Finding a smartphone owner who hasn’t dropped their phone, at least, a time or two is the equivalent of find a unicorn. Don’t be too hard on yourself if this happens to you. The damage can range from a hairline crack to a device that won’t even turn on. One of the first thoughts you are probably having (other than expletives) is “How much is this going to cost?” This problem is not cheaply solved. When you hear that, your next thought might be “Can I save this money by replacing or repairing it myself?” After all, it’s probably a $20 piece of glass, right? Screen replacement or repair can prove quite difficult if you are not an expert at that sort of thing. There can also be other reasons that your display may not be working as well. If you suspect or you are certain that your phone has been dropped or your phone has come in contact with moisture, you might have bigger issues. If you have a warranty, it probably won’t help unless you can prove the screen was cracked or faulty due to a manufacturer’s defect. If you have insurance, file a claim. If you don’t, read more about Galaxy S6 screen replacement.
DIY Level of Difficulty: Expertise Needed
Screen repair or replacement is difficult. Certain parts, like the touch sensor, backlight, LCD assembly, and screen is adhered as one unit. There are replacement kits out there, but most of these will not include the LCD and Digitizer panel the original has. There are digitizer screen replacement assemblies for Galaxy S6, but they definitely cost more.
You will probably find it tricky to even get into the device. If the rear glass is damaged, most likely you will destroy the adhesive holding it into place, and that will have to be reinstalled. The only real upside is that the S6 is generally easier to repair than the S6 Edge. If you have already tried this and succeeded on your S5, bear in mind that the S6 is going to be much harder.
How Much Will It Cost to Repair?
The average DIY kit is definitely a cheap option at $24.99, but you might also want to factor in quality. Galaxy S6 screen replacement cost is not cheap. To hire Samsung to repair or replace your screen can range in the neighborhood of $199 to $270. A Samsung Galaxy S6 LCD and Touch Screen Digitizer Assembly by itself is being sold for $144. That does not include labor. Some third-party websites come in even higher than Samsung—even in excess of $300. A generic quote that I requested yielded an offer to fix the screen for $269.99. You can buy Samsung Galaxy S6 for far less than that, provided you sign up for a contract. In fact, you can almost buy the phone outright for not too much more.
Many people have opted to purchase the Samsung Protection Plus Mobile Elite Warranty, but it truly intended to cover accidents after coverage has already started. It is listed under Exclusions in the Terms and Conditions as a preexisting condition known to you that occurred prior to the coverage start date. It’s not that this isn’t a good future option; it just doesn’t do you any good now. You might want to go purchase other insurance, but it’s too late. The insurance company isn’t going to want to insure your house when it’s on fire. It’s a losing proposition for any for-profit company. So at this point you might be tempted to go the route of a kit. But let’s stop and think about this for a second…
Would the Cost Savings Outweigh the Difficulty?
Should you try it anyway? Yes, you know it will be hard but it will save you so much money. Galaxy S6 screen replacement cost is going to leave you broke. That’s the whole point of any do-it-yourself project—you save money and you have the satisfaction of a job well done. The only problem with this is that you will probably come out of this with neither. We don’t mean to be pessimistic; just realistic. Odds are that you could destroy the display altogether, resulting in even more expense. So now we know what the best solution is not, let’s discuss how to make lemonade out of these lemons. Unless you previously purchased insurance or a warranty, the answer may not seem black and white. But the next section lays out options.
The Best Solution for You
The option that is best for most is black and white, hands down, and an honest opinion derived from evaluating and weighing all solutions—just pay for the repair. Unless you are dying to see if you can accomplish this feat; and you are okay with a very significant chance of having to purchase another phone entirely, or a large sum of money to repair this one after you inflict further damage—let an expert handle it. Samsung is purported to offer the cheapest rates to repair the phone, but this may not always be the case, so check around. If you do decide to take the risk and dismantle your S6, you will first need to remove the SIM card tray so that you can loosen and suction off the door leading to the battery, which happens to attached with some incredibly effective adhesive. If you make it that far you will then have to unscrew and separate the rear housing from the LCD assembly. The next step is disconnecting everything from the motherboard. You will need to remove the motherboard as well as the battery, front camera, speaker, and motor. If you are still reading and considering this, you are then going to be required to heat up the LCD assembly to release the front housing. These steps are only what you would need to do to disassemble the phone for repair; you are going to have to do all of this in reverse to reassemble.
Bottom Line
I’m not about to try this with my phone. If it’s still usable with a cracked screen, I would save up the money for a repair. If it can no longer even be used as is, I would still borrow money out of savings or use credit to pay for a repair. Yes, it sucks, but the situation actually could be worse and that will most likely become a reality if you try to repair it.
Conclusion
If you happen to live near a Samsung repair center, Samsung does offer one-day repair. It is very likely that Samsung will be able to get your phone back to you faster than a third-party vendor regardless of where you live, simply due to the availability of parts and experienced labor. If you are angry at Samsung and don’t want to give the company any more money, we get that too. If you simply opt to buy a new phone altogether, many places offer cash for trade-in or so they can recycle parts. How did you decide to handle this issue? Were you able to successfully repair or replace the screen yourself? What are some of the best deals you found? Send us your thoughts on all of these topics. For advice on how to replace the screen on a similar phone, read the article below. Featured Image Credit
