Hello, I create this post trying to pinpoint or at least narrow down the cause of my eye strain.
A little bit of background, I'm wearing prescription glasses for 10+ years now and with cylindric (I think it's called Astigmatism here). I've been using exclusively TN panel for my home PC back in 2011 with Samsung Syncmaster SA300 and in 2014 using Asus X450J, and this May 2024 I decided to upgrade to a new laptop, local brand, Clevo chassis rebrand, Axioo Pongo 760, for its price it gives more than any other competitor:
-Intel i7 12650H
-RTX 4060-16GB RAM
-IPS 100% sRGB 144HZ FHD Antiglare (BOE NV156FHM-N4K), it was Innolux before, but I forgot the serial number
Now, the problem starts when I'm using it for the first week, I already get used to occasional headache, migraine due to my work require a lot of screen time. But this is different, the second night when I use the laptop, my head feels warm, but my eyes are fine at first but soon dry eye from lack of blinking occur (which is weird since I always unconsciously blinking when using my old screens, never happen on my 2 old screens). If I keep using it my head will eventually become hot, and headache start to show.
After some checking and testing, I found that there is flickering lines of almost identical color on black to white gradient when I test it on TestMyScreen website and also a very obvious color banding, thought this is a defect, so I consult with the store. Since it's still not 7 days after purchase yet, I'm allowed to replace it with different unit same product, did this twice in the store on the same day, heck i even turn on all 3 laptops in the store and experiment with the technician there until the shop almost close. None work, all of the screens still hurt my head, going home bringing the "safest" unit.
Then I stumble on this forum, tried all i can do, ditherig, downgrading driver, thinking if it's the antiglare coating problem, panel brand problem, etc. Also, none work. Replace the screen twice from the official service center, none work. It's weird since my work laptop, Lenovo Thinkpad L13 Gen 3 is using IPS antiglare panel and my eyes is fine, my friend Asus laptop is fine too with IPS antiglare panel.
So, I give up and bought and external monitor, a month after I bought the laptop, Samsung S33A, TN 60hz, not 100% sRGB, 768P resolution, same spec as my 2 old safe screens, it's still hurt at first but it's getting more comfortable day by day, probably residue from all the experiment for a whole month with the bad screen. Before I bought the laptop, I tried to stare at every laptop and monitor showcase in the store, IPS, OLED, miniLED(?) 120hz, 144hz, 240hz, etc. And all of them still give me problem.
And then one day someone bring a Lenovo Ideapad Slim 5i (?) I think? I forgot the exact model, to the office. a minute after I look at it, my symptoms appear, my head getting warm. Looking up what I believe the model on the net, its IPS 60Hz touchscreen 100% sRGB glossy panel.
looking back at it, none of my screen is 100% sRGB before the Axioo laptop, my work Lenovo laptop and my friend Asus laptop also not 100% sRGB. for my phone, I'm using Realme 9 pro 5G and still comfortable, IPS panel set to vivid color and constant 60Hz, I don't know if vivid is different or not from 100% sRGB.
I keep narrowing every possible cause but ignoring this 100% sRGB stuff, is it even possible? is it the tech that used to produce such color is the problem? is it the tech used to produce 144hz? Another funny thing is, the panel that installed right now (after replacing it in the official service center) is the "safest" one, no horizontal flickering, very minimal color banding, BUT there is Ghosting, tried to replace it again to a "normal" one but it's worse so I ask the technician to change it back again. turns out the "normal" one is problematic, but this "broken" one with ghosting is more friendly, but not entirely gone, to my symptoms. So, is it the tech that used for reducing ghosting that give me problem? I really want to use this one as a "Laptop" not a workstation that need external monitor.
If this is indeed the problem, I probably going to try to ask if they could assemble me one with the non "100% sRGB" one, still 144hz (their pongo 725 use it, cheaper one, but the spec not worth the price), they probably won't though, even if I'm willing to dig my wallet for it :/
One thing that I haven't tried so far is eye patching, but I fear this one will affect my work, also I read that someone tried to do that and their vision getting worse so I kind of not optimistic about it.
Apologize in advance if I make a mistake about the post, I rarely post something online.
