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2013 Air Samsung vs LG Display Redux
- Thread starter themacmeister
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How dumb do I feel that I've been using a Mac for about 4+ years now, and I don't think I've ever looked into the screen calibration options. Basically/probably because I'm just very happy with the look of my 2009 MBPro's screen.
But with my 11inch MacBook Air that I've had only about a week now, I was pretty disappointed with how washed out the screen looked, and I wasn't fully aware of this calibration option until I saw this thread.
I'm pretty certain that I have the LG screen (don't know for sure because I seem to need to install Xcode to use the Terminal command to check), and it turns out I'm pretty happy about that. But I still don't like the preset calibration.
I've cycled through a good few of the preset configurations linked throughout this and other threads, but none have been very pleasing to me at all. Even the Macrumors config that many people like is just too blue for me. I understand of course that displays are and look different, even if they're the same model.
So I've tried calibrating my own screen by my own eye and it's taken me all of two (two!!) attempts to get a setting that I'm very pleased with.
I don't think that I have a photographer's eye, but I do have other screens to compare it to and I know what's pleasing and satisfactory to me.
My longwinded point being: Try the preset configurations downloadable here and elsewhere. If you're still not happy, run through the manual calibration and do that two or ten or however many times. You can create as many damn preset calibrations of your own to cycle through as you want.
If you're still not happy, then of course that's a valid opinion, but it seems funny to put that on Apple or LG or anybody else.
I'll be another one to say that Zephyer said it best:
But with my 11inch MacBook Air that I've had only about a week now, I was pretty disappointed with how washed out the screen looked, and I wasn't fully aware of this calibration option until I saw this thread.
I'm pretty certain that I have the LG screen (don't know for sure because I seem to need to install Xcode to use the Terminal command to check), and it turns out I'm pretty happy about that. But I still don't like the preset calibration.
I've cycled through a good few of the preset configurations linked throughout this and other threads, but none have been very pleasing to me at all. Even the Macrumors config that many people like is just too blue for me. I understand of course that displays are and look different, even if they're the same model.
So I've tried calibrating my own screen by my own eye and it's taken me all of two (two!!) attempts to get a setting that I'm very pleased with.
I don't think that I have a photographer's eye, but I do have other screens to compare it to and I know what's pleasing and satisfactory to me.
My longwinded point being: Try the preset configurations downloadable here and elsewhere. If you're still not happy, run through the manual calibration and do that two or ten or however many times. You can create as many damn preset calibrations of your own to cycle through as you want.
If you're still not happy, then of course that's a valid opinion, but it seems funny to put that on Apple or LG or anybody else.
I'll be another one to say that Zephyer said it best:
Zephyer said:
I had macbook air with Samsung display but returned it due to faulty spacebar. I was not consent with the quality of display - it had yellowish/reddish whites and viewing angles were horrible. It was replaced with MBA with LG - actually I like LG better, because of whiter whites and realistic colors. This profile helped me improve contrast and now i'm completely satisfied with what i have.
i don't say Samsung is bad, but i guess, it depends not only on manufacturer, but also on a specific display - quality of displays in various shipments may vary.
i don't say Samsung is bad, but i guess, it depends not only on manufacturer, but also on a specific display - quality of displays in various shipments may vary.
after calibration, will LG display look better overall?
meaning LG has more realistic colors while on Samsung display, colors are more saturated and warmer, but after calibration, LG should hold realistic colors and still get sharpness and contrast as good as Samsung's display
meaning LG has more realistic colors while on Samsung display, colors are more saturated and warmer, but after calibration, LG should hold realistic colors and still get sharpness and contrast as good as Samsung's display
I've been playing around with a MacBook Retina (13", 2013) and a MacBook Air (13", 2013) and while the retina has a much, much nicer screen, the retina resolution isn't great for many of my applications so funny enough the 1440x900 (non-scaled) resolution of the MacBook Air seems better for me.
However... I have an LG panel.
I thought the whole Samsung vs LG discussion was non-sense but something about the LG panel bothers me. It just looks a little "hazy" or something. It's hard to describe but I calibrated it with a colorimeter and it still seems off.
Is the Samsung panel that much better?
The TN-style panel doesn't bother me nor does the resolution but the current panel (LG) just seems to hurt me eyes and I really, really love this laptop other than that!
However... I have an LG panel.
I thought the whole Samsung vs LG discussion was non-sense but something about the LG panel bothers me. It just looks a little "hazy" or something. It's hard to describe but I calibrated it with a colorimeter and it still seems off.
Is the Samsung panel that much better?
The TN-style panel doesn't bother me nor does the resolution but the current panel (LG) just seems to hurt me eyes and I really, really love this laptop other than that!
I see a lot of LG bashing, but I own both the LG and Samsung panels in 13" MBAs. I think the LG panel looks far better when compared side by side, primarily because the Samsung panel has a pretty awful tinge (yellow/red) compared to the much purer white of the LG.
I've noticed this in the past as well between panels of these same two brands.
The updated color profile made it even better, but even without that I think the LG still looks better. It's absolutely no less sharp than the Samsung, and in my opinion it's by far the superior display.
It looks like another person with both above agrees with me. If I had a choice I'd have LG panels on both.
I've noticed this in the past as well between panels of these same two brands.
The updated color profile made it even better, but even without that I think the LG still looks better. It's absolutely no less sharp than the Samsung, and in my opinion it's by far the superior display.
It looks like another person with both above agrees with me. If I had a choice I'd have LG panels on both.
Hi,
Sadly the calibration file here is not calibrated correctly, here is one profile that I have calibrated by my self according to colorspace: HD Rec.709 and Gamma: ITU.B 1886.
As you can se in the pre and post picture of the calibration the MBA screen's CMS is not so perfect, but hey what have you expected with this screen, this profile make the screen much better.
I did use CalMan RGB and SpectraCal c3 meter.
The greyscale have a overall DeltaE of 1.04, you can't se errors under 3.0 with your eye.
Every step in the greyscale is under 3.0 in DeltaE
This profile is calibrated for Macbook Air 2013 with LG screen.
Pre and Post:
Se attached Thumbnails
The profile:
Download it here
Sadly the calibration file here is not calibrated correctly, here is one profile that I have calibrated by my self according to colorspace: HD Rec.709 and Gamma: ITU.B 1886.
As you can se in the pre and post picture of the calibration the MBA screen's CMS is not so perfect, but hey what have you expected with this screen, this profile make the screen much better.
I did use CalMan RGB and SpectraCal c3 meter.
The greyscale have a overall DeltaE of 1.04, you can't se errors under 3.0 with your eye.
Every step in the greyscale is under 3.0 in DeltaE
This profile is calibrated for Macbook Air 2013 with LG screen.
Pre and Post:
Se attached Thumbnails
The profile:
Download it here
Attachments
Thanks! I gave it a shot and it seems very odd...not sure why but it's not very pleasant for my eyes. Could just be a personal issue
Thanks! I gave it a shot and it seems very odd...not sure why but it's not very pleasant for my eyes. Could just be a personal issue
You need to pull your brightness down a bitt manually on your keyboard, the profile do not adjust the brightness.
This profile is for a 11" screen.
Gotcha
Reaply back what you did think of it after you have adjust the brightness on my MBA it's good, but some color's the primary is a bit off, don't know if you notice it, but for me who is use to perfect colors I notice it.
But its much better then the original profile.
Could you repost again? Megafileupload isn't working.
I will attempt to calibrate my 13" LG with a borrowed Spyder colorimeter. But it'll be a week before I can get access to it. Will post the profile when completed.
EDIT: I got Megaupload to work. I agree with the other poster above: it looks odd on my 13" screen. I will update when I have a chance to use a real meter.
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I just bought a 2013 MBA (Samsung) and to reiterate one of my earlier posts, I must completely agree with you.
I've now owned a 2013 MBA with Samsung, 2012 MBA with Samsung, and 2x 2010 MBAs with LG Panels. The LG ones are perfect, the whites are very white, and even without the updated profiles, still look superior. Color reproduction more accurate to reality, and even aside from accuracy, the displays are far more pleasant to look at because the whites aren't reddish brown.
I've tried every profile out there on the Samsung displays (numerous panels - not the first I've owned unfortunately) and nothing can correct the horrid "urine" tinge. I'm confident that it's not actually a fault of the Samsung LCD mechanics but rather the outer layers that make up the screen - because if you put the panels next to each other (without the computers turned on), you can see the Samsung is noticeably yellower whereas the LG has a blueish tinge. I'm not sure if this is the (entire) cause.
As an aside - the LG panels are also brighter at any given setting, not sure if that means they are more power efficient for a given brightness level as it's not my area of expertise.
For reference, by far the best profile I found for the Samsung panel was called "hybste.icc" in a pack of profiles someone posted, possibly in this thread. The best profile I found for the LG was "CustomMacRumors.icc" found here: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7269253/CustomMacRumors.icc
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MegaUpload says Requested file is not found. Can you please upload this again?
Thanks! I gave it a shot and it seems very odd...not sure why but it's not very pleasant for my eyes. Could just be a personal issue
Or could someone upload this profile again? Thanks.
Sorry for the thread dig, but I just had my Samsung panel replaced with an AU Optronics panel. Initially I was really disappointed, but it seems LCD panels take some time to break in.
Over the space of 48 hours it transformed and it's actually better for my needs than my Samsung was! There is less shadowing around the edges and performs better in white saturation tests than my Dell IPS monitor. So it's better at reading text, and browsing, which is what I do most of the time.
Over the space of 48 hours it transformed and it's actually better for my needs than my Samsung was! There is less shadowing around the edges and performs better in white saturation tests than my Dell IPS monitor. So it's better at reading text, and browsing, which is what I do most of the time.