Analysts uncover “Edge Rot” issue that plagues some OLED TVs
RTINGS uncovers “Edge Rot” issue that impacts 87.5% of tested WOLED TVs
An RTINGS investigation has uncovered a new issue affecting some OLED TVs, which the outlet calls “Edge Rot”. Specifically, this longevity issue sees pixels near the edges of some OLED panels deteriorate after long-term use. This can result in dead pixels or other visible defects along the edges of the panel. This problem has nothing to do with OLED “burn-in”.
RTINGS’ investigation has narrowed down this issue to a specific subset of OLED displays. Only screens with WOLED panels are affected. In RTINGS’ 18,000-hour longevity test, 14 of the 16 screens with LG-made WOLED panels were affected. Note that no cases of Edge Rot were seen on Samsung-made QD-OLED screens.
It is suspected that “earlier-generation” WOLED monitors are the most affected by “Edge Rot”. Older screens “WBC” panels had more severe “Edge Rot” than newer “WBE” panels. Note that all tested panels are from 2020-2022. Manufacturing improvements may have made “Edge Rot” less of an issue (or even a non-issue) on newer OLED screens. However, long-term testing is yet to confirm this.
(Examples of Edge Rot from Reddit Users – via RTINGS)
What causes “Edge Rot” on OLED screens
RTINGS suspects that moisture is entering the edges of affected OLED screens and is causing damage. LG claims this issue occurs only on a small number of OLED TVs exposed to high temperatures, humidity, or other harsh conditions for prolonged periods. LG says it does not expect this deterioration under normal viewing conditions. This suggests RTINGS’ harsh testing conditions may cause the issue to appear much more often than in real-world use.
Samsung claims that their QD-OLED panels avoid this issue using “Thin Film Encapsulation Technology”, which helps keep moisture out of the panel. RTINGS cannot verify this. However, the lack of Edge Rot on QD-OLED panels indicates that it is a non-issue for Samsung’s QD-OLED panels.
To learn more about Edge Rot, read RTINGS’ full report here. Thankfully, newer WOLED panels from LG appear to be less affected by this problem. However, longer-term testing of 2024 and newer WOLED panels is required to confirm if LG has fully mitigated the issue.
Join the discussion on WOLED “Edge Rot” on the OC3D Forums.
