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New MacBook Display is Horrible

I just got my new Aluminum MacBook last night, and it's going right back for refund this morning. The LCD is far inferior to my 1st generation MacBook display, and it's actually one of the worst displays I've seen on a modern notebook computer. I've been an Apple owner since I bought an SE/30, but Apple has screwed up badly here, and I find the new MacBook nearly unusable. (Please note, my current MacBook has a glossy screen; that level of glossiness is not the issue here.)

The issues:

1. The whole screen has an icky blue cast, and nothing in the display calibration settings will fix this. My old MacBook has a much more pure and natural looking white. I think Apple needs to work more on the LED back-lighting (or maybe they cheaped out on the MacBook LEDs).

2. The blacks on the new display are washed out. This is obvious on the start-up animation (with the multi-lingual "welcome" animations against the Leopard nebulae in space). It's not just an issue with black images, however, this propagates to everything looking less crisp. And it's not an issue of adjusting brightness or screen angle. In fact, if you try to adjust the screen angle to get some reasonably good blacks, you get parts of the screen where you have a metallic or posterized effect. I saw this in the store displays as well, but I didn't realize that it would occur under normal viewing angles vs. extreme situations.

3. Colors are not vibrant (nothing compared to my 1st generation MacBook). By not vibrant, I mean that different hues of blue, for example, are not distinct from one another. When I open Word, the splash screen has four different blue colors in the "feather" shape at the top right. On the old MacBook the blues are distinctly different and colorful, on the new MacBook they are much closer in hue and more dull. I think this is a result primarily of issues one and two above, but it may also have to do with other aspects of the inferior LCD on the Aluminum MacBook.

4. The new MacBook screen should be called "mirrored" not "glossy". My 1st generation MacBook has a glossy screen. It's good. I rarely have an issue with visible reflections from it. The new MacBook is a constant battle. One major problem is that the screen needs to be pushed farther back to get reasonable contrast, but this angle directly reflects ceiling lights at the user. It's also so significantly more reflective than the previous glossy screen that it picks up windows and floor lamps and everything else a lot more easily. It's a mess.

I hope this helps other folks avoid my mistake in seeking to upgrade from an existing MacBook. The new one is not any faster in day to day use (3D rendering excepted), and it has crippling issues with the display.

Aluminum MacBook, Mac OS X (10.5.5)

Posted on Oct 18, 2008 5:59 AM

195 replies

David.

Level 4

2,145 points

Oct 21, 2008 11:28 PM in response to richorlin

"
+I'm just wondering if the people who are complaining about the new MAcbook's screen have calibrated their displays. I was also unhappy with the quality of the display out of the box. I took the time to calibrate the display using the expert mode and it was a little better. I was considering taking a hit for the restocking fee and returning it for the Macbook Pro. However, I went through the calbration process a second time and now the display is perfect. I stopped at my local Apple store today and compared the Macbook and the Macbook Pro side-by-side and the displays are idcentical except for the size and resolution."+
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WOW! I have to disagree with you and agree with a number of other posters here, as well as the review by engadget regarding the screens. The MBP has far more latitude in viewing angle than the MB. It's not even close! Look at the MB from a high angle and it's all washed out, and look at it from a low angle and it's like looking at reversed video--the blacks turn green. I don't think you really looked carefully enough at the two models, as the effect is very pronounced. As I read the Engadget review, I thought, gee, someone else sees EXACTLY what I noticed between the two models.

explorz

Level 1

91 points

Oct 21, 2008 11:53 PM in response to David.

Here here. I agree 100%. The two displays are completely different and no amount of calibration will improve the Macbook's minimal latitude in viewing angle.

David.

Level 4

2,145 points

Oct 22, 2008 12:24 AM in response to Nick A

THey got that review "right on". The MB screen IS "crappy" IMO. The MBP's screen has far more vertical latitude. I recently returned a brand new Toshiba Satellite laptop for the same issue as the MB's--washed out screen at high angles and "reverse video" look at low angles. When I moved my viewpoint literally one inch (at normal viewing distance), I could see the image change. AAMOF, with the top portion of the screen looking ok, the bottom inch or so was greatly washed out (high viewing angle, on the Satellite 15.4" screen). The MB screen, being smaller, at 13.3 didn't have as much of an issue with part of the screen looking comparatively better than a lower section, but the viewing "sweet spot" is still extremely narrow, to my eyes. All in all, a VERY unsatisfying screen, at any price. And that's before getting into the extreme glossiness...UGH!

Alan3

Level 1

0 points

Oct 22, 2008 1:19 AM in response to David.

I've got a white macbook and the screen is just on this side of acceptable. I would have much preferred a matte screen. I looked at the MBA in the store and it's even worse. There's no way I going to buy one even though I could use the extra house power for Aperture. What's a poor boy to do. I can only hope the Mini gets upgraded to the same specs as the MBA. For the first time in years I thought about windoooooows. It was only for a few days and I've come back to my senses. Still, Apple sure is getting into some glitzy junk as of late.

Nick A

Level 4

1,522 points

Oct 22, 2008 5:26 AM in response to Glorfindeal

$1599 on the higher end model, versus $1799 for basic Air is not that much of a difference to justify a dodgy screen (at least not in my opinion).

cantonuc

Level 1

0 points

Oct 22, 2008 6:49 AM in response to HopingForHelp

Hi, someone have some information about if this new line of macbook means the end of macbook white production??, I hope doesn't mean an end, 'cause the new model isn't so elegant and brilliant as the white model.

Any information please,

Thank you very much.

Nick A

Level 4

1,522 points

Oct 22, 2008 9:32 AM in response to cantonuc

The White MacBook is still available on Apple's website and in its stores.

Oct 22, 2008 2:08 PM in response to Nick A

After directly comparing the (original) Air to the new Macbook in-store, the difference was great enough to convince me to buy the Air. If the MB's screen had been as good as the Air's, if would have been a no-brainer.

Fortunately, Apple has some good deals on refurb Airs at the moment, so I snapped one up. But if I'd have been looking at paying full-price for an Air...or buying a new Macbook with a (honestly) flawed screen...I'd probably have just walked away and made do with my old Macbook until the next revision.

The Macbook is a great, great laptop totally flawed by three things: it's seriously inferior screen, the extreme glossiness of the display, and it's lack of Firewire.

rmedalla

Level 1

0 points

Oct 22, 2008 8:35 PM in response to Andrew Rennard

Why is there so much angst about something that Apple never promised? The Macbook's display works great for the intended purpose - viewed from directly in front of the MB with the display at an angle perpendicular to your line of sight. I don't know about the rest of you but I'm not in the habit of working to one side of the computer or sitting scrunched up with my chin on the desk. If you do that then you'll have bigger problems than the Macbook display.

Apple has never stated that the Macbook's display is as good as the Macbook Pro. The 2 notebook lines are clearly separated by features on the Pro that Apple thinks is required by graphics professionals. So if you are a graphics pro or someone whose expectations of display characteristics match those of graphics pros then you should have just purchased the appropriate tool for the job. don't go and buy the cheaper "consumer" model then expect the same quality.

Oct 22, 2008 8:59 PM in response to rmedalla

Today I returned my Macbook 2.4 and exchanged for a Macbook Pro 2.4.

It was just having too much difficulty with the display. It was either too washed out, or too Black, and any time I moved, I would have to adjust the display.

It was a great size, and I was excited to downsize from my previous Macbook Pro. The display on the Macbook Pro, as others have said is far better than the Macbook display.

So I am now heavier, more poor, but will know I can live with this computer until I upgrade again.

explorz

Level 1

91 points

Oct 22, 2008 10:27 PM in response to rmedalla

You've got to be kidding - right? Why put us down for our very real and very valid experiences? If you actually think and actually explore even a modicum of compassion, then you will understand our "angst."

Oct 23, 2008 12:29 AM in response to rmedalla

rmedalla wrote:

Why is there so much angst about something that Apple never promised? The Macbook's display works great for the intended purpose

Hi guys!

From what I can read then MacBook Pro display is way better than the MacBook alu one, but how do the "old" MacBook displays compare to the new MacBook alu ones?

I've got a 1st gen black MacBook ("boosted" with a 2 gig RAM and a 7200 rpm 160 gig HD) and considering to switch to a new 2.4 MacBook alu, but all these complaints about the screen poor quality make me think about waiting another 6 months or so for the 2nd release of the MacBook alu...

Thanks in advance and Ciao!

Sergio

rmedalla

Level 1

0 points

Oct 23, 2008 12:42 AM in response to explorz

All I'm saying is that the Macbook line has always had inferior displays to the Macbook Pros. Too many "me too" posts complain about the same thing without taking into account the target market of the Macbook - which is certainly not the Graphics Professional market. I've owned and used Mac notebooks since the Powerbook 520c and the current Macbook's display is certainly not as horrendous as a lot of you imply. Or are you going to claim that viewing the Macbook's display the ergonomically correct way is a terrible experience?

nikhil4

Level 1

0 points

Oct 23, 2008 1:57 AM in response to rmedalla

Well.. sure it does.. the only problem being.. its laptop..
u cant just expect ppl to keep their laptops on a table in front to use it everytime just to get the straight viewing angle....
i mean.. its a ""LAPtop""..!!!!

rmedalla

Level 1

0 points

Oct 23, 2008 3:15 AM in response to nikhil4

I'm not sure how to respond to this.

But here goes, pls correct me if i misread your post.

First off, it's a notebook computer, not a laptop. Granted, some people still use the archaic "laptop" term so let's go with your implication that it's a portable computer meant to be used on all sorts of surfaces, including, but not limited to, your lap. This is the part that has got me confused. Are you saying that since it's on your lap you will not be able to tilt the display to the correct viewing angle to get the best view? This is getting a bit ridiculous.

New MacBook Display is Horrible