an iPhone 13 Pro entirely from parts ordered off AliExpress? Well, I decided to find out. Spoiler alert: it works, but let me tell you, the journey wasn’t smooth sailing.
Pear added for dramatic effect
The Parts Hunt
I started by sourcing every single part needed to assemble the phone. The goal? To find the cheapest parts with decent reviews. From the housing to the motherboard to the cameras, it was like piecing together a puzzle from different sellers. Some parts, like the battery, looked nearly identical to the original Apple components, while others, like the display, screamed “aftermarket.”
For example, the back cameras were genuine Apple parts—crazy, right? But the screen? Let’s just say it had me worried. It was thicker than an OEM display, the bezels were a little off, and the quality? Meh. It worked, but you could tell it wasn’t the real deal.
The Assembly Process
Building the phone was like solving a 3D jigsaw puzzle—without instructions. I didn’t have a screw chart, which made finding the right screws a nightmare. Speaking of screws, I can’t confidently say every single one is in the correct spot, but hey, nothing’s falling apart.
The Face ID assembly was a bit tricky. Apple serializes these components, which is why I bought a board that came with its original face id module.
And just when I thought I was done, I ran into Apple’s repair menu. Turns out, the parts I used weren’t recognized as genuine (no shock there), except for the back cameras. Even then, I couldn’t recalibrate them because the LiDAR sensor wasn’t paired. Apple doesn’t make this easy.
The Cost Breakdown
Here’s the final tally:
Motherboard and front camera: $220 CAD
Screen: $115 CAD
Housing and small parts: $88 CAD
Back cameras: $76 CAD
Screws: $8 CAD
Total: $507 CAD
Compare that to a refurbished iPhone 13 Pro, which costs around $700 CAD, and you might think this was a steal. But factor in the hours spent assembling it and the risk of something going wrong, and it’s clear this isn’t a budget-friendly alternative.
The Full build without the screen attatched
The Results
The phone booted up, Face ID worked, and all the cameras were functional. But here’s the kicker: the screen broke within a week of use. That’s right. Just when I thought I had a fully functional DIY iPhone, the display decided to die on me. Other than that, the phone is holding up okay, though I can’t guarantee there won’t be any surprises down the line.
Final Thoughts
Building an iPhone from AliExpress parts was a fun experiment, but it’s not something I’d recommend. The parts cost more than a decent refurbished phone once you factor in labor, and the risk of future issues is high. Plus, Apple’s restrictions on part pairing make it nearly impossible to replicate the seamless experience of a genuine iPhone.
So, if you’re thinking of trying this yourself, my advice is: don’t. But if you’re crazy enough to do it anyway, I salute you. Just don’t blame me when something breaks.