Replacing Macbook screen - do I need the exact same screen?

[rsheridan6]

I have a cracked LCD on my MacBook and I am going to replace it. I was never too thrilled with the screen (Chi Mei N133i1-L01 Rev.C2), not that it's terrible, but other posts here say that the LG Philips LP133WX1 is the best, so I thought I'd ask whether it was ok to put the LG in. They cost about the same. Would that cause any technical or warranty problems? I have AppleCare protection.

If it's not ok to swap brands of screens, what about the different versions of the Chi Mei? There are several similar models available: http://www.screentekinc.com/search-lcd-screen.shtml?lcds_product=n133i1
Does it have to be the same down to the Rev. C2?

 

[vr4playa]

First post here, woo hoo!!!

Screentek is good but WAY OVERPRICED... I paid $350 for an LCD for my ol' Compaq laptop...

As for the Macbook the story is... put it under the seat in my car when I went to the gym, slid the seat over to keep it out of site, when I took it inside later to turn on noticed some scratches on the back and then opened it up and screen was cracked

talked to the smug snob at the "Genius Bar" at the local Apple store(looked like Niles from Frasier) and told me that the scratches on the back were enough to show that it was my fault and not a faulty design(so AppleCare wouldn't cover), which I understand, but still wasn't happy about... quoted at $600 + labor....

so I got this one...

http://cgi.ebay.com/BRAND-NEW-APPLE...007QQitemZ170219117940QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

and 6 months later still happy with it

 

[rsheridan6]

That ebay auction doesn't even say which manufacturer made your new screen, so either either you were lucky or it doesn't matter.. does anybody else know anything different?

 

[vr4playa]

not sure if I caught the name on the back, but it looks very similar to the OEM and I correct myself... it's been 8 months so far... which btw I had a flickering problem with the original screen(didn't happen often... but something I have yet to experience with this one)...

as for being "lucky", seller has more than 99% positive feedback and checked some of the negative and one was someone in Great Britain who complained about paying an import tax, lol, when I was in Vienna last Spring(study abroad) and got the screen for the Compaq from Screentek I paid like 50 Euros in import tax....

 

[ktbubster]

if it says it's compatible with the macbook and it's from a reputable seller you should be fine. Now... i tried to find a matte screen that would work and THAT was close to impossible without knowing the screen numbers... but i ended up getting one from ebay for 140 as well that said it was for the macbook and it worked like a charm... I'd go that route. It doesn't matter as long as the connections and holes for the screws are the same - which any good feedback seller that is selling for the macbook specifically should be good about.

I'm sure there are some that are better then others, but it doesn't really matter. More expensive isn't neccessarily better.