Home » PARTS DETAILS » Analysis on: Are China made LCDs for iPhone 5S Compatible with iPhone SE?





After getting the newly released iPhone SE, we did a thorough study in which parts that the iPhone 5S and iPhone SE share in common (Check for more detailed information with iPhone SE Full Tear down Comparison with iPhone 5S by ETrade Supply). Not surprisingly, many replacements parts of iPhone SE are compatible with iPhone 5S, their internal structure are almost the same. What excited us most is that they can totally share the same LCD screen and digitizer assembly, which with no doubts will reduce the inventory and supply chain integration pressures of repair shops. However, with the original LCD screen is getting more and more difficult to be obtained, most repair shops are using more replacements parts produced by third party manufacturer in China.

In order to figure out whether the iPhone 5S LCD screens produced by the third party manufacturer are compatible with iPhone SE or not, we did the following experiment in iPhone SE:

1.Types of surveyed LCD screen: We chose 4 different LCD screen made by Chinese LCD Screen manufacturers: TM, LT, JDF and In-cell.

2. Sample number: 20 for each kind

3. The test content: Display and touch function

And here are the results

What beyond our imagination is that all of the China made LCDs can act well whether on display or touch function in iPhone 5S, however, when being used in iPhone SE, there are serious problems like shaking screen, black screen, Vertical lines on display (which just like you didn't connect the LCD screen connectors well).

Why these problems happened?

First thing we need to know is the sources and production process of the China made LCDs. The TM/LT/JDF/In-cell LCDs assemblies in the market are not completely produced by the manufacturers themselves, they just provide the cut LCD screens, the rest processes are finished by the other third party manufacturers which also provide assemble the glass lens, digitizer frame, the LCD back plate shield and the LCD drive IC and other related small parts. It is not only the LCD itself which influences the display function, the compatibility between LCD drive IC and the motherboard is also another important involving factor. In order to save costs, pursue higher profits, these third party manufacturers are using OEM-compliant LCD drive IC, which just debugged with the compatibility of 5S's motherboard, not with SE's.

In order to verify our speculation, we did another experiment:

1. Sample LCD screen: 10 pieces LCD screen made by In-cell(with original LCD drive IC)

2. Sample device: iPhone SE

3. Test result: All 10 LCD screens are worked well, no shaking screen, no black screen nor vertical lines on display appeared.

Conclusion:

Most China made LCDs are using the OEM-Compliant LCD driving IC at present. When replacing iPhone SE LCD screen with it, there is a big chance to encounter the phenomenon of shaking screen, black screen and vertical lines on display.

Suggestion:

1.Original and brand new LCD screen would be your best choice when replacing iPhone SE LCD screen, if not, the assembled original screen and original-refurbished screen are second choices.

2. If you truly want cost-effective China made LCDs, seek for reliable suppliers who uses the original LCD drive IC, such as ETrade Supply!

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