OLED displays are beautiful to look at and expensive, but you might be surprised to learn they can suffer from “burn-in” or permanent image retention. How prevalent is this issue, and should you worry about it?
What Is OLED Burn-in?
OLED stands for Organic Light Emitting Diode. Because the materials used in the construction of these panels are organic, they degrade over time. OLED is a self-emissive technology, which means no backlight is required. Each pixel generates its own light, which will gradually dim over the course of a product’s lifespan.
OLED burn-in (or permanent image retention) refers to this gradual degradation of pixels. Burn-in isn’t unique to OLED displays—CRTs, LCDs, and plasmas are all susceptible to some degree.
The permanent image retention on OLED displays is caused by the uneven degradation of the pixels of which the display is comprised. It occurs when a particular set of pixels degrade at a different rate than those around them.
Static images or graphics on a screen majorly contribute to this issue. This includes logos displayed in the corner while watching some TV channels, rolling news banners, or the area in which the scoreboard appears when watching sports.
But, just to be clear, watching five hours of sports on a Sunday isn’t going to give your OLED screen burn-in. However, the cumulative effect of watching the same sports channel over an extended period of time might.
The same is true for anything that leaves static elements on-screen for a long time. The HUD of a video game, the Windows taskbar, the arrivals board at an airport, and so on, could all be culprits.
Vary Your Watching Habits
If you’re concerned about burn-in, you might want to avoid buying an OLED display. However, if you simply can’t resist (and who would blame you?), there are a few precautions you can take to avoid this issue.
The first thing you can do is vary your watching habits. This will enable the pixels to wear down more evenly, so you never overwork one area of the screen. Of course, this makes OLED displays unsuitable for some people.
For example, if you leave your TV on a rolling news channel all day, OLED is a bad choice. The same is true if you want to use one as a computer monitor that displays static icons and taskbars all day. If you play the same video game obsessively every day, OLED is also a bad choice.
Conversely, if you watch a range of TV channels or play a variety of video games, an OLED display will be fine. Likewise, if you don’t leave static images on your computer monitor for prolonged periods, an OLED will also be fine.
To some people, the idea that you would have to “nurse” your TV to avoid developing permanent image retention sounds like a raw deal. The higher price of OLEDs compared to LCD panels doesn’t help, either.
For others, though, the inky blacks and (theoretically) infinite contrast ratio make the babysitting worth it.
There are lots of other factors that go into deciding whether you should buy an OLED or a traditional LED-lit TV. For example, an OLED panel won’t get anywhere near as bright as the brightest LED sets. However, due to the “perfect” blacks, they don’t necessarily need to.
Plus, even if you do watch a lot of the same content, there’s no guarantee you’ll have to deal with permanent image retention. Even if the pixels dowear down unevenly, you might not notice it during regular viewing.
Test patterns and solid color blocks are useful for spotting OLED burn-in, but they aren’t necessarily representative of normal usage.
Current OLEDs Are Less Prone to Burn-In
LG Display is the only company manufacturing OLED panels. If you see a Sony or Panasonic TV using an OLED panel, it was still made by LG Display. Over the years, the company has refined the manufacturing process to make more resilient screens at lower prices.
Older OLED displays used separate, colored pixels. However, manufacturers soon realized that different colored subpixels aged at different rates, particularly blue and red. LG Display decided to use a grid of white LEDs, which age at the same rate. Colored filters are then used to create the four separate subpixels of red, green, blue, and white.
There are also some software-based solutions to the problem, although these are up to each TV manufacturer, rather than the panel manufacturer. On its TVs, LG limits the brightness in particular areas of the screen that display static pixels, like logos or the HUD in video games.
Then, there’s pixel-shifting, which moves the image slightly to share the load of a static image and avoid overworking certain pixels. There are also “pixel refresher” routines that run every few thousand hours or so. These measure the voltage of each pixel and attempt to wear down any areas that haven’t been used as much. The TV then increases the overall brightness of the screen to compensate.
Every manufacturer that uses OLED panels has its own bag of tricks, although, they’re largely the same tactics with different brand-specific names.
In 2013, LG Electronics claimed the expected life of an OLED display was 36,000 hours. In 2016, though, the company increased this to 100,000 hours, or 30 years of watching 10 hours of TV a day. In contrast, LCD panels with LED backlights have a life expectancy of six to 10 years,according to one study.
Burn-In Tests Show the Real Picture
InJanuary 2018, RTINGS started conducting real-world burn-in testson six LG C7 displays. They used a variety of content to simulate years of use over a short period. They also left the TVs running for 20 hours a day, without varying the content.
You can see the results of their tests after a year in the video above. At the time this video was produced, the TVs had around 9,000 hours on the clock. This would be the equivalent of about five years of use, for five hours per day. Some sets in the video, like the one tuned to CNN, have significant burn-in.
Others, like the one displaying Call of Duty: WWII, show no signs of burn-in, even when using test patterns. RTINGS stated that it doesn’t expect these results to reflect real-world results, because this isn’t how people normally use their TVs.
However, in any circumstances in which TVs are used in this manner, the test reaffirmed that OLED is a poor choice:
“The TVs have now been running for over 9,000 hours (around 5 years at 5 hours every day). Uniformity issues have developed on the TVs displaying Football and FIFA 18, and are starting to develop on the TV displaying Live NBC. Our stance remains the same, we don’t expect most people who watch varied content without static areas to experience burn-in issues with an OLED TV.”
(Video) OLED BURN IN! STILL A CONCERN?
On his YouTube channel,HDTVTest, Vincent Teoh conducted his own test on an LG E8 display (see the video below). While the test was aggressive on usage (the TV was left on for 20 hours per day), it was also fairly representative of how people use their TVs.
Teoh also cycled through several TV channels in four-hour blocks over six months.
The display showed no signs of permanent image retention after nearly 4,000 hours of usage. While it’s important not to draw too many conclusions from one test, this pattern of usage is far more representative of the way most of us use our TVs.
Why Bother with OLED?
As far as display technology goes, OLED looks great.Many reviewers also state that LG’s latest generation of OLED displays are the best TVs money can buy when it comes to overall image quality. Since OLEDs are self-emissive, they can achieve perfect black levels, which makes an image truly pop.
While LED-lit TVs with full-array local dimming have improved over the last few years, they still use relatively large “dimming zones.” This can create a halo effect when displaying scenes with high contrast. Mini-LED gets closer to OLED by increasing the number of dimming zones.However, it will take new technology, like MicroLED, to truly compete with OLED.
Since OLED displays are expensive, they only find their way into flagship models. When you buy an OLED, you’ll likely get a top-notch image processor, a 120 Hz refresh rate for better motion handling, and HDMI 2.1 for next-generation gaming. You can expect HDR performance to be excellent, even if the display doesn’t get anywhere near the 1,000+ nits of brightness on the best LCDs.
OLED isn’t for everyone, though. Price and static image problems aside, they simply don’t get as bright as their LED-lit counterparts. If you have a particularly bright room, you might want a brighter LED-lit model instead. For a dark room, cinema-like experience, you can’t beat OLED right now.
The burn-in issue isn’t going away entirely. However, it also isn’t as much of an issue as it once was, thanks to improvements in manufacturing and software compensation. If you’re looking for a new TV in 2020, especially to play the latest games when next-gen consoles launch, an OLED might be your best choice.
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FAQs
How concerned should I be about OLED burn-in? ›
Contrary to what you might've heard, burn-in is not a myth; there's a reason TV manufacturers equip OLEDs with various preventative measures for burn-in. However, it's not a serious concern if you watch TV under what most of us would consider normal conditions.
How much of a risk is burn-in OLED? ›Burn-in is possible with OLED, but not likely with normal use. Most "burn-in" is actually image retention, which goes away after a few minutes. You'll almost certainly see image retention long before it becomes permanent burn-in. Generally speaking, burn-in is something to be aware of, but not worry about.
Should I worry about screen burn in? ›All that said, screen burn in isn't something that should concern many users if they're looking to buy a new OLED smartphone. Modern panels have much longer lifespans than early OLED smartphones, and even then, burn in was rare. Just don't leave a static image on the screen 24/7 with the brightness set at max.
How big of a problem is OLED burn-in? ›OLED TVs have great picture quality; however, there are concerns about their long-term performance due to the possibility of permanent image retention, commonly referred to as burn-in. Our previous 20 hours per day burn-in test ran for a little over two years, and the OLED TV has permanent image retention.
How common is LG OLED burn-in? ›It is rare for an average TV consumer to create an environment that could result in burn-in. Most cases of burn-in in televisions is a result of static images or on-screen elements displaying on the screen uninterrupted for many hours or days at a time – with brightness typically at peak levels.
Can you correct OLED burn-in? ›It's important to remember that once burn-in occurs, there's no way to fully reverse it. You may need to replace your entire panel or device in order to resolve the problem. At best, you can employ preventative measures to stop it from happening in the first place.
How many hours will an OLED TV last? ›Lifespan of an OLED TV is supposedly pretty good - at least 6–8 years. I would put moderate use as 4–6 hours of TV daily, or maybe 8 max. If one is watching more, then I will say - folks please get a little more life.
Is OLED burn-in cumulative? ›As you can see from rtings tests (https://www.rtings.com/tv/learn/real-life-oled-burn-in-test), burn in is caused by gradual deterioration of organic pixels and is cumulative: 10 hours of screen time will always cause the same deterioration if displayed at once or if split into 1 hour long sessions.
Does screen burn-in ever go away? ›Fix Burn-In on Android or iOS Device
Image retention on a smartphone or tablet can sometimes be cured just by turning the device off for an hour or so. Try a burn-in fixer. There are a number of great burn-in fixer apps on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
Screen burn-in is permanent and will remain whether you change the channel, scroll to a different menu, or turn off your device. With image retention, the discoloration is temporary and will eventually disappear once you switch to a different image or power off.
How much does it cost to fix an OLED burn? ›
OLED TV repairs cost between $100 and $400 on average.
Can OLED burn-in be avoided? ›One final path OLED users can take to reduce the likelihood of their screens suffering with screen burn is to manually reduce the intensity of pictures, by reducing contrast, brightness and maybe even colour saturations.
Is OLED easy to break? ›Breakability- OLED screens seem to break or get damaged when the glass breaks, much more often than LED screens. OLED screens are very thin and that plays a large part in there rigidity. If your phone flexes or gets smashed hard enough, you are likely to be left with a blank screen.
How long does it take OLED to burn-in? ›The good news? It's taken 3600 hours for any burn-in to become noticeable. That's 150 days sat on the same image almost entirely without breaks - something you'll never need to do yourself under normal conditions.
Is there a downside to OLED? ›Drawbacks or disadvantages of OLED
➨It is expensive compare to LCD. ➨It is susceptible to water and hence it can be easily damaged by water. ➨OLED screens are even worse compare to LCD when subjected to direct sunlight. ➨Overall luminance degradation.
QLED comes out on top on paper, delivering a higher brightness, longer lifespan, larger screen sizes, lower price tags, and no risk of burn-in. OLED, on the other hand, has a better viewing angle, deeper black levels, uses less power, is killer for gaming, and might be better for your health.
What is the lifespan of a LG OLED TV? ›On average, LG TVs last roughly 100,000 hours if they use OLED technology. However, the number drops to about 60,000 hours if it's an LCD TV. Other factors such as the usage and environmental elements also play a role in determining the lifespan.
How do you stop OLED Burns? ›How to Prevent Burn-In on a LG C2 OLED TV - YouTube
Can burn-in get worse? ›Worsening over time.
Sometimes burns start off feeling and looking minor, but get worse in the next day or so—more painful, more red or swollen, the visible skin appears darker. This is a clear sign of a deep and damaging burn that needs immediate medical attention.
What is Screen Burn? Screen burn, also called screen burn-in, ghost image, or display burns are images or icons that are displayed on a screen when they should not be there. Screen burn comes on gradually and gets worse over time and is most common on OLED screens.
How long until an image burns into a screen? ›
Although you can leave a static picture on your screen for up to two hours, regularly leaving the screen frozen for extended periods of time can cause temporary or permanent image burn in.
Does dark mode prevent screen burn in? ›Screen burn in can happen just as easily with dark mode enabled. When a static image is constantly being displayed over time there could become burned in to the screen.
How quickly can screen burn happen? ›5-15 minutes in susceptible panels with varying severity. That said, most LCDs do not suffer from image retention at all.
Can burn ins be fixed? ›Image burn-in can not be fixed, repaired, or reversed; once it happens, the display screen will suffer from continual image quality degradation. The term burn-in dates back to when old monitors using phosphor compounds that emit light to produce images lost their luminance due to severe usage in specific display areas.
Should I be worried about Switch OLED burn-in? ›Turns out after 3600 hours focused on the same image without a break, the Switch OLED will start to show some faint signs of burn-in. That's 150 straight days without being turned off or altered at all. Suffice to say, if you own the console and you were worried about burn-in, you can probably rest easy.
How do I stop my LG OLED from burning? ›- If you use the TV normally there's no need to run it manually. It will run automatically every time you turn off the TV. ...
- Press the Home > Setting > All Settings > Picture > Oled Panel > Clear Panel Noise (pixel refresher) > Start once TV is turned off.
- Lower screen brightness and timeout.
- Use an immersive full-screen mode.
- Change wallpaper to black.
- Change the launcher.
- Install OLED-friendly dark icons.
- Install Firefox Mobile with a dark theme.
- You can even install an OLED-friendly keyboard.
Sadly not. DSCC believes that despite the upcoming investments, neither LG Display or Samsung Display will drastically increase capacity between now and 2025, thus ensuring that prices continue to remain firm.
Is buying an OLED worth it? ›Is OLED TV worth buying? OLED TVs have the best picture quality, best viewing angles, infinite contrast ratios, true blacks, and—on some models—very thin profiles. So, while OLED TVs aren't as bright as LED or QLED TVs, and are more expensive than both, they're well worth the investment.
Is OLED worth the hype? ›OLED TVs are inherently capable of creating an image that's vastly superior to all but the very best LCD options. The only time this doesn't apply is in very bright viewing environments, where many OLED TVs may not be bright enough to properly combat ambient lighting, and you'll be better off getting a premium LCD TV.
› Computing ›
OLED Burn-In: What Is It and How To Avoid It?
What Is OLED Burn-In? (And How to Avoid It)
What is OLED burn-in and how can you avoid it?
Although they produce quality images, the color and contrast from these displays are due to their light sources, so they give off more brightness that can cause eye strain if not moderated. To sum it up, OLED displays are better for your eyesight.
Is OLED hazardous? ›OLED panels are 85% organic material and glass, do not contain toxic metals such as mercury, and have fewer components and a thinner profile compared to lighting based on inorganic LEDs.
How fragile is OLED? ›OLED panels are generally fragile, and production methods are far from perfect. Even as Apple relies on Samsung OLED displays for it's current iPhones, there are reports that the company is investing heavily in microLED technology as an alternative to OLED screens in its phones and wearables.
Is there a downside to OLED? ›Drawbacks or disadvantages of OLED
➨It is expensive compare to LCD. ➨It is susceptible to water and hence it can be easily damaged by water. ➨OLED screens are even worse compare to LCD when subjected to direct sunlight. ➨Overall luminance degradation.
At present, there is no evidence to prove that the stroboscopic high-frequency PWM dimming will not cause harm to the eyes. At present, the mainstream OLED screen stroboscopic frequency is 250, at this frequency, some peoples who are easy to perceive stroboscopic frequency may lead to sore eyes and tears.
How long does it take for OLED to burn-in? ›The good news? It's taken 3600 hours for any burn-in to become noticeable. That's 150 days sat on the same image almost entirely without breaks - something you'll never need to do yourself under normal conditions.
Can OLED burn-in be avoided? ›One final path OLED users can take to reduce the likelihood of their screens suffering with screen burn is to manually reduce the intensity of pictures, by reducing contrast, brightness and maybe even colour saturations.
Why is OLED not used? ›Why are there no OLED gaming monitors? This is mainly because OLED panels don't have high refresh rates. Gamers should prioritize a 75 Hz or higher refresh rate and, to date, OLEDs can't meet this baseline metric.
Is OLED actually organic? ›OLEDs are organic LEDs, which means that their key building blocks are organic (i.e., carbon-based) materials. Unlike LEDs, which are small-point light sources, OLEDs are made in sheets that are diffuse-area light sources.
Which lasts longer OLED or QLED? ›
QLED comes out on top on paper, delivering a higher brightness, longer lifespan, larger screen sizes, lower price tags, and no risk of burn-in. OLED, on the other hand, has a better viewing angle, deeper black levels, uses less power, is killer for gaming, and might be better for your health.
Will OLED ever be cheap? ›Sadly not. DSCC believes that despite the upcoming investments, neither LG Display or Samsung Display will drastically increase capacity between now and 2025, thus ensuring that prices continue to remain firm.
How much does it cost to fix an OLED burn? ›OLED TV repairs cost between $100 and $400 on average.