OLED VS LCD displays, which to choose?
LCD VS OLED
LCD displays have changed electronics massively through the years, being a huge part of the development in TVs, key elements in portable laptops, and in the evolution of smartphones.
As technology has advanced we have seen many different smartphone designs and lots of new ideas. Most high end smartphones over the last few years have been manufactured with an OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) display, and these are generally much higher quality than the older LCDs (Liquid Crystal Displays).
In this article we will mainly be discussing the differences between OLED and LCD panels but will also touch on different versions of each.
There are many differences when comparing the two, and there are pros and cons to both options.
We will start by stating the obvious. In general, it is always advised that you should stick with the original type of screen that came with your device, so if your phone is manufactured with an OLED screen, the replacement should be a soft OLED panel rather than an LCD if possible. This is made harder by the current cost of living crisis, and we have been seeing a much higher demand for budget repair options.
If you have been shopping around for quotes for a screen replacement for your phone, you have likely been given a vast range of prices and you probably haven’t been told why. This is because some repair shops will be quoting for an LCD, others for a Premium OLED. Some even may be offering a genuine replacement, they just may not be giving you all the information that you need to make the right decision!
Let’s take an iPhone 12 as an example. This model of iPhone comes from the factory with what’s known as a soft OLED screen. These screens are incredibly durable, when the soft OLED is separated from the glass it is flexible and incredibly thin. Generally these screens benefit from low power consumption, high resolution, non excessive brightness, and a robust thin flexible display. When repairing an iPhone 12 we will always recommend a genuine screen through our Apple Independent Repair Provider scheme or a high quality aftermarket soft OLED panel.
Alternatively, you could choose our budget LCD option.
iPhone 12’s are not designed to use an LCD panel, but many LCD manufacturers have developed a way to make these work. LCD panels are noticeably different to OLEDs in many ways, a few of the main downsides being thicker panels, rigid displays that are more likely to suffer impact damage, lower resolution and higher power consumption that can affect battery life.
Although there are clear differences in quality between the two there is usually a huge price difference. For those on a budget, LCD replacements can sometimes be a good option. We understand that modern smartphones can be expensive to repair, and sometimes older models just aren’t worth spending that much money on any more. We also understand that at the moment a lot of us are on a shoestring budget and just need our phones back up and running again! We have spent a lot of time testing, and have found the best quality aftermarket LCD screens for our customers so we can ensure that regardless of picking our premium or value option they will be getting the best possible quality repair, completed by our Apple certified technicians.
As with any aftermarket parts, quality varies hugely between suppliers and we ensure that we only source and fit the best quality parts possible. During our tests we have put together some comparisons on different types of screens as a reference.
There are 4 different variants of OLED:
Soft OLED:
- Same design as original screen
- Good brightness
- Robust, flexible display panel
- High resolution
- High contrast
- High refresh rate
- Long lifespan
- Higher black levels
- Same thickness as original display
- Power consumption same as original
- Wide viewing angles
- Higher price
Hard OLED:
- Non original design, high quality display
- Rigid OLED panel means higher risk of impact damage
- Good brightness
- High resolution
- High contrast
- High refresh rate
- Long lifespan
- Higher black levels
- Same thickness as original display but rigid panel.
- Power consumption same as original
- Wide viewing angles
- Higher price
Genuine OLED:
- A genuine screen, purchased directly from the manufacturer or a reseller. (Available for all iPhone, Samsung and Huawei devices).
Refurbished OLED:
- A genuine OLED Panel that has previously been damaged. The broken glass will be cut off and a new glass is bonded to the original display.
There are 3 different types of LCD touch screens, a little information on these below:
LCD:
- Non original design, lower quality display
- Higher brightness than OLED panels
- Rigid LCD panels suffer from impact damage easier
- Lower resolution
- Lower refresh rate
- Low contrast
- Impared viewing angles
- Shorter lifespan
- Lower black levels
- Thicker panel raised from frame making them more vulnerable to drop damage.
- Higher power consumption affects battery life on a daily basis and decreases the overall lifespan.
- Potential for pressure marks and bright spots if there are any bends in the device’s frame or a misshapen battery.
- Lower price
In-cell LCD:
- Incell LCD panels are a COF (Chip on Flex) design but the touch panel is built into the display rather than the glass. This saves space and creates a thinner display closer to the original panel.
COF TFT LCD:
- COF (Chip on Flex) panels refer to the type of Flex bonding to the panel. COF panels are generally a good build quality of LCD displays and provide a more robust flex cable meaning a longer display lifespan.
- Usually have a slightly lower brightness but this isn’t really noticeable
- Touch panel attached to glass and flex bonded on to LCD flex if single connector display.
COG TFT LCD
- COG (Chip on Glass) displays have the touch screen built into the glass and share the same flex cable and connector.
- Usually have a slightly higher brightness but this isn’t really noticeable
- Touch panel attached to glass and flex bonded on to LCD flex if single connector display.
In summary, we will always recommend that our customers choose a premium screen replacement with the same build quality as the original screen for their device. For any phones that are manufactured with an OLED display, we always recommend sticking with a soft OLED panel by choosing either our premium or genuine options. We do understand that this is not within everyone’s budget, and have faith in the LCD alternative that we have chosen for our value range. We will only offer tried and tested parts and repairs regardless of which option is chosen, and will always provide the best workmanship and service possible.
If you have any questions on our services please get in touch with a member of our team, who will be happy to help.
Feel free to pop in store for a chat, give us a call on 01183047777 or email us at info@prattspods.co.uk with any queries