Air vs new Macbook Screen Quailtiy

[xparaparafreakx]

http://gizmodo.com/5070723/screen-shootout-macbook-new-vs-macbook-old-vs-macbook-air

Man, I knew something was different about my screen compair to a regular macbook.

[six.four]

I definitely noticed that when I was at the apple store today. The macbook pro screen, however, looked great and had amazing contrast.

[NC MacGuy]

I definitely noticed that when I was at the apple store today. The macbook pro screen, however, looked great and had amazing contrast.

Did the store have them displayed side by side next to each other?

All the stores I've been to carefully place them under direct overhead lighting and keep side by side comparisons an impossibility.

I took my Air in when I returned my MB and placed it directly next to the MB for comparison and there was a stark difference in the Air's favor.

[nat.i]

thx

[twist2b]

Yeah, I heard alot of people saying the Airs screen is better. What did they do with the MB and MBP? They use real glass or something? I wonder how well it looks at night though. I am sure very nice.

[epicycle]

That was one of the primary drivers to me not getting the MB. When I saw the screenshots ( links here http://www.wideasleep.com/blog/?p=127 ) of the MB compared to old MB, MBP, etc I was destroyed as the MB really looked like the machine I was gonna get. Once I saw the new MBA on Friday I was sold on it. Sure it is missing some things but this machine is far superior in every way I've tested so far.

[sparkie7]

I was in three Micro Anvika stores and Square group.. so 4 in total.. after looking at all the screens.. Air, MB, New MBP and All alu MBP screens...

my verdict...

Air screen.. Superb :)

MB... Washed out, rubbish :eek:

New MBP... not bad actually, Much better than the MB screens ;)

All alu 17" MBP screen... Matte/Anti-Glare.. Superb :D

[lucidmedia]

I have the last generation Macbook pro, and I was not prepared for how much better the new Air's screen looks in comparison...

[twist2b]

It seems everyone agrees the Air has is the biggest banana of them all! I knew I loved the air for a reason :)

[Philflow]

I'll let the facts speak for themselves.

For those who don't know, high contrast is better and low blacklevels (schwarzwert) is better.

[DaveOZ]

I'm keeping my old Air for now. It's the best screen ever.

I bought the new MB to replace it but the screen was so bad I sent it back after 3 days. I now have the new MBPro 15 as my main machine and it's screen is quite good. Very good in fact, but the Air rules for couch surfing and outdoors work.

Lets hope the NEW Air is just as good!!

[HLdan]

Philflow thanks for the find but it would be nice if you could've found a comparison sheet that the rest of us could read in terms of the "language".

[Philflow]

Philflow thanks for the find but it would be nice if you could've found a comparison sheet that the rest of us could read in terms of the "language".

Kontrast means contrast :p. I already gave you blacklevels=schwarzwert. Durchschnitlich means average.

Now you guess what luminanz means ;)

[HLdan]

C'mon guys, kontrast means contrast.

Now you guess what luminanz means ;)

Oh I see, when someone corrects somebody's english here we get flamed because english is not everyone's first language but when you post something that's not of the english language I don't have a valid reason to complain according to you.
YOU c'mon!

[Rlkv011]

I want to pick up a new notebook this week. Which has the better screen, the new MBA or the new MBP? It's very hard to compare them at the Apple store since they are not next to each other.

[daneoni]

Oh I see, when someone corrects somebody's english here we get flamed because english is not everyone's first language but when you post something that's not of the english language I don't have a valid reason to complain according to you.
YOU c'mon!

Defensive & overreactive much...?

[Philflow]

Oh I see, when someone corrects somebody's english here we get flamed because english is not everyone's first language but when you post something that's not of the english language I don't have a valid reason to complain according to you.
YOU c'mon!

No worries Dan. If it were up to me you could complain all you want and nobody would be flaming anybody.

Unfortunately Notebookjournal publishes it's results in german so i don't have english tables at hand.

[DaveOZ]

I want to pick up a new notebook this week. Which has the better screen, the new MBA or the new MBP? It's very hard to compare them at the Apple store since they are not next to each other.

Well I would say the OLD Air is better screen quality and viewing angles than the NEW MBPro because I have both. Can't comment on the NEW Air.

But they are very different machine in terms of size, weight, speed and expandability. Your decision needs to be based on your intended use.

[aristobrat]

Kontrast means contrast :p. I already gave you blacklevels=schwarzwert. Durchschnitlich means average.

Now you guess what luminanz means ;)
Thanks for the charts. The 15 seconds it took me to translate was a lot less time than it would taken me to try to find charts like that in English.

[HLdan]

Defensive & overreactive much...?

Sorry, yeah a bit overreactive but I felt defensive because this forum flames you if you correct someone for misspelling an english word and since we all type in english on this forum I felt it was a valid request for Philflow to post a comparison sheet in english (even if we could figure out some of the words).
However I do appreciate his efforts. :)

[Rlkv011]

Well I would say the OLD Air is better screen quality and viewing angles than the NEW MBPro because I have both. Can't comment on the NEW Air.

But they are very different machine in terms of size, weight, speed and expandability. Your decision needs to be based on your intended use.
Mainly web browsing, light photoshop work, excel, word, quickbooks, and watching movies/tv shows with vlc and itunes. I exchanged my MBA rev A for a penryn macbook pro in February. Loved the Air couldn't stand the core shutdown problem. No problems with the MBP but I really missed my air the whole time.

[DaveOZ]

The new Air should be up for those tasks. On paper it looks a real winner.

[Rlkv011]

The new Air should be up for those tasks. On paper it looks a real winner.
If the core shutdown problem is solved with the new 9400 I will be a very happy man. Should I go with the 1.6 or the 1.8?

[duffyanneal]

Well I would say the OLD Air is better screen quality and viewing angles than the NEW MBPro because I have both. Can't comment on the NEW Air.


What display do you have in the MBP? I owned a few MBAs when they first came out and I was never impressed with the display. The backlighting was inconsistent (blotchy and striped) and the viewing angles weren't that impressive. Granted they were better than the current and previous MBs and close to the MBPs (the MBPs had the bad yellowing issues and weren't as bright). I have a new MBP and its display is leaps and bounds better than the previous MBP which to me translates into better than the old MBA. I am curious how the new MBA display compares to the current MBP. I can be swayed. :D

[DaveOZ]

What display do you have in the MBP?

My display is a 9C85. I've not kept up with which are the "good" ones but I'm very happy with it compared to the New MacBook I sent back.

I just feel that the Air had a brighter/whiter display that works better in the sun. They are both very good.

[Philflow]

I noticed my Air looks better in Windows XP than in OS X. Same thing as with the Macbook I returned.

Trying out different profiles did not change that. More punch and vibrance in XP.

[princigalli]

I noticed my Air looks better in Windows XP than in OS X. Same thing as with the Macbook I returned.

Trying out different profiles did not change that. More punch and vibrance in XP.

Windows screen drivers are usually much better. Or maybe Windows handles those things better. I had an HP monitor which worked perfectly in Windows but is almost unusable in OSX.

[uniforms]

I have both MBA v1 and the new version. The screen is great, but still not up to my liking for depth of colors that I use for use with photoshop and quark. I found a product that I recommend for any computer you use, that is "HUEY" from Pantone. It works great in calibrating color just right. Best 100 dollars you can spend if you want great color on any monitor or laptop screen.

[snowsucker]

I'm surpised that noone has come up with the idea to buy a separate MBA display and put it into a macbook (or I might have missed it). That would make one killer laptop if it's possible. I haven't seen any images on disassembled computers that are good enough to determin if it's doable though. The connectors etc should be the same since it's the same graphics card and apple probably wants to use as few components as possible to minimize costs. I wonder how hard it is to separate the panel from the glass piece on the new macbook? I may have to go home and investigate it...

[NC MacGuy]

I'm surpised that noone has come up with the idea to buy a separate MBA display and put it into a macbook (or I might have missed it). That would make one killer laptop if it's possible. I haven't seen any images on disassembled computers that are good enough to determin if it's doable though. The connectors etc should be the same since it's the same graphics card and apple probably wants to use as few components as possible to minimize costs. I wonder how hard it is to separate the panel from the glass piece on the new macbook? I may have to go home and investigate it...

People have and posted about it in here and the MacBook forum. The NVIDIA graphics isn't a card per se. It's a chip. The output is ported off via Apple proprietary logic board.

[shen]

i haven't seen the new MBA yet, but the store had the new macbooks and old airs, and i made them unhook one so i could side by side. yes the air has a better screen. no, it isn't nearly what the pictures i have seen make it out to be.

but as i said, it was the old air. maybe the new ones are even better?

not that it matters to me, i am looking to replace a G3 iBook that stopped working over a year ago, so they are all pretty impressive upgrades. :D

[Philflow]

i haven't seen the new MBA yet, but the store had the new macbooks and old airs, and i made them unhook one so i could side by side. yes the air has a better screen. no, it isn't nearly what the pictures i have seen make it out to be.

but as i said, it was the old air. maybe the new ones are even better?


I don't think the new ones are better than the old ones.

The flaws of the new Macbook panels are more apparent with less ambient light. In store situations, set to maximum brightness, they look better. Except for the blacks.

[HLdan]

For anyone uncertain about the MBA's incredible screen quality, the next time you visit Best Buy, Fry's or an Apple store open up System Preferences and choose Desktop&Screensaver and change the desktop pic to the darkest background of the Black and White options. The Air is unmistakably the best against the MB and the MBP.
If you visit a Best Buy they always have the Macbook line sitting side by side.

[MVApple]

For anyone uncertain about the MBA's incredible screen quality, the next time you visit Best Buy, Fry's or an Apple store open up System Preferences and choose Desktop&Screensaver and change the desktop pic to the darkest background of the Black and White options. The Air is unmistakably the best against the MB and the MBP.
If you visit a Best Buy they always have the Macbook line sitting side by side.

I've been to Best Buy and I've compared the old MBA with the new MBP and the new MBP was easily the best screen to my eyes, MBP>MBA>MB. The screen quality of the MBA is good, but the new glass screen of the MBP makes colors pop in an amazing way. Quality wise, the MBA screen and MBP screen are probably very similar but I think the reason the MBP looks so amazing is because of the glass glossy screen. When the new Macbooks were being announced I was really crossing my fingers for the glass screen and glass trackpad to make it over to the MBA and I was quite disappointed to see that it didn't happen.

Maybe it was too much effort for Apple to add the glass screen and trackpad, but its sure a disappointment to me. I would of traded power for portability, but the amazing screen on the MBP and the new trackpad closed the deal for me.

I did not try the black background as you say, but I tried various pictures and the new MBP was clearly ahead. It's possible the MBA has a screen that produces better blacks, but the MBP clearly wins overall color saturation and vibrancy.

[icymountain]

I'll let the facts speak for themselves.

For those who don't know, high contrast is better and low blacklevels (schwarzwert) is better.

Great info.
Btw, I can't believe Apple is putting so crappy screens in their MacBooks. Yeah, I know they have to give a reason for people to want a 15" MBP, but that is really too bad: many people have been posting around saying they wanted a 12" PB replacement and the Air was not that for them (I understand this very well: the 12" PB was a compact, do it all computer whereas the MBA is a more portable, not do it all machine); the new MB could have been that at a rather decent price. Too bad. :(

As far as I am concerned, I am more and more happy about my choice to get an MBA 2.0, while I read these threads.

[buckawheat]

I went to the local apple store and did compare the three laptops. The thing that really works against the MBP and MB is how brightly the store lights reflect in the glass. There is a purple(ish) tinge to light reflected by the MBA screen which drastically cuts down on the ambient light. The MB screen looked great when reclined to its furthest position and for regular use, one or two people could watch a movie on it, or sit side by side and have a pretty decent image. The air looked great from any sideways angle and the MBP while the screen had better color than the MB, was still affected by the clear reflection of ambient light in the store.
I think the moral of the story is, buy for the features you are looking for.