What's Wrong with my Laptop Screen?!

dmw_4814

I have an Acer Predator 17 G9-793-79V5 laptop. It originally came with the full HD screen, but I upgraded it right when I bought it to the 4k UHD screen. I was told by the seller the 4k screen I purchased was a genuine AU Optronics screen, which is the brand Acer uses (AU Optronics, for anyone who doesn't know, used to be Acer Display Technologies), and it appeared to be. It's been functioning perfectly, until now.

I also bought, several months ago, an HP Omen X 35 inch ultrawide gaming monitor, but due to the fact I'm an over-the-road tractor-trailer driver, and my wife; my stepson, and I also moved from Phoenix, AZ back to my hometown of Cleveland, OH, I never even opened the box the monitor was in, until last week. I set it up on my desk and hooked my Predator to it, using the DisplayPort cable. The monitor supports G-Sync, and I had the refresh rate set to 100Hz (I think the monitor's native resolution, which I had it set to, is 3440 x 1440). I had my Predator connected to the monitor for about 2½ days, and had no problems while using it.

I'm on the road now, and I bring my laptop with me (I have a computer backpack I keep it in). The first time I turned it on in the truck, I immediately noticed these red spots/banding on the laptop screen that were never there before. In using it for several days now, the red spots/banding have not changed at all in shape; size, or position. However, I noticed that they don't appear at times, depending on what color is being displayed on the screen. For example, they're not visible when the blue Windows wallpaper is displayed on the screen, nor do they appear in the white background in Windows Explorer.

Anyone ever encounter anything like this, or know what's causing it? Is it a defective screen; defective GPU, or graphics driver? I'd appreciate any insight anyone might be able to provide. Thanks!

Balatekie

Hello dmw_4814, 

I request you to please go into the BIOS settings of your computer and check for red spots visibility and let me know. If you could, post the image of your laptop screen at BIOS settings. To get into BIOS, you need tap F2 button in your keyboard rapidly on startup of your computer. 

dmw_4814

You can faintly see the red line in the background in the BIOS screen.

dmw_4814

It's almost imperceptible in this picture, but it can be ever so faintly seen in the Windows shut down screen, too.

dmw_4814

Bueller? Bueller? Class...anyone? LOL!

I checked the cable from the LCD to the motherboard, and that seems tight where it plugs into the motherboard, but I'm going to have to pry the bezel from around the screen and check it where it actually plugs to the LCD itself (there was some significant tension on that part of the cable; in fact, it initially disconnected when I first installed the new screen from opening/closing the lid, and my heart sank, thinking the screen was defective!). Hopefully, the cable has just pulled loose every so slightly, but I'm guessing I'm not that lucky. It's probably the screen. I'll have to take the bezel off next weekend, when I'm home (I'm on the road; I drive a tractor-trailer). I have some of those plastic "spudger" tools, which make lifting the bezel really easy.

I'm also going to check if the red splotches appear on my external monitor when I connect the laptop to it.

Red-Sand

(LOL Bueller 😁)

I hate to say it brother but it looks like heat damage. It's been pretty hot out there have you left your laptop in the truck for extended periods of time?

dmw_4814

Yeah, it has been in the truck a few times when it's been pretty hot outside. Although the tractor I drive is  (or, was, last year) a brand-new 2018 Freightliner Cascadia, the factory-installed APU (auxiliary power unit that supplies heat and A/C without having to idle the motor) is COMPLETELY inadequate if it's hot outside and the sun is shining during the day - there's what seems like roughly a 3'x3' "bubble" near my head in the sleeper where it's (semi)comfortable, but it's literally like 120 or 140 (it seems) in the rest of the cab!

Anyway, I've been home since Sunday evening, and I was able to correct the situation - by reinstalling the original full-HD screen it came equipped with from Acer, LOL! I removed the bezel and took the 4k screen off, and it seemed like the connector was slightly askew, as if it had been pulled slightly, and in trying to ensure it was in there all the way, I bent the connector on the screen. After that, I couldn't get the screen to light up unless I applied pressure with my fingers to it, holding it a certain way, so I realized I'd just basically trashed my 4k screen. It didn't really matter , though, as pushing the connector back in tight (before I bent the whole thing) didn't make the red marks go away at all, so I knew I'd have to replace the screen, anyway. So, for the time being, I've got the original, full-HD LG screen back in the unit, and there's no red marks at all (the images on my external HP Omen X monitor are flawless as well). As soon as I can afford it, I'm going to purchase another 4k screen, along with a new cable (I don't trust that I didn't damage that, too), and install it.

Sigh...

Red-Sand

dmqw_4814 said:

Yeah, it has been in the truck a few times when it's been pretty hot outside. Although the tractor I drive is  (or, was, last year) a brand-new 2018 Freightliner Cascadia, the factory-installed APU (auxiliary power unit that supplies heat and A/C without having to idle the motor) is COMPLETELY inadequate if it's hot outside and the sun is shining during the day - there's what seems like roughly a 3'x3' "bubble" near my head in the sleeper where it's (semi)comfortable, but it's literally like 120 or 140 (it seems) in the rest of the cab!

Anyway, I've been home since Sunday evening, and I was able to correct the situation - by reinstalling the original full-HD screen it came equipped with from Acer, LOL! I removed the bezel and took the 4k screen off, and it seemed like the connector was slightly askew, as if it had been pulled slightly, and in trying to ensure it was in there all the way, I bent the connector on the screen. After that, I couldn't get the screen to light up unless I applied pressure with my fingers to it, holding it a certain way, so I realized I'd just basically trashed my 4k screen. It didn't really matter , though, as pushing the connector back in tight (before I bent the whole thing) didn't make the red marks go away at all, so I knew I'd have to replace the screen, anyway. So, for the time being, I've got the original, full-HD LG screen back in the unit, and there's no red marks at all (the images on my external HP Omen X monitor are flawless as well). As soon as I can afford it, I'm going to purchase another 4k screen, along with a new cable (I don't trust that I didn't damage that, too), and install it.

Sigh...

Bummer bro.

I also travel for work (not in a rig but in general) and Ive found it to be a good practice to never leave any weight or pressure on the back of the display panel when i have to leave my gear in my vehicle.

If you keep it in a bag or something Id take it out and remove all pressure until it can sit in normal temperatures for a while.

It could also be a cheaper 4k china made panel just isn't as durable as a manufacturer's panel.

I hope you the best, safe travels.