Q: MacBook Pro Retina display burn-in?

The New Apple Retail Store Cologne was opened yesterday and I took a reservation with a genius there.

Arriving at the store being applauded from the staff.. I moved forward to the guys with the ipads for checking in. A sign with "Trainer" around his neck. He asked me what the problem was I said.. well I own a retina Macbook and I got that display problem you might have heard about.

He said.. No he hasnt heard about anything which is clearly a political response but well. It was a test question from me so I headed forward to the genius desk.

Booted rMBP from USB3 to a test Mountain Lion with dark gray Background. Placed photos from the IR Problem on the Desktop and showed them. I backed up some files to the disk from a default Terminal window (plain white) and the 3 minutes or so were enough to put an ugly edge of IR on the screen.

The Genius saw everything and started to boot some external diagnostic from thunderbolt and wanted me to go through their display test.

Their display test seems to be more or less incapable of reproducing an image retention problem. It has Full Screen Red and Green Gray and a gradient with smoth transition from black to gray. No contrast images that could reproduce the problem. My bet is that these tests are there to show pixel problems or alike.

In the end the right solution: Changing Display.

I was to take the macbook with me again until the new display was delivered to the shop.

Now I fear it will be another LG. Hoping for a Samsung. We will see.

rgds

Christoph

quintex wrote:

 

... The evidence seems to indicate that the image persistence problem is in the LG display by design. Regardless of whether it shows up on the first day or some time later I think that 100% of LG panels have this issue to some degree.

Exactly! The fact that IR doesn't show up early on explains why the fault wasn't detected before release. Apple should atleast switch their replacement screens to Samsung. For what I know they only ship LG replacements...

I still believe that there are some good, IR free LG panels! Otherwise we are pretty much screwed, as this is not likely to get a Samsung anymore. They just seem to be very very rare now...

IMHO all the LG displays have the issue more or less, but 95% of the users don't know about the issue yet.  The 13 inch will tell us a lot - if the 13 inch LGs are IR free than something was learned at the expense of early adopters

In statistics you need a much larger sample to get accurate %s.  With that said, I'm curious about what % of screens are Samsung, LG, and AOU.

quintex wrote:

 

BTW, all 4 LG panels had bad image persistence after 30 seconds of a static image.

I checked the first LG equipped rMBP I found at the Apple Store in Florence and it has the worst IR I've seen up to now. I showed it to a Genius and he wasn't pleased with that and thanked me...

Hi folks,

I was out of my 14-day return period when I first noticed the image retention on my LG rMBP. Had my screen replaced twice, and this is the third screen I'm using, including the original one. The image retention is still there, and I fear that plagues all LG screens. Checked all the rMBPs on display at the store, all of them LGs with dreadful retention on the checkerboard test.

Since this is going to be my third request for repair for the same fault, do you think I've got the option to ask for a refund or a new device, as they are not able to fix it currently?

I have the same provlem as you, ahmetunsur. The closest Apple Store I went to, they wouldn't return for me. However, when I went to the 2nd store, I talked to a "Manager" (2nd in command) and then a "Store Leader" (in charge). They are be able to to authorize the return even if you are out of 14 days but you have to be nice but insistent. That's how I returned my first Macbook Pro.

If the store refuses you, go to another store. There is also AppleCare.

As for me.

1st Macbook Pro: 2 repairs, all 3 panels are LG, all developed IR. Subsequently got refund. Even got some extra cash back because the returns system couldn't refund "education discount".

2nd Macbook Pro: LG panel again. Bought yesterday, already showing faint signs of IR after 15 minutes on checkerboard test.

If we make some assumptions that: 50% of LG panels are defective, there is a 6.25% chance that I got 4 LG panels in a row which are defective. So I must be really unlucky with defective LG panels, or LG panels must have a really high IR rate.

Hi All,

I had the same experience. I found this site, checked my rMBP but didn't find any image retention. Then after a week or three of heavy use, there it was.

It's was comparable to the worst case pictures shown here in this thread. After 5 minutes you could read my e-mail on the lockscreen. The "Geniuses" in the Apple Store in Amsterdam didn't want to replace the mac as it was out of the 14-day return period. I refused to have the macbook repaired and I insisted on a replacement.  After calling with Apple Care and making my way up their support tree, I finally managed to get a replacement (not via the store though).

DIdn't do me much good I'm afraid. The new rMBP also has an LG panel.  For now image (day 2) retention is sometimes present, very faint  and it disappears quickly (within 30 seconds).

I'm continuing the tests 24hrs per day while keeping the CPU fairly busy (20% overall CPU load) to see if and how fast the retention problems worsens over time.

Perhaps one of you knows: do I have a new 14-day return window for this replacement rMPB ? If so, I'll just sent it back, reclaim my money and wait untill they sorted this problem out (I've allready migrated all my work back to my previous MBP).

After calling with Apple Care and making my way up their support tree, I finally managed to get a replacement (not via the store though).

 

Went to Apple Store in Amsterdam, same story as my macbook was older than 14 days so they'll were not willing to replace the thing.

Quite amazed though that you got Apple Care to replace it. I've called several times with Apple Care and the best they could do is replace the screen. Or that go back to point of sale, but they won't replace there either. Apple care support staff neither will connect with senior advisor...  So how many times you call then?  and how old was your machine at the time?

I'm starting to think though that unless the replacement is one with Samsung screen, it may be better just to get a refund and get normal pro...

itsamacthing wrote:

 

IMHO all the LG displays have the issue more or less, but 95% of the users don't know about the issue yet.  The 13 inch will tell us a lot - if the 13 inch LGs are IR free than something was learned at the expense of early adopters

Your opinion appears to me, to be wrong. I was at best buy looking at the macbook pro retina, the one that is on and ready for anyone to play with.

Now, i checked it for the screen make, it was an LG (using terminal).

I putted up a checker board and left it for about 5-8 minutes (understandingly, a short period of time, its weird to stand around too long)

The computer showed no IR, additionally, i did not look for it (sadly) but the dock didn't appear to show either. I did not look directly for it, but if there was any IR, i did not notice it; i looked pretty good for any image on that gray background though.

So this is a computer that is on 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, for at least 70+ days.

Which is way more than anyone with a life could use a computer.

So we are talking 840 hours. about 30% of which is probably idle. (no one was using the PC when i got there, or when i left)

Given the screen had no IR, i can only assume the screen was not faulty. Remember that the laptop has been there since launch.

seank92 wrote:

 

itsamacthing wrote:

 

IMHO all the LG displays have the issue more or less, but 95% of the users don't know about the issue yet.  The 13 inch will tell us a lot - if the 13 inch LGs are IR free than something was learned at the expense of early adopters

 

Your opinion appears to me, to be wrong. I was at best buy looking at the macbook pro retina, the one that is on and ready for anyone to play with.

 

Now, i checked it for the screen make, it was an LG (using terminal).

 

I putted up a checker board and left it for about 5-8 minutes (understandingly, a short period of time, its weird to stand around too long)

The computer showed no IR, additionally, i did not look for it (sadly) but the dock didn't appear to show either. I did not look directly for it, but if there was any IR, i did not notice it; i looked pretty good for any image on that gray background though.

 

So this is a computer that is on 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, for at least 70+ days.

Which is way more than anyone with a life could use a computer.

So we are talking 840 hours. about 30% of which is probably idle. (no one was using the PC when i got there, or when i left)

 

Given the screen had no IR, i can only assume the screen was not faulty. Remember that the laptop has been there since launch.

Additionally, one must realize, that maybe there are many people who do not notice the IR problem. Many people who own the laptop without a problem, won't come here and say they have no problem. I don't look for forums about problems i don't have anyway.

However, it is interesting that some people appear to get 3 of these things with the same problem. That, i can not explain with numbers, other than the fact that many LG displays are bad, though this forum does not offer a clear statistic

If you go to a soccer loving country and ask them if they like american football more, what do you expect their answer to be?

Where as, you go to a problem forum, what do you expect to read?

I wish someone could get some solid statistic proof of the issue (Apple) and let us know

And polls don't work because of trolls (though most of the people here appear not to be)

I bought it online, so actually I did go back to the point of sale. I just called once, but I didn't take NO for an answer and got rerouted serveral times. At that time (last week) my macbook was about 5 or 6 weeks old (I ordered online just minutes after it was announced).

Repairing just is not an option. There are people in this thread that have three times over received a faulty panel (after a repair !) and repairing a brand new 3099 EUR computer ... I don't think that will benefit the lifespan of the machine (not to think of replacing it three times...)

Repairing will only be an option if they provide free three years of extended Apple Care and a refund or another exchange is out of the question.

Additionally, one must realize, that maybe there are many people who do not notice the IR problem. Many people who own the laptop without a problem, won't come here and say they have no problem. I don't look for forums about problems i don't have anyway.

 

However, it is interesting that some people appear to get 3 of these things with the same problem. That, i can not explain with numbers, other than the fact that many LG displays are bad, though this forum does not offer a clear statistic

 

If you go to a soccer loving country and ask them if they like american football more, what do you expect their answer to be?

Where as, you go to a problem forum, what do you expect to read?

 

 

I wish someone could get some solid statistic proof of the issue (Apple) and let us know

And polls don't work because of trolls (though most of the people here appear not to be)

I'm seeing less and less of this dicussion elsewhere.   No doubt there have been panels that had issues, such as mentioned earlier LG panels showed IR and Yellow Tints, and Samsung showed pressure points, edge lightning bleeds, stuck/dead pixels, and yellow panels.   Majority of people don't have problems, even though we like to think that they just don't notice.

So this is a computer that is on 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, for at least 70+ days.

Which is way more than anyone with a life could use a computer.So we are talking 840 hours. about 30% of which is probably idle. (no one was using the PC when i got there, or when i left)

Given the screen had no IR, i can only assume the screen was not faulty. Remember that the laptop has been there since launch.

 

For all we know, it might just have been put in there the day before. It's hard to tell. Also, it's not duration of system being on but actual usage of the display that counts. The Best Buy I go to is always empty. The MBPs in Apple Store would be a much better test since Apple Stores are always busy and people actually use the laptops.

However, it is interesting that some people appear to get 3 of these things with the same problem.

This is the key. I have never gone through three replacements of the same product suffering the exact same issue. And there are dozens of people on this thread, some with up to 6-7 replacements all having IR. This is not statistically possible with normal defective rates.

Add that to the fact that Samsungs don't have IR and we got an answer.