Guides · Screens

OEM vs aftermarket screens: what are you paying for?

OLED vs LCD replacement screens, explained without the sales pitch.

Sep 30, 2026 · 4 min read

When a repair shop gives you two prices for a screen, the difference is the part. Here's what you're choosing between.

OEM or OEM-quality OLED: the same type of panel the phone shipped with. Deep blacks, the original brightness and colour, normal battery use. This is the closest to the original.

Aftermarket LCD (often called 'incell'): a cheaper screen that uses LCD instead of OLED on phones that came with OLED. It works for touch and display, but blacks look grey, it's thicker, it's less bright outdoors and it uses more battery.

Which should you pick? If you're keeping the phone for a while or selling it later, go with the OLED. If it's a backup phone or you just need it working today for the least money, the cheaper option is fine.

What to watch out for: shops that only quote one low price without telling you it's an LCD on an OLED phone. Always ask what type of screen you're getting.

We give you both prices up front, tell you which type each one is, and back both with our warranty. Use the quote tool to compare for your model.