uBreakiFix - Phone and Computer Repair — Local services in Knoxville

While I am sure the store's technicians are perfectly capable of repairing most phones, laptops, and other devices, DO NOT go to this location for repairs on any Samsung Galaxy Fold or Flip phone. Although corporate uBreakiFix is technically a Samsung authorized repair partner, the same cannot be said for independently-owned franchises (which I assume this store is given my experiences with them). Here's the Tl;dr: they don't seem confidently capable or interested in repairing these phones and more times than not in my experience haven't had the parts in stock to repair these phones.

Long background story:

In December 2021, Samsung support recommended contacting a local uBreakiFix to replace the hinge and display on my then brand new Fold 3. With three uBreakiFix stores in Knoxville, this was the closest to my house. I called them and was told they did not do that kind of repair. I called Samsung support back, they didn't believe me that an authorized repair partner would say that, put me on hold, called the store themselves, then told me to send the phone directly back to Samsung for repair.

In July 2021, the factory screen protector began to separate from the inner display (an unfortunately common issue with Galaxy Folds & Flips after 5-7 months of use). After calling the other 2 uBreakiFix locations (who did not have a screen protector in stock) I reluctantly called this location who did have a protector in stock. However, when I returned later in the day and paid the $50 for the repair I noticed the protector they installed was defective - an area on the bottom right of the protector was warped and there was some kind of residue or film on the top left. But I kept the protector (was going on a family vacation to the beach and did not want to leave without some protection on the phone). The protector wore out four months later and I had to have it replaced for another $50 at the uBreakiFix in Powell.

In June 2023, with the December 2022 screen protector wearing out I brought the phone back to this location. The technician refused to replace the screen protector because the phone (like may Fold 3s this far into their use life) has a slight bend and does not sit flat when opened. The technician said they were concerned that placing the phone in the jig could put too much pressure on the phone and break the display. Mind you, as he said this I held the phone unfolded in both hands showing that it folds flat with just a little bit of force and the display is perfectly fine. But, liability issues I suppose. Regardless, the phone open to the same angle when I had the screen protector replaced in December at a...

My experience with this ubreakifix location has been one frustration after another. It started when I went to a location in Chattanooga with a problem, and they got the problem diagnosed within a 48 hours of getting my computer, and charged me $65. Because I was going back to school and didn't have time to wait for them to fix it and then ship it to me, I asked if I could get a quote and take it to another location. (The quote was $100 total) I was told that I could. I then took my computer to this location and was told that, while they already had my name, phone number, and computer in the system, they somehow didn't weren't able to accept my quote, and had to charge me another $65 to give me a second diagnosis. I was then encouraged to get Asurion Home Plus, which cost $30, but would save me $30 on any future repairs. I agreed, and handed over my computer. It took them a FULL WEEK to diagnose the problem that the other location had gotten in two days. Afterwards, I was given a second quote to fix the problem. I was told that it would be $100 total, same as before. I gave them the go-ahead and after waiting almost another week, gave them a call on Friday, asking when it might be ready. I was told that the part would arrive by the end of the day on Friday. Another call the following Monday revealed that the part was not, in fact, delivered on Friday, but instead had not yet arrived. On Tuesday, I recieved a call that my computer was ready for pickup. When I picked it up, I found that I was being charged $120, which was more than the two quotes I had gotten, and told that without Asurion Home Plus, the price would have been closer to $150. As if that weren't bad enough, there's now a red line running down the screen of my computer, but hey. At least the original problem was fixed. (also, when I got my computer back, it had an object stuck to the screen that under my inspection appears to be a dried booger.) No part of this has gone remotely right, I've been charged $85 more than I was supposed to pay, I'm expected to have a computer for my classes and I haven't had mine for two weeks, and now there's dead pixels...

I’ve used these guys before and had good experiences. They are always polite and they are very familiar with the common issues with cell phones and they have been cheaper than other places when I gave comparison shopped by phone in things like screen replacement, battery replacement, screen protectors, etc. I recommend them.

Most recently I had trouble with the charge port on my iPhone SE. When I called UbreakiFix at University Commons next to the UT campus, the guy told me that it could just be lint in the port, that I could bring it in and they would clean it for free. If that didn’t fix it, he said they had the part in stock to repair it for $59.99. I assured him that I had already cleaned it, it wasn’t lint and it needed the repair. When I took it in the next day, the guy (not sure if it was the same person in he phone) took it to the back and reappeared two minutes later and said it was fixed - he had cleaned lint out of the port! He plugged it in and I wiggled the cord every which way and it worked perfectly. I guess my charge port cleaning skills are below par. He told me they used compressed air and a special pair of tweezers.

Anyway, my phone is working again and it didn’t cost me anything but a trip to the shop. I was going to the Commons for lunch at Sylvia’s anyway, so I guess even the the trip to the...