Uneven screen lighting (not backlight bleeding)

G17 · Mar 17, 2012

I received my iPad earlier today. The crispness of the retina display is incredible, it really makes a huge difference while browsing in portrait mode. I was setting up my old iPad 2 for a family member and kept thinking how fuzzy it seemed after using my new iPad.

Unfortunately, I quickly noticed that the top left of the screen seemed a slightly different color shade. It was most apparent on white and grey backgrounds, such as the macrumor forum. I'm curious if I just received a dud, or if other people are experiencing similar issues. I've attached a couple photos to illustrate the problem.

The photos were taken while in landscape mode, so it's the bottom left corner that's the issue.

Pigumon · Mar 17, 2012

Same here.

I'm debating whether or not it's enough to return it. It's not THAT big a deal, but with $700 you expect a little more =P

My ipad 2 had a dimmed edge on the long side too. Never ended up bothering me.

magnusforza · Mar 17, 2012

I'm glad I found this post. I have the same exact problem. When holding the iPad in portrait mode, with the home button at the bottom, there is a blueish or dark tint on the top left corner of the screen and it's visible on white backgrounds.

It is extremely annoying. I paid a lot of money for it and expect it to be flawless with respect to the screen. I'll definitely be returning it.

Identity Fraud · Mar 17, 2012

Tagging thread to see if more people report this. I've noticed this too, reading web sites the middle seems brighter and as I scroll the content to the top its not as bright. It may just be the viewing angle.

LostSoul80 · Mar 17, 2012

You can't expect it to be perfect.

ZBoater · Mar 17, 2012

LostSoul80 said:
You can't expect it to be perfect.

Why not?

BornRight · Mar 17, 2012

Honestly I can't find anything wrong in those photos

lewy · Mar 17, 2012

LostSoul80 said:
You can't expect it to be perfect.

You're kidding, right?

Dlanod · Mar 17, 2012

I preordered a week 8 Black 32GB 4G and it has a reddish tint in the top left and a more blue tint towards the bottom. Very noticeable in Kindle. I decided to return it to Apple and went out and bought a week 7 64GB Black 4G today locally and it's quite a bit better. Still has some slight variations but is generally more even across the whole screen.

Not sure if the fact that it's a week older means anything but this one is a keeper. Both have been free of other defects apart from some rough edges on the casing at the ariel area on the first one. Both from the same factory in China.

LostSoul80 · Mar 17, 2012

ZBoater said:
Why not?

lewy said:
You're kidding, right?

If you want a perfect screen, the only way is to dream it.

johndoe588 · Mar 17, 2012

Hey OP, here's another data point. Mine is like that, too. In landscape, home button to the right, the lower left corner is a darker shade. Or maybe warmer? It's certainly not even across the screen. Not TOO bad, maybe I won't even notice it in a few days.

ZBoater · Mar 17, 2012

LostSoul80 said:
If you want a perfect screen, the only way is to dream it.

Well, I guess i dreamt up mine. My screen is perfect. No tint, no bleeding, no dead pixels.

Zzzzzz.....

LostSoul80 · Mar 17, 2012

ZBoater said:
Well, I guess i dreamt up mine. My screen is perfect. No tint, no bleeding, no dead pixels.

Zzzzzz.....

So if you don't notice something, your logical conclusion is that it doesn't exist. A killer logic, congratulations.

puncho · Mar 17, 2012

Same problem here. In portait, the right hand side of the screen seems a little red, especially on white or grey pages. Also on the lower left and I have a dead pixel in that area

ArztMac · Mar 17, 2012

Same here.

The left side of the screen is noticably warmer than the right side when held in portrait mode. I don't really care all that much, but when you are reading an Instapaper text or you read an iBooks file, it's really noticably. The color saturation of letters on the left side look different than on the right side. It's actually a gradient there.

I don't care about how warm or how cold (hopefully not too cold) the screen looks like, it should at least be uniform throughtout...

Just give it 2-4 weeks, then you can always go in for a swap if it still bothers you.

puncho · Mar 17, 2012

I'm gonna try to exchange it today before my 14 days is up

ArztMac · Mar 17, 2012

puncho said:
I'm gonna try to exchange it today before my 14 days is up

Dude, don't worry about it. Your guarantee is 1 full year. So you can exchange it anytime in the next 12 months, regardless of how often you use it.

Just wait it out for a few weeks and see if it still bothers you. Changes are that you might even receive an even worse iPad...

dsc888 · Mar 17, 2012

I have the exact same problem. I just went and exchanged for new one. Now mine is perfect. It was as though the page had a warmer border on the left when held in portrait mode. It drove me nuts on white backgrounds like this forum.

donnaw · Mar 17, 2012

Mine's the same, in exactly the same place. I'm giving it a couple of weeks. It really is noticable. I don't want to exchange because I just put a screen protector on and otherwise its perfect but if it doesn't clear up then I'll have to try.

gusnyc · Mar 17, 2012

Same here

I got two iPads, one AT&T and another Verizon. Both have a darker/yellowish area on the top left when is held in portrait mode. It is very noticeable, even though the Verizon model is a little better.

I read about the "glue" still drying, but I am not sure this is the case. I wonder if there are perfect screens out there.

I wonder what should I do.

Gus

Binarymix · Mar 17, 2012

If it's spotty like that I'd assume it's the Sylan still drying.

I'm a chemical technician, I work with Sylan on an almost daily basis. It takes a while to cure.

If the whole screen is yellow, then you have a problem. If it's blotchy give it a week or so.

puncho · Mar 17, 2012

ArztMac said:
Dude, don't worry about it. Your guarantee is 1 full year. So you can exchange it anytime in the next 12 months, regardless of how often you use it.

Just wait it out for a few weeks and see if it still bothers you. Changes are that you might even receive an even worse iPad...

Yeah, like the person above me, it just really bugs me. I'm sure for 90% of people it doesn't but I'm reading along and all of a sudden I notice a difference. If I hold it at an angle it's fine, but straight on there's a reddish hue. Rather change it until I get a good one then I can put all my protectors on

AppleHater · Mar 17, 2012

G17 said:
I received my iPad earlier today. The crispness of the retina display is incredible, it really makes a huge difference while browsing in portrait mode. I was setting up my old iPad 2 for a family member and kept thinking how fuzzy it seemed after using my new iPad.

Unfortunately, I quickly noticed that the top left of the screen seemed a slightly different color shade. It was most apparent on white and grey backgrounds, such as the macrumor forum. I'm curious if I just received a dud, or if other people are experiencing similar issues. I've attached a couple photos to illustrate the problem.

The photos were taken while in landscape mode, so it's the bottom left corner that's the issue.

What you see is a variation of clouding issue that is always talked about in large LED TVs with side-lit LED. I see it as a limitation of the technology where some are better than others, but you won't see perfect, especially on the white screen like your pictures. Luckily, the screen is mostly filled with colors other than pitch black or white unless you have a hobby of watching movie credits screens.

jrnewhouse · Mar 17, 2012

G17 said:
I received my iPad earlier today. The crispness of the retina display is incredible, it really makes a huge difference while browsing in portrait mode. I was setting up my old iPad 2 for a family member and kept thinking how fuzzy it seemed after using my new iPad.

Unfortunately, I quickly noticed that the top left of the screen seemed a slightly different color shade. It was most apparent on white and grey backgrounds, such as the macrumor forum. I'm curious if I just received a dud, or if other people are experiencing similar issues. I've attached a couple photos to illustrate the problem.

The photos were taken while in landscape mode, so it's the bottom left corner that's the issue.

I got a 64GB wi-fi model, and mine has the exact same problem. And, like many here, it was really noticeable with the color scheme on this Web site and any light background. It's a deal breaker for me...you would think in this day and age, somebody could make at least a small screen with even lighting...especially at these prices. Needless to say, I'm going to return it.

Binarymix · Mar 17, 2012

jrnewhouse said:
I got a 64GB wi-fi model, and mine has the exact same problem. And, like many here, it was really noticeable with the color scheme on this Web site and any light background. It's a deal breaker for me...you would think in this day and age, somebody could make at least a small screen with even lighting...especially at these prices. Needless to say, I'm going to return it.

Read my post. Give it a week.

Uneven screen lighting (not backlight bleeding)

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