OLED displays: Tips on usage, care and longevity

Introduction

This article summarises all essential information about using the OLED panel in some of our XMG gaming laptop. It covers topics such as image quality, battery life, reflections, mechanical properties and the classification of potential long-term risks (commonly referred to as "OLED burn-in").

In addition to general explanations, you will also find specific tips and instructions on how to configure your device for optimal results and how to extend the lifespan of the display.

Dark mode and battery life

OLED pixels emit their own light. Black therefore means "off", resulting in contrast and depth in dark scenes that conventional LCDs cannot achieve.

With OLED, battery life depends strongly on the brightness of the displayed content. Large white areas increase power consumption, while dark surfaces, content and applications save energy.

In practice, it is advisable to set Windows to dark mode and also enable dark themes in frequently used applications.

For web browsers, the extension "Dark Reader" can switch most websites to dark mode seamlessly and reliably.

Mechanical properties and everyday use

OLED modules are very thin and lightweight. This suits the mobile requirements of a laptop, but it may alsorequire careful handling. We recommend using a padded laptop bag for transport. When carrying the device in a backpack, an additional sleeve provides protection against point pressure.

Avoid applying pressure to the lid. Do not place heavy objects in the same compartment and do not wedge the laptop between books or power adapters.

Open and close the display lid as centrally as possible above the protruding webcam area to avoid twisting.

A soft microfibre cloth is sufficient for cleaning. Use little pressure and avoid alcohol-based cleaners. Prevent prolonged heat exposure and direct sunlight. For example, do not leave the laptop behind a car windscreen or in similarly exposed places.

Reflections

OLED displays are typically not matte but are covered with a thin, slightly reflective glass panel. This produces a clear and vivid image but makes the panel more susceptible to reflections. When indoors, try to position light sources so that they are not directly behind you.

Note on PWM

OLED displays usually dim at low brightness levels using pulse width modulation (PWM). However, the frequencies are high enough not to cause problems for most users. The amplitude depends on brightness: the brighter the display, the lower the amplitude.

To avoid PWM completely, you can increase screen brightness (PWM is not used at 100%) and then reduce the "virtual" brightness of the content through the Control Centre or the graphics driver.

OLED burn-in

"Burn-in" refers to permanently visible shadows or "ghost images" caused by uneven aging of OLED pixels. It is primarily associated with displaying identical, high-brightness content in the same position for very long periods of time.

Modern OLED panels are considerably more resistant to this effect than earlier generations, but the risk has not been eliminated, as demonstrated in this video:

• Deliberately Burning In My QD-OLED Monitor - 30 Month Update [Monitors Unboxed]

In addition to improvements in the OLED materials themselves, modern panels use internal compensation and mitigation mechanisms to reduce uneven pixel aging.

These protective mechanisms operate autonomously inside the panel. They do not require support from Windows, the BIOS, GPU drivers or Control Center. Samsung considers the exact algorithms proprietary and therefore does not disclose the individual functions.

The effectiveness of these measures is validated by the panel maker with demanding "image-sticking" stress tests. In these tests, a static test pattern is displayed continuously at maximum luminance for roughly 6 months at room temperature. Even after such a long time of non-stop static image display, the panel should not show any noticable burn-in artifacts. The term "noticable" is defined by Samsung as anything that may "affect practical display functions".

This qualification period should not be confused with the expected lifetime of the panel. It only defines the duration of this particular stress test.

In everyday use, applications, games, videos and windows usually change frequently. However, some interface elements can still remain in the same position for many hours at a time.

The panel-internal safeguards therefore substantially reduce the practical risk, but they cannot make an OLED panel absolutely immune to uneven aging under every possible usage pattern. In the next paragraph, as an additional precaution, we recommend a few simple measures to minimise unnecessary static pixel stress.

OLED optimisations and burn-in prevention

We recommend the following settings and software packages to optimise your OLED experience, extend battery life and reduce the long-term risk of burn-in artefacts.

Windows on-board tools

Dark mode in apps

Many modern applications also offer their own dark mode. In most cases, they follow the Windows system setting (see above), so switching the system to dark mode will also apply to these apps.

Some programs, however, require manual activation in their settings. It is worth checking the options in each application to adjust the interface colour scheme as desired.

Dark mode in web browsers

For browsers, we recommend the free extension "Dark Reader". It adjusts website colours and contrasts intelligently, rather than simply inverting them, ensuring good readability.

If automatic adjustment is incorrect, you can exclude individual domains or websites in Dark Reader.

Minimising static content

Burn-in can occur when identical content remains in the same position for extended periods. Examples include desktop icons, taskbars, window frames and static wallpapers.

The following tools can help reduce this risk:

Choosing brightness carefully

Bright displays are visually appealing but increase strain on static elements. Choose a brightness level that suits your environment and combine it with dark user interfaces. Indoors, position light sources so they are not directly behind you, which reduces the need to compensate with higher brightness.

What about screensavers

Almost all display manufacturers and experts recommend automatic screen shutdown as the most effective protection against OLED burn-in, since switched-off pixels do not consume energy and therefore do not age.

Screensavers are mentioned only as a temporary complement and mainly serve user comfort. It is important that the chosen screensaver does not contain static elements.

If you would like to use screensavers, we recommend this collection:

Like the pre-installed Microsoft screensavers, the "Really Slick" screensavers require only minimal processing power and run exclusively on the iGPU, so the NVIDIA GPU is not activated when idle.

To configure the screensavers to run only when connected to external power, we recommend the following scheme:

• On battery: Turn off screen after 10 minutes
• Generally: Activate screensaver after 15 minutes
• Plugged-in: Turn off screen after 20 minutes

This way, the screensaver is shown for a maximum of 5 minutes, and only when the power supply is connected. Of course, this scheme can be adjusted to suit personal preferences.

Final thoughts

OLED displays offer outstanding image quality with impressive contrast and vibrant colors. At the same time, they have a few characteristics worth keeping in mind during everyday use.

With a few simple settings and habits, you can optimize battery life and help extend the lifespan of your display. Our recommendations are intended as practical optimizations, not as strict rules for how to use your laptop. They can be implemented with just a few clicks and require little further attention in everyday use. If you have any further questions about your OLED display, please feel free to contact us.