Alienware Working on Fix for AW3926QW OLED Vignetting Flaw

Alienware has confirmed it is developing a fix for the one flaw holding back its otherwise impressive 39-inch 5K2K OLED gaming monitor, the AW3926QW. The solution, which appears to be a firmware update, would introduce a toggle for the panel’s edge-dimming protection feature in the monitor’s on-screen display menu. The issue in question is “vignetting” — a gradual dimming of the screen’s edges that occurs during gameplay and has prevented reviewers from giving the monitor an unqualified recommendation.

The AW3926QW is a genuinely impressive display. At 39 inches with a 5120×2880 resolution, it delivers the pixel density of a 32-inch 4K panel while packing LG’s latest Tandem WOLED technology, complete with RGB-stripe subpixels for those who prioritize color purity.

The monitor is enormous, feature-rich, and otherwise a masterclass in gaming display engineering. Yet during the review process, one persistent problem stood in the way of a clean buy recommendation.

The Vignetting Problem and Its Root Cause

As the reviewer explained during the original review, “during gaming the edges of the panel gradually dim ever so slightly,” an issue generally referred to as “vignetting.” The culprit is a feature called CPC, or Convex Power Control. “It’s an LG Display WOLED panel protection feature and dims all four edges of the display to help prevent burn-in,” the reviewer noted. “As far as I am aware, it can’t be toggled on or off on this Alienware, but if CPC is causing the vignette issue, it should be easy to address in a firmware update. Broadly, I don’t think this is a hardware limitation, but a configuration issue.”

That assessment proved correct, which is precisely why a fix is now possible.

A Toggle in the Works

Alienware’s monitor expert, Graft, revealed that a solution is in the works. “We hear the feedback on uniformity and are actively testing a potential toggle that could give customers more control over uniformity,” Graft said. “We want to make sure we understand the full customer experience implications before we enable anything. More to come soon.”

Graft’s comments suggest Alienware is planning a firmware update that would add a toggle for CPC in the AW3926QW’s OSD menu. The possible catch lies in what Graft hinted at when he added that the company wants to fully understand the customer experience implications before enabling the feature.

The Burn-In Trade-Off

The implications likely involve OLED burn-in and its increased likelihood with CPC disabled. The CPC feature exists to reduce brightness around the edges during gaming specifically to minimize the extent to which persistent in-game screen furniture and UI elements — status bars, minimaps, and so on — can be permanently burned into the panel after extended gameplay.

The reviewer’s slight fear is that if Alienware introduces a toggle for the CPC feature, it might have an impact on the panel’s burn-in warranty. Perhaps turning CPC off will void that warranty, or perhaps there will be a counter recording how many gaming hours with CPC toggled off have accrued, with a trigger point that eventually voids the warranty.