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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

Heliang

Level 1

0 points

Oct 23, 2008 6:25 AM in response to rmedalla

Hi,

I was initially skeptical about all the posts regarding the inferiority of the AlBook's display. Today I went down to the Apple Store to have a look with my own eyes. I activated the Flurry screensaver on the three units on display: the AlBook, the AlBook Pro and the Air (not sure if this is the newer Air with the NVIDIA GPU or the original one). I tried looking at the display head-on, and also tilting the display angle back and forth.

The results were as what many people had posted. At first glance, the AlBook's display seemed washed out, compared to the AlBook Pro's. Even the Air's display seemed to be clearer and richer in colour than that of the AlBook. After some adjustment of the screen angle, I found both the AlBook Pro and the Air's displays to be clean across different tilt angles. As for the AlBook, I managed to get the clean display at only one particular angle; any slight movement of the head would throw the clarity off.

To answer rmedalla's question: on the AlBook, you can (and should) adjust the display angle to get the best view. But that sweet spot is so narrow that you will have to constantly maintain the angle. I am not sure I can survive long like this without getting a tennis neck. Previously, I was bent on getting the AlBook; after seeing its display alongside the AlBook Pro's, I am not so sure any more. It is not that the AlBook's display is exceptionally bad. But to give up the display quality like this makes me feel there is something that is not right.

I really like the AlBook. Everything about it (except the display) is just right for me. The AlBook Pro is a little too big, and I do not like the idea of paying for stuff that I do not use (FireWire, anyone?). I would also consider the Air, except for the horror stories about the excessive heat generated that people have been mentioning. Hence, I am now in a dilemma. If the issue of the AlBook's display can be resolved, then there would be no question as to which MacBook I will buy.

My two cents worth.

Nick A

Level 4

1,522 points

Oct 23, 2008 6:31 AM in response to Heliang

Heliang wrote:
Previously, I was bent on getting the AlBook; after seeing its display alongside the AlBook Pro's, I am not so sure any more.

This is exactly what happened to me. I saw the screen and was immediately like '!w.t.f'. I don't want an Air as it's limited to 2GB and limited on hard drive space, and the Pro is heavy. However I'd feel cheated if I got the MacBook now since I'd always know deep down the screen is subpar. I can see the base model having a crap screen, but the $1599 model should have the same screen quality as that on the Air.

kjk

Level 4

1,317 points

Oct 23, 2008 7:51 AM in response to Community User

I have a first gen MacBook 1.83, and the screen on the new MacBook Al is much nicer imho. This could be due to the age of my first MB, or the LED lighting on the new one. It is definitely glossier, because of the glass, but I am enjoying the new MacBook overall much more over the old one-definitely can't go back to the old trackpad.

If you have and enjoy using the last-gen MacBook, you won't see a downgrade in the new one. But just go to an Apple Store and compare for yourself! (take your old machine with you-they don't mind you comparing 😝 )

JoeyR

Level 6

8,305 points

Oct 23, 2008 9:58 AM in response to HopingForHelp

While it is true that the MacBook Pro is Apple's premier product, that does not mean that they should use what amounts to poor quality components on their MacBooks. The base Aluminum MacBook is getting pretty close to the price of a premium notebook from other manufacturers. Just about every other computer manufacturer (Lenovo, HP, etc) have machines in the sub $1000 range which generally have high quality displays. It seems that anytime someone comments on the shortcomings of the MacBook, the answer is "You should get the Pro if you need that". In reality, while the new MacBooks do offer better graphics and an improved chipset, they don't really offer much more. They certainly do not offer nearly what you would find in a comparably priced PC. Of course you can only run OS X on a Mac (officially). While Apple's machines are typically a little more expensive, we have usually been willing to pay that little bit extra for the perceived quality and service. With the release of the new MacBooks, it seems Apple has widened the gap with respect to price vs. quality.

Nick A

Level 4

1,522 points

Oct 23, 2008 10:06 AM in response to JoeyR

I'd understand having the cheapo display on the base model, but the higher end MacBook ($1599 model) should have the display from the Air. I wanted the $1599 model, but no longer after seeing the screen. And I don't want to be stuck at 2GB Ram and a small hard drive with the Air, nor do I particularly want the Pro which is 1/2 kg heavier and more expensive. I'm holding off now. Less debt is good I suppose.

Oct 23, 2008 10:23 AM in response to Nick A

I was also planning on purchasing the 2.4 GHz Macbook. I had a look at one and changed my mind due to the low display quality. I too agree with a lower quality display on their lowest price model, however the Macbook 2.4 GHz is 2 levels up from the base model.

I have a cheap laptop at work, an Acer Aspire (500 dollar machine). The screen on that laptop has an identical low quality display(washed out, low contrast, narrow viewing angles) as the new $1599 Macbook.

I will not spend an extra 500 - 600 dollars to get a Macbook Pro. I do not want a machine with a 15 inch screen. I also do not need firewire, or a dedicated graphics card.

I think Apple has really screwed up on this one. I was ready to convert to a Mac. I had first planned on buying the Macbook and follow up in a few months with a new iMac for my home computer.

As I see it now, I will not be switching over.

Oct 23, 2008 6:05 PM in response to Shannon March

Going from a Dell notebook to my MB is like night and day. MB is 100 times better, so for me, it's like going from B&W tv to color. My only question is what took me so long?

Oct 24, 2008 11:34 AM in response to HopingForHelp

I have to say I completely disagree. I just got rid of (ebay) a 15" MBP with a Matt screen and just got the new 2.4 MBP - and I have to say I like the screen a LOT better then the Matt. The colors pop out at you and with normal desktop lighting I do not have the mirror issue you refer to.

Hachre

Level 1

85 points

Oct 24, 2008 11:35 AM in response to William Harris

This thread is about the MacBook not the MacBook Pro displays which are different...

vkoivula

Level 1

4 points

Oct 24, 2008 4:37 PM in response to rmedalla

Well the new MacBooks quite expensive ones when compared to PC laptops. If someone is paying $1599 for the more expensive model don't you think it should have a resonable quality display? Even the cheaper model is very expensive one. OK it has a better construction than some PC laptops but I think that it was Apple who said the new unibody is more cost effective to produce 😉 Anyway it costs 2-3x more than a consumer Windows laptop. Apple's success in recent years really reminds me about rockstar who has just topped the charts and is now giving ****** performances to sold out audiences in drunk and forgetting all the lyrics.

Alan H.

Level 1

5 points

Oct 24, 2008 5:03 PM in response to Nick A

The MacBook's display is horrible. I noticed it when i first powered it on. I thought thats weird. I've had the original MacBook Air and the screen has been great. When I look at them side by side there is a huge difference in quality. The MacBook's display even hurts my eyes. It really is bad. If I compare the new Macbook with my wife's older white MacBook the Aluminum Macbook's display is brighter, but the viewing angle isn't as good and it seems blurrier than the older model. Maybe Apple uses different displays for the MacBooks (like they do HDs). If so I would return mine tomorrow for a new one!!!!

vkoivula

Level 1

4 points

Oct 24, 2008 5:07 PM in response to JoeyR

Exactly. You really pay a premium for Apple product and then what you get is a crappy display. It really doesn't help if the product is looking good when it's not powered. The quality (to my experiences both build and general quality of the components used) of Apple's products has really slipped under the bar in the recent years when compared to what it used to be. So it's now time for these people, which btw. Steve used for to make Macs image so hip and cool, to suffer with this crappy stuff as there are enough Joe Averages who would like to be hip and cool as well. These new "switch" ads really reflect whose money Steve is now interested in.

Message was edited by: vkoivula

Oct 24, 2008 6:22 PM in response to Fwiler

I am experiencing the exact same problem. This display should not have been used!

"...the contrast and viewing angles are so bad, that even looking straight on there are places all over the screen that are washed out."

ZS5J

Level 1

8 points

Oct 25, 2008 12:44 AM in response to HopingForHelp

I have to agree. Since I did the switch from #$% * to Apple 1.5 years ago, I am an ardent fan of all Apple products. Most Apple products that are released...I have to purchase. When this new MacBook was released, it was on my "have-to-have" list. But when I looked a bit deeper, and watched a video review of this new model - all I could see were trees and shrubs on the display - which were being reflected by the display. It has changed my mind about this purchase, and, for me, is a 'DEAL BREAKER'.

Please Steve, bring back the gorgeous Matte display that I have on my MacBook Pro !!!!!

Oct 25, 2008 4:04 AM in response to HopingForHelp

Couldn't agree more with the issues that people have with the new aluminium Macbook screen - it is utter garbage - why would Apple spend so much money designing and building this notebook in the way that they have, only to drop an inferior LCD panel in it that could be had on a PC laptop costing hundreds of dollars less?

I have actually now gone out and bought a Macbook Air, so I can use it where I particularly want its screen quality, especially at night where it craps all over the new Macbook. It craps on it in the day too - its viewing angles, saturation, contrast, non-mirroredness etc making it highly usable. I also don't want the added weight and six of the new Pro, which is also far too mirrored by comparison with the MBA screen. Of course, it's anaemic by comparison in terms of its computing power.

Unfortunately, I have to keep my new Macbook as I have to part with my beloved 24in iMac, which has the screen by which all others are judged - which of course leaves me in the ridiculous position of having two Apple 13in laptops (!!!) to do the one job (one to hold all my old data, and for processor intensive applications) (the other for when I want to watch movies, do word processing etc) - it's a ******* joke.

New MacBook Display is Horrible