A ten-minute first look
New monitor? Start here.
Six checks to help you understand your screen. Work through them, record what you see, and keep a copy before contacting your seller.
- 1 min
Set the native resolution and expected refresh rate in your operating system. Use 100% browser zoom. Record brightness, HDR and room lighting so you can repeat the check.
Check screen information (opens in a new tab)↗ - 2 min
Clean the screen, then inspect white, black, red, green and blue fields. A spot that stays in the same physical place deserves a closer look. Photograph the panel; a screenshot cannot show a physical pixel fault.
Open the pixel test (opens in a new tab)↗ - 2 min
Use your normal brightness first. Look straight at the screen for patches or tint changes. Move your head to distinguish viewing-angle effects. Do not judge a dark-room photograph taken with automatic exposure as a measurement.
Check uniformity (opens in a new tab)↗ - 1 min
Check text at your normal scaling. If it looks fringed or blurred, confirm the cable, native resolution and RGB/4:4:4 output before deciding the panel is defective.
Compare text clarity (opens in a new tab)↗ - 2 min
Compare the same moving pattern at different overdrive settings. Note both trailing and bright inverse trails. The cleanest setting may change with refresh rate; this is a visual comparison, not a GtG measurement.
Open the motion patterns (opens in a new tab)↗ - 2 min
Try the games, documents or video you actually use. On OLED, briefly check a uniform field for retained outlines, then follow the manufacturer’s maintenance advice. Keep photos and your seller’s return terms; this checklist does not decide warranty eligibility.
Optional OLED retention check (opens in a new tab)↗
Model, settings, room lighting and anything you want to check again. These notes stay in this browser unless you download or share them.
A completed checklist is a record of your checks, not a “pass” certificate. Read the testing limits.