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Posted 9th Nov 2021
Hi,
This has never happened before and I've had my laptop for over 4 and a half years. I was browsing online earlier and everything was fine until suddenly a thin green line appeared in the middle of my laptop screen. A few minutes later, it then changed colour and turned into a pink line - the position hasn't changed and it's the same horizontal line right in the middle of the screen.
I've tried reading online on threads for solutions and watched a YouTube video - 1 suggestion was connecting to an external monitor to see if the same thing happens but I don't have a monitor. Another option said to press the screen on the corners from top to bottom with both thumbs but this hasn't worked. I tried this twice.
Having had a look online, I found this post: ifixit.com/Ans…ink
The issue this person described is the exact same problem I'm having. Specifically, their image 1 and image 5 is basically what I can see on my screen - except my one is just that 1 line right in the middle and it's pink (was green before).
Can someone please help me?
Thank you in advance.
This has never happened before and I've had my laptop for over 4 and a half years. I was browsing online earlier and everything was fine until suddenly a thin green line appeared in the middle of my laptop screen. A few minutes later, it then changed colour and turned into a pink line - the position hasn't changed and it's the same horizontal line right in the middle of the screen.
I've tried reading online on threads for solutions and watched a YouTube video - 1 suggestion was connecting to an external monitor to see if the same thing happens but I don't have a monitor. Another option said to press the screen on the corners from top to bottom with both thumbs but this hasn't worked. I tried this twice.
Having had a look online, I found this post: ifixit.com/Ans…ink
The issue this person described is the exact same problem I'm having. Specifically, their image 1 and image 5 is basically what I can see on my screen - except my one is just that 1 line right in the middle and it's pink (was green before).
Can someone please help me?
Thank you in advance.
It will be a faulty display panel/electronics. Time to book in for repair.
Yes.
It's almost certainly a faulty screen though.
the screen never recovered and i sold it to someone who could repair it. he said it needs a new screen. time to get a new laptop.
@AndyRoyd I bought it from Argos in May 2017 but not sure how I could put a claim in? Is this basically it? which.co.uk/tools/faulty-goods-complaint-tool/
Then fill it in and send the letter? Only issue is I don't have the receipt anymore as it was an online order and I must have deleted it a while back.
Also, does anyone know how much a screen replacement might be for something like this? Worth doing or just better off getting a new laptop?
That Which? page indicates the base process of your claim; the claim itself will make reference to the "statutory durability requirements of Consumer Rights Act 2015" and how the device has not met the reasonable durability expectation and what you expect the vendor to do about it (example: if the reasonable life expectancy of your specific laptop model is 6 years then you may have a claim for the remaining 18months loss of full enjoyment or pro-rata cash equivalent of purchase price).
Credible proof of purchase will be required, either receipt, card/bank statement, order email, Argos account history or hit Argos with an Subject Access Request for Argos to tell you when you purchased it.
Thank you. Will look into this.
How exactly do I go about making the claim? Simply sending the letter via email to Argos customer services? Or more formally via post to head office?
Maybe ask for CRA2015 claim guidance / experience from the author of this post from literally few mins ago hotukdeals.com/com…479
You can attempt a bullet-pointed e-message to Argos CS, but if no acceptable response then similar bullet-pointed letter sent to the Argos registered office stated at Companies House (somewhere in MK9 ?)
Send any quaint paper mail from Post Office retaining two items: postage payment receipt and the freebie "proof of posting". Do not send via any receipted postal service.
Will give this a try. Thank you.
I think your best bet would be to get a new laptop, and then try and sort out the old one at your leisure - not least because you're likely to be without it for some time if they want to try and repair it, and getting a pro rata refund could take a while as Argos will inevitably say "no" at first and try and string it out as much as they can. If you paid by credit card, then you can also make a similar claim against your card provider, although in my experience that is also likely to take ages but at least you can use the ombudsman if they don't act reasonably or fairly. I think the main hurdle would be trying to disprove any suggestions that the laptop might have suffered a physical shock.
I went on live chat and got this response. What do you think? Asked about email address for CS but was told they don't have one and the only way to contact CS is via live chat on their site or via social media.
Told the order is out of warranty as only 1 year with Argos. If you wanted to claim on 6 year duty of care, need to get a independent report done on the item by a local engineer and send off to head office. As for refund/repair, I was told it'd be a partial refund for the item so they work it out how long you have had it etc and also it can take 21 days for a reply but you will also be reimbursed for the independent report done"
What should I do next? Try to just sell the laptop or try getting a partial refund as suggested? But then I need to get a report done, what do they mean by that? And no guarantee of the amount of the partial refund (if this is given at all?)
Thanks again.
Respect to Argos for not being too evasive, just a little evasive
Go to a credible laptop repair service center, where credible means a highstreet business or a business that has some confidence-conveying certification/qualifications/contact stated on its business documentation.
Request an assessment / repair estimate of the issue in writing, which for your issue may (or may not) be words to effect of:
screen issue, coloured line displayed from xx to yy, hardware fault, new screen required at total £zz materials/labour/VAT.
Use that written report as the basis of your claim for lack of durability against whatever your device's reasonable life expectancy is.
Interesting. What's weird about my issue is it happened while I was just browsing online - laptop was on my desk and nothing touched it. Completely random.
Never press directly on the screen or you can damage it, unless it's a touch screen.
Screens can be cheap, depending what type of screen it is. They can be as little as £50 but can go upto £300. The biggest cost will be the labor charge for fitting it. As some can be fiddlerly with as many as 50 little screw to remove before you can access it and swap it.
Get it repaired by a decent local place or send it off to a decent place. Most retailers will not want to deal with any warranty claims after 1 year. But keep trying them, as their supposed to.
Thanks, yes, I'll be having a look to see what I can find. Went into a local place today but was told engineer is off as he's got COVID.
What's the best thing to do? I'm getting the feeling Argos will waste my time as the lady said it takes them 3 weeks minimum to even reply back with confirmation of delivery of the report and then they'll get back regarding what outcome of their investigation will be - but sounded like she was saying it would just be a partial refund. The person I spoke to on the phone from the repair shop also said they feel Argos will probably not repair it but just offer a partial refund but probably won't be much.
On one hand, I'd like to see what happens but on the other hand, don't think I'm willing to potentially have to put up with more than 2-3 months of waiting/time getting wasted.
I think the reason why I'm hesitant is because of my previous experience with Lenovo. A few years ago, I sent them my faulty phone for them to diagnose and provide me with a quote. They ended up being incredibly slow, unhelpful and unresponsive to my calls/emails so it left a sour taste and I've personally boycotted them ever since.
Now, things could be different of course with Argos but I'm just not sure I'm willing to deal with similar issues should they occur again.
I'll have a think about it before I decide what to do next.
You want an orthorised service centre or a good recommend place. Not sure who does acer specifically. Maybe call them or look at this community.acer.com/en/…uct
Yes, I understand that. Do you know how much my laptop might be worth by any chance? It's an Acer Aspire ES 15 ES1-572-33TU with Intel i3-7100U, 2.4GHz, Intel HD graphics 620, 8GB RAM & 256GB SSD. Just curious if I tried to sell it as is with the current issue what I might be able to get for it?
Does it work 100% apart from the line down the screen?
To be honest its difficult to say exactly, but its a 7th gen i3, so not really current as we're on 12th gen Intel chips now. So Its at least 5 or 6 generations old. So maybe 200 to 300 ish. Maybe a little more or less. It all depends what someone is willing to pay for it and the condition. But at the end of a day it has a fault or defect.
To replace it with a new one, your probably looking at 399 to 499 ish, maybe a little less on an offer. Its because of the chip shortage and lock down. Most laptops, cpu and graphics chips are in short supply so everything has a price premium on it at the moment.
The most cost effective option, you could keep using it as is or use it with an external monitor or TV unless you need to move it around and be mobile.
Get it repaired.
Maybe trade it in at pcw, but they'll probably either not want it or low ball you because of the screen.
Sell it on eBay, fake meta book verse, gum tree, loot, etc, etc.
Claim on your or family insurance.
Thanks. Yes, it is working absolutely fine except for that line in the middle of the screen which is just always there. My laptop is in mint condition otherwise as I look after my devices but I understand what you're saying that it is fairly old now.
And I guess the other slight issue is not knowing if it'll get worse if left untouched but it's looking fine for the time being.
It's difficult to to answer if it will just stay the same or deteriorate further. It will either stay exactly the same and not get any worse or slowly get worse with more inverted or dead pixels or lines appearing. Or it could just fail completely.
Unfortunately I'm not psychic, if I were I'd run a bookies, casino or be a hedge or venture fund manager.
As I said before you can always connect it to a monitor or TV.
Yes, I know. I'll be keeping an eye on it I think and see how it goes for a little while longer before I decide what to do.
Yes, interesting that. Doesn't look too bad I guess.
+1 for this. Not expensive especially if an older and standard HD model, maybe £25-30 if it's just a bog standard 15.6" or 14.0" HD panel, as long as the connector types match.
I usually take LCD out and search the part numbers. Usually find a lot more that way.
I had a look the other day but seems like the screen costs £60-£70 for my laptop online - on eBay and a website called laptop LCD screens.
Secondly, you may not put it back together properly (for lack of glue) but at least the screen will be streak free.
Yes, that's the thing - it's an irritation because you can see the line right in the middle of the screen but it's not a massive hindrance.
For the spec you mentioned above then you’re better off selling it as-is and getting a cheap and newer refurb for £100-150.
I was (and still am kind of) thinking of that. I always keep my devices in clean, pristine condition. So cosmetically, don't think it would be an issue but commodorekid mentioned possibly 200-300, give or take.
I'd probably not want to sell it on eBay just in case there's a scammer/timewaster. Gumtree would seem like the only option then?
Well, it’s nothing you did, sometimes the LCD layers can separate due to dry joints or similar - so I wouldn’t feel bad about it going wrong. I’ve had it a few times on my machines (and phones) over the years and often take the change to upgrade the panel or repurpose the machine. £200-300 - do you mean to replace it?
I’d get your data off and stick it on Gumtree or Facebook Marketplace, no fees then and you can sell for cash as-is, usually I’d suggest do it away from the home but some people are fine with it.