Purchased used note 8 with weird marks inside the screen along the top and bottom. Please help me.

[loopylulu]

I had a galaxy note 4 for 3 years and then it started to freeze with potential cpu problems. According to the internet there is a class action lawsuit due to this specific issue. I had to get a new phone. Money is tight so I took a chance and purchased a used note 8 off Kijiji. I met with the seller and they ensured me everything was fine. I checked the imei online and did sensor and screen tests and s pen tests. So far the phone is great. Very fast. The only thing that is bothering me that even the seller could not tell me is there are a series of markings under the screen, clearly not damage, along the top and bottom. There is also a code at the top left most corner of the screen, D8AD9. I have attached photographs of these weird markings. I luckily have my own microscope and when I looked at the markings and code they were all deposited under the screen in the same silver material. I went back and forth through email with the seller through Kijiji, they eventually gave me their email address so I could send them photos. As far as I can tell the seller seems to be genuine in their explanation. He got it 2 years ago from a friend who worked at samsung. He said the phone is flawless and those markings have been there since day one. I took it to a few different cell phone places and one said it was screen deterioration but clearly it is not as I looked under the microscope. The other had never seem this before and said could be a really good fake or replacement screen or a samsung intro or demo model. I looked at videos on YouTube to figure out if it is a fake and so far the phone seems genuine. Please look at the photos and give me your honest opinion. The seller said they never replaced the screen. I hope I did not get scammed. Thank you.

 

[Rukbat]

All I can make out, aside from some dust particles or photo defects, are icons. Maybe it's my eyes (I'm 77, but I have 20/25 vision, and I was wearing reading glasses when I looked at the screen very closely), or maybe you need to get some better pictures to show us.

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! I can see the markings. So they're present even when the screen or the phone are turned off, correct?

If it was obtained from someone who worked at Samsung, then it could very well be an internal test model. If you run an app like CPU-Z, what CPU does it report? If it's anything besides Qualcomm or Samsung (i.e., if it says MediaTek), then it's a knockoff.

 

[loopylulu]

Yes they are there when turned off. I checked cpu-z and it came back Qualcomm. I guess most likely internal test model then. Does that mean it could have problems? Never seen this before. Thanks for your assistance.

 

[B. Diddy]

I doubt there would be any problems. It's not like it's a prototype. Who knows, maybe you'll end up finding some snazzy engineer-only feature that was meant for the Samsung developers!

 

[loopylulu]

Can you suggest the best way to test the screen and s-pen itself to ensure they are running as they should. Are the self tests built into the phone good enough or should I use something else. Thanks

 

[B. Diddy]

Not sure about that. Let me check with some of the other Ambassadors who are familiar with Samsung phones, like @mustang7757 and @SpookDroid.

 

[SpookDroid]

No idea what those are. The self tests should be enough, and you can always play a video to check that you have no screen issues. But it looks like it shouldn't matter for the phone's operation.

 

[mustang7757]

I've never seen a Samsung phone like that, might of been a prototype or fake phone but not 100 percent certain .

 

[anon(7901790)]

Could it be a 3rd party replacement display?