How Much Are Laptop Screen Repairs
In the 20+ years I’ve spent fixing laptops the number one thing to break is always the screen followed by the charging port. This is because they are the areas on the laptop most susceptible to damage cause by movement. Most people tend to leave something on their laptop keyboard such as a pen and then close the laptop causing the screen to crack.
How much are laptop repairs? The charge is made up the cost of the screen + technicians time to fix it.
- In the UK the average cost is between £70 and £180.
- In the USA the prices are similar at between $100 and $300.
- In both instances it depends where you take it and how much their labor charge is.
- You can expect on average to pay between £40 and £70 in the UK and $60 to $100 in the USA.
- The laptop screen itself various wildly depending upon your make and model.
- The whole replacement can take up to an hour but in my many years of experience can be done in as little as 15 minutes.
But before you part with your money you have to consider a few other options:
- If you have an Apple Mac then you cannot get it repaired just anywhere it has to go to an approved repair centre.
- Check your warranty and/or insurance details before proceeding. You may be covered or you may in fact void both by acting without checking first.
- There are now plenty of online places to send your laptop off to for a repair. This has the downside that they tend to offer a more expensive service and the turn around time is longer meaning you will be without your laptop for some time.
- If you take it to a high street name such as PC World (UK) or find a local repair service which will tend to be cheaper because of their lower overheads.
- More important – do it yourself. Replacing a laptop screen is not as difficult as you may think and there are plenty of YouTube Videos and online guides for your make and model of laptop – plus we have our own guide to replacing a laptop screen right here on Tekmoz which you can follow. Our own guide is aimed at people training to be a technician and so is aimed at generic screen replacement.
How Much Do Laptop Screens Cost?
It depends on your make and model of laptop. I’ve personally used lots of trade suppliers over the years and found that comparing the likes of Amazon and Ebay you don’t save too much really, in fact often the same suppliers sell on these platforms just to compete given that most people will just search for their make and model + replacement laptop screen directly on Amazon for convenience.
E.g try Dell Inspiron 15 5559 replacement laptop screen
What To Look Out For When Buying A Laptop Screen From Amazon
- Always look at the sellers rating.
2. Always buy like for like. Don’t go for a generic screen where possible always substitute the same type of screen parts. This goes the same for the matt / glossy finish and obviously size. You don’t have to do this but in my experience it reduces the chance of failure.
3. Don’t always buy the cheapest. Usually cheap is cheap for a reason, make sure you get the right screen from the seller with the best reputation.
4. Search for the part number. If you take your laptop screen apart prior to searching on Amazon (or anywhere on the web) there will be a sticker with the part number on it. If you search for this you are more likely to get the exact make and model screen for your laptop.
Not got time to read all of this article? Watch the short video below:
Why Do Laptop Screens Vary So Much In Price?
This is because the age, size and quality is different for each make and model of laptop.
How Much Do Laptop Repair Technicians Charge To Replace A Laptop Screen?
It depends where you are in the world. I’m in the UK and I typically charge £65 per hour for general IT work but I’m experienced enough to be able to change a screen in around 15 to 20 minutes depending on the complexity of the job so I personally weigh this up when dealing with a customer. I also will given discounts to attract repeat custom or for bulk work.
The pricing tends to be the same no matter where you are in the world in terms of the exchange rate but you should expect to pay between £40 and £70 per hour (roughly $60 to $100 in the USA).
Can I Repair A Laptop Screen Rather Than Replace It?
Personally I wouldn’t bother and most laptop repair technicians wouldn’t either. The price isn’t worth it and the end result wouldn’t be very good so unless you are an electronics buff then just replace it.
You used to be able to replace the bulb when a screen was dim and the FL inverter (power inverter) was not at fault but they are too fragile and not recommended anymore.
Can I Replace My Own Laptop Screen
Yes and there are lots of guides on the internet which you can Google for.
Here’s an older video I made which shows you how I do it on 3 different laptops (sorry, I haven’t made a new video in quite some time). This shows you the similarities and differences between different models of laptop, you should be able to use this is a guide for your own laptop.
Most laptop screen come apart in the same way and once you’ve done a few they’re all pretty similar and easy to do.
Can I Still Replace My Laptop Screen If It Is Warranty?
The obvious answer is no because you will void the warranty but in my experience time is often of the essence so my advice is yes you can but you will probably void the warranty. If you void the warranty you may regret it later so weigh up whether or not you would prefer to wait for your screen to be replaced and can work on another computer until you get it back.
People also ask:
Is it worth fixing a laptop screen?
In my answers earlier I said it isn’t worth fixing a laptop screen and I stand by this. However, if you can’t afford to replace your screen then you can always plug in an external monitor and use that until you can sort out a repalcement part.
Should I go with the cheapest service?
I recommend you go with the best service based upon customer reviews and also go with a replacement laptop screen which is a like for like of the screen you are aiming to replace. The best way to find this is to often take it apart yourself and search for the part number on the sticker you will see stuck to the back of the screen.
Can I replace my laptop screen with a generic one?
Some screens are advertised as generic and these are generally fine except you may find that the quality is lower or there may be dead pixels on them. This is the trade off for a cheaper or more generic screen. As a laptop technician I usually give the customer the choice of both and adjust the guarantee for my work accordingly. Most good laptop repair technicians will stand by their work but not a cheap part and I would always recommend the right part for the job, however, in my many years of experience people often go for the cheaper option which is fine as long as expectations are set correctly.
