That's it. I've had it with gravity. Seriously.
My wife enjoyed her nice new OnePlus 3 phone. Got it last summer, the gold version. She loved the whole package: nice design, good features, sharp price. In comes gravity and "bang". No more screen. Scattered. Around 440 euros worth of design and good work turned into a useless piece of dangerous glass and metal. All that because of gravity. Or being clumsy. But that's a whole other discussion.
So I was stuck with a broken screen on a OnePlus 3. And my wife telling me how this was so dangerous and annoying as the glass started to come off in splinters.
I turned to Google to find videos on how you can get the screen of a OnePlus 3 replaced. Turned out it can be done rather easily. To have it done for you sets you back around 240 euros. No thanks.
Googled a little further, and found that Witrigs offers the screen for around 100 USD depending on what you select: with or without digitizer. The price difference was about 7 USD.
That is actually an important choice: you can buy only the glass of the touchscreen if you Google around. But that puts you on a road of dust-free environments, heat guns, pressure, glue. I like repairing things where I can see results. I don't like to make things worse just to save 50 USD.
Tips on replacing a broken OnePlus 3 screen
- Buy the replacement screen with the digitizer attached. The price difference is too small. You won't need a heat gun or glue, just plastic pry tools and tweezers.
- Watch several YouTube videos before you start. Not all show the same tips and techniques.
- Note down the steps before you even begin.
- Buy the proper tools. They really make a difference.
- Be careful, things are easily scratched or broken.
- Thanks to Witrigs for excellent service and DHL for speedy delivery.
I prepared a clean desk, selected all the needed tools, got my laptop with YouTube open, and after 45 minutes of concentration I was proud to show I got it done. My first screen repair of a cell phone.
To OnePlus: thanks for the simplicity of the design on the inside. You can repair it if you're a bit handy.
Warning: you're on your own if things don't work out as they should. Only do this if you know what you're doing.
