Got an i5 on Friday. First thing I did after un-boxing and allowing to get up to room temp before switching on, was to check the screen on a solid grey, black then white background. No dead pixels.
I am in a bit of a dilemma. I have no idea if I have a stuck or dead pixel. I know that a dead pixel should be black on a white screen, but mine is red on white and does not appear at all on a black background. I am going to run some software tonight that is used to fix stuck pixels and I shall see if it works in the morning. I really do not want to have to replace this machine as I have transferred alot of data to this and to do it again would be a pain so heres to hoping it is just stuck and can be re-energized with software. If anyone knows for a fact it is either dead or stuck any help is greatly appreciated.
I've just packed up my second 27" i7 to be returned.
The first had a bright red pixel where the main work areas for Dreamweaver/Photoshop are, and the second had a cluster of 6 dead and stuck pixels (some of each), as well as fluff and smudges BEHIND the glass.
Not happy - so I'm getting a refund and will wait, like others, until things calm down.
I have the feeling the second unit I received was a refurb given the crap behind the glass, and the condition of the stand. Really not impressed with Apple's quality on this release - maybe their demand is too huge so they try to pass off second-rate goods in the hope that either a) they can stand behind their so-called "dead pixel" policy or b) hope that the buyer doesn't see the defects on the screen.
I know a number of people with 24" iMacs - not a single dead pixel.
So either we're unlucky to get dead pixels on the 27" i7 (especially on two different machines), or the technology isn't up to scratch.
I just wanted to add my experience. I bought a new iMac 27in from the local Apple Store. It had a dead pixel in the middle left of the screen. It bothered me to the point that I did some googling and found a lot of other instances of dead pixels. I took it in and they replaced it w/out a restocking fee, but said this is the last time.
I took the 2nd iMac home and ran a pixel test program and saw 8 dead pixels. I took the second iMac back and showed them the dead pixels. They gave me a new iMac (which is dead pixel free 🙂 ). However, at the store they said this is the last time you can swap it for a new iMac if it has dead pixels, again.
All in all, I was polite to the apple employees and they were sympathetic about the situation and courteous back. However, I don't know what would have happened on if I had returned third monitor – I probably would have had to start being a little more aggressive, etc.
One thing I don't understand and the apple employees couldn't answer was that after I found my first dead pixel, I wanted to see if the dell 3008wfp/3007wfp had the same problem. According to google it seems there are fewer reports of dead pixels with that monitor. Maybe google has buried those results, but the dell has a higher resolution so I would have suspected it would have similar pixel problems?
Your post makes me question my notion to return this iMac if I am just going to get another with different pixel problems. But I'd rather get a pixel that was stuck, and likely repairable than a straight up dead one.
I had 11 dead pixels. Apple sent a technician to my home to replace the iSight camera. Now its down to 4 dead pixels, pretty much invisible unless I blow up a black picture several times.
Dont feel alone. I am on my third iMac in one week. I was trying to make the move from PC to Mac but the outcome does not look promising. The iMac is very nice but I question the quality control processes at Apple? I decided to return the iMac next week for a full refund ... too much money for poor quality.
I emailed Steve Jobs to let him know of my experience but am not sure if he will reply. Eitherway, the iMac's look awesome... but I'll have to wait!
