Question: What Problems Could I Have With My Laptop Display?
I will be traveling frequently with my laptop and want to know what possible problems I could have with my laptop display. I've heard horror stories of people having to buy new laptops because the display was broken or damaged and they lost data.
Answer: Some of the most common problems with displays that I've heard of are
the following:
- Dead Pixels are a common problem and the first thing you should check when you receive or get your new laptop home. You don't need to open any applications - a plain solid color window makes it easier to see if you have any dead pixels. You are looking for tiny white dots. If you do have even one or two tiny white dots contact your Service Support Representative or return your laptop to where you purchased it. Power up your laptop and show the person what the problem is.
- Loose Hinges - the hinges which hold the display in place may become loose over time or you may have received your laptop in that condition. You can try to repair this yourself but I recommend that you take your laptop to an authorized repair service and let them handle it. If you notice the hinges are becoming lose, don't wait too long to have it looked at. You don't need to open your laptop one day and have the display slam down on your desk. That isn't healthy for the display and will cause more damage.
- Casing Gaps - You may notice that there are gaps in the casing surrounding your display. This may be right from the beginning or develop over time. Again this is not something you should try to repair yourself. If you ignore you will be letting dirt and other bits and pieces get in behind the display and that will affect your display in a not so nice way.
- Cracked or split bezel - the part of the casing that surrounds the display itself is called the bezel and you may find it has cracked or split. This happens most often when the laptop has been dropped, something heavy was dropped on the laptop or other rough treatment of the display.