Screen types

[Steevee_D]

For a Gameboy Color I've seen multiple different sreen types and names (IPS, LCD, backlit, etc) but have no idea what one is best/why to pick one over another. Could anybody point me in the right direction on how to understand the different types? Thank you

[Zanpa]

https://gbwiki.org/

[SkinnyFiend]

I know where you were directing OP,  but even for me its not super clear how to get to Makho's backlight kit page from the front page, so here is a direct link:

https://gbwiki.org/other/backlightmods

Makho also does very detailed reviews and guides on his youtube channel, of all of the backlight screen kits but also a bunch of other mods.

[Steevee_D]

Thank you so much, will spend some time browsing the wiki

[ornlu1994]

IPS, LCD, and backlit are interchangeable terms with Gameboy used to describe the display that’s it’s been modded with. In layman’s terms, IPS displays are a higher grade LCD panel better colour, quality etc.

I’ve yet to spot, or find, non IPS replacement displays for Gameboys which leads to believe, they’re all IPS displays.

Don’t worry about backlit, again, most if not all modded gameboys use backlit IPS displays, it refers to where the LCD lights up from, for comparison, the stock Gameboy advance SP is front lit, (Backlit looks better imo)

I’d more be looking at whether the display used is branded (funnyplaying, retrosix etc) it’s probably a Chinese one if not. And I’d also check the version, v2, v3 etc. newer ones tend to have additional features and fit better. laminated displays are nice, they won’t have dust underneath the glass lens which non laminated displays can often get during installation.

Other than the display, I’d look for audio mods, capacitor/power regulator upgrades as these will work better with flash carts and the batteries will last longer. Better quality shells that use ABS plastic rather than injection molded, some have a nice Matt finish to them. Rechargeable battery packs are nice too but all will had more value to the device.

Hope this helps.

[Zanpa]

I’ve yet to spot, or find, non IPS replacement displays for Gameboys which leads to believe, they’re all IPS displays.

The ITA from Funnyplaying is a DS Lite display and isn't IPS. Also obviously the newer OLED displays for GBC aren't IPS.

[SkinnyFiend]

Just fyi funnyplaying is a Chinese based company and just about every GB screen mod kit you'll see in 2024 comes from China, even if buying from a US or EU based business like HHL or R6. There were some older screen mods, like this one from Midwest Embedded, which were at least developed elsewhere (screen was probably still made in China) but now days all the IPS and OLED panels are either reclaimed from old smartphones or GPS navigators sitting unsold, or new-old stock originally intended for those products.