TFT, OLED, FOG or original screen: which one to choose

When you ask "how much is a screen replacement", the right answer is "which screen are we fitting?". There are seven options, and they differ in price, picture quality, battery use and warranty. Here they are in plain words, from the cheapest to the best.

First: glass or display?

If only the glass is cracked while the picture is clean and touch works, often only the glass can be replaced, which saves money. If there are lines, spots, black blots or touch doesn't work, you need a new display. Send a photo: the technician sees right away what is broken and whether the frame is damaged.

1. TFT (Incell)

The budget option: an LCD panel instead of OLED. The screen is thicker, the bezels wider, colours and touch noticeably worse than the original, and the battery drains faster. Good for bringing the phone back to life and recovering data, or as a temporary cheap fix. TFT quality also varies between suppliers.

2. Hard OLED

Good picture quality: real OLED with deep blacks, but a rigid panel. A sensible balance of price and quality.

3. Soft OLED

A flexible panel like the original, so the picture and feel are even closer to the factory screen.

4. FOG

The closest to the original of all the copies.

5. Re-glassed original

An original panel with new glass fitted. Original picture, lower price than a new original.

6. Original from a donor device

Taken from another phone, in perfect condition or with tiny unnoticeable scratches. Colours, brightness and battery use as from the factory.

7. New original

A factory display in its packaging. The best and most expensive option.

Warranty

It depends on the screen type and supplier: usually 6 months for an original, 7 days for a quality copy, 1 day for checking on the cheapest copy. We tell you the exact period for your screen before the repair, and it is written on the receipt.

About the "Unknown part" message

After a screen replacement an iPhone may show a message that the display could not be verified. It usually doesn't affect how the phone works. If it matters to you that there's no message, tell us up front: the technician will check whether a screen can be fitted paired on your model, and we'll be honest about whether it's possible.

How to choose

Your main phone for a couple more years: an original (new, donor or re-glassed) or FOG.
Cheaper but with a decent picture: Hard or Soft OLED.
You need your data back or it's a temporary phone: TFT.

How we work

We always offer options and explain honestly how they differ on your model. We quote an all-inclusive price before the repair: screen prices change every week, so the manager checks availability and price with the technician each time. The screen type and warranty are written on the receipt. More: iPhone screen replacement and Samsung screen replacement.

Send your phone model and a photo on Telegram and we'll compare the options and prices for it.

Which replacement screen to choose: TFT, OLED, FOG or original