The viewing angle is OK, but not nearly as good as the MacBook Air and definitely the MacBook Pro. You have to be pretty much at the right angle to get a good picture with the MacBook. The MacBook Air and MacBook Pro also have better contrast, with richer colours and deeper blacks. But again, I guess it depends on your expectations and what kind of displays you have seen before. If you've seen the amazing S-IPS displays, you will be disappointed; on the other hand, if you're used to a 12'' Powerbook (which along with the iBook had one of the worst displays I have seen in a notebook), the MacBook display is worlds better than that.
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Is the viewing angle that bad?
- Thread starter daneoni
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The viewing angle is OK, but not nearly as good as the MacBook Air and definitely the MacBook Pro. You have to be pretty much at the right angle to get a good picture with the MacBook. The MacBook Air and MacBook Pro also have better contrast, with richer colours and deeper blacks. But again, I guess it depends on your expectations and what kind of displays you have seen before. If you've seen the amazing S-IPS displays, you will be disappointed; on the other hand, if you're used to a 12'' Powerbook (which along with the iBook had one of the worst displays I have seen in a notebook), the MacBook display is worlds better than that.
i kept looking at a MB in the Apple store and couldn't get it to look as bad as the Gizmodo review. then i lowered my head below the desk adn that did it. the Gizmodo pictures are taken from the side & below...it's the below part (vertical angle) that makes the screen look so bad.
The MB screen is OK, just OK. It's much brighter than the previous MB which is something that was badly needed but that new brightness is not accompanied by the amazing depth of color that is found on both the MBP and MBA.
I thought it was all about the LED lighting but apparently you need both a high quality panel and the LED backlightng to get that almost 3-d look found on the MBP and MBA.
The MB screen is OK, just OK. It's much brighter than the previous MB which is something that was badly needed but that new brightness is not accompanied by the amazing depth of color that is found on both the MBP and MBA.
I thought it was all about the LED lighting but apparently you need both a high quality panel and the LED backlightng to get that almost 3-d look found on the MBP and MBA.
The only way to judge is in person. I did this today at the Mac Store in SF. From an angle, the screen on the MB washes out faster at an angle than the MBP and MBA. That being said, it is still a great screen. My partner has a 2006 vintage MBP and his screen washes out, but in a different way (gets darker).
The way I see it, the MBP should have a better screen as it costs a lot more. This screen is still better than the old LCD's, and is good enough for someone on either side of you to watch a movie with you without losing much quality. If a whole living room of people are watching a movie with you, get a MBP or connect your MB to an external screen.
The way I see it, the MBP should have a better screen as it costs a lot more. This screen is still better than the old LCD's, and is good enough for someone on either side of you to watch a movie with you without losing much quality. If a whole living room of people are watching a movie with you, get a MBP or connect your MB to an external screen.
So true...the default profile for the MBA/MBP/MB looks bad on all three. Thankfully, for the MBA and MBP, people in the forum had performed proper calibrations (and uploaded the calibrated screen profile) that made the screens look a lot better. Hopefully, someone will do the same for the MB.
It's about the same as my Feb '07 WhiteBook. I don't think it's very bad at all.
The quality of the screen definitely seems to be improved though. Side by side, there's no comparison.
The quality of the screen definitely seems to be improved though. Side by side, there's no comparison.
Does anyone else notices the light of their screen getting dimmer and brighter as they use it, or is it just me? Maybe it's just my eyes...but I could swear it gets dim for a few seconds than gets brighter again. It might only be happening when it's plugged in...I haven't tested it without yet
Also, I'd be interested in calibrating the new screens if anyone has info on that.
Also, I'd be interested in calibrating the new screens if anyone has info on that.
Yeah, it's the ambient light sensor.
It works pretty well, but maybe it goes kind of crazy if you're in an oddly lit area? You can turn it off in the computer's settings.
I like it though. It's very smooth.
It works pretty well, but maybe it goes kind of crazy if you're in an oddly lit area? You can turn it off in the computer's settings.
I like it though. It's very smooth.
Why don't you check if your 2.0 has it?
I doubt it does though because it doesn't make a lot of sense without kb backlighting.
How is text on it?
Unfortunately, I'll mostly be using the MB for writing--black text on white background. Would greatly appreciate your observations about how text looks on the new MB vs. MBA. (We live several hours from a Mac Store, so I'll need to order sight unseen.)
Also, if your main use were for writing, would the extra $500 for the MBA be worth it to you, or does the new MB help level the playing field? When all you do is write, you don't have the distraction of movement on the screen, so it's pretty much all about display-keyboard interaction, and the feel of the thing on your lap. (Could be that the extra weight of MB makes for a better for overall feel, maybe not.)
Thanks for your thoughts.
Unfortunately, I'll mostly be using the MB for writing--black text on white background. Would greatly appreciate your observations about how text looks on the new MB vs. MBA. (We live several hours from a Mac Store, so I'll need to order sight unseen.)
Also, if your main use were for writing, would the extra $500 for the MBA be worth it to you, or does the new MB help level the playing field? When all you do is write, you don't have the distraction of movement on the screen, so it's pretty much all about display-keyboard interaction, and the feel of the thing on your lap. (Could be that the extra weight of MB makes for a better for overall feel, maybe not.)
Thanks for your thoughts.
So i went to the stores to check the screen myself and yeah it does look washed out at first glance but then i calibrated it right then and there and the results were night and day. The screen became much more palatable and very usable to me at least and it is superior to last gen's screens
Does the viewing angle suck?...absolutely but it really isn't THAT bad. I think i can now order one without trepidation but i dont want to wait i want one now and all stores are out of stock...grrr
Does the viewing angle suck?...absolutely but it really isn't THAT bad. I think i can now order one without trepidation but i dont want to wait i want one now and all stores are out of stock...grrr
The screen is allright. It's not as good as the MBA or the MBP but still it is much better than the previous generation. I went in the store thinking that they would be total crap, but honestly I just couldn't find anything wrong with it. There is no way someone can look at the screen and say "It's unusable", It's a good screen, not the best but still a good one.
Go to System Preferences>Display>Color>Calibrate.
I choose expert mode and then play around with the sliders. Some prefer to use Supercal but i find Apple's utility to be suffice
Can u please do a good color-profile for the new alu macbook.
The original one is not good !
//Everlast
This thread is exactly what I was looking for, I'm coming from a current gen macbook air and this put me back into the entry level pro camp. I don't really want to get a downgrade from the air screen even if I don't want to deal with the size of the pro. Ideally I'd like a next gen air but the storage is still just not going to do it, especially since they haven't moved up on speed or cooling yet. Maybe if the new 1.83 ghz air gets decent cooling from the unibody and gets away from the core shutdown issues I'll be able to consider it. Now I WANT the glass screen after seeing the MBs in person, though.
It's a shame, if Apple put a high end screen in the new MBs I'd be able to go to them as my one and only computer. Guess I'll get a Pro and see how it goes.
It's a shame, if Apple put a high end screen in the new MBs I'd be able to go to them as my one and only computer. Guess I'll get a Pro and see how it goes.
I just got my MB 2.4 this morning and the screen looks really washed out compared to my iMac.
I will put it side by side to my cousins new MBP and my sisters MBA.
It isn't unusable, is much better than the previous MB, but it kinda makes me want the MBA instead.
I changed the calibration to the 2.2 Television Gamma so it looks like there is a little more contrast.
I'm not sure how this will fair when I try to work on some photography.
I will put it side by side to my cousins new MBP and my sisters MBA.
It isn't unusable, is much better than the previous MB, but it kinda makes me want the MBA instead.
I changed the calibration to the 2.2 Television Gamma so it looks like there is a little more contrast.
I'm not sure how this will fair when I try to work on some photography.