TFT, Incell, hard OLED, soft OLED, original quality: for the same phone model, replacement screens come in several quality grades, and the most expensive can cost up to five times as much as the cheapest. Choosing well means offering each customer the right balance between budget, image quality and battery life, and avoiding returns. This guide summarises what sets each quality apart and which one to recommend in each situation.
At-a-glance comparison
| Quality | Technology | Image quality | Battery life | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TFT | Backlit LCD, separate touch layer | Acceptable, less bright and lower contrast | Higher power consumption | € | Tight budget, older phone |
| Incell | LCD with touch built into the display panel | Good, blacks less deep than on OLED | Reasonable | €€ | Best value for money |
| Hard OLED | OLED on a rigid substrate | Very good, deep blacks, high contrast | Good | €€€ | Demanding customer on a mid-range budget |
| Soft OLED | OLED on a flexible substrate, like the original | Excellent, the closest to the original | Close to the original | €€€€ | Recent phone, demanding customer |
| Original | Manufacturer-grade display panel | Identical to the factory-fitted screen | Identical | €€€€€ | High-end phone, repair under a commercial warranty |
TFT: the entry-level option
A TFT screen is a conventional LCD: a backlit display panel with a separate touch layer on top. It is the cheapest way to get a phone working again.
- Advantages: low price, available for almost every model.
- Limitations: lower brightness, contrast and viewing angles; the backlight uses more battery; the screen is slightly thicker, which is noticeable on phones designed for OLED.
- When to recommend: for an older or low-value phone, or when the customer simply wants a working device again at the lowest cost.
Incell: the best value for money
In an Incell screen, the touch sensor is built directly into the LCD cell. The screen is thinner and more responsive than a TFT, at a significantly lower price than OLED. It is the most requested quality in repair workshops.
- Advantages: good image quality, precise touch response, affordable price.
- Limitations: it is still an LCD, so blacks are less deep and power consumption is higher than with OLED on models originally fitted with OLED.
- Samsung warning: on Galaxy models with an under-display fingerprint sensor, an Incell or TFT screen does not allow this sensor to be used, as it needs an OLED panel to work. Our product pages flag this with the mention “without fingerprint sensor”.
Hard OLED: OLED image quality at a mid-range price
Hard OLED (also known as rigid OLED) uses the same technology as the original screen, in which each pixel produces its own light, but on a rigid rather than a flexible substrate.
- Advantages: perfect blacks, vivid colours, high contrast; compatible with the under-display fingerprint sensor on the models concerned.
- Limitations: the panel is slightly thicker than the soft version, and the bottom bezel is sometimes a little wider.
- When to recommend: for customers who want OLED image quality without paying the price of soft OLED.
Soft OLED: the closest to the original
Soft OLED (also known as flexible OLED) follows the structure of the factory-fitted screen: a flexible OLED panel folded back underneath the phone. Thinness, bezels, brightness and power consumption are very close to the original.
- Advantages: the best image quality short of an original part, identical finish.
- Limitations: higher price; the panel is more fragile to handle during fitting.
- When to recommend: for recent phones and demanding customers.
Original quality: no compromise
Screens classed as “original” (or original Super AMOLED for Samsung) deliver image quality identical to the factory-fitted screen. This is the most expensive option, best kept for high-end phones or for customers who will not accept any compromise. Depending on the part number, the frame may be included: this is stated on each product page.
What do RJ, JK, GX, HXL, DD, ZY… mean?
These abbreviations identify the manufacturers of compatible display panels. Each factory has its own build quality, and repair shops use them as a benchmark to choose a quality level they know. The manufacturer is shown in our product names (for example “Incell JK” or “Soft OLED RJ”), so you can easily find a part number you have been happy with.
Points to check before ordering
- The exact model: on Samsung, check the SM-A… model number (Settings > About phone). Some models come with two screen sizes, two flex cable types, or in US and EU versions: these variants are specified in the product name.
- With or without frame: a screen supplied with a frame is quicker to fit and also fixes a bent frame; without a frame, you need to separate the old screen from its frame.
- iPhone and True Tone: from the iPhone 8 onwards, True Tone is only retained by transferring the data from the original screen to the new one with a programmer.
- iPhone and the “Unknown Part” message: on the iPhone 11 and later models, a message may appear in Settings after replacement with a non-Apple screen. It does not stop the phone from working.
- IC chip transfer: some screens for recent iPhones require the IC chip to be transferred from the original screen. This is indicated under “Important” on the product page: this work should only be carried out by a properly equipped technician.
- iPhone XR and iPhone 11: these models are fitted with an LCD screen as standard. A good-quality Incell therefore offers image quality very close to the original on them.
Which quality should you recommend to your customers?
- Older phone, tight budget: TFT or Incell.
- Everyday use, mid-range budget: Incell, or hard OLED if the phone originally had an OLED screen.
- Recent phone, demanding customer: soft OLED.
- High-end, no compromise: original quality.
- Samsung with an under-display fingerprint sensor: OLED or Super AMOLED, otherwise the sensor will not work.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Incell and OLED?
Incell is an LCD screen: a backlight illuminates the entire panel. With OLED, each pixel produces its own light and can switch off completely, which gives perfect blacks, better contrast and lower power consumption on dark backgrounds.
Is a soft OLED screen identical to the original screen?
It is the compatible quality that comes closest to it: same technology, same thinness, very similar image quality. Only original quality guarantees strictly identical image quality.
Does a TFT screen wear out the battery faster?
It does not damage the battery, but its backlight uses more power: day-to-day battery life may be slightly reduced, especially on a phone designed for an OLED screen.
Will the fingerprint sensor work after the replacement?
On Samsung models with an under-display sensor, yes with an OLED or Super AMOLED screen, no with an Incell or TFT. On models with a side-mounted or rear sensor, the screen quality makes no difference.
Finding the right screen
Every Kintora product page states the technology, the display panel manufacturer, what is supplied (frame, front camera) and the list of compatible models.
See also: all our repair guides. Repair shop or reseller? Contact us for bulk orders.