Q: MacBook Pro Retina display burn-in?

ColdDevil wrote:

 

Using a complete white image I cannot see any yellow tints. How big are they usually? Is it a broad area or a small spot?

It would be the entire screen. 

I think the best way to provide a means to compare how yellowish different displays are is to use Expert mode when trying to calibrate the color on the display.  You can do this in System preferences->displays color tab then choose Calibrate.  Using Expert Mode skip all the tests until you get to the  selection of the target white point.  You can fairly easily tell when the screen switches from a warm color to bluish by using the slider.  On mine that happens around 6600 - 6700.  The native white point is 6500.  Someone earlier had a very yellowish screen which required them to go all the way to 8500 before it switched to a bluish color.

On my newly replaced Samsung screen that I just picked up today, I tried this.  I've never gone into this part of the panel properties before.  I see the yellowish tint lower than the native 6500, white there to about 6600, and just like yours, at 6600 or so it starts tinting to blue, very much so at 6700...

I'm going to cross my fingers.  If the majority of Samsung panel owners are seeing yellow, I'm hoping being in the minority isn't something temporary like my non IR LG panel was...

I did go through the rest of the options though, to make the apple match the backgrounds, before I got to that point.  Don't know if that makes a difference.

sounds like a keeper.  If you can't see any obvious yellowish tint before messing with panel properties, then this sounds consistent with what the Senior Apple Advisor had told me.  I had to adjust mine from the native "D65" whitepoint all the way to 8500 to start seeing blue: and even for that, I can't find a good clean-white that previous LG was capable of.  And so happily ever after for you...

Looks like I've got this Image Retention problem, lucky me. LG screen, didn't notice at all until about a month ago, and at this point it's gotten pretty bad/noticeable (Got this within the first week or so of release, it's Week 25 production)

I am pretty confident that AppleCare would replace it, but I'm afraid I'll either get another LG with this problem, or I'll get a Samsung with out IR, but with a yellowish tint, which is arguably even worse (to me.) It's gotten so bad that I could leave text up with a white background for less than 20 seconds and then read it against a grey background.

On the other hand, this LG has the most accurate white color of any Apple display I've ever owned. Ever. I love it. It's not yellow OR blue, it's simply a perfect white.

So what do I do? Keep the perfectly white but ghosting screen, or replace it with a potentially yellowish but clear screen? I doubt that the "expert mode" thing would reproduce the same white I see with the LG display.

Yes, that's exactly what I thought too. Can't accept IR and can't accept yellowish tint. I hope there are flawless panels on the way...

I think if the ghosting is gone after having my display replaced I will have a closer look on the yellowish tint. If it is unacceptable I will visit the Apple-Store again.

I'm aware of the fact that Apple is just a company that sells products and of course they are not perfect, just like things from any other company. BUT for this price I expect a product that allows me to work with it without problems. A tinted display and image retention are nothing I can accept with the target audience and price in mind.

Just have my laptop in apple store for display replacement. Apparently they can't choose display manufacturer whilst ordering for replacement. :( they said it would take 7 days !!' ****!! If it ends up as LG I will leave it there and come back home lol.

I have decided not to accept the laptop if they do any cosmetic Damage like scratching. This is soo annoying :( . Just out of curiosity for people who got display replacements done did apple handle MacBook properly without scratching?

I've read something about loose cases and visible cracks because of screws that have not been tightened enough. But I don't know if this happened in an official Apple store.

I read about good experiences with official Apple stores where they even clean your MacBook to look like it is out-of-the-box.

My service centre inspected for scratches and indicated so in a simple form "no scratches" when I handed over the rMBP.  Like so, I inspected it when taking over.

However, I am just not sure how many times the chassis screws could stay in prime condition before too many dismantlings cause it to weaken.  Something that cannot be visibly inspected.

@Danny - it may be worth getting it repaired.  My Samsung display does not suffer the yellow problem, so it's not an "every Samsung" problem.  You could make a note of the terminal command and go to an Apple store and try it on a few RMBP's to see if any of them have the Samsung, and then see where the color is to get a first person view. 

@gam3r - I brought my laptop into the store so they could verify the problem, and less than 24 hours later they called that the part was in, and that I could drop off my laptop.  From when I dropped off my laptop (Thursday after work) it was only about 28 hours before they called that I could pick it up again (Friday after work).  Certainly in this case it didn't take a week.  They *should* have some rough idea of how much work is piled up and how long it will take.  If they're saying it's going to take a week, do they have that much traffic at this store?  Or is it because they're gong to ship it off for a repair rather than do it themselves? 

For all - they were very careful noting anything on my system (pristine was how they described it because there isn't a single scuff on mine).  I was actually surprised when I picked it up, because it was wrapped up in a protective foam sleeve.  Compared to the idiots in my home town here (Racine Wi) that looked like a kid in his basement, laptops just laying loose, my store at least careful with the finishes.  I had not a single mark I could find indicating anyone other than I had touched this in the first place.  YMMV, but at least there's hope that this is a standard procedure for their repair people.

With my previous 2011 15" i7 I had the bottom off a LOT.  Changed around drives quite a bit finding one I liked, memory, etc.  In the first month and a half I must have had the bottom off at least 40 times.  I never had any marks or weakening.  Granted, any person could strip something out, but I'd think that people having issues like that would be in the minority, since even in my case, having done it that many times, I knew just how to torque the screws simply from repetition.  These guys are doing it far more than I ever did... 

It's amazing how protective I've been with my MBP's.  I only got my first one a little over three years ago, have gone through four models in that time as my needs changed.  And every one I baby with all my might.  I like the finish, and I make sure I keep it as nice as I can.  I have a Moshi palm protector on it to keep any marks from my palms from mussing it up, I have a keyboard condom from the same company since historically my laptop keyboards are either letter-less from so much use, or worn so smooth they shine like polished brass...  So I'm glad that the local store took care of it. 

Hi Folks,

here's my story…

I became aware of this discussion as my first replacement rMBP (2.6/16/512 LG panel) developed IR after 5 days of usage. The first rMBP I received had a really bad dent at the bottom of the unibody, I didn't even turn it on and sent it back right away. The second replacement, my current rMBP, featured IR right out of the box. And, I was able to spot 9 Icons on the display consistent with iconisized documents that had been dropped on the right hand side of the desktop. These Icons seem to be burned into the screen during production process otherwise an already used display is installed which I don't believe. Even though very faint, these Icons are still visible after nearly four weeks of usage. I immediately got in touch with my Apple online store representative by email at that time and specifically asked for a Samsung replacement screen. Extremely helpful btw, he's really doing everything to make the service experience the best one, he replied 2 weeks later (he had been on holiday) that he's not able to help me in that matter but forwarded my request to his supervisor. So I'm currently waiting for a response. I'm now in a position to be totally unsure of what the lesser of the two evils might be. Accept IR but enjoying a marvelous LG display featuring imho a perfect white point and superb contrast (compared to my 2009 MBP, iPad2, iPhone4S) or an IR free Samsung panel prone to backlight bleeding, dead pixels and yellow tinting...

@ColdDevil, it seems as if we live pretty close to each other. If so, I would be at your disposal for comparison purposes once you received a Samsung screen on Wednesday;-) Good luck for that!

Speedbug wrote:

 

"I'm now in a position to be totally unsure of what the lesser of the two evils might be. Accept IR but enjoying a marvelous LG display featuring imho a perfect white point and superb contrast (compared to my 2009 MBP, iPad2, iPhone4S) or an IR free Samsung panel prone to backlight bleeding, dead pixels and yellow tinting"

I firmly believe that Apple is currently setting aside their best screens for screen replacements only. The idea being that the people who would come in for a replacement due to IR are very particular and will thoroughly inspect their new display with an eye for defects. However, Apple is also monitoring this thread and if they see the uproar over the IR issue die down they'll likely relax a bit regarding their stock of replacement displays. So, I would suggest that you go with the screen replacement while the iron is still hot. If the rest of your rMBP is perfect, I think you have a really good chance of mating it with a perfect replacement display.

Good luck!

So I called Apple today (Sunday, very glad they work 7 days a week) Here’s how it went:

Woman answers, asks problem, I explain, she puts me on hold to explain the matter to her superior, passes me onto superior, superior appears like she didn’t tell him anything, then says he received some info (from her presumably), superior asks me to test on another account, only at this point does he say “this might be hardware related” as if surprised. He seems as if he hasn’t come across this problem before. He’s being kind and is seeing to a possible repair, so it doesn’t matter whether or not he’s seen this before. He pointed me to this link: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5455

I’m pretty surprised Apple would attempt to cover it up and say this is “normal”...

I have my appointment at the Genius Bar tomorrow (Monday) and I’ll report how it goes. I will ask specifically for a Samsung and see what comes of that, as well. I think I’ll also take a look at the models on display and will note the differences between the two brands.

Many thanks for your encouragement Canuck, I really appreciate your efforts in keeping the fire burning. I am a bit concerned about a potential new replacement to be honest. The first rMBP had a huge dent and the second one suffered from scratches. My current rMBP has absolutely no cosmetical issues! As for the screen replacement, I've my doubts about the value of opening the chassis not knowing whether or not getting a Display that meets my expectations.

Let's see what my AOR is offering...

Just to provide additional info for those still suffering IR:

Week 24 (Chipmunk)

BTO: 2.3/16/256

Display 1: LG, Medium IR, replaced before IR test was common

Display 2: LG, Strong IR,  3 weeks after install began strong IR. Passed test on first try, failed test on second try.

Display 3: Part no 661-7171, Samsung.  No IR visible on test immediately after install.  Fractionally warmer color temperature, but just barely.  Cosmetically perfect/uniform, no issues.

BOTTOM LINE:

Dear Apple- Please don't jerk around your early adopters.  This was a complete pain in the butt, and the only reason I got this fixed was because I was a very, very, squeaky wheel.  People who evangelize your projects are the reason your company is worth a bajillion dollars. Love, Heliotrope.