Used OEM Apple or new aftermarket 2020 MacBook Air Retina screen?

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The Woods of NY
I'll give you a quick back story: The air was never on my radar. I fix repair and upgrade usually windows laptops but will sometimes take on Macs. My best buys are broken items that I fix myself and can use for years after..

I was just browsing marketplace and a listing popped up under "you might like" 21 miles away and shown was a blurry sideways picture with just "MacBook Air" headline and a reasonable asking price. listing states genius bar ran diagnostics on computer - computer passed screen is bad and will need replacement @ 464$. I sent msg and they actually responded honest if clueless so we met and I bought it AS-IS with unknown specs or anything because they formatted the SSD so it had no OS but I had intentions of replacing the screen and passing it along. it came with no charger but fully charged.

I got it home run apple recovery download and install macOS Monterey set it up then open about this Mac and see its a base model 2020 MacBook Air - 256GB SSD 8GB Ram but the M1 Cpu. Download coconut battery and health is at 98.9% with 63 cycles. Keyboard has no wear nor does the case... SSD Power on hours only read 168.

Issue is the screen has these lines:
IMG_1742.jpeg

Should I take it apart? Absolutely! removed bottom case unplug battery and decided I'm just going to reset the cables for the screen. Plug everything back in boot it up and to my amazement:
IMG_1743 (1).jpeg


I tell you all of this to say this: When I replace screens on windows laptops - I usually go with just Amazon or eBay mid grade screens and I've never had one come back...
Apple on the other hand seems to have far superior displays but they also cost a lot more so I let the client know that I use OEM screens at a substantial cost though.

I never used a aftermarket Retina screen... But am thinking about it if the lines come back on this Air. I don't know if the cable is going out, or if there's a solder issue in the screen or maybe it was honestly just a questionable connection? I'm not sure. But any of you ever use aftermarket screens on an apple laptop? How was your outcome? Is it worth the risk?

Apple diagnostics give it a clean bill of health even when the screen had the lines.

My thoughts are to stick with a used OEM Apple Retina screen vs a new aftermarket screen.. This Air will be my new daily only because of the M1, 15 hours battery life and 2.7 lbs weight.

Thanks! :cool:
 
What did you snag that beast for?

Hope that fix is long term, I love the surprise repairs that end up not costing anything. I've had my fair share of repair calls where just showing up did the trick.
 
What did you snag that beast for?

Hope that fix is long term, I love the surprise repairs that end up not costing anything. I've had my fair share of repair calls where just showing up did the trick.
I believe in paying what "I" think the product is worth, esp with issues that I will have to repair. no OS, no charger, and lines on the screen. The seller was very easy to deal with and I gave them $290 cash. It was a gamble buying as I did with no known specs, no charger and no OS but am and was willing to invest the 400 plus for a new screen if need be. Same if it was a motherboard issue, so I take all that into account, before I offer.
 
How do you know it wasn't stolen?
Well at the end of the day i don't believe it was as because they formatted the SSD and did not remove it from their iCloud correctly it had activation lock when I went to set it up. They were able to call apple and remove it off iCloud in mins. as I said its always a gamble. The FB profile was 14 years old. They bought it new from apple and had it shipped to their home.. I do not think everyone is a bad person, and see the good in people and tend to believe their answers to questions. I have been doing this for many years, and knock on wood, every transaction was smooth.
 
Great find.

You probably have more experience in this field than any of us combined except may be 1 or 2 members. LOL!!!
 
I would use nothing but a genuine Apple screen for replacement.

That's especially true on any laptop newer than 2012 where it's virtually impossible to replace the panel independent of the entire top cover. I'm not even sure if it's possible on 2008-2012 laptops, and for that matter I've only attempted panel replacement a handful of times even on 1990s Macs.

The new ones have a lot of "magic" happening in that thin little screen assembly between(usually) WiFi/BT antennas, cameras, ALSs, magnets both to hold them closed and signal sleep, and everything else.

Good on saving this one. BTW, I'm sure you know this but never let lack of an OS deter you from buying a Mac. Everything since OS X 10.9 has been a free download, and on anything that supports internet recover(2010ish or so) which will either install the shipping OS or the newest OS the computer officially supports. Failing that, a lot of images can be downloaded from Apple and dumped on a flash drive, or Macintosh Garden has most of the older stuff(which can be burned to a DVD/written to a floppy depending on just how old it is).
 
I personally believe if you can find a "pull" from a used laptop it would be a better quality than a new aftermarket.

I wouldn't pay for a new screen from Apple.
 
You indeed got lucky that the seller agreed and cooperated with removing the iCloud lock from the device, and that they actually had proof of purchase with apple, because if they didn’t, their cooperation and willingness would’ve been for nothing.

I would say, iCloud lock is more of a gamble with apple products than the state of hardware nowadays.
 
I personally believe if you can find a "pull" from a used laptop it would be a better quality than a new aftermarket.

I wouldn't pay for a new screen from Apple.
likewise thinking. I will not use aftermarket screens on apple devices. Throw away windows laptops, yes.

I inform client of price difference and to date I've only had one client that wanted to go to cheaper route aftermarket once I explain the decrease in quality in life expectancy and all the other issues that come with aftermarket screens for Apple devices.

I was thinking of going aftermarket for this Air, but decided against it because I fixed the connection and was working great......, BUT You would never believe it, i closed the charger cable head in the laptop and it broke the screen :LOL:


So now I bought a used but OEM perfect condition screen and am waiting for it to be delivered.. Whole screen assyn was a very reasonable $128 for a used working pull from a small seller on eBay,, 150$ for just a OEM LCD if I wanted to replace the panel, but reuse the case, or $338 for new OEM apple screen assy..

Will install this week.
 
Good pulls from computers that have died for other reasons usually are a safe choice...that's what I would have done and especially over aftermarket as you say.
 
., BUT You would never believe it, i closed the charger cable head in the laptop and it broke the screen :LOL:
Daughter slap a laptop too fast and broke the screen the same way as well. I just never bother fixing it as it is not worth it (old laptop picked up in e-waste but the screen is like $200), told them to use another old monitor I picked up (19").
 
Success took about 25-30 minutes taking my time pretty easy replacement, and OEM apple screens is the way to go. 😉

That’s all folks 🙏
 

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