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LCD or Soft OLED screen? Here is which to pick.
Short answer: pick Soft OLED.
It lasts better, looks like the original screen, and comes with a 1 year warranty.
- True black
- Less battery
- Runs cooler
- Tougher in drops
- 1 year warranty
Black looks black
Soft OLED turns its pixels off to show black. An LCD has a light glowing behind the whole screen, so black looks grey and pictures look flatter.
Uses less battery
The light behind an LCD (the backlight) shines across the whole screen whenever the screen is on. That uses more battery, most of all with dark mode or dark apps.
Runs cooler
That light behind the LCD also makes extra heat, so an LCD can run a little warmer in your hand.
Want true black and less battery drain?
Pick your phone and we text you the price for a Soft OLED screen.
Tougher in a drop
In our experience, LCD replacements crack more easily when dropped. Soft OLED is built on a flexible layer, and it holds up better.
Thinner, like the original
An LCD needs an extra layer for the light, so it sits a touch thicker. On some models the black border looks a little wider too.
Longer warranty
Soft OLED: 1 year. LCD: 3 months. We can give Soft OLED a longer warranty because far fewer come back.
A year of cover, fitted at your door
About 30 minutes, evenings until midnight across Auckland.
When LCD still makes sense
An LCD costs less up front. If you plan to upgrade your phone soon, it does the job fine.
At a glance
| Feature | LCD | Soft OLED |
|---|---|---|
| Black | Looks grey | True black |
| Battery | Uses more | Uses less |
| Heat | A little warmer | Cooler |
| Drops* | Cracks more easily | Holds up better |
| Thickness | A touch thicker | Thin, like the original |
| Warranty | 3 months | 1 year |
| Cost up front | Lower | Higher |
*From the repairs we see, not a lab test.
Want an Apple part? Some models also have a Genuine screen, with a 1 year warranty. See which screens your model has on our screen prices page.
Seen a "genuine Apple part" message in Settings? Here is what it means. Ask us about Soft OLED screens that don't show it.
Ready for a Soft OLED screen?
We come to you across Auckland, evenings until midnight. An iPhone screen takes about 30 minutes at your door.