What does a screen replacement cost in Switzerland?

There is no flat figure for a screen replacement, and anyone who names one without knowing the model is guessing. The price is determined almost entirely by the spare part, and its cost differs several times over between two phones from the same brand. What drives the price can be explained well, though.

Factor 1: the display technology

Simple LCD displays are considerably cheaper than OLED. With OLED the light points sit directly in the panel, which makes production more complex and the spare part more expensive. The larger and the higher resolved the panel, the more expensive it gets. That is why a replacement on a large flagship costs several times what it costs on a compact entry level model.

Factor 2: how the display is fitted

On many devices the glass, touch layer and panel are bonded into a single unit. A crack in the glass then means the whole unit is replaced, even if the image is still perfect. On top of that come components that have to be transferred from the old display to the new one, such as sensors for face recognition or the earpiece. The more of them there are, the more working time is needed.

Factor 3: original or compatible

Spare parts come in different qualities. Cheap replicas differ in colour reproduction, brightness and sometimes in touch sensitivity. A serious workshop tells you which part quality it uses instead of only naming a price. That is exactly the most important point when comparing: two quotes are only comparable if both refer to the same part quality.

How to spot a fair quote

• The price is given for your specific model, not as a range for a whole series.
• It is clear which part quality will be fitted.
• There is a warranty on the repair.
• You are told about possible consequential damage before the device is opened, instead of being billed for it afterwards.

You can find the price for your model directly at screen replacement.

When a repair no longer pays off

As a rule of thumb: if the repair costs a substantial part of what the device is still worth second hand, and other parts are weakening at the same time, replacing it makes more sense. We work through that calculation in detail in our article Broken screen: repair or replace. Worth knowing: even with a broken display your phone still has a trade in value, so you can sell it and put the proceeds towards the replacement.

And insurance?

Whether phone insurance pays off depends heavily on how often you actually drop things. We compared the two in Repair or insurance.

Conclusion

The display price follows the spare part, not the labour. Ask for the price for your model and for the part quality, only then can you compare quotes at all. And factor the residual value of your device into the decision.