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pete · May 1, 2006, 11:05 AM

So I got myself a macbook pro knowing that there are some issues that have yet to be resolved. The one I got luckily doesn't exhibit any whining, doesn't have a warped bezel at all and is generally pretty much as advertised. Heat only gets extreme when the CPU is really working, otherwise it's warm but fine. The ONE thing I'm really not happy with is the uneven brightness of the display. I can handle when displays are brighter at the bottom, but the one i have is not just brighter at the bottom and lighter at the top; it is also brighter on the upper left side compared to the the upper right side. I don't really notice this unless there is a lot of white on the screen - but it means that there are numerous gradations of white in front of me at the same time and it, quite frankly, is annoying to my eyes.

To be honest, if I showed this to people, most would not see the difference from side to side. I've never complained about the displays in previous powerbooks, but at times when I look at the display I wonder if I'm just crazily picky about the screen? I'm tempted to return this to Amazon and get a replacement and hope for the best, but then I hesitate because this machine is fine otherwise and, as we all know now, getting a new Apple laptop is a bit of a gamble.

Is it really possible that all macbook pro displays are like this and the reviewers just haven't noticed? Or do I simply have a bad LCD? There seem to be a lot of people who have noticed this but who don't care too.

Zeeb · May 1, 2006, 11:42 AM

If it bothers you enough to write about it in the forums that probably means you should exchange it. I think reading the posts here can give people a disproportionate view that most MBP have some malfunction and that you would be taking a risk by getting something worse.

Another option would be to have them replace the screen only but I guess that would mean you wouldn't have a machine for a week or two.

pete · May 1, 2006, 11:54 AM

It does bother me and I blame Apple for making me so particular with my machines. When Apple had better QC they got me used to systems that were superb. Now I can't accept anything less. At the same time when I look at many of the problems my PC using friends have with their laptops I realise that although there is much that is not that great in mac land, it really isn't that bad either and could be much worse.

The display is generally fine, but I keep in focusing on the part that isn't. Because I don't want to send in a brand new macbook to Apple for repair, I'm going to try a replacement first.

PeterKG · May 1, 2006, 01:06 PM

Originally Posted by pete

It does bother me and I blame Apple for making me so particular with my machines. When Apple had better QC they got me used to systems that were superb. Now I can't accept anything less. At the same time when I look at many of the problems my PC using friends have with their laptops I realise that although there is much that is not that great in mac land, it really isn't that bad either and could be much worse.

The display is generally fine, but I keep in focusing on the part that isn't. Because I don't want to send in a brand new macbook to Apple for repair, I'm going to try a replacement first.

Hi pete,

I think you are being way too picky. Just to let you know when I first got my MBP I noticed shading during start up only. As since then that shading has gone away. So I think with time it evens out. But in what daily life use will you notice this? If your MBP is fine in all other ways, just be excited and use it. It's the best Apple computer I have ever owned. By the way, max out your ram too.

pete · May 1, 2006, 01:15 PM

Hi Peter,

How are you doing? So, as you see, I finally succumbed to the macbook! It was just a matter of time, I guess.

I actually seem to be noticing it all the time - like when I'm typing this the small input box is very white and when I look up all whites get murkier and darker the further up I look. I'm going to try a replacement and see. I'm still going to have this one, so if the new one is worse I suppose I can keep this and return the other one. I think I agree with you though: I AM too picky.

I'm waiting for a 1gb chip to arrive this week - looking forward to the boost.

ksloan2 · May 1, 2006, 01:57 PM

Ok, so I guess this thread is as good as any to post in. I would like some feedback on the following picture:

Does everyone see a sort of line in the blue sky just above the logotype in the middle?

It shouldn't be there as it's just one 2-color gradient running across the entire background. I made it in Windows XP on Photoshop and on my ViewSonic VP191s display, I cannot see the line.

I swear I can see some sort of line on my Macbook Pro display, though, or rather, more of a cut off thingy, since the area above the "line" seems to be plain blue, while the area below seems to be a much lighter blue and going towards white, like it should.

Zeeb · May 1, 2006, 02:00 PM

Actually, I do see a faint blue band. Wouldn't have noticed it without looking for it though. Then again, maybe my eyes are buggy.

PeterKG · May 1, 2006, 02:37 PM

Originally Posted by pete

Hi Peter,

How are you doing? So, as you see, I finally succumbed to the macbook! It was just a matter of time, I guess.

I actually seem to be noticing it all the time - like when I'm typing this the small input box is very white and when I look up all whites get murkier and darker the further up I look. I'm going to try a replacement and see. I'm still going to have this one, so if the new one is worse I suppose I can keep this and return the other one. I think I agree with you though: I AM too picky.

I'm waiting for a 1gb chip to arrive this week - looking forward to the boost.

Hey pete,

Yes I noticed right away you got one, but I think you made a good decision. I hope you enjoy it a lot. But I don't know what to tell you. You might trade a good one for a worse one. It is just a crap shoot these days. I returned two beofre getting a perfect one. I will look forward to hearing what you do. You need to change your computer on your signature

jhonizzle · May 1, 2006, 06:47 PM

yes, that blue line is part of the picture

ksloan2 · May 1, 2006, 07:00 PM

What hardware are those of you who see the blue band on? Or rather, what display are you using to see the picture?

The band really shouldn't be there, as it is a straight Photoshop gratient. You could try to see if you can reproduce it yourselves, by color dropping the color at the very top of the image and then creating a gradient towards white.

Also, no matter how hard I look, I cannot see the band on my ViewSonic... then again, the VP191S is a true 16-bit display, while I've heard that most other flatscreen displays are actually 12-bit... perhaps the Macbook Pro has 12-bit color as well and this is where it shows?

jasonsRX7 · May 1, 2006, 07:13 PM

I'm at work on a Thinkpad T60 and a Dell 17" LCD and I do not see a blue band on either one. When I get home, I'll check on a 30" Cinema and 15" HP LCD.

Apfhex · May 1, 2006, 07:29 PM

No, there's no blue band on my screen. I even had a look at it in Photoshop. Appears to be a smooth gradient.

fafnir · May 1, 2006, 08:00 PM

If you invert the colors the line is really easy to spot. And yes, that line is part of the picture!

Propably your former display wasn't good enough to see it.

pete · May 1, 2006, 08:06 PM

I've looked very carefully on my macbook. Can't see the line at all.

ksloan2 · May 2, 2006, 03:40 AM

Originally Posted by fafnir

If you invert the colors the line is really easy to spot. And yes, that line is part of the picture!

Propably your former display wasn't good enough to see it.

That is really weird. First of all, as I said, it's just one big Photoshop gradient. That cut off band shouldn't be there. Second, when I bought the ViewSonic, the 16-bit color feature, the fact that it had more accurate colors than normal displays, was plastered all over the site I bought it from and reviews and stuff, and now I can't find a single word about it.

pete · May 2, 2006, 04:07 PM

Just talked to Amazon. Apparently their rules have changed so that I need to first send the macbook to them before they order a replacement for me - they need the tracking number before they will order another one for me. It used to be that they would send a replacement and then I could send back the other one within 30 days.

This also means that it really is a gamble to send this back. I might get one that is much worse - or I might get one that is better. I hate this. I suppose I can just keep sending them back until I get one without defects.

I don't want to feel dissatisfied with this kind of expensive purchase, but I definitely am concerned that sending it back will only result in a replacement that has more problems. I wish I had some good pictures of other people's macbooks displaying this page, for example, with white at the top AND bottom to see if they have the same problem. If they do, I'll just keep this one and make peace with it.

Anybody care to take a few snapshots?