LG Dead Pixel Policy: Full Guide

LG MONITOR

The South Korean manufacturer, LG, makes some of the best displays in the world but like all monitors, they are still susceptible to dead or stuck pixels at times.

If you’ve purchased an LG monitor or display with dead pixels and you want to make a return using LG’s warranty, you’ll need to know LG’s dead pixel policy.

To help you with that, we’ve done some digging to bring you exactly what their dead pixel policy is, how to make a return and what to do if you you’re unable to claim against LG’s warranty.

LG’s Dead Pixel Policy Explained

Unfortunately, LG does not offer a 100% dead pixel guarantee and that’s pretty much the case for most monitor brands.

In other words, an LG monitor isn’t automatically classed as defective because it has one or even a few dead pixels.

In order for LG’s warranty to apply so you can secure a refund/replacement, your monitor will need to have a certain number of dead pixels.

How Many Dead Pixels Does an LG Display Need to Have for a Return?

LG’s dead pixel policy is defined by the type of screen you have, specifically its resolution.

Its policy allows for a certain number of bright pixels which are pixels that emit red, green, or blue light on the screen, and a certain number of dark pixels which are dead pixels that do not emit any light (i.e. they will appear as black dots).

Here’s LG’s table which sets out how many dead pixels are allowed:

CodeResolutionAllowed Number of Bright Dead PixelsAllowed Number of Dark Dead Pixels
SXGA1280×102444
Wide XGA+1440×90044
Wide XGA1366×76833
Wide HD+1600×90044
UXGA1600×120066
Wide Full HD1920×108066
Wide SXGA+1680×105055
SXGA1920×108066
Wide Full HD (16:10)1920×120077
Wide QXGA+2560×16001212

We recommend you check your monitor/display’s manual if you’re unsure which code applies to your monitor.

Once you’ve done that, you will then need to check how many bright and dead pixels are “allowed” for your monitor.

If the number of bright/dead pixels exceeds that amount, then you can return your monitor under the warranty which is 2 years in duration as standard for LG monitors.

What if My LG Monitor Doesn’t Have Enough Dead Pixels for a Return Under LG’s Warranty?

If you’re unfortunate enough to purchase an LG monitor with dead pixels but the number of them is less than in the above table, then you still have options.

The first thing we suggest you do is to make a return using the store’s returns window.

For example, Costco allows you to return a monitor for up to 90 days.

Walmart allows monitor returns for 30 days.

Best Buy for 15 days and Target for up to 30 days.

That’s why it’s important to examine your display for any dead pixels as soon as you receive it.

The good news is that you can usually return your monitor to the store (provided you’re within the returns window) without having to give a reason. Therefore, you don’t necessarily have to mention the dead pixel issue.

If you’re outside the store’s returns window and you have too few dead pixels to claim under LG’s warranty then we’d recommend checking your insurance coverage.

Some policies now come with refund protection and/or defective product cover.

However, insurance claims usually do come with the need to pay an excess and your premiums will likely be higher when you come to renew your policy next time around.

How Does LG’s Dead Pixel Policy Hold Up?

man with broken screen

If you’re in the market for a new monitor, it’s certainly worth checking how LG’s policy on dead pixels compares to other brands.

Dead pixels are quite common so it’s definitely worth checking this point out before you part with your hard-earned cash.

ManufacturerDead Pixel Policy
MSIMore than 3 bright dead pixels and/or more than 5 dark dead pixels
Dell>1 dead bright pixels for their premium monitors or >6 dark pixels. This is increased to >6 and >9 for their D series monitors respectively.
Asus>3 bright pixels and >5 dark pixels (i.e. you can’t return the monitor until that figure is exceeded)
Acer<2 for bright pixels and <5 for dark pixels (i.e. you can’t return the monitor if it has dead pixels less than that figure)

Accordingly, LG’s policy is not the most generous on offer.

The best policy is generally found with premium Dell monitors where you only need to have more than 1 dead bright pixel.

Acer also offers an excellent policy where more than one or five dead pixels for bright and dark pixels respectively will activate their warranty.

Check out our MSI dead pixel policy and Samsung dead pixel articles for further details about their dead pixel policy operates.

Final Thoughts

In summary, LG’s dead pixel policy much depends on the monitor you own.

But even then, it’s not the most generous policy on offer, which is a shame as they do make excellent monitors that are regarded as some of the best on the market.

If you’re unlucky enough to receive an LG monitor with dead pixels, but you fall outside LG’s dead pixel policy, then we’d recommend making an immediate return to the store you purchased it from and relying on the store’s returns window while you can.

As above, most stores will accept a return within their window without you needing to disclose you’re returning the monitor due to dead pixels.

In our experience, Costco generally offers the best returns options when it comes to monitors.

About the author

Oliver graduated from law school in 2008 and has practiced exclusively in the field of civil litigation for the last 10 years. He has a wealth of experience and expertise in litigation involving large financial losses and a special interest in consumer law. He has achieved numerous 7 figure settlements and has been involved in multi-billion dollar class-action consumer lawsuits against companies such as the Volkswagen Group. Away from the law, he is a consumer information and personal finance writer, having been featured in key publications such as Yahoo Finance, GO Banking Rates, NewsBreak, MEL Magazine, and many more.



-Chief Editor and Founder

Leave a Comment

Clicky