Trump Mobile T1 Teardown Shows Motherboard Compatibility With HTC U24 Pro

A JerryRigEverything teardown has provided a concrete explanation for the similarities between the Trump Mobile T1 and HTC’s U24 Pro: their motherboards can be exchanged, and both phones boot after the swap.

The test goes beyond comparing a specification sheet or the shape of a camera module. It demonstrates functional compatibility between major internal hardware in the two handsets.

What the teardown actually demonstrates

In Zack Nelson’s video, the motherboard exchange takes place around 7:54–8:45, followed by the phones booting around 8:58–9:12. The boot branding follows the boards: the T1 shows HTC branding, while the HTC handset shows T1 branding.

The T1 also remains functional after the bend test shown earlier in the video. That is a result from this particular test unit, not a guarantee that every handset will withstand the same treatment.

Shared hardware is not a factory audit

The successful swap is strong evidence of a shared hardware design. It does not, by itself, establish the location where each handset was assembled, identify every supplier or prove that every component is identical.

Those distinctions matter when discussing a phone whose branding and manufacturing claims have attracted attention. The demonstrated result is hardware interchangeability, rather than a complete investigation of the supply chain.

The T1’s reported specifications and price

GSMArena’s October 29 report lists a 6.78-inch 120Hz AMOLED display, Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 processor, 512GB of storage and a 5,000mAh battery. The cameras comprise a 50MP main unit, 8MP ultrawide and 50MP telephoto with 2x optical zoom, plus a 50MP selfie camera.

The same report puts the price at $749, up from the original $499 announcement. The teardown’s most significant finding, however, is the working motherboard swap with the 2024 HTC U24 Pro.

The gold T1 is shown for device context, not as a frame from the teardown. Photo: Patrick Holland/CNET.

Sources

• JerryRigEverything: primary T1 teardown video
• GSMArena: October 29 teardown report and specifications
• CNET: actual T1 handset photo and attribution