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Genuine vs aftermarket phone screen: what's the difference?

How genuine and aftermarket screens differ in picture, battery use and price, and how to choose.

Guide

Written by Ali, who has been fixing electronic devices since 2019. Updated .

A genuine screen is made by or for the phone’s maker. An aftermarket screen is made by another company to fit the same phone. Both can work well. The differences are in picture quality, battery use, how the phone reports the part, and price. At Ezone Repairs you choose, and both options are priced on your quote.

OLED and LCD

Many newer phones, including most recent iPhones and Samsung Galaxy models, use OLED screens. Older and lower-cost models often use LCD screens.

Aftermarket screens for OLED phones come in two main types:

  • Aftermarket OLED. Closest to the original, with deep blacks and strong colours.
  • Aftermarket LCD. Costs less, but an LCD can’t switch pixels fully off, so blacks look greyer and the screen can be slightly thicker.

If your phone had an LCD screen to start with, an aftermarket LCD is the same type of part.

Picture, brightness and battery

A genuine screen matches the brightness, colour and touch feel the phone was designed for. A good aftermarket screen gets close, but you may notice:

  • colours that look a little warmer, cooler or less vivid
  • lower peak brightness in direct sunlight
  • slightly higher battery use, mainly with an LCD fitted to a phone built for OLED

For most everyday use, a high-quality aftermarket screen is fine. If you edit photos, watch a lot of video or use your phone outdoors a lot, a genuine screen may be worth the extra cost.

The iPhone “unknown part” message

Newer iPhones check whether the screen fitted is a genuine Apple part. If it isn’t, the phone can show a notice in Settings saying it can’t verify the display. Some iPhones also lose True Tone, the feature that adjusts screen colour to the light around you.

The phone still works normally with the notice showing. It is information, not a fault. If you’d rather not see it, choose a genuine screen. Genuine iPhone screens and OLED screens are priced on request.

Which should I choose?

  1. Think about how long you’ll keep the phone. If it’s years, a genuine or OLED part may suit you better.
  2. Think about how you use the screen. Lots of video, photos or outdoor use points towards genuine.
  3. Compare the prices on your quote. If the phone is older or due for an upgrade, aftermarket is often the sensible choice.

There’s more on prices in how much does it cost to fix a cracked iPhone screen? and Samsung screen replacement cost.

Get both options quoted in Nuneaton

Bring your phone to Ezone Repairs at 9 Harefield Road, Nuneaton CV11 4HA, or call 024 7634 1341. We quote genuine and aftermarket options for your model before any work starts. Phone screens start from £19.99, and Samsung screens from £34.99. See phone screen repair or get a quote.

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