Q: MacBook Pro Retina display burn-in?

IR will get much worse with time Sound Evolution, after 3 weeks IR started to show up in regular picture backgrounds for me

Thank you skinemup2012. Then I have no other choice then returning it. It is really so sad. In all other ways it is a amazing well designed computer. If only the screen was good. It is even more sad knowing that Apple could resolve all of this in a heartbeat if they where willing. Yes it will cost them tons of money, but it will be the right thing.

Just ran into another retina owner at the coffee shop, he didn't know his model at first, but he had a Samsung, and of course, no problems.

Had the replacement screen installed Saturday and it is already showing IR on the LG replacement. Booked in for Thursday - lottery time.

Specifically added a request for a Samsung screen when booking the appointment for the good that it might do.

Will keep you posted.

Cheers

M

Hey everybody. Been keeping up to date with most of the posts in this topic. Am using a rMBP with LG panel since early-July 2012. The IR problem only started happening since mid-September 2012. However, the IR is pretty minor and not noticeable unless I really look at it or on greyish backgrounds.

I'm gonna keep using this rMBP until the IR worsens (if it actually does).

If anybody here can post some sample images of IR affecting their display that bad until even non-grey backgrounds can see the IR, please kindly do post it up here and I'll probably start changing to a MacBook Air 13-inch until the 2013 rMBP is out (provided that Apple solves any such IR problems on their panels).

Has anybody Downloaded the latest beta of Osx 10.8.2 and check if the problem's(IR) still there(Just being optimistic),dont wanna lose hope ever i guess even though i know it may wont fix it...:((

Well I just left my local Apple store here in Toronto (fairview). I knew it was a long shot at best but still tried to get them to let me make sure it was a samsung before I paid. Told them I wanted there top of line rMBP. They didn't care. Asked more than once if there was anything that could be done. "Nope" Furthermore, they claimed to not know of any problems with the burn in and didn't know how to check if it's a samsung from terminal window, or anything like that, other than by taking the computert apart. The manager couldn't be bothered to come out to speak about it when I asked.

This was going to be my first mac. as this appeared to be a quality release that coincided with my need for a new notebook. Looks like it won't happen for a few more years unless apple announces a wide scope fix before I find one. I suspect apple, like the manager at the store, couldn't care less. Well if apple doesn't care, why should I?

Ps, it's a complicated reason why I didn't buy and keep returning if I didn't get a samsung because it would be an purchased through a interest free work loan, but I'm aware thats an option for a lot of people. Not me.

10.8.2 GM does not solve this issue.

Nothing short of a firmware release could fix this, if at all. I presume not at all, since this is a hardware feature shared by many IPS panels.

Look at Lenovo and Dell IPS display discussion forums, image retention occurs on non-Apple products too.

I want a Samsung PLS, darn!

I went to a local reseller today and took a look at what they told me was a month old display model which has been running for at least 6 hours a day every day.  It had an LG panel so I thought I'd have a look around.

It had the dock showing so I hid it and ran a grey background behind it. I could definitely see a retention, which as per these discussions I'm not surprised by. With that said I did have to manufacture the situation and couldn't really see any issues over 10 minutes playing with the device. After hiding the dock the retention did disappear completely in under 2 minutes. I will see what happens when mine arrives, but if it was like that display model, I'd be perfectly happy. 

Sorry to hear more people with a problem, and especially sorry to hear that people are not even trying one because of these posts.  I still think for the vast majority this issue won't make an impact.

Hope to see a resolution for the rest of you soon.

trickards wrote:

 

I went to a local reseller today and took a look at what they told me was a month old display model which has been running for at least 6 hours a day every day.  It had an LG panel so I thought I'd have a look around.

 

My machine didn't show unmanufactured IR, ie normal use, normal background -- until 2 months of use. I had no idea about the issue and did a google search and found this thread. I hope your machine is different, personally all three LG screens I have had, IR got worse over time. I am just worried about what my screen will look like in a year or two.

What disturbs me is that Apple is giving many purchasers of the rmbp the short end of the stick by providing the lg display that has a frequent incidence of IR, whereas the Samsung display doesn't. 

Yes, I understand apple's need to supply their product, but that is no excuse for providing a product with a broad variance of quality in display components, especially when the display is the main feature. I would've preferred that they sold the rMBP much later, but having already fleshed out any issues with their displays. It could be that Apple didn't anticipate this issue, but that is NO EXCUSE for them to remain quiet on this matter and hope that people make no big fuss about it.

I also understand that IR is an issue inherent in IPS display technology; however, that is not the point. The point is that Apple is capable of selling you a rMBP with a very low incidence of IR (if any) by equipping it with a Samsung display. And, for the price that Apple is asking for this product, everyone should be getting a product whose quality merits such a price. This is clearly not the case.

Furthemore, if Apple knows that image retention is something typical of IPS display technology, then they should at least have the courtesy to indicate this somewhere in the fine print for their product information. This would allow people to make a more informed decision before buying such an expensive product.

Apple should also reconsider the maximum return time for this particular product, especially since the issue in question has a tendency to present itself after the return time window. The IR in my display became present after 20 days of using the computer. Simply sending your computer back for display replacement and continuing to do so until you get a good display is a waste of your time and very inefficient on Apple's part. Apple should make a commitment to perform screen replacements correctly the first time for those who've exceeded their return time, even if it may take a while.

I'm very surprised that litigation hasn't been pursued as of yet.

@ epsilonic

That's something we all agree with top of the line should be top of the whole line. I got less quality than my unknown fellow with a Samsung screen. If the main feature is the Retina Display, the main sidenote should be potential image retention.

I have to travel next week, so I am not turning my mac to a Apple reseller yet (check my previous post)

I repeat that a phonecall made to Applecare has learned me that 'it is an issue they are aware off, and I can have my screen replaced at no cost'

Passed by a reseller today, to check the knowledge of the issue, and mainly to know what time this replacement would take.

result: nada! The guy was even barely understanding the point I was trying to make, that he as a salesperson should be aware of the IR issue. ' I am not gonna tell this to any interested person, so why should I know'. I explained further on that two qualities of the rMBP are circulating, and that it is LG panel vs Samsung panel. The bloke was nearly yawning. He couldn't answer anything concretely, and clearly didn't give a dang about my issue.

Talking about MStore, Sickla, Stockholm.

What I learned today:

After your third replacement screen now they have to replace your unit. Its something like exceeding 90% of purchase price. Its a top down order.

Also they just realsed an internal test for it, and it has to be pretty far along to fail. I brought my second replacement screen in pretty fast it had IR after sitting with a browser screen on for 2 hours, just a little bit, but enough for the Genius behind the bar to see it and agree it shouldn't be doing it and would only likely get worse, but it passed their internal test, though they are still replacing the screen. Which means now you have to basicly wait for it to degrade pretty far before they will replace the screen.

All the hersay I have gathered:

At this point I am assuming all replacement screens are LG, I haven't heard of anyone getting just the screen replaced and ending up with a Samsung, and I haven't had any luck either.

Also I have actually started to read around that the Samsungs have their own issues like light bleeding from the edges and dead pixels.

I even saw some where that someone traded in for a normal MBP and still had the same IR issues....

Also from what I could gather they don't think its a screen issue, but rather something else causing the screens to go bad. Though thats just what I was infering from what they where saying.

Though everyone I talked to at my local store said they basicly don't know whats causing it, which leads me to believe its just not as simple as LG bad, because if that was the case I don't think it would have gone on this long with out some type of recall or at least a fix from LG.

Also they just realsed an internal test for it, and it has to be pretty far along to fail.

An Apple-issued internal test for Image Retention? That's a good sign. How did it look like? Software or just a procedure?

Though everyone I talked to at my local store said they basicly don't know whats causing it, which leads me to believe its just not as simple as LG bad, because if that was the case I don't think it would have gone on this long with out some type of recall or at least a fix from LG.

I would attribute that to lack of proper communication from engineering to stores. Image Persistence is pretty well known hardware issue. They should be able to get to the bottom of it very soon.

They didn't give me any detials just that they had a test now. They said they ran it so I am guessing it some type of software.

This is not the only problem with these displays https://discussions.apple.com/message/19540787#19540787

I also have burn-in problem with LG display. It's not too bad a present but if it gets bad, will get it fixed under warrantee before it runs out.

Considering Apple main advertising push was around the Retina and how good it is.

Not happy!