Customers who bring in their iPhone screens to get repaired are offered 2 options;
OEM or Aftermarket
The response we always get is “what's the difference?’’ and “what would you recommend?’’. We've created this article so that by the time you're done reading this, you can confidently choose what screen will suit you best.
Our mission is to provide the best quality service, education & transparency with all our customers so they know exactly what goes on from our side. At the end of the day, it’s your phone and you deserve to know what goes on behind the scenes so you can be more cognisant the next time you go to repair your phone.
OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer)
OEM are parts made by the phone's manufacturer. They match the parts that originally came with your phone when you first bought it brand new.
PROS
Simple and easy to choose: In comparison to aftermarket, OEM will generally only come in one type. You won't need to worry about assessing different brands.
Higher assurance of quality: An OEM part should work exactly as the one you are replacing. It is what the phone was manufactured with and the quality offers familiarity with performance.
Comes with a warranty: Tinker Mobile covers all OEM parts with a 120 day warranty.
CONS
More costly: OEM parts will usually cost more than an aftermarket part.
Limited availability: OEM parts are generally accessible through dealers or technicians who have access to a supply of refurbished OEM.
A.m (Aftermarket)
Aftermarket is a product made by a third-party manufacturer and is a substitute for OEM.
PROS
Less expensive: Aftermarket parts are less costly compared to OEM parts; how much you save varies by brand. Ask around to find the best price to get an idea of how much that part brand usually costs. If the cost of a part seems too good to be true, ask questions about its quality.
More variety: There are many many manufacturers out there that make aftermarket parts. The more variety of brands means there's greater selection with a wider range of prices.
Better availability: There is an abundance of different screen brands all accessible to anybody. This gives you more options on where to take your phone for service.
Comes with a warranty: Tinker Mobile covers all A.m parts with a 120 day warranty.
CONS
Quality varies greatly: The saying "you get what you pay for" rings true for screens. Some aftermarket screens are inferior because of the use of lower-quality materials.
Overwhelming selection: If you're not familiar with aftermarket brands, the selection could be overwhelming, and there's some chance you may get a bad quality part. Consult with a technician for advice or simply stick with the OEM part when the price difference isn't significant.
Higher Fault rate: Naturally, Aftermarket screens are more prone to faults and issues due to the rate that they're manufactured to be cost efficient.
To summarise, there is a lot that goes behind the different qualities. But what about when comparing them side by side? What can you expect?
There can be colour vibrancy differences between OEM and A.m
Aftermarket screens may be thicker than OEM (Sit higher in frame)
The screen brightness may be dimmer on Aftermarket
There can be polariser capabilities with Aftermarket screens
3D Touch: may be less sensitive on Aftermarket
Different refresh rates 60Hz-120Hz...? A.m screens often have a lower refresh rate.
Colour: If you take a look below, you can see a slight difference in colour.
If we had a choice, we would fit ONLY OEM screens. Why?
OEM is the best you can get quality wise!
The only reason we offer aftermarket and also what most of our clients go for is because they choose purely on price. For us to remain competitive, we offer a cheaper alternative for our customers.
Now, there are a range of different aftermarket screens a technician could use and we will cover that on a future blog.
Luckily, Tinker Mobile has done the hard work for you. We have spent years constantly researching, testing & refining our search for the highest quality aftermarket screens. After testing over 35 different manufacturer brands, we have finally found a third-party supplier that we are confidently happy with and can comfortably recommend to our customers.
We only ever supply the highest grade parts that we are 100% satisfied with, which is why we offer a 120 day warranty on all repairs.
Still unsure on what screen to get? Let's try to put it in your perspective.
"I don’t have much of a budget" Absolutely fine. We have handpicked the best aftermarket screens at a customer friendly price!
"I break my phone often" Aftermarket is more cost effective. A glass screen protector and case would also help lessen the damage.
"I want my phone to work exactly how it originally did before breaking" OEM is the best suited if you want to maintain the functionality and quality of your device.
Feel confident? Contact us now to see how we can help with the issues on your phone today!
Want to check the repair price for your phone? Then click here to find out more details.
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