The OLED Burn-In Test: 15-Month Update

[Scorpus]

We're back with another OLED monitor burn-in update! After 15 months of heavy static use on our MSI 4K QD-OLED, it's time to check how the display is holding up under worst-case conditions.

Read the full article here.

The OLED Burn-In Test: 15-Month Update

 

[WhiteLeaff]

This problem would be more tolerable if OLED panels weren't so much more expensive than IPS ones.

 

[Prosercunus]

I have the Alienware Ultrawide OLED 32" for 2 years now. No burn-in, just use the normal pixel refresh and shift features, and my monitor goes to sleep if I walk away from my desk for a minute. No other precautions.

Plenty of static split screen usages and gaming usage. I am using it for the intended purpose, not something you want to buy if you have code or what not sitting on your screen, statically, for hours at a time.

 

[godrilla]

5 years later my CX 48 inches still going strong.

 

[BlackyNoir]

I'm using my monitor for longer than Tim is. Despite his warnings, this is absolutely not an outrage usecase:

- Lots of people use the same computer, and monitor, for work AND play, leading to lots of hours.
- Leaving it unattended regularly enough and long enough to let it trigger self cleaning is not a reasonable ask.
- Automatic brightness adjustment is a pain on a monitor.
- The disappearing Windows taskbar is also a pain, being slow and needing windows to readjust, and back and forth and back and forth again.
- The screensaver could easily be added and isn't a problem, but for almost constant use it wouldn't trigger that often, just a few times a day and maybe for longer for lunch breaks, ok.

I have been using CRT, TN and IPS monitors for over 45 years, I never saw degradation as fast and as strong as this. Even on bargain bin cheap CRT.

OLED might be fine for a TV used as a TV, but for a monitor this is really bad. I expect my monitor to last at least 10 years without an issue, like those in the past; and for over 1K€ I expect stellar quality all this time.

If those big 4K 240Hz OLED monitors were say 2 or 300€ that would be one thing, buy one every 3 or 4 years to get all the benefits of OLED, maybe. An ecological nightmare, but ok. But at this price? Come on.

And all manufacturers know this. Since all their warranties are quite small. In my country there's a 2 years legal coverage, so in fact and in practice the vast majority of OLED monitors have no actual warranties over the legal minimum. Should tell us all we need to know about manufacturers confidence in their products.

 

[fraggleki]

Still planning on getting an OLED for my gaming monitor. I'll continue using my IPS for productivity, web browser, etc. I have an OLED tv already and haven't noticed any burn in within the last 2 years but I'm very careful. Wallpaper kicks in within 2 mins and tv turns off after 10 mins of no activity.

 

[casteve]

My use case is ~ 4 hours a day/7 days a week of static images + windowed gaming. So, half of this test case. No way would I buy an OLED that only lasts for 3-4 years b4 burn-in becomes annoying.

Too bad the monitor manufacturers are all in on OLED...

 

[yRaz]

At this point, I'm willing to switch to OLED because they are getting close to commodity prices. I'll pay ~$200/year for an OLED. yeah, I know, e-waste an all that jazz, but it isn't like the rest of the world cares about ewaste so what is me throwing away an OLED every 4-5 years gonna do to impact that?

 

[EvilRebar]

7 months in on a first-gen QD-OLED, typically running in HDR mode on desktop and in games. I mostly work out of the office, so my desktop monitor is maybe WFH one day a week with evening/weekend scrolling and games.

So far nothing is detectable, and I have 2.5 years left of burn-in warranty.

 

[yRaz]

7 months in on a first-gen QD-OLED, typically running in HDR mode on desktop and in games. I mostly work out of the office, so my desktop monitor is maybe WFH one day a week with evening/weekend scrolling and games.

So far nothing is detectable, and I have 2.5 years left of burn-in warranty.

But only at 200 nits, that's 30% under standard

 

[EvilRebar]

OLED might be fine for a TV used as a TV, but for a monitor this is really bad. I expect my monitor to last at least 10 years without an issue, like those in the past; and for over 1K€ I expect stellar quality all this time.

No one buys cutting edge gaming hardware with a 10 year use case; wait a few years for longevity to be ironed out.

You just bought a bad fit to your use case.

 

[p51d007]

When we had CRT's, everyone used a screensaver to prevent the CRT from burn in.
Then, LCD's, LED's came along and a lot of people stopped using them.
Now, with OLED's I guess it's time to go back to screensavers. /sarcasm

 

[daffy duck]

This proves exactly what most of us knew. Current OLED tech is pathetic for productivity. When we get TANDEM panels and phosphorescent dyes we might get there. But in the interim Sony's non OLED, RGB-Led tech sounds very nice.

Until we are getting 7 year burn-in warranties I won't be touching one. IPS Black and/or mini-led is far far better choice for productivity and given you can easily get 4K 144Hz monitors they are super for gaming too.

 

[BlackyNoir]

No one buys cutting edge gaming hardware with a 10 year use case; wait a few years for longevity to be ironed out.

OLED screens have been on phones since 2000. Samsung had an OLED TV for sale in 2005. In 2010, DuPont officially stated they can produce 50in OLED TV under two minutes each.
This is far from "cutting edge".

Second, it's not how they are sold. I have zero problem with a company advertizing "ok, we got this cutting edge thing, it has practical infinite contrast and true blacks and much faster switching and real HDR, but if used too much or if used for static content like it's only going to last some months without defects, here are the details to see if this product is for you". That's fine. That's cutting edge. And not fraud. The exact same way Ferrari doesn't advertise owning one of their car make your grocery shopping trip faster.

But that's not how these monitors are advertised and sold.