12" PB display looks worse than iBook?

[mcpix]

While comparing the 12" iBook and the 12" PB at two different Apple stores and one Apple reseller, I noticed that in every case the 12" PB display looked worse.

I thought that both these computers had the same display. Has anyone else noticed this?

 

[tekmoe]

the screen on my gf's 12" pb looks awesome...maybe you need glasses...

 

[stridey]

While comparing the 12" iBook and the 12" PB at two different Apple stores and one Apple reseller, I noticed that in every case the 12" PB display looked worse.

I thought that both these computers had the same display. Has anyone else noticed this?

I thought the 12" PB had the same shiny display as the larger PowerBooks, while the iBook doesn't...

 

[TBi]

Can't verify this because i've never seen them both together but i remember reading that they use the same screen so they should be identical. Maybe one had a lower brightness than the other?

 

[QCassidy352]

I thought the 12" PB had the same shiny display as the larger PowerBooks, while the iBook doesn't...

I'm pretty sure that's right. The PB has a higher quality display.

 

[pna]

Definitely. When I've seen the 12" powerbook next to the 12" ibook, and both had their brightness turned up all the way (are you sure this was the case?), the PB definitely looked better to me. I've heard that they both use the same screen as well, but that was my experience.

 

[ITASOR]

Definitely. When I've seen the 12" powerbook next to the 12" ibook, and both had their brightness turned up all the way (are you sure this was the case?), the PB definitely looked better to me. I've heard that they both use the same screen as well, but that was my experience.

Putting my iBook next to my friend's 12" PB 1.33Ghz, we both agreed that my iBook screen was brighter and crisper.

 

[godbout]

From what I can tell I think that the screens are the same. That is not to say that the iBook screens are not brighter at maximum brightness (When I saw them side by side I did not take note of the screen brightness, so it could not have been drastic, could it?) I don't think that the PBs have inherently better screens.

 

[Xeem]

I've only seen them in the Apple store, but when I tested the 12" Powerbooks out there their screen quality really was noticeably worse than the 12" iBooks. It was enough of a difference to prevent me from even considering the 12" Powerbook.

 

[tekmoe]

i had a 12" ibook about a year ago and sold it. the 12" pb pwnz it.

 

[wako]

I recently bought my 12'' PB. I was originally going for a 12'' iBook but when I looked at the two, the PB screen looked way better (color and brightness).

 

[Abstract]

I don't know what some of you are seeing, but the 12" PB screen is better than that of the 12" iBook. Rev A and rev B 12" Powerbooks used the same screen as 12" iBooks, but when the 12" PB went 1.33GHz, it also got an improved screen. I don't believe that the 12" iBook ever got that improved screen, but I doubt it.

And even from my own observations, the 12" iBook had a worse screen than the 12" PBs.

If you're comparing the 14" iBook to a 12" PB, then I can't comment at all because I don't know.

 

[skubish]

Well I have looked at numerous screens and I feel they are the same. I think screens are highly dependent on the users' preference.

 

[iEdd]

Let's all compare apples to oranges... Or apples to apples in this case

I find it bizzare to think that some are saying the iBook screen looks better... Next time I am at an apple store (5-15weeks time ), I will double check by looking at them next to each other... But from what I remember, the powerbooks have much more crisp and nice screens than the ibooks.

 

[mkrishnan]

Ugh, I hate to be a broken record about it, but you really should resist the temptation to compare the screens on two notebooks unless the same person (you) calibrated both of them in the same setting (and of course, unless the same person, you, is looking at both notebooks in the same setting, so that lighting is not an issue).

A number of threads speculated that PB12"-ers used a different screen from the iBook in early revisions, but that the most recent revision has a different one. I don't know. It seems to keep going back and forth.

 

[FocusAndEarnIt]

IMO, this is strange.

Maybe these "better" screens that the PB 12" has now are acually worse than the iBook's (vision wise) but better "technically" wise.

 

[Chef Medeski]

What does aclbrating your screen realistically affect?

Also, how do you do it?

 

[tjwett]

What does aclbrating your screen realistically affect?

Also, how do you do it?

Calibrating your display is good for a number of reasons. One being so that you are seeing things in the way the designer intended them to be seen. Another would be so that you are seeing things comfortably for your own eyes, everyones eyes are different. And most commonly, calibrating the display is essential for assuring true color accuracy from screen to print.

So to answer your question directly, it affects the colors being displayed on your screen. It affects the way you see those colors. And finally, it affects how others see the work that you do, referring to print, web graphics etc.

Having said all that, if you are not doing graphics work or distributing printed or digital graphic material for others to see then I would just recommend setting your display to be as comfortable for your own eyes as possible.

You can use the calibrator built into OS X in your Display>Color Preference Pane. I prefer this one though... http://www.bergdesign.com/supercal/

 

[bjoern_kah]

don't get me wrong. but i think some of the posters like their powerbooks and apple too much. i ordered a ibook last week. i really waited a long time for this release. i opened the box. the case and the size of the 12" looked awesome. so i started the ibook and was really shocked:
there was nearly no contrast on the screen while booting. adjustion of the contrast did not work while booting and the annoying "welcome screen". so it kept dark until it was finished. not fully dark. the screen was bright in the edges at the bottom.
after the welcome screen i maxed the brightness. still dim. and the screen had an overall reddish touch. why can't apple do the color correction for me in production?

in the end it had a very low quality display. it was dim, there was backlight leakage at the lower edges and dark areas in the middle. after half an our i put it back in the box and sent it back (that's possible in europe). if the powerbooks had the same or worse displays it would be a shame for apple.

 

[WillMak]

it's mental as well. The screen will look brighter on the PB and have better contrast due to the silver lining. white lining on the ibook doens't help the screen look brighter, it takes away the contrast from it.

 

[generik]

don't get me wrong. but i think some of the posters like their powerbooks and apple too much. i ordered a ibook last week. i really waited a long time for this release.

You shouldn't have, superior laptops are always available for sale, all the time.

i opened the box. the case and the size of the 12" looked awesome. so i started the ibook and was really shocked:
there was nearly no contrast on the screen while booting. adjustion of the contrast did not work while booting and the annoying "welcome screen". so it kept dark until it was finished. not fully dark. the screen was bright in the edges at the bottom.

Sounds like a really CHEAP screen, how about taking to the a genius at the nearby applecentre and see what their first class support will do for you? I'm very sure you will be told very politely that you are probably hallucinating.

After all no matter what you see, it is an Apple! *Activates RDF*

after the welcome screen i maxed the brightness. still dim. and the screen had an overall reddish touch. why can't apple do the color correction for me in production?

Colour calibration is a professional only feature, to enjoy that please check out Apple's professional line of Powerbooks.

in the end it had a very low quality display. it was dim, there was backlight leakage at the lower edges and dark areas in the middle. after half an our i put it back in the box and sent it back (that's possible in europe). if the powerbooks had the same or worse displays it would be a shame for apple.

Good thing Europe has real consumer protection laws.

That's economics 101 for you, produce at as cheap a price as possible, sell at as high a price as the market will bear!

Don't get me wrong, but there are times when I go to the AppleCentre, and my concerns are just immediately brushed aside like the genius really is some genius and I'm one techno-moron of a consumer.

I will never pay for AppleCare for *anything* if you ask me, paying an additional 20%-25% premium on hardware is so totally not worth it.

 

[JFreak]

12" ibook and powerbook screen panels are physically identical. the difference is that 12" powerbook uses nvidia imaging whereas 12" ibook has ati. we all know that quality-wise ati produces better image than nvidia (though there are feature differences in favor of nvidia in this comparison), and there's your difference. ibook really looks better, but they both use the same panel.

 

[Azurael]

My 12" PB 867 screen was much nicer than my 12" iBook G4 800's... The PB screen was crisper and had more natural colours whereas the iBook screen had very vivid and artificial-seeming colour reproduction. Both were very good screens (better than the x86 laptops I own!) and I will say the iBook's was significantly brighter than the PB's. The iBook screen also has an annoying bright patch at the bottom centre of the screen whereas the brightness on the PB screen was completely uniform. I can say they most certainly WEREN'T the same panel, and it wasn't my eyes - bright patches are caused by poorly designed diffuser panels or overbright CCFLs. I don't think Apple's 'pro' customers would put up with that, though it didn't really bother me that much once I got used to it.

Maybe it was just coincidence that my PB had a better screen though, and Apple use whatever panels they can get at reasonable prices (would make more economic sense) - you have to bear in mind that my PB was almost a year older than the iBook, and PowerBooks and iBooks don't come off the same production line.

 

[MacTurtle]

When I was at the apple store last weekend I spent a lot of time walking between the 12" pb and the 12" ibook. On opposite sides of the store....(hrmmmmm)

They looked about the same to me. I couldn't really determine a difference between the clarity or contrast of the two screens. No, I didn't have them sitting right beside one another, but I really couldn't tell a difference. I went to dark sites, light sites, sites with fine text, large text. I really think they are the same. The only difference is the caseing around them, and the video card driving them I believe. Your milage may vary.

 

[Abstract]

it's mental as well. The screen will look brighter on the PB and have better contrast due to the silver lining. white lining on the ibook doens't help the screen look brighter, it takes away the contrast from it.

Like I said, the 12" PBs had the same screen as the 12" iBook up until the rev C, when the 12" PB finally got a better screen. I remember that clearly. And I don't think that brightness requires a subjective opinion. It's essentially power output. The quality of the screen on the 12" PB was also made better than the 12" iBook. Again, I'm not sure if they changed that 12" iBook screen to the PB's newer and better screen, but I don't ever recall hearing of a change.

Colour calibration is a professional only feature, to enjoy that please check out Apple's professional line of Powerbooks.

Or use SuperCal for free.