My screen is damaged

My Vostro 3550 decided to show this today. Not been mishandled or dropped and I don't remember trapping anything between the screen and keys when closing it last night. So I'm going to have a go at replacing the screen. I've checked some videos and it seems pretty straightforward as long as I'm careful.

All the screens I'm finding on ebay and other places are only glossy, but I think mine is matt, although it does give some reflection. So, does it matter getting a glossy screen?

All the screens I'm finding are compatibles at £39. Are compatibles ok, do they last? Is this ok, BRAND NEW DELL VOSTRO 3550 15.6" LED LAPTOP SCREEN LP156WH4 | eBay

I need to find out if mine is LED or LCD, and if the data connector is bottom left. Shall I not worry about that and just take it apart and use the part number to order?

 

Typically I've found that eBay screens listed for a specific laptop work fine... I wouldn't worry about glossy/matter if you don't care, just that the panel is compatible.

If you want to be absolutely sure of compatibility ordering by the part number is probably the best way to go, but you might pay a lot more.

Also LED and LCD are two separate and not necessarily mutually exclusive attributes of the panel.

 

Thanks mate. That's good then about the compatible screens, I'll order one.
The ebay link I linked above has the number LP156WH4, and on this screen replacement instruction video for the 3550, Laptop screen replacement / How to replace laptop screen Dell Vostro 3550 - YouTube he shows the same number on the back of his old removed screen (at 3:23), so I'm assuming I'll probably see the name number on the back of mine when I remove it. I won't order from Dell because as you say, it will no doubt be very expensive.

 

the part number you see on youtube may not be the same on yours,

Really if you want to be 100 % sure, take the back cover off your LCD panel and look at the part number.

Your going to have to open it up anyways.

 

Hi. I've finally gotten around to doing something about the screen as the cracking has gone further down the screen, looking somewhat like the san andreas fault right now, but still quite usable. I'll have a new screen by Wednesday. 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.