CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1201)Hardware and Network TroubleshootingEasy
A technician is examining an LCD monitor and notices a single pixel that is always black, regardless of what is displayed on screen. Which term correctly describes this defect?
- AStuck pixel
- BScreen burn-in
- CBacklight bleed
- DDead pixel
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Dead pixel
A dead pixel is one that never lights up and appears permanently black because it receives no power. A stuck pixel, by contrast, is locked on a single color (often red, green, or blue) rather than being off.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. A stuck pixel shows a fixed color, not black.
- B. Burn-in is a ghost image from static content, not a single dark pixel.
- C. Backlight bleed is light leaking around monitor edges, not a single pixel defect.
Dead vs. Stuck Pixel
A dead pixel never illuminates and appears black; a stuck pixel is locked on one color due to a transistor issue.
- Dead pixel = no power, black dot
- Stuck pixel = fixed color (often red/green/blue)
- Both are hardware defects, not software issues
Memory trick: Dead pixels are 'dark and gone'; stuck pixels are 'colorfully frozen'.