Hi Nosoup,
have you noticed if they are always in the same spot on your monitor?

 

Yes, I've noticed that they are generally in the same spots. The patterns stay constant, i believe...it's just that they pixels aren't always lit. They come and go based on something I can't detect. It changes really rapidly when I'm scrolling down webpages.

I've also noticed that they dont' show up when I'm playing games. I haven't tried it in window mode, but when the game is full-screen, no lit pixels (just the occasional flickering). But, on webpages, lit pixel city.

 

nosoup, i had a stuck pixel on a hp monitor a couple of years ago and the 'pressure method worked for me to ....well ...unstick it lol. if you want to have a go with it, here are instructions for that and various other methods you can try.
http://www.wikihow.com/Fix-a-Stuck-Pixel-on-an-LCD-Monitor
let me know if it works for you.

 

i tried using the software with no success.

I've also monitored my video card, and it's running at a solid temperature...55-65C

 

is there any other way to check whether this is due to a problem w/ my video card or my monitor than by replacing a single piece to see if the problem persists?

I've noticed that what happens on web pages is that it will start with one problematic pixel. And when I scroll up or down with the wheel, it will form patterns of pixels at even increments along the same vertical line. However, when I pull down on the scroll bar, and move it up and down, it will almost form lines. It's like the dead/stuck pixel is creating imprints on other parts of the screen/webpage.