Original vs compatible phone screens

An original screen is made to the phone maker's specification for your model. A compatible screen is made by another manufacturer to fit the same phone, at a lower price. Both replace the glass, the display panel and the touch layer as one unit.

At A1 Computers in Costa Adeje you can choose either for a screen repair, and you get the price of each before anything is fitted. Which is right depends on the phone's age, how long you'll keep it, and your budget.

Apple lists what can happen with a non-genuine iPhone display:

• Touch: Multi-Touch performance may be degraded, such as missed touches or touches registering in the wrong place.
• True Tone may not work correctly, and the ambient light sensor may not adjust brightness as well.
• Colour may look different, and maximum brightness may be lower, which you notice outdoors in the Tenerife sun.
• Updates: Apple says issues may appear after an iOS update that contains display updates.

Not every compatible screen has every issue, and quality varies between suppliers. The counter can tell you what to expect for your model before you decide.

Samsung recommends Samsung-authorised genuine parts and says third-party replacement parts may not function properly. On its Self Repair Service page, Samsung also says that damage caused by a repair attempt by anyone other than a Samsung Authorised Service Centre is not covered by its warranty.

So if your Galaxy is still under Samsung's warranty and the fault is covered, check Samsung's own route first. For accidental damage, which manufacturer warranties don't cover anyway, the choice comes down to price and how long you'll keep the phone.

Recent iPhones will. Under Settings › General › About › Parts and Service History, Apple shows an Unknown message if the display isn't a genuine Apple part, isn't working as expected, or hasn't been verified. Display history appears on iPhone 11 and later, except iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd generation).

Apple says these messages don't affect your ability to use your iPhone, but an Unknown part might affect its trade-in value. More detail, including notifications and what "Used" means, is in iPhone Unknown part messages explained.

• Choose original for a recent phone you'll keep for years, if you care about maximum brightness and colour, or if you plan to sell or trade it in.
• Choose compatible for an older phone, a second phone, a child's phone, or when keeping the cost down matters most.

Either way, the phone is tested after the repair: touch across the whole screen, brightness, cameras and Face ID where it applies. If you're unsure whether to repair at all, see repair or replace your phone.

It depends on the model. Send the model on WhatsApp to 641 780 077, call 922 71 35 82, or walk in to Local 4, Centro Comercial San Eugenio, Av. de los Pueblos 20, Costa Adeje, Monday–Saturday 10:45–21:30 or Sunday 10:45–14:00. You get the price of both options before any work starts. Diagnosis costs €15. Many screen repairs are done the same visit when the part is in stock.