A box arrives, filled with packages from AliExpress, each containing a part of a Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. This isn’t a brand new phone but a puzzle to be solved. Phone Repair Guru is going to build a flagship smartphone from scratch using only parts from the vast online marketplace. His goal? To see if it’s possible to build a working S22 Ultra for less than the $500 price of a refurbished one.
He starts by unpacking the parts, a treasure trove of bits that could make or break this experiment. The motherboard, $174 CAD, is the most expensive piece and the heart of the operation. A pristine board, pulled from another phone, is ideal but one that’s been tampered with could be trouble down the line. He inspects it and finds no signs of repair, a good start. The display and housing, $96, come next, with a frame, volume buttons, power button and S Pen slot. The adhesive is pre-applied, a nice bonus. Rear cameras, front camera, battery, flex cables, charging port, SIM tray, top speaker, wireless charging module and back glass round out the haul. Some parts like the S Pen are dirt cheap while others like the cameras are more expensive. After searching for coupons the total comes out to $427.20 CAD, about $100 less than a refurbished one.
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Assembly starts with the charging port, which slides into place with a pleasing click. This component, which houses the SIM reader and microphone, is vital to connectivity. The battery goes in next, with adhesive backing making it easy to install, but the worn look raises an eyebrow. Then the motherboard requires careful handling. Phone Repair Guru peels off the protective films and attaches the rear cameras to the board before putting it in the frame. The cameras, possibly original, come with protective covers for the lenses. The earpiece speaker, ordered separately because of an oversight, requires a non-standard screw so he has to be careful not to damage it. The motherboard aligns with the contact pads for the power and volume buttons, a detail where precision is key.
Flex cables come next, connecting the motherboard to the sub-board and the top and bottom halves of the phone. Labels like “up” and “main” are a small mercy in a sea of tiny connectors. The front camera goes in, then the bottom speaker and wireless charging module (which is also a temperature sensor). The battery connector is under the wireless charger and requires careful folding to avoid strain. Screws, all Phillips but slightly different lengths, hold everything in place. Phone Repair Guru uses the shorter screws to avoid damaging delicate components and tightens them just enough to keep it all snug. The back glass with pre-applied adhesive seals the phone and the S Pen goes into its slot. The SIM tray, another separate purchase, is the final piece.
Phone Repair Guru turns on the device and a garish screen with huge bezels greets him, a reminder that not all AliExpress parts are created equal. But it boots to the home screen, set to Beijing’s weather, a nod to its Chinese origins. Samsung’s Device Care app runs a diagnostic and says 22 components are working and 2 are not. The vibration motor in the bottom speaker is dead so the phone is silent for notifications. The S Pen, as suspected, has no Bluetooth so it’s just a basic stylus. But it works, so this DIY is a success.
