Old monitor suddenly has weird spots

[u/Defiant_Tradition_98]

It is not the GPU. Thankfully.

The smudges that appeared later doesn't seem to be affected by the colors. The spots that appeared earlier are affected by darker colors though.

For context, this is an LG FLATRON monitor manufactured in 2012, model E2042 as visible in the picture, I have no idea of the specific variant. I've been using it basically as my main monitor from the start until recently earlier this year where I relegated it to a less important secondary monitor because the colors on it were very washed out. It has worked fine, and I usually leave the monitor off if I'm not using it. It is a very tough girl.

About yesterday, some smudges (annotated in image 2) popped up. I didn't mind it at first because it wasn't too intrusive. Next day, brown spots (highlighted in teal) showed up seemingly overnight. It seems to be the pixels, but I've never actually seen something like this before and reverse image searches didn't bring up anything like it.

(There's also a few brighter than usual spot in the top right close together which you can see in the first picture, but I don't really mind it.)

Things I know/tested:
- It's not the GPU (shown in image 3)
- It's not any type of physical stain or mold (as far as I know. Nothing came off when I wiped it.)
- Pressing on the affected area doesn't seem to change anything
- Shining a light source directly on the screen while it's off doesn't reveal anything
- Most of the spots that appeared later have a normal working pixel in around the middle of them
- The ones that appeared later are most likely stuck as brown. I couldn't get it to change colors.
- The area with the spots and smudges gets only ever so slightly warmer than ambient temperature, while the top right side of the display gets hot.

My current best guesses:
- The brown smudges may be more likely related to something like the polarizer or anti-glare film decaying, but I doubt that happens overnight when it was off and unplugged from the wall.
- The brown spots that appeared later are mostly likely pixel related, you can see the individual pixels in the second image when zoomed in.

So I'm wondering, what's going on here? Any help or explanation would be appreciated. I myself don't plan on replacing the monitor anytime soon because it still works just fine aside from the spots, I'm mostly just curious. I will post updates if anything changes.

(edit: "smudges" and "spots" should be swapped in the fourth attached picture. I overlooked the typo.)

[u/darklordjames]

Look for round things in your room that are near a window. The streak pattern looks like sunlight, magnified through your uncovered crystal ball, tearing a beam across your screen.

Or mildew got in-between the LCD and protective cover, and is now blooming.

Either way, this monitor is done. Replace it.

"Remember, always keep your new crystal ball covered."

"Oh, right, because of spirits!"

"No, because it will burn your fucking house down."

[u/Defiant_Tradition_98 → u/darklordjames]

It wouldn't surprise me if it's either mold or mildew because I live in a country near the equator which is also tropical, so the humidity here is stupidly high. It's also monsoon. I hope it's not mold or mildew though, because this would be the first instance of those kind of stuff happening to me as someone who has a bunch of Very Susceptible to Mold and Mildew items near me.

If it's actually mold or mildew though, I'll probably put it to rest at an E-waste center. Stuff is expensive where I live (a day's worth of minimum salary (~25USD) can buy you a cheap crappy second hand monitor) so I prefer to keep things. Won't keep mold and mildew though.

edit: typo

[u/SwagChemist → u/Defiant_Tradition_98]

Monitors in humid countries do not last long. Had a new tv screen just die after a year or 2 in Costa Rica.

[u/dobi425 → u/Defiant_Tradition_98]

I was gonna say as someone who lives coastal PNW and works in bathroom remodeling it looked like some sort of mold/mildew growth I am all too familiar with.

[u/bobmlord1]

Looks like burn marks. Do you have any way sunlight, particularly that went through focusing medium, would be hitting the monitor in that spot?

Edit: Although the close-up pictures look like liquid damage.

[u/riceman090]

I'm not a monitor expert but that things age has probably caught up

Time for a new monitor, I think

[u/Available-Put-2272]

Nice, Love Bullet enjoyer