LG UltraGear OLED Monitor Burn-In Test: Overwatch 2 Causes Visible Wear After 3000 Hours

A 3000-hour stress test reveals minor but permanent burn-in on LG's 32GS95UV OLED gaming monitor, primarily caused by Overwatch 2's static HUD elements, raising questions about long-term durability for competitive gamers.

OLED monitors promise unparalleled contrast and color accuracy, but lingering concerns about permanent image retention persist as these displays become mainstream. A comprehensive 3000-hour burn-in test conducted by the Optimum Tech YouTube channel provides concrete evidence of how real-world usage affects LG's UltraGear 32GS95UV, a premium dual-mode WOLED gaming monitor. The results highlight both the resilience and vulnerabilities of OLED technology under sustained gaming workloads.

The test simulated two years of typical usage—equivalent to 125 days of continuous operation—with brightness maintained between 80-100% and LG's built-in anti-burn safeguards enabled. Crucially, the test replicated realistic usage patterns: productivity applications for general computing tasks alongside extended gaming sessions, primarily focused on Blizzard's hero shooter Overwatch 2. Windows' display timeout was set to 15 minutes of inactivity, and the taskbar remained on auto-hide to minimize UI retention.

After 3000 hours, inspection using solid-color test patterns revealed faint but permanent burn-in directly attributable to Overwatch 2's static heads-up-display elements. Despite representing only 400 hours of the total runtime (approximately 13% of usage), the game's persistent health bar and ability icons left visible ghosting in the lower-left quadrant of the 32-inch panel. This degradation manifests as subtle discoloration visible only against uniform backgrounds, remaining imperceptible during normal mixed-content viewing or gameplay.

Optimum Tech's findings align with growing anecdotal reports from OLED owners observing similar HUD retention in games with high-contrast static elements. The LG 32GS95UV employs standard OLED protective measures including pixel shifting and periodic pixel refreshes, yet these proved insufficient against Overwatch 2's persistent interface components. This suggests that certain game genres pose disproportionate risks: competitive titles requiring constant visibility of health bars, minimaps, or ammo counters accelerate wear compared to media consumption or productivity tasks.

For prospective buyers, the implications are nuanced:

Casual Users: Those prioritizing media playback or varied gaming will likely find the minor retention negligible compared to OLED's visual advantages.
Competitive Gamers: Players dedicating hundreds of hours to specific titles should weigh OLED's superior motion clarity against potential long-term degradation.
Preventative Measures: Enabling dark mode system-wide, reducing HUD opacity in games, and activating all panel care settings can mitigate risks. LCD alternatives like Mini-LED remain burn-in immune for static-heavy use cases.

The subjective nature of burn-in tolerance remains evident—while Optimum Tech considers the monitor's performance acceptable given its strengths, hardcore Overwatch 2 players expressed concern over the speed of degradation. Ultimately, this test underscores that OLED technology still demands careful usage patterns despite significant improvements, particularly for displays operating at high brightness. As manufacturers refine protective algorithms, gamers must realistically assess whether their play habits align with OLED's inherent characteristics.

Key Specifications: LG UltraGear 32GS95UV