The author of the YouTube channel Monitors Unboxed decided to test a gaming OLED monitor for burn-in and showed how the image changes over several months if you use the monitor for work, not for gaming. The result was not so bad, although it is not a record.
It is no secret that OLED screens “burn out” due to the constant display of static content – and if you use such a monitor not for gaming, but for work, the residual image will appear on the matrix much faster. This is what the blogger wanted to achieve in order to check what service life can be expected if you use the MSI MPG 321URX gaming OLED monitor as an office monitor. The usage scenario was as follows:
- backlight brightness – 200 nits;
- 95% of the time of use, applications with a static interface were displayed on the screen;
- working hours – 60 hours per week;
- the screen turns off after two hours of inactivity;
- Windows 11 interface is light, taskbar is black;
- The pixel refresh function is enabled and is activated in standby mode.
The blogger worked with the monitor under these conditions for 15 months. He mainly edited videos, wrote scripts, browsed web pages, and did other similar “office” activities. As a result, the first signs of pixel degradation appeared after two months, and noticeable imprints of static elements appeared after six months (however, you need to look closely to notice them).
The screen was most “burned” in the area of the division into two windows and next to the taskbar. For clarity, the blogger increased the sharpness of the screenshots using filters – in reality, according to him, the stripes do not look so bad, although they are noticeable.
After 15 months of operation, the “fingerprints” were especially noticeable on images with a predominantly green background, but in everyday life they did not distract from work and viewing content. The blogger noted that his scenario is equal to about 2.5 years of “normal” monitor operation. According to him, he expected a worse result, and buyers of OLED monitors can count on 2-3 years of use before obvious signs of “burnout” appear.