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samruston Author

Level 1

20 points

iMac 5K Image Retention

Hello,

I have a late 2015 5K iMac which seems to have some pretty terrible image retention problems. I've gone through the forums many times but I've seen a lot of people saying that Apple just say that this normal behaviour. I'm just posting here so that someone can hopefully back me up in saying that this is definitely not normal behaviour and should be replaced by Apple. I have Apple Care so it's not a huge problem, but I'd rather not have to carry this thing to the Apple store and have them turn me down. I've attached a photo of https://marco.org/rmbp-irtest.html after running the test for just 30 seconds. You'll also see some icons from the Facebook sidebar which I had there a few minutes before. I understand that image retention can happen, but I'm expecting that when I've left a window stationary for hours not seconds. This should be replaced, right?

All the best,

Sam

Posted on May 27, 2017 1:31 PM

Top-ranking reply

TZ1964

Level 1

9 points

Posted on Jul 17, 2017 4:02 AM

I have the exact same problem. Apple Care refers to the article "Avoiding image persistence on Apple LCD displays" which means that I should activate the screensaver every 10 minutes to avoid retention/ghosting. It is alarming that Apple allows this to be normal. It is a top of the range display, and I would never have bought it if I knew that I could expect this, and that Apple would say that it is normal.

I think that we should make this known to as many as possible, so THEY know what I didn't know - That Apple displays are expected to show retention and ghosting after only a few minutes.

The picture below shows the ghosting from a browser window that has been open for less than 5 minutes.

View in context

21 replies

SeaPapp

Level 7

26,492 points

May 27, 2017 1:43 PM in response to samruston

Then contact AppleCare.

shamsfk

Level 1

4 points

Dec 19, 2017 11:49 AM in response to dwit

I get the same with my late 2015 iMac 27 5k.

It started to happen a lot more lately.

But I'm on a regular Sierra, not the High one.

Jan 27, 2018 9:24 AM in response to octothorpe

I can't say I've seen image retention on my Late-2015 5k but I'm wondering if the brightness setting may be a factor. I have mine set just under half.

Feb 1, 2018 12:27 PM in response to shamsfk

I'm on the regular sierra too and i have the same problem.

It's so bad.

Feb 6, 2018 4:01 AM in response to davidtof7

If you mean the brown discoloration near the bottom that normally is caused by smoking.

Feb 6, 2018 8:01 AM in response to den.thed

Well, I've only brown gook when I used to smoke and that was only with a 2011 iMac.

iMac 5K Image Retention