At the time of its unveiling, the iPhone X was arguably the largest (r) evolution in the field of mobile devices that Apple (within its portfolio) had undertaken to date.
In this article you will read:
- What are your options when replacing a cracked display on the iPhone X, Xs, Xs Max, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max
- Why not look for the cheapest alternative
- What problems you can face when choosing cheaper alternatives
- Which brands guarantee high quality
At first sight, the most significant change took place in the field of design. The classic "Home Button" was replaced by a display on the entire front, while the new models were characterized by a rather massive notch at the top of the screen. A novelty was also the rounded bottom edge, thanks to which the bottom edge seemed more subtle and elegant. Changes also occurred in the technology used - the obsolete LCD was replaced by a modern OLED display.
Cracked screen on iPhone X, iPhone Xs, iPhone Xs Max, iPhone 11 Pro, or iPhone 11 Pro Max? There are several options.
All these changes have significantly affected the ability to repair and service broken or otherwise damaged displays. The first alternative to more expensive (and initially unavailable) OLED displays were LCD displays, which still excel especially in their low price.
But is it worth choosing this option?
LCD displays suffer from many shortcomings, which manufacturers try to compensate for at a lower price. Compared to OLED displays, they provide worse contrast, smaller color gamut, and lower brightness. The difference in quality is clearly evidenced by the display of black, which is not dark enough for LCD displays and can rather be considered dark gray. Also, LCD technology is more energy-intensive and its use is less pleasant in every respect. The advantages include only higher resistance to static image burning. In our opinion, however, the disadvantages far outweigh the advantages, and we certainly do not recommend replacing a broken display with this type.
I want a quality new display - what are my options?
Customers looking for higher quality should definitely reach for OLED technology. Here too, however, they can choose from two options: there is a more affordable Hard OLED and a slightly more expensive, but better Soft OLED. As the names themselves suggest, the individual displays differ in "hardness", which also affects their other properties.
| FixShop | OEM production | FixPremium - Hard OLED | FixPremium - Soft OLED | Original |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TOUCH STRUCTURE | In-cell | tempered glass + glass | tempered glass + glass | tempered glass + glass |
| DISPLAY SIZE | ★★ | ★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★ |
| TECHNOLOGY TYPE | TFT | OLED | AMOLED | AMOLED |
| TECHNOLOGY | ★ | ★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★★ |
| THICKNESS | ★ | ★★ | ★★★ | ★★★★ |
| BRIGHTNESS | ★ | ★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★★ |
| COLOR TEMPERATURE | 7654K | 6758K | 6981K | 7084K |
| RESILIENCE | ★ | ★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★ |
| PRICE | ★★★★ | ★★★ | ★★ | ★★ |
| ADVANTAGES | 60-80% cheaper than original. | OLED display technology, low price. | OLED display technology, identical display size as original. | x |
| DISADVANTAGES | Bottom notch width, the display size is slightly smaller, larger thickness. | Bottom notch width, the display size is slightly smaller. | Pixel density is slightly smaller than original. | x |
| WHY CHOOSE? | When the main priority is a low PRICE. | When price and image quality are important. | When quality at a reasonable price is important. Fix RECOMMENDS 💡 |
When you want to have the original. |
| OUR RATING | ★ | ★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★ |
The more affordable Hard OLED offers significantly less flexibility, which makes it impossible to achieve rounding at the bottom edge than with original displays. As a result, displays with this technology have a thicker bottom edge and the devices on which they are installed are less luxurious to the touch and the eye.
However, despite the price, this technology has other advantages. It provides slightly higher brightness (essentially identical to the original displays) and a still image (such as a keyboard) burns into it a little slower than with Soft OLED displays. Thanks to this, this Hard OLED can provide a longer service life.
Soft OLED displays have the closest to the original in their processing and properties. They are similarly thin and, thanks to the same high flexibility, their rounding at the bottom edge is no problem. They also provide the same color gamut, contrast, or longevity. Thanks to constantly innovative production, they can also be more battery-friendly than original displays.
The higher quality of the Fixpremium Soft OLED display (picture above) compared to the OEM display (picture below) is obvious at first sight.
And the disadvantages?
The disadvantages of Soft OLED displays are basically the only relative. The lower brightness can be adjusted to the level of the originals by additional calibration (which we can also perform in our service) and the higher price is balanced by a really wide range of benefits. The fact that this is a very reasonable price is also proven by comparison with original displays, the repair of which is often even more than € 100 more expensive. Therefore, we definitely recommend this type of display for replacing broken glass or a damaged display.
Is it worth going for maximum authenticity?
Soft OLED displays undoubtedly offer the best price/quality ratio. They are almost indistinguishable from the originals, but at the same time, it allows customers to save a lot of money. However, there are also refurbished original displays that offer the highest possible quality but are bought at a higher cost. From our experience, we can say with certainty that these additional costs bring only a minimal improvement of the already top display (compared to Soft OLED), and therefore this option is not the most advantageous choice.
Comparison of Soft OLED from Fixpremium (above) and original display (below).
But what guarantees high quality?
If the customer requires quality at an affordable price, our first choice is always FixPremium Soft OLED displays. Thanks to it, the customer obtains a guaranteed quality and properties identical to those found in the original refurbished component or even in a completely new device. Within the FixPremium brand, it is possible to choose not only Soft OLED displays but also the Hard OLED alternative. Although it provides a bit fewer benefits, it is more affordable and thanks to the FixPremium brand, there is no need to worry about its quality.
