Google Nexus 4 for €30 with slightly cracked and totally unresponsive screen... worth ?

[Olagine]

So currently I have a Samsung Galaxy Trend Plus which has a cracked screen (a digitzer from eBay costs €6) but I don't want to replace it as it's running pretty slowly now, many apps don't work or have a lot of lag..

I was checking some phones on a website similar to Craigslist, but in Ireland, and I found a Google Nexus 4 with a slightly cracked screen and totally unresponsive screen for €30 and a new digitzer costs a little over €4 on eBay... 

Now, I'm asking you guys if it's worth getting this phone and trying to fix it, or just ditch it completely ?

Thanks

[iBabySlapper]

So I'm guessing you're really tight on money.

If so, why not? You'll get decent use out of that for at least six months or more.

But if you have a bit more money, why not get a cheap chinese phone? Those have pretty decent specs for quite cheap.

[Olagine]

I don't really trust cheap Chinese phones. My brother had one and a friend bought two and they didn't last too long. And I just don't want to spend lots of money on a smartphone, as it is JUST a smartphone. And the Nexus 4 pretty much fills my needs ;p

[iBabySlapper]

Then why not? Just don't forget eye protection, you don't want gorilla glass in your eyes! (Speaking from personal experience)

[Olagine]

Alright.. I'll see tomorrow Oh and btw, have you ordered a screen replacement from places like China and Hong Kong ? If so, was the screen fine, or was there a big difference ? 

[iDeFecZx]

Why not just get something like a working S3 Mini for like £50?

[Olagine]

Because the Nexus 4 literally beats the living crap out of the S3 Mini and it's a very tiny upgrade from the Trend Plus ;p 

 

http://www.phonearena.com/phones/compare/Google-Nexus-4,Samsung-Galaxy-S-III-mini,Samsung-Galaxy-Trend-Plus/phones/7531,7536,8239

Edited June 18, 2016 by Olagine

[dalekphalm]

https://www.ifixit.com/Store/Parts/Nexus-4-GSM-Display-Assembly/IF281-007-1

 

You can get a replacement screen (and instructions) from ifixit.com. They're currently out of stock on the "A-Stock" grade replacement screen, but they do have the "B-Stock" grade screen. I don't know how big the difference between them is.

 

You can always of course buy replacement parts from eBay, etc, but the quality and warranty of said parts would be incredibly variable.

[Olagine]

Thanks Already found a video of how to disassemble it, but tbh I didn't know that iFixit sells replacement parts ;p

 

[dalekphalm]

15 minutes ago, Olagine said:

Thanks Already found a video of how to disassemble it, but tbh I didn't know that iFixit sells replacement parts ;p

 

They sell parts for a TON of different phones. They also sell tools if you're missing anything crucial.

[Sauron]

It depends, if you are confident you can fix it go for it

[Olagine]

 

2 minutes ago, Sauron said:

It depends, if you are confident you can fix it go for it

I'm confident about getting everything disassembled and reassembled properly, it's just that I'm not sure if it's the screen's fault or something else  

 

[Sauron]

1 minute ago, Olagine said:

 

I'm confident about getting everything disassembled and reassembled properly, it's just that I'm not sure if it's the screen's fault or something else  

 

if the screen is cracked that's most likely the problem

[dalekphalm]

1 minute ago, Olagine said:

 

I'm confident about getting everything disassembled and reassembled properly, it's just that I'm not sure if it's the screen's fault or something else  

 

 

1 minute ago, Sauron said:

if the screen is cracked that's most likely the problem

Agreed - though if the screen itself is unresponsive to touch, that sounds like the Digitizer. The digitizer comes together with the glass screen as part of the Display Assembly - so as long as he doesn't just buy the glass, he should be good.

[iBabySlapper]

1 hour ago, Olagine said:

Alright.. I'll see tomorrow Oh and btw, have you ordered a screen replacement from places like China and Hong Kong ? If so, was the screen fine, or was there a big difference ? 

I do have experience with this, and the answer will be there is a difference.

I got a replacement screen for a Xperia Z1 a couple of years ago, and that one was even worse than the Z1s original screen, which is saying something.