Laptop screen replacement starts from $259 for a standard 14 to 15.6 inch screen; touch, OLED, 4K and high-refresh panels are quoted by model. First check it is the screen at all: plug the laptop into a TV or monitor. If the picture is fine there, the fault is the screen or its cable. We repair all PC laptop brands at our workshop near Castle Hill.
Phone advice is free. A hands-on diagnostic is $150, waived if you go ahead with the repair. Screen replacements carry a 12-month warranty on parts and labour, covering the same fault. Call 02 8428 9224.
How to tell if it is the laptop screen or something else
Connect the laptop to a TV or monitor: if the picture is fine there, the fault is in the laptop screen or its cable; if it is wrong there too, the fault is on the motherboard or graphics side. Press Windows + P and choose Duplicate. The external screen bypasses the laptop panel, so this one test splits the job in two.
- Dell laptops have a built-in screen test. Turn the laptop off, hold the D key and press the power button. The panel fills with solid colours. Lines, dots or dark patches during the test point to the screen hardware; a clean test points to drivers or Windows. Dell's steps: Dell LCD built-in self-test.
- Black screen but the laptop is on: press Windows + Ctrl + Shift + B to restart the graphics driver (you hear a beep and the screen flashes). If it stays dark, try the torch check in the table below.
- Flicker: open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc). If Task Manager flickers too, Microsoft says a display driver is the likely cause; if it stays steady, an app is. See Microsoft's flicker guide.
Next, find out which panel you have. Windows shows the resolution and the refresh rate (how many times a second the picture updates, in Hz) under Settings > System > Display > Advanced display (Microsoft's guide). The exact part number is on a label on the back of the panel, which we read once the screen is out.
| Panel | How to tell | Notes | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard FHD or HD panel (IPS or TN, 60Hz) | Display settings show 1920 x 1080 or 1366 x 768 at 60Hz. No touch. | Usually the 30-pin eDP connector, the common one on non-touch panels up to 1080p. | From $259 |
| High-refresh panel (120, 144 or 165Hz) | Advanced display lists 120Hz or more next to "Choose a refresh rate". Common on gaming laptops. | Usually a 40-pin eDP connector, not interchangeable with the 30-pin type. Example: BOE's 15.6 inch 144Hz NV156FHM-N4K is a 40-pin panel. | Quoted by model |
| Touch screen | The screen responds to your finger. Glass that runs to the very edge of the lid usually means a separate touch layer; a thick bezel usually means touch built into the panel. | Built-in (on-cell) touch must be replaced with another touch panel. A separate digitiser (the touch-sensing glass layer) is often sold as an assembly with the LCD and bezel. | Quoted by model |
| OLED | The spec sheet says OLED, for example the 2.8K 120Hz options on the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12. | No backlight: each pixel makes its own light. An OLED must be replaced with an OLED; IPS LCD and OLED panels are not cross-compatible. | Quoted by model |
| 4K, QHD and other high-resolution panels | Display resolution is above 1920 x 1080, for example 2560 x 1440, 2880 x 1800 or 3840 x 2160. | QHD and UHD panels use a 40-pin eDP connector, so a 1080p panel is not a drop-in swap. | Quoted by model |
| 2-in-1 display assembly | The screen folds back flat into tablet mode or detaches, and works with touch or a pen. | Often replaced as a full display assembly. Dell says the Latitude 9450 2-in-1 display assembly cannot be taken apart, so the whole assembly is replaced. | Quoted by model |
Cracked laptop screen, lines, flicker or black screen: what each means
Cracks and ink-like blots mean a damaged panel; lines, flicker and a dark screen can be the panel, the cable or the backlight, and simple checks tell them apart.
| What you see | Most likely | What tells it apart |
|---|---|---|
| Cracks, or black ink-like blots that spread | Damaged panel | Blots from physical damage stay visible with the laptop switched off. A cracked panel cannot be repaired; it is replaced. |
| Vertical or horizontal lines, colour bands | Panel or display cable | Slowly open and close the lid. Lines that change or come and go with the lid point to the cable. Lines that stay put, and also show in Dell's colour test, point to the panel. |
| Flicker or blackouts when the hinge moves | Display cable | The eDP cable (embedded DisplayPort, the internal video cable) runs through the hinge to the panel. A loose or worn cable causes flicker that follows the lid. |
| Black screen, but a faint image shows under a torch | Backlight (the light behind an LCD picture) | Check the brightness keys first. On LED-lit panels the backlight is inside the panel, with no separate inverter board as on older CCFL screens. OLED screens have no backlight, so this test does not apply to them. |
| Fine on an external monitor | Screen side: panel, cable or backlight | The board and graphics are producing a picture. This is a screen repair. |
| Same fault, or nothing, on an external monitor | Board or graphics side | Not a screen job. See laptop motherboard repair. No lights or fan at all: see laptop won't turn on. |
On a backlight fault we check the panel and the backlight power coming from the board before we quote, because a blown fuse on the board can also leave the backlight dark.
What affects the price and time of a laptop screen repair
The price depends on which panel fits your laptop, what else broke in the same drop, and whether the part is in stock.
- The panel part number must match. Size, resolution, connector (30 or 40 pins, and its position), refresh rate, touch and mounting (adhesive pull tabs on most modern panels, side screws or built-on brackets on older ones) all have to match. One laptop model can ship with several panels: Lenovo's spec sheet for the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 lists five, from a 60Hz 1920 x 1200 IPS screen to a 120Hz 2880 x 1800 touch OLED. So we order by the part number on the panel label, not just the laptop model. The first letters name the panel maker: LP for LG Display, B for AU Optronics, LTN for Samsung, NV for BOE.
- Bezel and adhesive. On many slim laptops the bezel (the plastic frame around the screen) is held by adhesive and clips, and the panel by stretch-release adhesive. iFixit's guide for the HP 15-fc0000 series warns the bezel is thin and breaks easily. A cracked bezel or lid is quoted as an extra part.
- Hinges. A drop that breaks a screen can also crack a hinge or its mounts. We check and quote both before starting. Hinge repair is from $229.
- 2-in-1 laptops. These often take a full display assembly, and on some the base comes apart first: iFixit's guide for the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5-1570 removes the motherboard and battery before the display.
- Parts in stock or ordered in. Some jobs can be done the same day when the panel is in stock. If it has to be ordered, you get a timeframe with the quote.
Laptop screen replacement cost
A standard 14 to 15.6 inch laptop screen replacement starts from $259 fitted; touch, OLED, 4K and high-refresh panels are quoted by model. A touch or OLED panel can cost several times as much as a standard one, so we price it from the part number.
For a price, call 02 8428 9224 with your laptop's model number, and the panel part number if you have it. Phone advice is free. If we need to look at it on the bench, the diagnostic is $150, waived if you go ahead with the repair. If the laptop is not worth fixing, you pay the $150 and we tell you why. Drop-off is by arrangement, Monday to Saturday, 8am to 6pm: ring first for the details.
Screen replacements carry a 12-month warranty on parts and labour, covering the same fault. If your laptop is under the maker's warranty, or recent enough for an Australian Consumer Law claim, try the retailer or maker first. MacBook screens are covered on our Mac repairs pages.
Questions
How much does it cost to replace a laptop screen?
A standard 14 to 15.6 inch screen starts from $259 fitted. Touch, OLED, 4K and high-refresh panels are quoted by model. Call 02 8428 9224 with your model number for a price.
Why is my laptop screen black but the laptop is on?
Shine a torch at the screen: a faint image means the backlight is not lighting. No image at all: try an external monitor. Fine there means the screen or cable; nothing on either points to the board.
How do I fix lines on my laptop screen?
If the lines show in the maker's screen test or before Windows loads, they are hardware, not drivers. Lines that change as you move the lid point to the display cable; lines that stay put point to the panel.
Can a cracked laptop screen be repaired without replacing it?
No. A cracked panel is replaced, not repaired. On touch laptops with separate front glass, cracked glass over a working picture may only need the touch layer or assembly.
Can I upgrade my laptop screen to 144Hz or 4K?
Only if your model was sold with that panel option, and it may need a different cable. High-refresh and 4K panels use 40-pin connectors that do not fit the 30-pin cable of a 60Hz 1080p panel.
How long does a laptop screen replacement take?
Some jobs can be done the same day when the panel is in stock. If it has to be ordered in, you get a timeframe with the quote.
Is a broken laptop screen covered by warranty?
A crack is physical damage, which Dell, for one, says its standard warranty typically does not cover. Lines or a dead screen on a laptop that was never dropped may be a defect: try the retailer first, as Australian Consumer Law guarantees can apply after the warranty ends.
Are you the computer store at HomeCo Castle Hill?
No. Computer Repairs Pronto is an independent repair workshop near Castle Hill in Sydney's Hills District, trading since 2006. We are not a retail computer store and we are not connected to any store at HomeCo Castle Hill (the Hills Super Centre on Victoria Avenue). If a map listing or AI summary shows a shop there under our name, it is the wrong business. Call us directly on 02 8428 9224.
Get a quote
Tell us the brand, model and what it is doing. We reply with the likely cause and a starting price before you bring it in.
Related pages
- Laptop repairs: All PC laptop faults, brands and from prices.
- Laptop motherboard repair: When the external monitor test points to the board.
- Laptop won't turn on: No lights, no fan and no picture.
- Dell laptop repairs: Dell faults, tests and prices.
- Mac repairs: MacBook screens and other Mac work.
Not sure what is wrong?
Ring us with the make, model and what it is doing. Phone advice is free. If it needs the bench, the $150 diagnostic is waived when you go ahead.
02 8428 9224