When the public traded in their CRT televisions for LCD screens, they probably thought that burn-in (an image that remains on a screen if you leave it paused for too long) was a thing of the past. But modern technologies bring it back according to the principle of “one step forward, two steps back”. Burn-in is not a risk with mini-LED TVs, but OLEDs are very susceptible to it. If you want to know if your warranty for an LG TV will cover potential damage, the answer is a resounding “maybe.”
The deciding factor in whether an LG monitor’s warranty covers burn-in is the wording. These documents are full of sentences written in legal doublespeak that say and don’t say that burn-in is covered – depending on how someone translates it. For example, the warranty for models G1, G2, G3, G4, G5, G6, 77Z2, 77Z3 and W6 states that the company does not cover “damage or failure of the product when used in a purpose other than that normally intended” or “caused by incorrect configuration or adjustment of the consumer’s controls.” LG OLEDs have features designed to prevent ghosting, including a screen saver mode. Some people might argue that if these features are disabled, any afterglow is strictly the user’s fault and therefore not covered under warranty.
The main problem with these guarantees is that they do not explicitly mention burn-in. Determining whether an OLED is covered is a matter of deduction, and no two people will have the same translation. However, the owners might be able to turn the matter in their favor thanks to good old precedent.
LG’s OLED gaming monitors follow different rules
Screen savers like the one used by LG OLED TVs were originally designed for PCs to prevent burn-in. Many computers no longer need screensavers, but some do, especially if they use an OLED monitor. And LG’s stance on burn-in with gaming monitors is interesting to say the least. If you take an existing LG OLED gaming monitor’s warranty at face value, you’d be forgiven for assuming the company doesn’t cover burn-in damage. After all, the warranty explicitly mentions burn-in in a list of exclusions. However, when The Verge asked for clarification, the company created a new warranty that applies to new and old OLED gaming monitors. And yes, it covers burn-in for two years – provided it is the result of “normal and appropriate use”.
There is this wording again. Since LG CMO David Park told The Verge that burn-in is covered as long as the monitor is used as “intended,” one could argue that this same coverage applies to OLED TVs. But it only really works if you use the device for what it was created for. In other words, you won’t have a good argument for using this coverage if you connect an OLED TV to your computer and use it as a monitor. If you’re still concerned about burn-in even taking all of this into account, there’s no shame in concluding that upgrading to an OLED TV isn’t worth it, whether it’s LG or another brand.
