LG OLED TV edge rot, Digi Mart USA News: A long-term test by Rtings has identified a defect called “edge rot” in several LG OLED Smart TVs, according to a publisher report by Notebookcheck. The problem involves clusters of pixels along the screen edges burning out after prolonged use, creating a appearance that Rtings compares to black mold on the screen.
Rtings tested ten Smart TVs with LG WOLED panels over 18,000 operating hours. Nine of them developed edge rot, and only an LG OLED A2 from 2022 was spared.
The affected models named in the report include the LG OLED BX, CX, A1, B1, C1 and B2.
The defect is not limited to LG-branded sets. According to the report, TVs from other manufacturers that use LG Display panels were also affected, including the Sony A80J OLED, the Sony A8H OLED and a 2020 Vizio OLED Smart TV.
Rtings found no signs of edge rot on an LG OLED G3, suggesting that newer panel generations from the 2023 model year onward may have resolved the problem. TVs with QD-OLED panels from Samsung Display also showed no edge rot in the test.
Rtings believes the cause is either contamination during manufacturing or inadequate sealing that allows moisture into the panel. Unlike burn-in, the report says edge rot depends mainly on the time elapsed since production rather than on actual operating hours.
The report also notes that burn-in can affect newer OLED panels too, and in some newer models it appears sooner than on older sets. Higher peak brightness on newer models, however, makes it more practical to extend panel life by lowering brightness.
