iMac Dead Pixel

It's something I bet most people wouldnt notice, but whenever I look up at my clock, I see a tiny black mark.

I know I'm OCD about this stuff but it was a bit of a sinking feeling after spending so much money.

Thanks Martin.

Well, another one just popped up in the middle of the screen, so that's 2 while I wait a week for another to be delivered.

What scares me is that Apple doesn't seem to have a "no defective pixel policy" on their monitors, so the replacement could eventually develop them over time as this one has (didn't have them when I got them). And after the 14 days I can't return it and might end up with a $3000 machine that I have issues wit

Yikes

Thanks, it makes me scared to get my replacement, maybe just return outright and get a Dell or something with a 0 defective pixel policy.

Over the past few days while I wait for the replacement, I've notice almost every other day a new black dot on my screen. I'm now up to 4 randomly scattered over the screen. Black dots, could it be dust and not dead pixels? Is this a known issue for iMacs?

Thanks guys, I almost wished it was like a complete green screen or something because I feel silly pointing out these tiny black dots that most people can't see until I show them. If it was a $200 monitor, I wouldn't feel as bad as a $3000 computer. It's kind of a sickening feeling knowing something isn't perfect. Nothing is perfect but I've never had an issue like this. My 6 year old Dell Ultrasharp is still pixel perfect (and came with a 3 year no hassle exchange policy).

Funny when the bigger picture of life is concerend, it's such a minor issue,but it was a lot of money to me that I've been saving for years, always wanted to try a mac and I wouldn't expect even 1 black dot on my new computer, as trivial as it sounds to some.

Thanks for listening.

I waited 10 days for my custom, loaded 27" iMac to ship inititally boutght from Apple.com on Nov 16, it arrived Nov 26, I had it for about 3 days when the pixel issue happend and 1 week total (at that point 3 dead pixels). On Dec 3rd I called and after not being happy with having to haul the 27" iMac across town on a bus to a store to be looked at, they were nice enough to issue me a replacement. Most companies I've dealt with (Dell, WD) all cross ship and I was given that impression on the phone that was this case for Apple. I waited a week and still the item said "processing".

Finally I called Apple again, and was told they don't ship out until the original arrives, not what I was initially told "UPS label is good for 30 days, send back when you get a chance". So I had to carry to my local UPS depot in -30c temps, 20 minute walk with a 27" iMac (UPS screwed up picking it up Monday when I waited 4 hours and nobody showed). Apple got it back on the 12th, the original processing for the replacement said DEC 13-17. I talked to some very nice people at Apple and was assured they would expedite as best they could.

Later that night I got an email saying my shipping had changed from NEXT DAY to 2-3 Day Shipping. That's expediting?! So I called back again and once again, the Apple people are friendly and very nice and try to help. BUT, next morning instead of getting a shipping email, I got one saying my iMac would be further delayed to Dec 20-23. So that made it a full 5 weeks since I ordered my loaded up 27" iMac and I had use of it for a full week, the rest has been "processing". Each promise to expedited ended up in a slower delivery. I'm not sure what got lost in tranlation from the friendly phone/chat support/sales staff and actual "get er done" phase.

I won't be in town at that time, gone from 20th to Jan 2, which is why I tried to get things going in mid-November (all my dozens of computers I've built or bought usually take 3 days to deliver max). So I had to cancel the order and ask for a full refund. After the new year, I will decide if I will go try Apple again or just build another PC.

Well, I tried, but this might mean, as much as I wanted to try something new, that it wasn't meant for me to own an Apple. I would say this was the worst shopping experience for hardware ($3000 computer no less) I've ever had.I must have spent a combined 5 hours on the phone or chat over the time since I ordered the computer. Again, hats off to the very friendly Apple support staff, but in the end the proof was in the pudding and Apple just couldn't deliver (figuratively and literally).

Plusses and minuses to both sides of the equation, I never had crashes with WIndows, my PC's last a long time (6 years for this one), the OS does a lot that Mac OS doesn't, but the iMac has no big ugly tower, quiet, the OS is much sleeker and more stylish (not necessarily faster to use or more robust especially when it comes to video support). I will spend the holidays thinking about this.

Happy holidays to all the kind Apple staff who tried to help me , and to everybody on these forums. I hope if I do give Apple another chance, my experience will be a good one!

Cheers guys/gals!