The Nothing team recently asked popular tech reviewer JerryRigEverything (Zach) what he would include in his dream smartphone. They worked with TekTura Studios to create a realistic design mockup and calculated the cost of building this custom phone.
Zach wanted a phone built to last 2 to 3 years with durable materials rather than focusing on the usual specs like processors or RAM. Starting with a base cost of $450 for core components, the total price quickly rose as Zach added premium features.
For example, Zach wanted a headphone jack and SD card slot, which cost only about $1 more combined. But adding a titanium midframe, a much stronger material than aluminum, increased costs significantly—$45 compared to $10 for aluminum.
Zach also insisted on four synthetic diamond discs on the back corners to prevent rocking on flat surfaces, adding $200. The most expensive part was the sapphire glass screen, a material known for its scratch resistance but very costly to produce.
After tallying everything, the final estimated cost to build Zach’s dream phone was $993. This was surprisingly close to Zach’s initial guess of around $1,000.
Zach loved the final mockup, praising the phone’s transparent design that showcased the internal circuitry and premium materials. He said he would definitely be a customer if this phone were real.
While Zach’s dream phone might be too expensive to produce commercially today, this project shows what’s possible when durability and design come first.
