Why it matters for repair cost
Screen type is the single biggest factor in repair price. OLED replacements cost significantly more than LCD — often 2 to 3 times as much — because OLED panels are more expensive to manufacture and source. Knowing your phone’s screen type before you get a quote helps you understand immediately whether a price is fair or suspicious.
OLED screens
Used in: iPhone 12 and later, Samsung Galaxy S and A series (most models), Google Pixel 6 and later, OnePlus flagships
Characteristics: True blacks (pixels turn off completely), vivid colours, thinner display stack, higher contrast ratio, power-efficient on dark wallpapers
OLED screens are made of organic compounds that emit light directly — each pixel is its own light source. When a pixel needs to show black, it simply switches off. This is why OLED blacks look genuinely dark rather than slightly grey like LCD.
OLED repair cost in Singapore: Higher. A quality OLED replacement for an iPhone 14 Pro or Samsung Galaxy S23, for example, costs significantly more than an LCD repair on older budget devices. At Certified Phone Repair, we use Grade A OLED panels equivalent to the original factory specification.
⚠️ Common scam to watch for: Some shops replace OLED screens with cheap LCD panels and charge OLED prices. After the repair, you’ll notice the blacks look grey and colours look washed out. Always ask what panel type the replacement uses before agreeing to a repair.
AMOLED and Super AMOLED — what these terms mean
AMOLED and Super AMOLED are Samsung’s marketing names for their OLED displays. They are OLED panels with Samsung’s specific manufacturing improvements. For repair purposes, AMOLED = OLED — the same pairing and replacement rules apply.
- AMOLED — Samsung’s standard OLED branding
- Super AMOLED — touch layer integrated directly into the display. Used in Samsung Galaxy A and S series.
- Dynamic AMOLED — Samsung’s premium tier with HDR10+ and high refresh rate. Used in Samsung Galaxy S series.
- Retina OLED / Super Retina XDR — Apple’s branding for its OLED panels on iPhone X and later.
ProMotion and 120Hz — why your replacement screen might feel different
ProMotion is Apple’s term for the adaptive 1–120Hz refresh rate display on iPhone 13 Pro and later. Samsung uses similar adaptive high refresh rates on Galaxy S-series phones.
🔴 “My screen feels different after repair” — this is why: A low-quality replacement panel on a ProMotion or 120Hz phone will be locked to 60Hz. Scrolling and animations feel noticeably less smooth. Always ask what grade of replacement panel is being used.
OEM vs original screen — what the terms mean
| Term | What it actually means |
|---|---|
| Original / OEM | Made by the same manufacturer as the factory screen. Very rare in independent repair shops. |
| Grade A / OEM-equivalent | High-quality aftermarket panel matching original specs. What Certified Phone Repair uses. |
| Aftermarket / generic | Low-cost panel with reduced brightness, 60Hz locked, colour shift. Sometimes sold as “original”. |
| Soft OLED | Lower-cost OLED type used in some aftermarket replacements. Better than LCD substitutes but not full spec. |
LCD screens
Used in: iPhone 11 and earlier (except XS/X/XS Max which use OLED), older Samsung A-series, budget Android devices
Characteristics: Backlit panel, slightly thicker, less vivid colours, greys appear lighter
How to tell which screen type your phone has
| Phone | Screen type |
|---|---|
| iPhone SE (all generations) | LCD |
| iPhone X, XS, XS Max | OLED |
| iPhone XR, 11 | LCD (Liquid Retina) |
| iPhone 12 and all later models | OLED |
| iPhone 13 Pro, 14 Pro, 15 Pro and later Pro models | OLED ProMotion 120Hz |
| Samsung Galaxy S21–S25 series | Dynamic AMOLED 2X (120Hz) |
| Samsung Galaxy A13, A14, A15 | LCD (PLS TFT) |
| Samsung Galaxy A54, A55, A56 | Super AMOLED (120Hz) |
OLED burn-in
OLED screens can develop burn-in — a faint ghost image of elements displayed at high brightness for a very long time. Burn-in is permanent and cannot be repaired by cleaning — only a full screen replacement fixes it.
Related terms
- Glass Repair vs Full Assembly — which repair you actually need
- Grade A Parts — OEM vs Grade A vs aftermarket panels explained
- Digitiser — the touch layer within the screen assembly
- Face ID & Touch ID After Repair — how screen replacement affects biometrics
Further reading
- Top 10 Phone Repair Mistakes People Make — common errors when getting a screen replaced
