Some older Garmin smartwatches are suffering from screen problems – is yours affected?

Some older Garmin watches are experiencing some burn-in issues on their displays, leaving an imprint on the display that doesn't go away. This is happening on some of the best Garmin watches, such as the Garmin Fenix and Epix series.

First spotted via NotebookCheck, the Garmin Epix Gen 2 and Garmin Fenix 6 Pro could be showing signs of OLED burn-in. Here’s why it happens.

Garmin displays can be affected by burn-in

OLED Burn-In on Epix Gen 2 from r/Garmin

As you can see in the image on the Reddit thread above, the burn-in has left one Epix Gen 2 looking like it has two displays in one, with data that’s not supposed to be on screen being clearly legible.

The user in question actually pointed out that they switch between the Garmin Epix and an Apple Watch, with the latter being worn on weekdays. That would suggest that, while “on the dock”, the Garmin is constantly displaying system information while charging, increasing the chances of OLED burn-in.

Burn-in is particularly likely on a smartwatch sitting on a charging dock, because the devices often don’t refresh their information as regularly as, say, a phone or tablet, or even a TV. That means system information like battery life is likely to be eventually burned in.

Still, it’s not just OLED panels that appear to suffer from burn-in. Another Reddit thread has suggested that a MIP (Memory in Pixel) display on a Garmin Fenix 6 Pro could be suffering the same fate.

The screenshot clearly shows two layers of information on screen, with the traditional dials of a Garmin watch appearing underneath the layer where a user is selecting their workout.

One commenter has suggested the MIP burn-in could be reversible since it’s caused by an imbalance of charge caused by static, so if you do see signs of this, consider switching modes or turning the device off for a while. Other users in the comments report Fenix 7 and Venu 2 AMOLED burn-ins as well.

For more general prevention, you could consider turning off the always-on functionality of your device. Doing so not only minimizes the amount of time elements are on screen, but also helps prolong battery life (although Garmin devices are no slouch in that regard).

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