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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Notebooks > LED, is it all that?

LED, is it all that?
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UnixMac
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Sep 30, 2007, 09:38 AM
 
I really want a new 17" MBP, but I like the sound of this new LED technology.. is it THAT much brighter that I should wait, or will I not miss it?

I've got a great deal I can get on a loaded 17 now, so I'm tempted to just get it. I'm actually very happy with the gloss screen of my current MBP's so this is why I'm wondering if the LEDs are all that much better?
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~bash $
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Sep 30, 2007, 11:45 AM
 
It's bright enough that I have never used it on full brightness yet. Instant brightness is nice too.

Glossy v. Matte is a different discussion from LED v. Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lighting (CCFL) backlighting options. Independent of one another.

In truth, if I got my MacBook Pro 15" pre-LED, it would not have horribly irritated me.
     
UnixMac  (op)
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Sep 30, 2007, 12:00 PM
 
Yea, I'm hooked on the gloss screen, so that's not my question.. I'm just trying to figure out if it's worth waiting for the LED version of the 17 to come out, or just get the one now.. I can wait, so I suppose prudence says to do so, but I found a great deal on ebay for a loaded 17 from what seems to be a reputable source, so I hate to pass it up.
Mac Pro 3.0, ATI 5770 1GB VRAM, 10GB, 2xVelociraptor boot RAID, 4.5TB RAID0 storage, 30" & 20" Apple displays.
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jjahshik32
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Sep 30, 2007, 01:48 PM
 
yes I owned the 17 inch mbp the hi def screen and while it was very nice I compared it to my cousins 15" mbp with led 2.4ghz model and I have to say its so much brighter that it made my 17" mbp screen so dull and dim. Not only is it brighter but the colors looks much more vivid and saturated (both were glossy). And the thought about the 17" mbp ccfl backlighting will dim in 6 months time and be evenmore darker, as to the 15 led wont dim over time and be bright as the day i bought it even in 3-4 years. Ccfl backlighting dims 50% every year, u may not notice but it does. Also on ccfl the whites over time turns yellowish white. The human eyes can always adjust to the brightness so u wont really notice the dimmness unless u compare it side by side with a new display.

One thing i can tell u is that my macbook pro 2.16 ghz was very bright ( non led) and when my bro bought the 2.33(also non led) 6 months after my mbp, his was so much brighter since it was new and at that moment i knew ccfl sucked and when i purchase the 17" mbp i thought id be ok with ccfl since ive aways used it but one look at the led and it changed my mind and now i will not purchase any new laptops unless it has led screen.
*15" Macbook pro sr 2.4ghz (led) 4gb ram, hitachi 7k200*
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jjahshik32
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Sep 30, 2007, 01:58 PM
 
Oh and i ebayed the 17" mbp hi def screen glossy and mow bought the 15" mbp glossy led which is a 1000 percent better, now i can crank up the brightness to highest setting without worrying about it dimming. Alsp i prefer the 15" mbp for some reason it rins about the same speed as the 17" mbp but it runs ALOT cooler, im guessing its due to the led screen and no inverter needed. I hate inverters they waste too much power light something thats way inferior.

One last thing is that i know u heard about the yellow tinting on the mbp ut dont let itbscare u, my mbp led has no yellow tint or banding after using a calibrated color profile i found here on this forum. Also the mbp does have a bit warmer temperature as to the ccfl screens. Some ppl complain because their used to the bluish push that previous ccfl gave put now its a yellowish push (just warmer) and imo much more accurate with colors and way more vivid
*15" Macbook pro sr 2.4ghz (led) 4gb ram, hitachi 7k200*
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Simon
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Sep 30, 2007, 02:36 PM
 
I have a glossy 2.33 GHz and a glossy 2.4 GHz. I must say, side by side the LED backlit 2.4 GHz is brighter, but it's not as big a difference as some might think. I wasn't exactly underwhelmed, but after reading some stuff about LED backlighting I was expecting even more brightness. That said, the LED backlight's instant response is very nice though. No question I'd buy it again. Over a 17" anyway (portability).
     
PaperNotes
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Sep 30, 2007, 02:45 PM
 
I was playing with a new MBP with LED screen in an Apple Store the other day and was honestly not as impressed as I thought I would be. It was very nice and bright, very even, etc, but not noticably different from the older MBP screens. It is still a great screen.
     
jjahshik32
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Sep 30, 2007, 03:01 PM
 
Originally Posted by PaperNotes View Post
I was playing with a new MBP with LED screen in an Apple Store the other day and was honestly not as impressed as I thought I would be. It was very nice and bright, very even, etc, but not noticably different from the older MBP screens. It is still a great screen.
LOL try using the mbp led at home makes a huuuuge difference than seeing it in the apple store where its super bright. Even my cousin thought it looked the same at the apple store but once took it home and saw it made his and my eyes water with eye candiness
*15" Macbook pro sr 2.4ghz (led) 4gb ram, hitachi 7k200*
*Mac Pro 2.8ghz 8 core, 16gb RAM (transintl), Raptor 10k 150gb, 23" ACD*
     
UnixMac  (op)
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Sep 30, 2007, 03:25 PM
 
I think I'm going to wait on the LED 17th which have to come out sometime next year early I would assume..
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jjahshik32
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Sep 30, 2007, 04:21 PM
 
Yea wise decision, i would love to see a 17" high def mbp with led backlighting or at least the 1680x1050. The 1900x1200 is way too small on the 17" imo. Also I heard from multiple sources about apple silently upgrading mbp led on the 17 inches in jan 08
*15" Macbook pro sr 2.4ghz (led) 4gb ram, hitachi 7k200*
*Mac Pro 2.8ghz 8 core, 16gb RAM (transintl), Raptor 10k 150gb, 23" ACD*
     
alligator
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Sep 30, 2007, 07:08 PM
 
You should read the Endgadget comparison here:

     
PaperNotes
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Oct 1, 2007, 03:00 AM
 
Originally Posted by jjahshik32 View Post
LOL try using the mbp led at home makes a huuuuge difference than seeing it in the apple store where its super bright. Even my cousin thought it looked the same at the apple store but once took it home and saw it made his and my eyes water with eye candiness
It's true that the Apple Store has a bright ambiance but I expected a little better especially in contrasts. Brushed metal windows looked a little washed out.
     
PaperNotes
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Oct 1, 2007, 03:03 AM
 
Originally Posted by alligator View Post
You should read the Endgadget comparison here:

Problem when they do those comparisons is that they take a 6 months to one year old model and compare it side by side with a brand new screen. My MBP is a refurb and it's LCD is too bright for me to keep at any high settings.
     
EndlessMac
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Oct 1, 2007, 12:12 PM
 
Originally Posted by jjahshik32 View Post
And the thought about the 17" mbp ccfl backlighting will dim in 6 months time and be evenmore darker, as to the 15 led wont dim over time and be bright as the day i bought it even in 3-4 years. Ccfl backlighting dims 50% every year, u may not notice but it does.
That alone would be a good enough reason for me to get LED. I'm still trying to save up money to get a new 15" MBP but I have noticed that my 4 year old PowerBook's screen is really dark compared to some of the newer non-LED screens. I don't buy new laptops every year so consistent brightness would be very important to me.

Originally Posted by jjahshik32 View Post
Also on ccfl the whites over time turns yellowish white.
That would be another important issue for me too. I need color accuracy for my type of work so anything that helps me get consistent accurate colors would be good.
     
G. I.
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Oct 5, 2007, 01:36 AM
 
Originally Posted by EndlessMac View Post
That alone would be a good enough reason for me to get LED. I'm still trying to save up money to get a new 15" MBP but I have noticed that my 4 year old PowerBook's screen is really dark compared to some of the newer non-LED screens. I don't buy new laptops every year so consistent brightness would be very important to me.

That would be another important issue for me too. I need color accuracy for my type of work so anything that helps me get consistent accurate colors would be good.
A lot of Samsung LED panels have yellowish bottom in MBPs. That's for color accuracy.
     
Kadarin
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Oct 5, 2007, 02:39 AM
 
Not a big issue for me. I have a 17" high-rez matte finish, and it's plenty bright. I set the brightness level about a half inch to the left of the max setting, and for me that's fine in most cases.
     
Mojo
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Oct 6, 2007, 04:16 PM
 
Photographer Rob Galbraith did an in-depth evlauation of the new LED 15" MacBook Pro compared to the previous model. Here is an excerpt:

"The inescapable conclusion is this: calibrated and profiled as described above, the screens in the older 15-inch and 17-inch MacBook Pros don't quite cut it, but the new MacBook Pro 15 inch model with LED backlighting displays colour that's pleasingly close to the mark. And while the new laptop has the same tight viewing angle as the older models, it's less of a problem in reality because of the aforementioned near-elimination of colour oversaturation problems."

Inserting a link doesn't seem to be working properly, so here is the URL for the article: Rob Galbraith DPI: Evaluating the MacBook Pro 15 inch LED-backlit display It is a detailed but easy to understand article. While it is intended for photographers working in the field with an MBP the info is helpful to anyone interested in the differences between the old and new MBP screens. There is an overview of LCDs used in portable Macs past and present and general info about the new display qualities. But the article is primarily focused on color accuracy and successful calibration techniques that are most important to graphics pros.
( Last edited by Mojo; Oct 6, 2007 at 05:42 PM. )
     
wubrew
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Oct 15, 2007, 11:45 PM
 
I will never go back to matted screen now that I have a 2.2 15" MBP with glossy LED.
It's "Brewed" not "Juiced"
     
alligator
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Oct 21, 2007, 09:49 PM
 
All I can say is that my LED screen is blindingly bright. I like it.
     
   
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