U3225QE backlight bleeding or acceptable variance

Question

Hello,

I would like to get an expert opinion regarding my newly purchased Dell U3225QE monitor.

In complete darkness, I notice visible backlight bleeding in three specific areas: around the pop-out USB hub, to the left of it, and in the bottom-left corner. This makes the entire bottom-left corner look noticeably lighter.

Here are some important details regarding this issue:

This behavior is only visible in a dark room and strictly on a black background (for instance, when watching movies with black bars).
Under normal or even low ambient lighting, the screen looks fine.
In the dark, the issue is not noticeable on any colors other than black.
Furthermore, unlike the rest of the display, this specific corner reacts heavily to even the slightest touch. For instance, when I gently wipe it with a microfiber cloth, the bleeding noticeably intensifies. The rest of the screen does not exhibit this behavior at all.

Since I have just received the monitor, I still have the option to return it to the reseller.
I would like to know if this amount of glow is considered a manufacturing defect or if it falls within the acceptable variance for this panel.

I am attaching a photo for your reference. Please note that the smartphone camera captured the image with some overexposure, so the effect looks slightly more pronounced in the photo than it does to the naked eye. However, these three bright spots and the general lighter corner are always clearly visible to me in the dark.

As a reference, I also own a Lenovo Legion 7 (2021) laptop, and its screen is completely uniform across the entire surface under the exact same conditions. Since I have never used a high-end monitor of this class before, I am not sure what to expect. This was a significant financial investment for me, and I want to ensure I don't miss the return window if this unit is defective.

Alex_Wi · Answer

Adding some photo of each corner for comparison. + 1 photo in light conditions.

ejn63 · Answer

It's clearly enough that it bothers you and won't improve with time.

Alex_Wi · Answer

@ejn63;​ Yep, this bothers me a little, cause on my old cheap 27 monitor VA matrix have no this issue)Main question is:Is this level of glow within the acceptable variance for this panel, or is it a manufacturing defect?I really like this specific unit because it has zero dead pixels and absolutely no coil whine, which I know can be common issues with this model. I am hesitant to simply exchange it through the reseller, as I am afraid of getting a replacement unit with worse defects.

DELL-ChrisM2 · Answer

'In complete darkness''Is this level of glow within the acceptable variance for this panel'* Yes.Dell monitors are not tested/validated in a full dark lab.Consumer monitors are inspected at 150 Lux ambient lighting (similar to typical office lighting).UltraSharp, Gaming, and Alienware monitors are inspected with a tighter criteria of 70 Lux ambient lighting (dimly lit room but not full dark).UltraSharp, Gaming, and Alienware monitors may have some light leakage or backlight bleeding when used in a full dark room and dark background with ambient light less than 70 Lux. These monitors are working as designed and are within specifications.

ejn63 · Answer

Only you can decide. I suspect Dell will consider the panel within acceptable limits, but if you have return privileges that include a refund, and you don't want to risk another of the same model, take the refund and buy a different model entirely.

LE_DC · Answer

Hi Alex,I have the exact same monitor, and I’ve found that the backlight bleed is significantly reduced, if not completely gone, when HDR is turned off.If you’re mainly using the monitor for productivity, I’d recommend leaving HDR off. I personally keep HDR enabled for gaming, and while I can notice some bleed when the screen is completely black, I rarely notice it during actual gameplay, even in darker environments.Unfortunately, this seems to be fairly common with this particular model, and several reviews online have mentioned the same issue.If you’re not happy with it, I’d consider returning it and going for the OLED version of the monitor, although it’s roughly twice the price. Otherwise, if your primary use is gaming, you could look at the AOC alternative, which is around half the price and may offer better value.

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U3225QE backlight bleeding or acceptable variance

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