Someone tested a QD-OLED gaming monitor for 18 months, or 4,500 hours - and shares the burn in results

A YouTuber called Monitors Unboxed, launch an extensive OLED burn-in test 18 months ago, to check the MSI MPG 321URX QD-OLED monitor. After this long 4,500 hours deliberate testing, the results are shared in the video below.

First of all, it's important to note that these tests do not represent real gaming or work image patterns - showing only (or 95%, to be honest) static images is the worst-case scenario for OLED image retention. In any case, the YouTube says that after about 12 months, the monitor is just beginning to show some 'annoying' burn in. After 15 months - "there's been a noticeable increase in the visibility of the main artefacts in uniform dark grey test images," though only a small change.

"We're not talking about a mind-blowing difference, it's continual, gradual degradation," Monitors Unboxed says. The burn-in comprises a visible line down middle, mainly because the channel's daily usage consists of two side-by side app windows, plus an inverse shadow where the dark task bar has worn the panel less. No app icons are visible, just these general shadows.

More specifically, the red subpixel has degraded the least, the blue subpixel is the second most affected, with the green subpixel clearly the worst of the three. As a consequence, the panel is effectively shifting towards red, with the measured white point shifting from 6450K at new to 6350K after 12 months, though after 18 months that hasn't drifted any further.