Screen need replacing?

Merlin5 · 19 Oct 2013 at 12:12

Woke up, opened laptop lid which came out of sleep, to find this.

What do I do now? Repairable or replace? Laptop hasn't been mishandled or dropped. I've had it since September 2011, it's a Dell Vostro 3550. I have no idea how to replace or repair a screen myself or what it would cost to have it done. I've rebooted but it's the same. It's not the graphics card because when I do a printscreen and look at the image, the splodge isn't there.

R088ieS86 · 19 Oct 2013 at 12:34

Yup the lcd screen is damaged. believe it or not it is very easy to do. The cat jumping on mine when closed did it.

They are easy to replace yourself and you can normally find guides on how to do it, you can normally get a replacement for £40.
Did you have it from new? Warranty?

Edit: video

kiel367 · 19 Oct 2013 at 12:35

defo the lcd is bust, needs replacing, not that hard to replace tbh, just gota be careful when removing the bezel around the screen, ebay is the best place for the screens

Merlin5 · 19 Oct 2013 at 13:23

Thanks guys. Yeah, gonna have a go myself. Good video, R088ieS86. It's only a very slightly different procedure as that's the 3560. I watched this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZumPmHZLJcI and it's unclip bezel, 10 screws out, slide the webcam down, pull the tape off and pull the connector out. Seems easy enough as long as I do it carefully. I think I better get my desktop running again before attempting it.

I need to take it apart to see the part number to order. I've got to be sure if mine is LED or LCD and if the data connector is bottom left or somewhere else. Mine is a matt screen but all the replacement screens on ebay and elsewhere are glossy, and they're also compatibles. I guess I don't mind glossy. What about compatibles, are they as good and reliable as originals?

Merlin5 · 19 Oct 2013 at 13:31

R088ieS86 said:
Yup the lcd screen is damaged. believe it or not it is very easy to do. The cat jumping on mine when closed did it.

They are easy to replace yourself and you can normally find guides on how to do it, you can normally get a replacement for £40.
Did you have it from new? Warranty?

Edit: video

It was new in June 2011 and I bought it hardly used in september from ebay for £425 I think. Warranty expired last summer unfortunately. Yeah, you're right, all the compatible replacement screens seem to be £38/39.

Merlin5 · 11 Nov 2013 at 10:56

I've finally gotten around to doing something about the screen as the cracking has gone further down, but it's still quite usable. I just unscrewed it. Here's the pics and the part number.

http://s9.postimg.org/tsxie9s33/image.jpg
http://s9.postimg.org/r1e8nntkf/image.jpg
http://s9.postimg.org/t78ji5x0v/image.jpg
http://s9.postimg.org/54rpnagdr/image.jpg
http://s9.postimg.org/lope9j5nz/image.jpg

I found an ebay link of an identical brand new matte screen with the same part number. NEW AUO AU OPTRONICS B156XW02 V3 15.6" LED LEFT DIPSLAY SCREEN MATTE AG GRADE A- | eBay

A few questions:

Can I assume mine is LED backlit and not CCFL and it'll be ok to order this screen?

Also, he mentions it being Grade A, but it's new. Don't they normally mention a grade when it's 'new other' with possible dead pixels or scratches? But it does come with a 2 year warranty.

Also, I've no idea how the screen got damaged. Would a gloss screen have any more impact protection than a matte?

The manufacturer's date says 11/12. Does that mean 2011 to 2012? I'm assuming it's the original screen as I believe the laptop was new in June 2011 but I bought it off ebay in September 2011 as hardly used.