Options for Replacement Screens

In general, there are three options for replacement of Samsung screens:

While “copy” screens for older Samsung phones (like the S4 and S5) are available from China, they aren’t very reliable and use LCD technology instead of AMOLED. Official screens are available via Service Packs that are sold by Samsung to distributors, but stock of these is usually limited, especially for newer models.

Official Samsung screens are also available via recycling, having been taken from handsets and refurbished in factories in China. Due to supply and demand, the resale value of a broken Samsung display is very high, which in turn bumps up the price of recycled displays. The official Samsung Service Pack is the best quality product, and this is what we tend to use where possible. (Unfortunately, this option is only available for the newer phone models.) These are brand-new Super AMOLED displays produced by Samsung and used in their service centres. Usually, these will come with a new frame and all the correct adhesives required to give the repair a factory finish and, as you would expect, this product commands the highest price. Some other stores may use refurbished Samsung displays, and these usually come without the correct adhesive and frame. This means you need to transfer the old frame from the broken display- if not done correctly, this can cause issues at a later date. For example, the display can lift from the frame causing it to break, or if the old frame isn’t cleaned correctly, it can result in a pink line appearing on the display. (If you returned to the store with the pink line they would refuse a warranty claim on the basis that you broke it).

The other issue with refurb displays is that there’s can be a massive quality difference depending on who refurbished it. Some screens may have imperfections or dust trapped inside, but more importantly, the glass might not be the same quality as Samsung use typically it will be thinner and break more easily. Screen replacements for the S6 Edge, S7 Edge, S8 and S8+ are expensive. This is because the official screens cost a lot to buy new, and even variable-quality refurbs can be expensive due to supply and demand. A lot of owners ask us if we can do a glass-only repair cheaper. Unfortunately, we can’t. There are people that do it, but expect a 5-10 day turnaround time.