MacBook Pro Retina display burn-in?

ehntoo, I completely agree!

Something that non-graphic designers don't seem to understand about this problem is that it makes the laptop completely unusable for any type of professional graphics work. You can't trust what you see on the screen when performing edits on either photos or line art. To make matters even worse, Apple touts the Retina display as being the signature feature of this laptop so they are implying that the screen is in some way an improvement over previous generations of Apple laptops, but in fact it's not for anyone doing serious graphic design work. Maybe Apple should have left off the "Pro" in the name....

The really sad thing is that in order to do any design work I have resorted to plugging the laptop into an older 27" iMac just so I can be sure that I am not seeing distored images. :-(

Unfortunately I noticed this problem just past my 14 day return period so I will likely have to plead my case at the local Apple store and hope they do the right thing and just replace the unit with a more recently manufactured one (with a Samsung or corrected LG display). This will be my second visit over this issue, round one got me nowhere and I was advised to "come back in a week if it does not go away on it's own").

At least I resisted the urge to purchase a custom build and have just the standard base model so wish me luck.

-RJ

Just got back from the apple store. I went to the one in Americana, same firmware BS, but at least the guys was a lot nicer compared to the one in the Grove. Going to try the on in Glendale tomorrow. Funny thing is that the guy at the bar in Americana also recently ordered an rMBP himself, and after talking to him, he seems to fear the IR issue more than i do. In all honesty i do hope he gets one with IR, so he could stop with the firmware BS and understand our pain.

If these details are still being collected:

My rMBP with the Image Retention flaw has an LG panel and appleserialnumberinfo.com says that it was Build Week 1 (January) or week 28 (July). Also it says it was unit number 1159 to be built that week.

Hey stecube, you can add LG week 25 to the faulty ones. Just need 2 minutes on power or battery to show the IR.

Thanks for keeping the list updated!

I called and tried to get a replacement, but it's past my 14 days. They told me I could send it in for repair. I declined, I am going to wait for now. I cant be without a computer right now.

LG week 28, no IR issues.

LG week 31, no IR issues, very bright/good contrast. My wife also has a rMBP - week 29 Samsung, no IR

Seriosly, does MAC test there products at all befor they sell it. this is getting to be to much. if i didnt have so much softwear id have gone to lynux a long time ago.

Nick Carlough

Seriosly, does MAC test there products at all befor they sell it. this is getting to be to much. if i didnt have so much softwear id have gone to lynux a long time ago.

Its Apple, not Mac. The image retention issue is also dependent on the conditions you test it with. Select a medium dark solid gray background, open a Safari page, turn up the brightness and let it simmer for more then 10 mins, sometimes it take longer. You'll see a faint trace of the image superimpossed on the medium dark grey background which disappates in so many minutes. But try this again with the Galaxy background and good luck ever seeing it. This comes down to what is noticable under normal operational conditions to what can be determined under unusual conditions for testing purposes. If the image retention is a lot worst then normal, then by all means get it exchanged.

Apple is a victim of their own success and style. On one hand they use the latest technologies (unless you buy a Mac Pro) so there are a lot of unknown issues that come with that. On the other hand they don't make their own hardware so they have to rely on all these different vendors to make all the products that they sell - some vendors are a lot more reliable than others. A recipe for great PR and a grand slam home run (goal for our friends outside the USA) but it also opens up the door to disasters like this. Screengate is growing daily as consumers realize their screen has IR or poor contrast or washed out colors, etc. As an Apple consumer, I hope Apple can increase their QC down to the vendor level - I certainly don't have time to keep returning products

Furious with Apple at the moment. My experience:

Heard about this problem shortly after ordering mine (before receiving it) but gave apple the benefit of the doubt. After receiving it, thought it I saw it happen once or twice, but couldn't recreate it, so dismissed it. Yesterday, saw the article on TUAW and realised how to consistently recreate it. Now know that I have one of the poor quality LG displays that exhibit the issue, and can recreate the problem every time.

What disappoints me the most isn't actually the fact that there's a hardware issue, but the process to get it dealt with:

- Yesterday logged a case online, but couldn't speak to anyone as it was 9pm UK time.

- Today, phoned the number on the confirmation email (I believe Applecare)

- Got transferred to Aftersales, explained issue, held forever

- Got transferred to Technical Support, went through it again, held forever

- Got transferred to Aftersales again, went through it yet again, held again

- Transferred to a Team Lead who was completely unhelpful

Through all of it they refuse to admit any known issue, and insist I take it into a store. I use the machine daily and need it for work/travel. I can't afford to be without a machine while they custom build another (likely 3-4 week delay). One of the reps kindly confirmed that I've registered *37* Apple devices. You'd think that having purchased that amount of kit and influencing countless others would count for something, but clearly not.

Seriously considering just disputing the entire charge with Amex and letting them deal with it.

TUAW, Macrumors, and other sites are were Apple news tends to break and lead to bigger news channels. So while this thread is "official" the situation needs bigger new channels so that the issue becomes to big for Apple to ignore

Can you say that the LG and Samsung have exactly the same screens? What differences do you notice? Can you post some highrez photos?

Thanks Stecube. I really appreciate your work.

Tried to call Apple Care today to follow up on my Genuis appointment. First call had the computer ask me my serial 6 times, then appear to glitch out and left an empty line. Hung up after 15 mins.

Tried again and got the same thing, although after speaking the serial number three times as clear as I possibly could, I was told I was being passed to an advisor, and put on hold for 20 minutes. Then the phone started to ring, but it statyed on that for 20 minutes. Hung up.

Trying again. It shouldn't be this hard when you pay £270 Apple Care on top of £2500 for the computer!

Edit: called again, this time I had a different menu with Phone / Computer / Pad etc, didn't ask for my serial, just went to a dial tone and stayed there... indefinitely. Hung up again.

Taken over an hour so far....