New Monitor Defect Checklist

By Cedrick Reese · Updated August 2026

This new monitor defect checklist is ten minutes of testing your brand-new monitor deserves before you settle into using it. Most people notice a defect weeks later, by which point an easy no-questions return has often turned into a slower warranty claim. Here's the checklist to run through the day it arrives.

The checklist

• Unbox and inspect the physical panel, bezel, and stand for shipping damage before powering on.
• Set your monitor to its native resolution and turn off any adaptive brightness or HDR mode, since these can mask subtle defects.
• Darken the room if possible.
• Run a full white screen and scan the panel edge to edge for dark spots (dead pixels).
• Run a full black screen and scan for colored spots (stuck pixels) and light leakage.
• Do the head-tilt check on any light leakage. If it moves with your viewing angle, it's IPS glow (normal); if it stays fixed, it's backlight bleed (a possible defect). See our screen uniformity guide for the full walkthrough.
• Cycle through red, green, and blue to catch anything a white or black screen alone would miss.
• Note the exact position of anything you find, and whether it's in the central "Zone A" area or nearer the edge.

Why the center of the screen matters more

Retailers and manufacturers often hold defects in the central area of the screen, sometimes called "Zone A," to a stricter standard than defects near the edges, since a central defect is far more noticeable during everyday use. A single central dead pixel can sometimes qualify for a return even when the total defect count on its own wouldn't. Exact zone definitions and thresholds vary by brand, so this is one more reason to check your specific manufacturer's stated policy rather than relying on a general rule of thumb.

Manufacturers use a standard, but the exact numbers vary

Most manufacturers set their acceptable-defect thresholds using the ISO 9241-307 pixel-defect classification system, which groups panels into classes based on how many and what type of defects are allowed. That said, the exact number of defective pixels that qualifies for a return or replacement differs by manufacturer and retailer, and those policies can change over time. Rather than relying on a specific number you've seen quoted somewhere, check your retailer's current stated policy before you decide whether to pursue a return.

Run the full test suite

Use these tools together for a complete check: the Dead Pixel Test for dark and stuck-pixel scanning, and the Black Screen Test specifically for backlight bleed and IPS glow.

Frequently asked questions

Open the Dead Pixel Test tool →

The checklist reflects the defects retailers and manufacturers typically cover under a dead-pixel or return policy, not every cosmetic quirk a monitor might have. Return windows and thresholds vary by retailer, so the guide points you to your own retailer's policy rather than assuming one standard, and the general defect list is reviewed periodically against common monitor warranty terms.