Quick Decision Summary
IPS glow is an inherent characteristic of IPS panel technology, not a defect. It appears as a silvery or warm glow in corners when viewing dark content at an angle. True backlight bleed is a separate issue that doesn't change with viewing angle and may warrant a return.
- IPS glow: Normal. Changes when you shift position. Cannot be fixed or returned.
- Backlight bleed: Manufacturing variance. Stays constant regardless of angle. May warrant return if severe.
- Key test: Move your head side to side. If the glow moves, it's IPS glow. If it stays, it's bleed.
Every discussion forum about IPS monitors contains threads asking whether observed corner glow is normal or defective. The confusion stems from two related but distinct phenomena that look similar in photos but behave differently in person.
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Understanding the difference between IPS glow and backlight bleed prevents unnecessary returns while ensuring you don't accept genuinely defective units. The distinction comes down to physics versus manufacturing quality.
IPS Glow vs Backlight Bleed: The Key Differences
IPS Glow
- Cause: Light leaking through the liquid crystal layer at off-angles due to IPS panel structure
- Appearance: Silvery, purple, or warm tint in corners, especially bottom corners
- Behavior: Changes position or intensity when you move your head
- Severity: Varies by panel, but exists on all IPS monitors to some degree
- Fixable: No. It's inherent to the technology.
- Warranty: Not covered. Not considered a defect.
Backlight Bleed
- Cause: Light escaping around panel edges due to imperfect frame pressure or sealing
- Appearance: Bright spots or cloudy areas, typically along edges
- Behavior: Stays in the same position regardless of viewing angle
- Severity: Manufacturing variance. Can range from minor to severe.
- Fixable: Sometimes loosening frame screws helps. Usually not user-serviceable.
- Warranty: May be covered if severe enough, depends on manufacturer policy.
Scenario Breakdowns: When IPS Glow and Bleed Matter
Gaming in Dark Scenes
Horror games and dark environments make corner glow most visible. However, your focus is typically on the center of the screen where action happens. Most gamers stop noticing IPS glow during active gameplay.
Impact: Moderate during cutscenes, minimal during gameplay. Severe backlight bleed can be distracting.
Movie Watching with Letterboxing
Cinematic aspect ratios create black bars where IPS glow becomes most apparent. This is the worst-case scenario for visible glow, especially in darkened rooms.
Impact: High visibility. Consider VA panels if movies with letterboxing are your primary use case.
Photo and Video Editing
Color accuracy matters more than contrast in corners. IPS glow doesn't affect the colors in your working area. Most professionals accept IPS glow as a tradeoff for superior color reproduction.
Impact: Low for actual work. Only visible when viewing dark preview content.
Office and Productivity
White backgrounds and lit office environments mean you'll rarely see IPS glow during work. The phenomenon is invisible with bright content on screen.
Impact: Negligible. IPS glow has no practical effect on productivity use.
Dark Room Use
Viewing in a completely dark room maximizes visible IPS glow. Adding even ambient bias lighting behind the monitor significantly reduces perceived glow.
Impact: High. Consider bias lighting or a VA panel if you primarily use your monitor in darkness.
How to Decide if This is Right for You
- Good fit if: The glow changes when you shift viewing position, you primarily use the monitor in lit environments, or the glow is only noticeable when displaying test images and not during normal use.
- Not ideal if: There are bright spots that remain fixed regardless of your position, the bleed is severe enough to distract during normal content, or you primarily watch letterboxed movies in darkness.
- What to compare: Test the same dark image while moving your head. Compare severity against online examples of the same monitor model. Consider whether VA panel alternatives would better suit your primary use case.
Tradeoffs and Limitations
The panel lottery: IPS glow severity varies between individual units of the same model. Returning for a replacement might result in better or worse glow. There's no way to predict what you'll receive.
Photography exaggerates glow: Camera sensors capture IPS glow more dramatically than human eyes perceive it. Don't judge severity from photos. If you're comparing your monitor to online images, your situation may be better than pictures suggest.
VA alternative tradeoff: VA panels have better contrast and no IPS glow, but suffer from slower response times (causing smearing in fast motion) and worse color accuracy. There's no perfect panel technology.
OLED alternative: OLED eliminates both IPS glow and backlight bleed entirely. However, OLED carries burn-in risk for static content and typically costs significantly more.
How to Properly Test for IPS Glow vs Backlight Bleed
Display a pure black image
Use our backlight bleed test tool or a black image in fullscreen. Turn off ambient lighting in the room.
Sit at normal viewing distance
Position yourself where you typically use the monitor. Glow looks worse up close than at normal distance.
Move your head side to side
Shift your viewing position left and right, up and down. Observe whether the glow shifts with your movement.
Classify what you see
Glow that moves = IPS glow (normal). Bright spots that stay fixed = backlight bleed (potentially defective if severe).
Test with actual content
View dark scenes in games or movies you typically watch. If glow isn't visible during real use, it's not a practical problem.
Common Mistakes When Evaluating IPS Glow
Testing at maximum brightness
Monitor brightness of 80-100% exaggerates all light leakage. Test at your normal brightness level (typically 30-50% in dim environments).
Photographing the screen for comparison
Cameras dramatically overexpose IPS glow. Your eyes adapt to the glow in ways cameras cannot. Judge with your eyes, not photos.
Testing too close to the screen
IPS glow is view-angle dependent. When you lean in close, you're viewing corners at extreme angles. Test at your actual sitting distance.
Expecting zero glow on IPS panels
All IPS monitors have some degree of IPS glow. It's physics, not a defect. If you cannot tolerate any corner glow, IPS is the wrong panel type for you.
Testing in complete darkness only
Most people don't use monitors in total darkness. Add bias lighting or ambient light to simulate real conditions before deciding to return.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does IPS glow get worse over time?
No, IPS glow is a static characteristic of the panel. It won't increase over the monitor's lifetime. If you notice worsening light leakage over time, it may be backlight bleed developing due to temperature changes affecting the frame.
Can I return a monitor for IPS glow?
Retailers with good return policies will accept returns for any reason during the return window. However, manufacturers don't consider IPS glow a defect, so warranty claims based on IPS glow alone are typically rejected.
Does bias lighting reduce IPS glow?
Bias lighting doesn't eliminate IPS glow, but it significantly reduces its visibility by raising the ambient light level. Your eyes adapt to the brighter environment, making the relative brightness of IPS glow less noticeable.
Is IPS glow worse on larger monitors?
Larger monitors often show more apparent IPS glow because corners are farther from your center of vision, increasing the viewing angle to those areas. A 27-inch monitor typically shows more visible corner glow than a 24-inch with the same panel quality.
Do all IPS monitors have IPS glow?
Yes, all IPS and IPS-type panels (including LG's Nano IPS, Samsung's PLS, and AUO's AHVA) exhibit some degree of IPS glow. It's an inherent characteristic of the technology, not a manufacturing flaw.
What panel type has no glow?
VA panels don't have IPS glow because they use different liquid crystal alignment. OLED panels have no backlight glow at all because each pixel produces its own light. Both have their own tradeoffs: VA has slower response times, OLED has burn-in risk.
Why does IPS glow look purple or silver?
The color tint comes from light passing through the polarizer layers at off-angles. Different panel manufacturers and coating types produce different glow colors. Some IPS panels show warm golden glow while others appear cool silver or purple.
Can adjusting monitor settings reduce IPS glow?
Reducing brightness reduces visible IPS glow. Some users find that lowering contrast slightly also helps. However, these settings can't eliminate IPS glow entirely because it's caused by the panel structure, not the backlight intensity.