Screen quality of MBA 13

[Muscle Master]

How is the screen quality and clarity? compared to the clamshell MBP 13. is it that bad taking resoulution out of the equation. I thougt I was sold on the late model 17 but I changed my mind. both retinas sizes are out of my price range and I was sold on an air... never really liked them. especailly since when it was first launched... took awhile to grow on me and then I reading that it has a TN panel... what

So current gen owners and last year as well. whats your take

[Saturn1217]

This concerned me as well. Coming from a 2009 MBP to a 2012 MBA.

I think the screen on the MBP is better but the screen on my MBA is fine. Viewing angles seem about the same. Once I found the right color profile colors seem about the same too. Reds are just a tiny bit duller than my MBP but nothing major. I am also unfortunate enough to have an uneven back lite on mine at the bottom. My MBP display was perfect in this regard. But you won't necessarily have the same issue.

The level of gloss is much better than the MBP although I was using an antiglare film so I am still getting used to the mildly glossy screen of the air.

Unless you are super picky I think you will be fine. One thing you may want to do is go into your library folder and save the color profile that you currently use (I'm assuming you already have a Mac). I know that color profiles are not supposed to look the same on different screens but once I switched to the color profile I was using on my MBP (I manually added it from my old computer) my MBA display went from being slightly dissapointing to near perfect.

[pgiguere1]

It's basically a lot less glossy, has less accurate/saturated colors but a higher resolution.

If you reference is a 13" cMBP then I'd say it's about on par in terms of image quality (colors are worse but sharpness is better), and it's better in terms of productivity because of the bigger screen estate.

It's not a bad screen by any means, definitely better than the average 1366x768 screen in Windows notebooks, but it's not impressive either. For a computer of that price, it's slowly starting to feel like one of its weak points, but overall I'd still pick it over the one in the 13" cMBP.

[Muscle Master]

Originally Posted by Saturn1217

This concerned me as well. Coming from a 2009 MBP to a 2012 MBA.

I think the screen on the MBP is better but the screen on my MBA is fine. Viewing angles seem about the same. Once I found the right color profile colors seem about the same too. Reds are just a tiny bit duller than my MBP but nothing major. I am also unfortunate enough to have an uneven back lite on mine at the bottom. My MBP display was perfect in this regard. But you won't necessarily have the same issue.

The level of gloss is much better than the MBP although I was using an antiglare film so I am still getting used to the mildly glossy screen of the air.

Unless you are super picky I think you will be fine. One thing you may want to do is go into your library folder and save the color profile that you currently use (I'm assuming you already have a Mac). I know that color profiles are not supposed to look the same on different screens but once I switched to the color profile I was using on my MBP (I manually added it from my old computer) my MBA display went from being slightly dissapointing to near perfect.

Originally Posted by pgiguere1

It's basically a lot less glossy, has less accurate/saturated colors but a higher resolution.

If you reference is a 13" cMBP then I'd say it's about on par in terms of image quality (colors are worse but sharpness is better), and it's better in terms of productivity because of the bigger screen estate.

It's not a bad screen by any means, definitely better than the average 1366x768 screen in Windows notebooks, but it's not impressive either. For a computer of that price, it's slowly starting to feel like one of its weak points, but overall I'd still pick it over the one in the 13" cMBP.

I see, guess I need to play with one in the apple store.. I actullay prefer glossy screens and don't like the sound of it being a bit dull... also hate the aluminum screen border

[MTD's Mac]

I've been pleasantly surprised by the quality if the MacBook Air display. With calibration is does well next to me IPS Cinema Display.

[yanksrock100]

I love the display quality. While some may say its quality is not as good as a cMBP, I dont see a difference. I do see a difference in resolution, and the less glossy-ness however, which are both great.

[Robyr]

Originally Posted by Muscle Master

took awhile to grow on me and then I reading that it has a TN panel... what

All Apple laptops are TN panels, except the Retina.

[Muscle Master]

Originally Posted by Robyr

All Apple laptops are TN panels, except the Retina.

I thought there's a difference between Tn and IPS... Care to elaborate

[iCaleb]

I wonder when the airs will get IPS?

2013-2014 maybe?

I cant stand TN panels.

[wolfpuppies3]

My 13" MBA screen quality is fine.

[Robyr]

Originally Posted by Muscle Master

I thought there's a difference between Tn and IPS... Care to elaborate

There is, but no Apple laptop other than the 13" and 15" Retina Pro has one.

[FreakinEurekan]

Originally Posted by Muscle Master

How is the screen quality and clarity? compared to the clamshell MBP 13. is it that bad taking resoulution out of the equation. I thougt I was sold on the late model 17 but I changed my mind. both retinas sizes are out of my price range and I was sold on an air... never really liked them. especailly since when it was first launched... took awhile to grow on me and then I reading that it has a TN panel... what

So current gen owners and last year as well. whats your take

With the new pricing on the Retina models the choice between MBA and rMBP can be pretty close in pricing now. A basic 13" MBA with 8GB RAM and 128GB SSD is $1,299 and a 13" rMBP 8GB RAM and 128GB SSD is $1,499. For $200 you're getting a faster processor and a MUCH nicer display, similar battery life, and not much more weight (20% heavier).

[hkim1983]

Originally Posted by pgiguere1

It's basically a lot less glossy, has less accurate/saturated colors but a higher resolution.

If you reference is a 13" cMBP then I'd say it's about on par in terms of image quality (colors are worse but sharpness is better), and it's better in terms of productivity because of the bigger screen estate.

It's not a bad screen by any means, definitely better than the average 1366x768 screen in Windows notebooks, but it's not impressive either. For a computer of that price, it's slowly starting to feel like one of its weak points, but overall I'd still pick it over the one in the 13" cMBP.

Best post, pretty much completely answers the question.