As excited as I was when OLED gaming monitors began to emerge in 2022, I was skeptical about owning one. PC enthusiasts on Reddit and reviewers on YouTube shared myths and misconceptions that made OLED monitors seem more trouble than they were worth. I don't blame them, though, because nobody knew how these monitors would hold up in the long run back then. Burn-in was one of the biggest concerns about using an OLED monitor for desktop work, along with text clarity issues compared to traditional LCD panels.

Since I already had two high-quality IPS monitors, I decided to take the risk and pull the trigger on the Alienware AW3423DW despite the potential drawbacks. As expected, it had its fair share of quirks, but they weren't enough to deter me from purchasing a second OLED monitor, the Alienware AW2725DF, in 2024 for competitive gaming. Over time, I managed to learn which of the concerns were valid to some extent and which were nothing more than overblown myths. So, let's get right into them.

Burn-in will be noticeable within months

OLED screen burn-in concerns are overblown by the community

Like most people considering an OLED monitor, my biggest fear was screen burn-in. Even though burn-in was never a problem on my LG OLED TV, I was still worried because a desktop monitor has far more static elements like taskbars, browser tabs, HUDs, and software toolbars that can sit in the same place for hours. Before I bought the AW3423DW, I read several Reddit posts warning users about ghost images showing up within months of use. But in reality, that didn't happen.

Even after three years of daily use, I didn't notice permanent burn-in on my AW3423DW. Yes, I have seen temporary image retention a few times, but it cleared up after running the Pixel Refresh and Panel Refresh features a couple of times. The thing is, most modern OLED monitors have panel care features to help prevent screen burn-in. For example, they automatically shift pixels slightly to make sure static elements don't stay in the exact same position for too long. But if you're still worried about burn-in, you can always choose a monitor with a two- or three-year burn-in warranty for extra peace of mind.

Pixel refresh cycles can disrupt workflow

Most OLED monitors let you disable the pixel refresh warnings

Most OLED monitors are designed to run the built-in pixel refresh feature after four hours of cumulative use. When I first saw the reviews of the AW3423DW, I was skeptical about this because I worried it would interrupt me while I was writing articles or editing photos. After actually using it, I realized that the prompt isn't as intrusive as I thought. It doesn't take over your screen while you're working or playing games. Yes, the prompt itself is still a bit annoying, but most monitors let you disable the automatic warning message in the OSD menu.

Unfortunately, some monitors, like the AW2725DF I bought later on, don't give you the option to turn off the prompt entirely. However, when it appears, you can choose to run the pixel refresh feature when the monitor is in standby. In practice, I've found this to be a non-issue since it doesn't really interrupt my activity. There have been a few times when I left my desk and came back to the monitor running the pixel refresh feature, but I could simply press the power button and return to my tasks after ignoring the pop‑up. It does take some time getting used to, but it reminds you to take more care of your expensive monitor.

OLED monitors have terrible text clarity

Yes, LCDs are better, but that doesn't mean OLEDs are unusable

OLED monitors are often critiqued for their subpar text clarity, especially in comparison to traditional LCD panels, due to their unique subpixel arrangement. This was mainly why I waited a couple of months to purchase the AW3423DW. As much as I enjoyed gaming, I spent most of my day writing and editing articles, so text clarity was crucial. When I finally made the switch, I noticed the difference right away. There was color fringing at the top and bottom of the text, and small fonts didn't look as sharp as they did on my IPS monitors.

However, that didn't stop me from using my OLED monitor for work. The difference in text clarity wasn't a deal-breaker at all. In fact, I adapted to the OLED monitor within a couple of weeks. Adjusting ClearType text and scaling in Windows made text appear a bit cleaner. Yes, it's still not as crisp as my 4K IPS monitor right next to it, but it's far from unusable as some early adopters made it seem. That said, text clarity has gotten better with the third-generation OLED monitors currently on the market. It's also something you really only need to consider if you're buying a 1440p monitor, because at 4K, you'll struggle to notice the difference.

OLED monitors aren't perfect, but you won't regret buying one

After using an OLED monitor daily for gaming and productivity for over three years, I now realize how exaggerated some of the claims were when the first-generation panels were introduced. Burn-in isn't a major concern like some reviewers and early adopters made it seem, but back then, nobody had a clear idea of how these monitors would fare in the long term. If it were such a deal-breaker, OLED monitors wouldn't be nearly as popular as they are right now. Manufacturers are so confident that they cover burn-in under their warranties, so it's the last thing you need to worry about. Honestly, the benefits of using an OLED monitor far outweigh the minor quirks you have to deal with, like text clarity and pixel refresh prompts. Once you experience one, it's really hard to go back to a traditional LCD monitor.