For the past month or two, my display has periodically developed black lines and large areas of white-line distortion. The problem used to disappear after several hours, but recently it started lasting for days. I replaced the monitor, reinstalled the graphics drivers using DDU, and tested multiple HDMI cables, but the artifacting still appears. I also connected the new monitor to a laptop, where the same distortion occurred. The issue can appear during startup, and screenshots viewed on another device look normal. Is the monitor defective, or is there another component I should test before buying anything else?
3 Answers
Try one final isolation test with a different input, such as DisplayPort if available, and make sure the connector is fully seated. If the problem remains with different cables, inputs, and a separate laptop, the monitor is faulty. Internal panel wiring repairs are generally not economical or reliable, so replacement is the practical fix.
A useful way to separate software from hardware is to check the BIOS or startup screen. Artifacts there indicate a physical issue with the monitor, cable, or graphics hardware. Also compare a screenshot on another device: if the saved image is clean while the monitor itself shows lines, the problem is happening after the image leaves the computer—usually the cable, monitor input, or panel.
Since the distortion follows the monitor and also appears when it is connected to a laptop, the monitor panel or its internal display wiring is the most likely cause. Driver problems and the desktop GPU become much less likely. If the new monitor is still under warranty or within its return period, exchange it rather than trying to repair the panel yourself.
The same lines appear during startup, and screenshots look normal when I view them elsewhere, so I’m leaning toward returning the monitor.