Common Problems With Laptop Screens

Laptop computers are useful devices, offering similar performance to a desktop in a more portable form. One issue that often crops up however, is that laptop screens are easily damaged, and the liquid crystal display technology that they rely on is fragile. Unlike desktop computers, where you can simply swap out the monitor when you want to upgrade or the old screen develops a fault, laptop screens are harder to replace. Some common issues with laptop screens include:

Pixel Defects

Dead pixels, or bright/malfunctioning pixels often appear in new laptop screens and LCD monitors. Dead pixels are pixels that appear as black dots on the screen. Stuck pixels may be stuck as a specific colour, constantly lit up. Pixel defects can sometimes be hard to pinpoint, especially if the pixels are near the edge of the screen.

Laptop and display manufacturers will usually have a policy that dictates how many pixels are allowed to be 'bad' on a display. Some companies let you return a display for a single bad pixel, while others may only allow returns if there are more than a certain number of bad pixels.

Dirt Build-up

Laptops leave the office/house quite frequently, and this means that they can attract dirt and debris. It's easy to spill things on the display by accident, and spots of dirt can sometimes look a lot like dead pixels.

Fuzzy Screens

A laptop screen can sometimes be rather fuzzy or blurry, and this can cause problems which might make the laptop hard to use. The good news is that fuzzy or blurry screens are usually caused by software issues, and updating the drivers for the device, or updating the BIOS, can often help.

Brightness

LCD and plasma screens can sometimes dim over time. Screens are often set to a low brightness level in a bid to make the battery last longer. Increasing the brightness can help. Sometimes the screen goes almost completely black, and this is caused by damage to the wires that supply the screen with power. This issue is harder to fix, and may require a skilled technician to open the device.

Display Sizes

If the icons on the screen are too small, too big, or rather blurred, then this is likely a sign that the operating system is running in the wrong resolution. Fortunately, this can easily be fixed by changing the settings. Your laptop repair technician can help you resolve this if you get stuck.

Screen Blackout

If the screen goes black after a set period of time, this is usually down to a power saving or hibernation setting. Fortunately, this can be adjusted. These settings make the screen switch off if you don't press a key or move the mouse cursor. You can configure the screen to stay on for more or less time depending on if the machine is plugged in and charging or not.

There are many variations to the problems laptop screens can have and here at Hove Laptop Repairs, we have a system and checklist in pace to isolate what the specific problem is before beginning the repair process.