What Decides the Price of a Custom LCD Module
Samples 5 pcs; production MOQ 100 pcs for catalogue models and 1,000 pcs for fully custom modules; lead time 10-20 days. We do not publish a price list, because the same model can be quoted several different ways depending on the six factors below - this page explains what moves the number, not what the number is.
NRE and tooling: what triggers it
Non-recurring engineering and tooling cost apply when the glass itself changes - a new outline size or shape, a custom segment layout, or a new touch sensor pattern. They do not apply to changes that keep the same glass: FPC length, connector type, backlight brightness or colour, cover glass thickness or surface treatment, and driver IC selection within what the glass already supports. Tooling cost is always quoted separately from the per-piece price, so you can see what is one-off and what recurs on every order.
Why the MOQ tiers are 5 pcs / 100 pcs / 1,000 pcs
Samples (5 pcs) let you qualify a part before committing to anything. Standard catalogue items (100 pcs) reflect the minimum run that makes sense on glass we already stock. Fully custom tooling (1,000 pcs) reflects the minimum volume that makes new tooling cost worth amortising into the piece price rather than charging it as a separate line. None of the three is arbitrary - each is the point below which the alternative (charging tooling separately, or running a smaller batch) becomes the better deal for you.
What pushes the unit price up
| Factor | Direction | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Brightness | Higher brightness costs more | More backlight LEDs or higher drive current, and sometimes a different backlight driver |
| Touch | Added cost over a bare panel | A separate bonding step - capacitive usually costs more than resistive; optical bonding costs more than air-gap |
| Interface | Varies by complexity, not a simple ranking | A smart serial module costs more per unit than a bare panel because the controller and firmware are built in - see our smart serial versus bare TFT guide |
| Wide operating temperature | Costs more than standard range | Different glass seal, sealant and backlight driving to hold performance at -30 °C or colder |
| Cover glass and surface treatment | Adds cost over no cover glass | Extra material and process step; AR coating costs more than AG |
| Low quantity within a tier | Higher unit price near the bottom of a tier | Fixed setup costs spread across fewer pieces |
Sample versus production price
A sample is nearly always priced higher per piece than production - it carries the same setup effort as a production run, spread across a handful of units instead of hundreds or thousands. That gap narrows as your production quantity approaches your sample quantity, and effectively disappears once you are ordering at the standard or custom tier. Treat a wide sample-to-production gap as normal, not as a sign the production price is inflated.
Get a specific number
Everything above explains direction, not amount - the fastest way to an actual price is the same six parameters as always: screen size, resolution, interface, brightness/environment, touch requirement and annual quantity.
Cost - questions
Can you just give me a price list?
No, because the same model number can be quoted three different ways depending on brightness, touch option, cover glass and quantity - a price list would be wrong for most buyers who read it. Send your specification and quantity and we return a firm price, usually within one working day.
What is the cheapest way to get a working sample?
A catalogue model close to your requirement, at 5 pcs sample MOQ, with no tooling cost - even if it needs a small FPC or connector change afterwards, that is usually cheaper and faster than starting from a custom drawing.
Does a higher quantity always lower the unit price?
Usually, but the bigger effect is which tier you are in: below 100 pcs you are on sample pricing; above 1,000 pcs tooling amortises across more pieces. The jump between tiers matters more than incremental volume within one.
Why do two visually identical panels cost different amounts?
Usually one of: brightness tier, touch and cover glass spec, driver IC, or whether the glass is a stocked size versus tooled specifically for that outline - see the sections above for how each moves the price.
Get a firm quotation
Send the six parameters and we return a unit price at your quantity, tooling cost stated separately if any, and a schedule.