Buy a Monitor without Dead Pixels

Lbigsov on 07/11/2020 - 22:43
Last edited 09/11/2020 - 13:00 by 1 other user

Hi All,

I wonder if it is possible to buy a monitor without dead pixels guaranteed?

I would like a piece of mind because I am worried that I will have an OCD about 1 or 2 potential dead pixels if I am unlucky. I have read quite a lot of discussions about this and it seems that it is plain impossible to have 100% no dead pixels even if I would be happy to pay extra for this.

I am considering buying expensive monitor such as Samsung odyssey G9 (2799AUD)or upcoming Dell 38" AW3821DW (~2300 AUD). I would be happy to pay say 200-300 AUD extra for a premium warranty or check which would cover dead pixels as well but it just does not exist for some reason even though I know there are people like me who also don't like dead pixels and would prefer getting a panel without them.

These are the facts I know:
1. A lot of people confuse dead vs stuck/bright pixels. There are ways to make sure I will not get bright/stick pixels - eg buying premium Dell monitor such as AW3821DW - https://www.dell.com/support/article/en-us/sln130145/dell-di… . But Dell warranty does not cover dead pixels. And I would like to have a perfect panel without both dead and bright pixels.
2. This old poll from 2007 suggest there is about 30% chance of getting a dead pixel in a monitor: https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/thread/9zqvn7l3?p=4 . May be quality has improved since then but chances of getting 1 dead pixel are real. Potentially this 30% chance includes bright pixels as well and I am less worried about these ( as they can be dealt with using a Dell warranty, not sure about samsung though) so my major concern are actually dead/dark pixels which just cannot be covered. And even if the chance of getting dead pixel is say3% - is there a way to eliminate the issue somehow?
3. Extended warranty from places like Harvey Norman is more or less waste of money as I understand and will not cover 1-2 dead pixels.
4. Change of mind policy (eg officeworks 60 days) does not cover "open box" monitors - so as soon as I open a monitor to check pixels I lose change of mind return.
5. Pixels cannot be checked in store as it requires opening the box.
6. I know lcd/led/oled panels have millions of pixels and it is very hard to make sure that there are no dead pixels. Also it seems that 1 dead pixel is not a defect even though I would not buy a monitor for full price if I knew there is a dead pixel

One thought I have - perhaps costco would be something to consider? I heard that if you are not happy you can just return things back to them - though I have not heard any verifications of this.

Poll question: If you knew in advance that there are 2 dead pixels on the monitor would you buy it for normal price? How would you estimate its value in comparison to monitor without dead pixels?

*note - normal price is not RRP. It is a price which is reasonable and cheapest you can find now using ozBargain.

Poll Options

  • 1
    yes,110% of normal price
  • 0
    yes,105% of normal price
  • 1
    yes,100% of normal price
  • 1
    no, 95% of normal price
  • 1
    no, 90% of normal price
  • 23
    no, less than 90% of normal price.
Computing Computer Peripheral LCD Monitor

Comments

  • boomramada on 07/11/2020 - 22:58

    What's the chance of getting a dead pixels ? 0.00001%?

    • bigsov on 07/11/2020 - 23:02
      -3

      30% according to the whirlpool poll I mentioned above. Very far from .00001%. If it was so low surely this would be covered by warranty. It is very hard to make a monitor without dead pixels guaranteed - it was discussed here on ozbargain and on whirpool

      • FireRunner on 07/11/2020 - 23:12
        +5

        I doubt it's that high. That's a very old poll you're referencing there. If it was 3 in 10 monitors having at least one dead pixel, we'd have more complaints.
        I suspect it would also vary depending on the manufacturer of the panel.

        • bigsov on 07/11/2020 - 23:18

          thanks for this - though we don't have any other polls so I am referring to the latest/best poll I could find. Also think about it - why it is not covered by warranty? May be because it happens too often?

          • FireRunner on 07/11/2020 - 23:22
            +1

            @bigsov: I'd admit I purchased a QHD viewsonic monitor last December which developed a stuck pixel (probably actually a sub pixel) after 2 months into owning. I complained a few times on ozbargain but everyone else said there's had no issues and I just got unlucky. ViewSonic actually had a 30 day DOA policy which covered faulty pixels but mine appeared after it. I got the Dell QHD monitor and haven't had any issues so far.

            • bigsov on 07/11/2020 - 23:33

              @FireRunner: sorry to hear about your dead pixel issue. This would be a perfect example of the issue with our consumer rights. So far 100% of people in my poll would not have bought a monitor with 2 dead pixels - so according to the definition on ACCC website it would be a MAJOR issue. But in policies by all manufacturers it is not considered a defect.

              implication: You can ask for a replacement or refund if the problem with the product is major ( quote from ACCC website)

      • boomramada on 07/11/2020 - 23:35
        +2

        30%? Like almost one in three ? In my line of work I been around with 100's of them and I haven't seen any but usually other worst technical issues once in a while.

        • bigsov on 07/11/2020 - 23:39

          thanks I will keep in mind your and TheBird's experience, great to know that you did not see a lot of issues with pixels

      • Whisper Quiet on 08/11/2020 - 07:47

        Your looking at a forum post about dead pixels, where people are complaining and saying they have them?! Well of course it's going to be high if that's what the subject is. In real terms its something like 1 in 10,000 over different models where there's pixel issues. Majority are doubled up, so somebody returns it, then seller either puts it back on the shelf or gives it to seconds dealers or refurbished sellers and the next buyer has the same issue.

  • FireRunner on 07/11/2020 - 23:05
    +1

    I don't understand the point of the poll. If I knew there were dead pixels on the monitor I wouldn't buy it at all.
    Also important is where the dead/stuck pixel is, near the edges is probably not a big deal. Near the centre would be far worse

    • bigsov on 07/11/2020 - 23:07
      -1

      it is very important poll with potential policy implications. If noone would have bought it knowing that there are dead pixels then we as consumers could potentially dispute rejections of our warranty claims.

      links:

      1. https://www.accc.gov.au/consumers/consumer-rights-guarantees…
      2. https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/91jv84l3

      From the first link we can see the definition of the major problem.

      What is a major problem?
      A product or good has a major problem when:

      • it has a problem that would have stopped someone from buying it if they’d known about it
      • it is significantly different from the sample or description
      • it is substantially unfit for its common purpose and can’t easily be fixed within a reasonable time
      • it doesn’t do what you asked for and can’t easily be fixed within a reasonable time;
      • it is unsafe.

      If noone would have bought a monitor with 2 pixels then it is a MAJOR problem and should be covered under warranty. This is a big different from current situation!! Currently we don't have any rights or coverage related to this issue and this is the whole reason of my long post

      • lolz112 on 08/11/2020 - 18:44

        Your question is pretty flawed. Why would anyone buy something that has a problem when you could buy something that doesn't have a problem?

        I'm pretty sure your applying the question incorrectly. That question is more related to flaws that aren't obvious, e.g. the screen has a fault that means dead pixels become increasing worse within 2 months.

        The manufacturer would probably argue that most screens will develop 1 or 2 dead pixels along the manufacturing process. A dead pixels would be classified as a minor issue, the same way a small scratch would be.

  • Lukian on 07/11/2020 - 23:19
    +1

    You won't even see dead pixels (unless it's a massive cluster of a few, which is covered under warranty) on a monitor due to resolution density these days.

    • bigsov on 07/11/2020 - 23:21

      thank you, perhaps you are right and I should not be worried. So far I only worked with 1080p monitors so may be on 1440 or 4kmonitors it is not noticeable

    • FireRunner on 07/11/2020 - 23:27

      My experience with a stuck pixel was it wasn't visible when gaming/watching videos. However, against a white background (like a website or word document) it was fairly visible.

      • Lukian on 07/11/2020 - 23:37
        +1

        Stuck, sure. Dead, nah.

  • TheBird on 07/11/2020 - 23:20
    +3

    This old poll from 2007 suggest there is about 30% chance of getting a dead pixel in a monitor

    Monitors have changed. Over the last year at work, I've had over a hundred monitors go through my hands. Most were second hand monitors and I have to tell you, you're more likely to come across a completely borked monitor than one with dead pixels. There were a few dead monitors, but none with missing pixels… well, none that I could see.

    If you really want to go down this route, go into a computer store and offer the sales person a few crisp hundred dollar notes if you can plug it in and see the monitor doesn't have dead pixels. Someone's going to bend the rules for a few c notes. Or find some showroom with that model… but good luck in finding a place that has the monitor you're looking for on display.

    or find someone who will sell you one second hand for above market rate.

    You're probably going to get a better chance of doing those ideas than have them make a new insurance package that suits your needs.

    • bigsov on 07/11/2020 - 23:22

      got it thank you for these ideas. I only used 1080p monitors, may be on 4k it is not as big of a deal as Lukian suggested above?

      Also interesting stats about no dead pixels you saw in many monitors, this is encouraging

      • TheBird on 07/11/2020 - 23:25
        +1

        Most of those monitors I worked with were 1080p or 1200p monitors.

        I didn't see a lot of second hand 4k monitors and only a handful of 2k monitors.

        Maybe there were dead pixels and I couldn't tell. Though I'm farily picky when it comes to imperfections.

        • bigsov on 07/11/2020 - 23:29

          the thing is I would like to buy a very expensive monitor and I want it to be without obvious issues. I know about dead/stuck pixels so I can check these. I cannot check or not an expert on some other potential issues so I will probably be able to handle some other imperfections.

          • TheBird on 07/11/2020 - 23:35
            +1

            @bigsov: I get what you're saying.

            It'd suck to spend a decent chunk of coin and not get what you expect… or the quality to be less than you expect.

            If you really wanted to go full on, look up getting a Color Grading monitor. They're professional level monitors. I haven't looked up the paperwork, but I'd expect those to cover any slightest imperfection… though beware… you're going to crap your pants when you see the steep price. You'd be able to buy a handful of these monitors you're looking at, throw away those with imperfections and still be $$$ way ahead. Plus side would be, it'd hold its color calibration slightly longer than whatever you're looking to purchase.

            • bigsov on 07/11/2020 - 23:37

              @TheBird: thanks for the advice I will look at these, though yeah my budget is not unlimited

              • TheBird on 07/11/2020 - 23:38
                +1

                @bigsov: Last time I looked, a 27" was near double what you're looking at spending. I'd expect the price to have come down since.

                • bigsov on 08/11/2020 - 00:07

                  @TheBird: this article https://jonnyelwyn.co.uk/film-and-video-editing/affordable-c… mentions this monitor: ASUS PA329C 32inch 4K HDR ProArt Calibration IPS Professional Monitor , available in scorptec: https://www.scorptec.com.au/product/Monitors/25plus-inch/789…

                  • TheBird on 08/11/2020 - 00:16
                    +1

                    @bigsov: Yeah… a 17" at the price you're looking at for your big boy.

                    The good toys aren't cheap… and the cheap ones aren't good.

                    For that $2k one, if they're putting the Dell Ultrasharp in the same boat, you'll probably find it's towards the consumer grade level. I haven't done any grading for 7 or 8 years (and only did it for a short while), so I'm not in the know as to whether it's decent. If I remember right, jonnyelwyn sell editing machines in europe. If you're considering it, I'd look really hard before jumping on that one. When it seems too cheap, it usually is for a reason.

              • Lukian on 07/11/2020 - 23:38
                +1

                @bigsov: Buy it on a credit card with change of mind return policy? Or from a merchant with that.

                • bigsov on 07/11/2020 - 23:41

                  @Lukian: thanks for this - change of mind does not work unfortunately - saw a few posts here about this eg https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/393640

                  Change of mind only works if we don't open the box, so I can't check pixels and then return

                  • Lukian on 07/11/2020 - 23:42
                    +1

                    @bigsov: How will they know? Are they reading your ozbargain posts?

                    • bigsov on 07/11/2020 - 23:54

                      @Lukian: well if I return open box they will see it is open. So it needs to be closed and taped. I am not sure where the law/policy stands if I return it closed.

      • TheBird on 07/11/2020 - 23:28
        +1

        Those weren't monitors that were treated well. Most were old office monitors that had been liquidated. Some from upgraded offices. The ones that were often mistreated were onces that came from offices that went broke.

        We picked them up in auctions. Massive layers of dust and about 1 in 20 with scratches over the screen.

        Monitors are more resilient than you'd expect.

  • TheBird on 07/11/2020 - 23:22
    +1

    or buy the new monitor. It you're that one in a long shot that gets a dead pixel, sell it off at a discount and buy another one.

    • FireRunner on 07/11/2020 - 23:29
      +2

      Unless you're offering a significant discount (probably 50% or more), I doubt you'll be able to sell it off easily

      • TheBird on 07/11/2020 - 23:45
        +2

        A year ago I would have agreed with you. These days, you'd be surprised what monitors sell for on marketplace.

        I don't get it. It's stupid nuts. You can get new 24" monitors for $120 if you hunt a little. An old second hand, can fetch $100. I don't know the big monitor market, so you could be right.

  • SF3 on 08/11/2020 - 00:26
    +1

    I will have an OCD about 1 or 2 potential dead pixels

    Once you get older (eg require reading glasses) your vision won’t pick up dead pixels.

  • sini180 on 08/11/2020 - 03:06
    +1

    You must be real fun at parties if you worry about everything. Pretty unlikely to get a dead pixel. I am on the AOC AGON AG493UCX now which is similar to the G9 or more similar to the older CRG9. Love it, sort of monitor you're chasing. Has a zero dead pixel clause for 30 days or something but 30 days isn't long I guess. The more expensive G9 has had some issues. I considered the CRG9 at the time but shorter warranty and difficult to purchase monitors in Covid times. AOC was available so went with that.

    You need to consider pixel density. Higher pixel density mean more difficult to notice. Worth noting regardless of dead pixel as larger you go with lower density you'll see the pixels dead or alive.

    Pull the trigger on what you want.

    • bigsov on 08/11/2020 - 03:26

      thanks, quite interesting. found this on their website, very nice!

      AOC Australia offers 30 days Dead Pixel guarantee applied to full range of AOC LED monitors
      from end-user invoice purchase date.

      https://au.aoc.com/files/warranty/AOC_LED_Quality_Standards_…

      I see you like your AOC monitor, can I ask you to put some good/bad things from your experience aside from pixels?

      I found one good AOC review from someone who had both AOC Agon AG493UCX and samsung crg9 on reddit in the comments in this thread:

      https://www.reddit.com/r/ultrawidemasterrace/comments/f5lrs5…

      Another useful comparison vs CRG9 from the same thread:

      CRG9:
      HDR 1000
      10bit

      AG493UCX:
      HDR 400
      8 bit
      USB-C (display+charge 65W), this is great if you use USB-C type devices like razer laptop or macbook for work. I'm not sure about if usb-c can hold the full 1440p resolution, it'll be great if someone who has the monitor can clarify.
      KVM switch (keyboard/mouse usb will switch with the input source), which is a huge plus if you have work/personal pc.

      Also interesting that AOC is now more expensive in AU than CRG9: 1618 vs 1490

      • sini180 on 08/11/2020 - 11:58
        +1

        I don't use the USB-C so not sure from experience. I use a single DP with a 1070 @ 1440p. You can do 1440p over USB-C though from what I have read.

        Initially was interested in the CRG9 however difficult to order through covid, found the AOC and spent a few months looking at both, isn't a heap of difference really. The KVM is a nice addition but never used it, only works when using USB-C. HDR I have not used much so no comment.

        I use for gaming/photography and have no complaints. Great colour, etc. The 32:9 ratio is awesome for games and useful for desktop real estate.Previously had dual screen 24" 16:9 which was OK but 32:9 just makes things easier without a bezel plus obvious benefits of a better display.

        It was around $1,900 when I purchased it. The G9 probably pushed the CRG9 and AG493 down.

  • garetz on 08/11/2020 - 03:47
    +2

    I wouldnt buy it for any price, as i dont want dead pixels.

    I am of the same mind, i would pay more for a guarantee of no dead pixels or lit pixels. However i have found screen bleed to be a bigger problem.

    In the last 3 screens ive bought, 2 have had bleed problems, none have had dead or lit pixels.

  • bigsov on 08/11/2020 - 03:56

    @garetz ok, thanks for this, interesting to know about bleeding. I remember I was concerned about this when bought my TV 8 years ago.

    I would imagine LG CX 48 could be a solution to many issues including bleeding but:
    1) LG CX 48 costs almost the same as CX 55 and may be even more expensive! ( manufacturing reasons) - kinda makes it not a perfect bargain
    2) there is a recent discussion that LG CX TVs don't work properly with VRR and stop producing OLED-type blacks, more details here: https://www.reddit.com/r/OLED/comments/jndagp/vincent_teoh_l…
    3) burn-in and all the effort you have to make to avoid it ( hiding panels etc)

  • HelpMeiCantSee on 08/11/2020 - 08:40
    +1

    If it helps, I have a 17” lcd from 2001 still in service with no dead pixels. And a 19” from 2004. You’re stressing over nothing. Even my chimei from around 2010 is still perfect, and that was 50% the cost of the next cheapest model

  • No Username on 08/11/2020 - 08:44
    +1

    I've owned 7 LCD/:LED and 4 CRT and haven't experienced any dead pixels. But I've noticed 2 dead pixels on my MacBook Pro and 1 dead pixel on my Alienware.

  • Drj55 on 08/11/2020 - 09:21
    +2

    When I think about all the TV's, monitors and phones/pads I've looked at the rate of dead pixels must be much less than 30% or the pixel density is so high these days it is actually impossible to tell. I used to worry about this 10 years ago but I'd actually forgotten it was a thing until this post. Maybe tech has improved these days?

  • Kentrolla on 14/11/2020 - 11:43
    +1

    $29 fee at Scorptec will guarantee you a dead-pixel/stuck-pixel free screen.

    https://www.scorptec.com.au/product/services/other/24607-lcd…

    Confirmed from their sales rep. Includes dead/bright/stuck pixels.

    • bigsov on 14/11/2020 - 12:36
      +1

      Awesome, looks like this is what I need

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