Fill the display with solid white, black, and primary colors in fullscreen, then look for dots that never change with the field. A dead pixel stays dark on white; a stuck pixel stays lit on black.
Flat color fields expose panel faults that wallpaper and desktop chrome hide. TestMyGears runs in the browser, so you can inspect a new monitor during the return window without installing software.
What counts as a pixel defect?
| Symptom on screen | Likely issue | Color that exposes it |
|---|---|---|
| Tiny dark speck on a bright field | Dead pixel | White screen |
| Bright dot on a dark field | Stuck or hot pixel | Black screen |
| Wrong tint on one color only | Sub-pixel fault | Matching red, green, or blue |
| Speck that moves when you wipe | Dust or residue, not a pixel | Clean first |
LCD panels use three sub-pixels per addressable pixel, which is why a fault may appear on only one of the RGB fields.
Five-minute test routine
- Lower ambient light. Glare conceals small defects.
- Set browser zoom to 100%. Scaled pages leave untested borders.
- Open the white screen in fullscreen for 30–45 seconds. Scan left to right, row by row.
- Switch to black. Stuck pixels often appear here first.
- Run red, green, and blue for 20–30 seconds each.
- Inspect corners and edges — laptop and phone bezels fail more often than the center.
- Repeat once if you are unsure. Real defects stay fixed in place.
For hands-free cycling, use display tests pixel mode to rotate colors automatically.
Practices that improve confidence
- Wipe the panel before testing. Dust can photograph like a dead pixel.
- Keep laptops plugged in so brightness does not drop mid-test.
- On OLED phones, also check a grey screen for uneven glow near black.
- Photograph any defect while the revealing color is still on screen — useful for warranty claims.
When a defect is worth reporting
Many manufacturers tolerate a small number of bright or dark sub-pixels before replacement. Clusters, lines, or faults that worsen over days are stronger cases. Record the date, test color, and location on the panel when you contact support.
Related reading: Best colors for dead pixel tests · Fullscreen color test basics
