Acer Spin513-54N-74v2 is only 2 years old and already has a display problem on power up

Oneifby
Oneifby Member Posts: 6 New User

When I turn on my laptop, the screen has either has semi-transparent vertical, colored stripes OR the whole screen is semi-transparent light gray. I can see my desktop through either. It gradually starts to clear and then after 3-4 minutes, it looks almost normal. I say almost because I can see very faint lines if I look closely. I am using the only available VGA driver. I checked that with both Acer and Intel. (Iris + graphics.) I have connected my laptop to an external monitor so I can watch both screens during power up. The external monitor is fine. The laptop display is not.

The other thing I notice since this started is that the fonts on my desktop icons have missing pixels making them almost impossible to read. I don't know if that is part of the same problem or a different one because I still can't read the icons even after the screen stripes go away.

I took it to a local computer tech who thinks the most likely problem (without taking it apart/charging a diagnostic fee) is the graphics card. He said that it cannot be replaced separate from the mother board which will be very expensive. He said there was a slim possibility that it is the cable. He tentatively ruled that out because of the disappearing stripes after warmup. I searched for a motherboard and found one on eBay for $750 and it was only an i5 and I have an i7 which theoretically would cost more. Add labor to that and I'm not sure it's worth it.

Has anyone else encountered this problem?

Answers

  • Jack22
    Jack22 ACE Posts: 4,177 Pathfinder

    @Oneifby

    First go to BIOS and check if the screen looks same in the BIOS if not than you need to update the Display drivers.

    Inorder to go to BIOS , as soon as you turn on the laptop keep pressing the F2 so that it will take you to BIOS.

    Than in order to update the display driver , go to Device manager and uninstall the display driver and restart the unit.


    Click on 'Yes' if the comment answers your question!
  • Oneifby
    Oneifby Member Posts: 6 New User

    BIOS has the same problem.

  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 34,645 Trailblazer

    OK, that helps pin it down to hardware rather than software. Most often that type of artifact is caused by the eDP cable that runs between the motherboard and the display assembly. You can check to see if it's just corrosion at the connectors by reseating the cable. Unfortunately Acer only sells the display as an assembly, so they don't have a separate part number for the cable. Check the secondary market to see if you can find a display cable or eDP cable for your SP513-54N.

    Click on "Like" if you find my answer useful or click on "Yes" if it answers your question.