UPDATE with PICS - Replacing the screen on my Surface myself. How to adhere the new screen?

[fuzzybabybunny]

I'm going to try and replace the broken screen on my Surface 3 myself. Getting the screen off seems pretty straightforward and there are lots of guides on how to do this, but what do I need to buy or do to adhere the new screen to the chassis? Is there a specific kind of tape I should get, one that gets soft with heat? The replacement screen doesn't come with tape as far as I can tell.

 

[quikah]

I haven't replaced Surface screens, but the iPad screens I have replaced used double sided tape. ifixit.com has some (https://www.ifixit.com/Store/Tools/Tesa-61395-Tape/IF317-072-3) or you can look anywhere else. There are a bunch of different models of tape, you can probably trust the model that ifixit sells. From what I have seen the adhesive used on the surface is pretty excessive so you might be able to reuse it.

 

[SKORPI0]

Wouldn't it be better to let a person who does it for a profession fix it? He/she already has the tools and knowledge for the task in hand.
Not saying OP doesn't, but for the piece of mind I'd rather pay someone else to it.

 

[quikah]

Wouldn't it be better to let a person who does it for a profession fix it? He/she already has the tools and knowledge for the task in hand.
Not saying OP doesn't, but for the piece of mind I'd rather pay someone else to it.

It is not hard if you are replacing a broken screen, don't need to be too careful with the removal (just be aware of any cables). Taking a working screen off without breaking it can be tricky.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Wouldn't it be better to let a person who does it for a profession fix it? He/she already has the tools and knowledge for the task in hand.
Not saying OP doesn't, but for the piece of mind I'd rather pay someone else to it.

The cost for a processional repair is $300.

The cost of the device is $450.

The cost of the part is $185.

I figure that removing an already-broken screen shouldn't be too hard.

If the glass wasn't cracked I would not be attempting this since everyone says removing the glass on Surface devices almost always results in the glass cracking anyway. And I can see why - the glass my Surface uses is just brittle as shit. My phone fell *one foot* onto the screen and that's what led to the crack that completely destroyed touch sensitivity and stylus function.

I'm repairing this until I can get a new detachable 2-in-1 with LTE and discrete graphics and thunderbolt. So far such a device doesn't exist.

 

[SKORPI0]

Update on how it goes, and take before and after pics. Time lapse video? TIA.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Sorry, I didn't take many photos, but I've removed the screen, and it's so screwed. From a manufacturing perspective I can't think of a worse way to design a device such that:

- repairability is as costly as possible due to having to break things in the process of the repair.

- as environmentally UN-friendly as possible because there is no way to re-use perfectly fine components nor can you separate out parts for recycling

There is a strip of very strong adhesive around the perimeter of the chassis (see pics). One side of the adhesive is attached to the aluminum chassis and the other side is attached to the *1mm thin* glass of the screen.

So the glass is guaranteed to break as you're removing it from the chassis, and what's worse is the glass is permanently glued to the LCD and digitizer (pics), so you have to throw out a perfectly usable 1080p IPS LCD screen with awesome colors and viewing angles because you can't remove the broken glass layer that's glued to it. The glue literally covers the entire surface area of the screen. It would be nice to use it for something else like a secondary external display or something, but you can't due to the glass permanently adhered to it.

And even if you managed to remove all the glass from the LCD, there's going to be glue residue EVERYWHERE on the screen. From an IFixIt thread:

"The problem is that to seperate the LCD screen from the digitizer you should really use a heated vacuum machine or you will have to break the old glass and remove it piece by piece to avoid prying on the screen. Then you have to clean all the glue off of the old screen perfectly, which requires caustic chemical solvents like N-Hexane. Then apply the correct clear adhesive called LOCA, which requires UV lights to cure. Then finally reglue the screen to the new digitizer, which you should use a specially designed mold to line up the screen perfectly and a vacuum press or laminate machine so you don't end up with very visible bubbles and/or debris particles in between the two. TL;DR, a DIYer is NOT equipped to do this properly."

This glue along the edge is so completely unnecessary from a design perspective. There are *plenty* of empty spots between the interior components to install standoffs so you can have it all secured together using screws without making the device any thicker. In fact, the amount of empty space inside is kind of mind-boggling.

And the batteries are glued in as well with super-secure adhesive.

Just.... GUHHHHH

Black double sided tape around the perimeter:

Tape along the 1mm thin glass skirt:

Glue adhering the glass to the LCD, which is otherwise fine.

Glue leaves a thick residue everywhere on the LCD screen.

LCD is perfectly fine.

 

[quikah]

Yeah, the fused display to the touchscreen reduces parallax. iPad Air2 and iPad pro are like this. iPad Air still had separate touchscreen, so it is easy to replace. The new iPad removed the fused display to reduce cost.

Most of the higher end tablets/touchscreen laptops use fused displays AFAIK.

 

[sdifox]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Microsoft-...epid=0&hash=item1a4cff32b2:g:d2UAAOSw8Pda32-l

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Microsoft-...epid=0&hash=item1a4cff32b2:g:d2UAAOSw8Pda32-l

The reason I got this is because it's the only affordable Windows 2-in-1 that I could find with LTE built in. If I didn't have the LTE requirement life would be so easy.

 

[sdifox]

The reason I got this is because it's the only affordable Windows 2-in-1 that I could find with LTE built in. If I didn't have the LTE requirement life would be so easy.

it's not a module that plugs in?

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

it's not a module that plugs in?

Module? Nope. Built-in. Same with the GPS.

The only other option would be a separate LTE hotspot, but then I miss out on the GPS.

 

[Insomniator]

I'm sure if they added 1mm of space the thing could be designed differently, but then all the reviews would call it FAT.

The answer is don't drop it in the first place. These are not repairable devices.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

I'm sure if they added 1mm of space the thing could be designed differently, but then all the reviews would call it FAT.

The answer is don't drop it in the first place. These are not repairable devices.

I didn't drop it. My phone fell one foot onto the screen and smashed it.

And it doesn't need any extra thickness to have screws. Like I said, there is a LOT of empty space inside the chassis. And you can compare it to similar detachable 2-in-1s from other brands that are just as thin but still have screws or utilize clips instead of adhesive.

Glue is simply lazy-ass design.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

I replaced the screen and it was trivial. Bought one from eBay that had the tape included. This time around I chose to use less tape than what was originally on it (black strips in the photos).

The problem with the Surface, even the newest ones out right now, is that the glass sits absolutely flush with the aluminum chassis. The aluminum chassis has an edge that wraps around the glass with absolutely no space in between, which means that any kind of drop will deform the aluminum inwards and immediately place acute and lasting pressure on the glass.

If you look at other designs such as the Asus Q325, there is a rubber gasket between the aluminum chassis and the glass, so there is an inherent shock absorber between the aluminum and the glass should deformation occur.

And it doesn't take much to deform aluminum.

So the Surface is basically designed in a way to gaurantee glass destruction should deformation of the aluminum occur.

 

[SKORPI0]

Nice. How much was the screen?

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Nice. How much was the screen?

$190. So saved $100+ by going DIY and I recycled the old screen at a Best Buy.

 

[SKORPI0]

ooops, wrong thread.

 

[SKORPI0]

Again....

 

[Raduque]

My phone fell *one foot* onto the screen and that's what led to the crack that completely destroyed touch sensitivity and stylus function.

I thought somebody threw your backpack with the Surface in it?

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

I thought somebody threw your backpack with the Surface in it?

That was a separate edge crack that didn't end up affecting the function of the device. At first I thought it did, but then I ran some screen calibration software and it was fine.

The phone falling on the screen was the most recent incident that truly made the device close to unusable.

 

[Raduque]

That makes sense. And yes, these devices are sometimes ridiculously fragile. I had mine laying on the bed next to me while I was playing A Link Between Worlds (using it as a map/reference) and I guess I nudged it or hit it with my arm or elbow, because when I picked it up again (keep in mind it never left the bed) the screen was cracked from the Windows button to the camera.

How difficult was it to remove the existing adhesive? I plan on replacing mine soon, but there's no priority since I was just handed down an older touchscreen laptop.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

That makes sense. And yes, these devices are sometimes ridiculously fragile. I had mine laying on the bed next to me while I was playing A Link Between Worlds (using it as a map/reference) and I guess I nudged it or hit it with my arm or elbow, because when I picked it up again (keep in mind it never left the bed) the screen was cracked from the Windows button to the camera.

How difficult was it to remove the existing adhesive? I plan on replacing mine soon, but there's no priority since I was just handed down an older touchscreen laptop.

It was difficult. I used a hair dryer, a few guitar picks, and a spudger. Absolutely anticipate cracking the screen like crazy as the glass is pretty thin. Afterwards I used a knife to scrape off the remaining adhesive, of which there was a lot. Total time was about an hour just for removal. Also anticipate filing away some aluminum if you have an edge that's bent in because like I said, the glass is flush with the aluminum so the new screen will not fit if aluminum is bent inwards, even by a millimeter.

My advice is to ignore it unless the touch response is no longer working due to the crack, because removing the screen probably means you're going to completely and utterly destroy it. And if the touch isn't working, first try to calibrate the screen using CalibG4.

BTW I was able to recycle the old screen at a Best Buy.

 

[Raduque]

Pen works on the left half, but the right half is completely dead. No touch, and if it gets enabled (thanks Windows Update!) you can see phantom touches along the crack.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Pen works on the left half, but the right half is completely dead. No touch, and if it gets enabled (thanks Windows Update!) you can see phantom touches along the crack.

Give Calib4G a try if you haven't already.