Canadian man challenges himself to build an iPad using only parts from AliExpress

This Canadian man bravely challenged himself to build an iPad using only cheap parts from AliExpress.

The ambitious project set out to answer two big questions: is it even possible, and would it cost less than buying a refurbished device?

Armed with a pile of tiny packages, replacement parts, and plenty of patience, he got to work assembling a seventh-generation iPad from scratch.

While the process was far from straightforward, the final result was genuinely impressive.

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He decided to build an iPad using only parts from AliExpress

This ambitious gadget build began with dozens of small parts laid out across the table, including speakers, antennas, microphones, cameras, buttons, screws, and connectors.

Trying to build a very well-known and recognizable Apple product from scratch is hard enough, but trying to do it with a cost limit of less than the real thing seemed impossible.

The YouTuber explained that he’d tried to source the highest-quality, but cheapest parts he could find on AliExpress, but there were already issues before assembly even began.

The biggest problem was the actual iPad case and housing, which could not be sourced from AliExpress at all.

Instead, he had to buy the cheapest one he could find on eBay, and it arrived in rough shape, meaning he had to strip it down, clean it up, and reinstall the new parts himself.

From there, he carefully worked through the assembly, slotting in components one by one.

Some parts were simple to fit, while others needed extra work, including glue and some trial and error with the screws.

As the build progressed, the iPad slowly started to take shape, with the battery, motherboard, digitizer, and LCD all eventually installed.

The final cost came as a surprise

Even though the homemade iPad looked promising, the price quickly became the real problem in the story.

A refurbished seventh-generation iPad was said to cost around CAD $200, but the parts bill for this DIY version climbed past that mark before everything was even added up fully.

The battery cost CAD $31, the LCD came in at CAD $80, and the motherboard alone cost CAD $93.

That meant the three most expensive parts already pushed the project over CAD $200, making the whole challenge more expensive than simply buying a ready-made refurbished model.

Still, the most satisfying part came at the very end.

Against the odds, the finished iPad powered on, showed the Apple logo, and passed tests for the touchscreen, cameras, Wi-Fi, microphone, speakers, charging port, volume buttons, and home button.

So while it was not a money-saving hack, it did prove one very fun thing: yes, you actually can build a working iPad using parts from AliExpress, just don’t expect it to save you money.