Edge decay on OLED TVs: 14 out of 16 panels

OLED televisions have been associated with screen burn-in problems for years. But RTINGS's long-term durability test revealed a completely different defect: The screen edges broke on 14 of LG Display's 16 TVs with WOLED panels. Moreover, this problem has nothing to do with burning and Sony models are among those affected.

What is this OLED TV edge rot?

Researchers called this situation "edge rot", meaning "rot of the edges". The problem occurs when dead pixels or small clusters of dead spots appear along the borders of the screen. Additionally, this defect is not related to OLED burn-in caused by displaying a fixed image for a long time. Therefore, OLED TV edge decay is considered a separate problem from burn-in.

According to RTINGS, the causes may be manufacturing defects. In addition, it is also possible that the protective layers that prevent moisture from entering the panel will be damaged. For this reason, the statements are conveyed as possibilities, not definitive conclusions.

Which Panels Were Most Affected?

The worst picture appeared especially in the old WBC panels. Signs of OLED TV edge rot were found in nine out of ten TVs tested. In five of them the defect was serious, in three it was significant.

Newer WBE panels performed slightly better. However, the problem occurred on five of the six televisions. Affected models included both LG and Sony devices. That's why the problem is not limited to a single brand.

No such damage was seen on Samsung Display's three TVs with QD-OLED panels. These are Samsung S95B, S95C and Sony A95K. However, RTINGS emphasizes that it would not be correct to say that QD-OLED is completely immune to this problem because the sample is so small. Moreover, there was no edge damage on all three OLED monitors.

What Do Manufacturers Say?

LG Electronics and LG Display confirmed edge rot. According to company representatives, the problem can be seen in a small number of OLED products when exposed to high temperatures, humidity and similar adverse conditions for a long time. Therefore, such a defect should not be encountered in normal use.

Samsung Display attributes the durability of QD-OLED panels to Thin Film Encapsulation technology. This thin film layer protects the screen edges against moisture ingress. However, RTINGS still speaks cautiously due to the small sample size.

Most of the defective televisions were produced in 2020-2022. However, RTINGS has not yet been able to determine whether panels produced since 2024 are also affected. Therefore, the question of OLED TV edge rot for next-generation models remains open.