Apple logo shows through display?

Mikeyswen79

macrumors member
Hi,

I've seen this exact same topic before but I, for the life of me, can't find it.

Anyways, as the topic indicates, the laminated Apple logo on the outside upper part of the computer actually shines through the display. When the display dims and goes dark according to my power settings, the apple logo still shines through, and it is actually quite significant.

I noticed when I hold my hand over the logo the problem disappears as I am blocking all external light from going through the logo, but I just want to know whether or not this is something every MBA owner experiences.

For some context, I was in class with a window facing the apple logo. It had the window cover (a cloth-like material that was one big single piece and allows light to shine through but mellows it out so its pleasant for the human eye) covering it. So it probably has to do with facing some sort flight source facing the computer. It's just that this was an every-day kind of light that one might expect if they are in a building with a window, so I figured it might be more significant of a problem that the logo was shining through in this circumstance.

Any thoughts? I'm still within my 14 day period and if no one else experiences this I will consider exchanging it.

Thanks
 
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It's a hole. Light shines through a hole. If there's light behind the screen and the screen is off the light will show through the hole. The Apple logo glows because the backlight shines through the hole.
 
Why don't you go to the closest Apple retailer and test there demos out? Just for peace of mind. Oh and take a flash light with you to simulate the extreme light source.
 
Why does everyone say this is normal? I've never once seen my Apple logo through my screen after 5 years of owning a Macbook.
 
As other people have already said, its normal. The Apple logo relies on the backlight to light up, and consequently if there's a bright light behind it you'll see it shine through to your screen.
 
It's also partly due to how an LCD works. When the screen is off, you can see it really well, because nothing blocks the light coming through.

When an LCD is on, it works by shining white light through it and then stopping the light it doesn't want to get through by rotating polarized plates to be varying angles - When they're perpendicular, no light gets through. As a result, when your screen is black, you shouldn't be able to see the apple, but when it's not, you very well may be able to.

If you turn your screen black (not with brightness, but with a picture or something of the like, and you can see the apple, there's a problem. Otherwise, not, and you should be able just to compensate by increasing brightness.
 
Hi,

I've seen this exact same topic before but I, for the life of me, can't find it.

Anyways, as the topic indicates, the laminated Apple logo on the outside upper part of the computer actually shines through the display. When the display dims and goes dark according to my power settings, the apple logo still shines through, and it is actually quite significant.

I noticed when I hold my hand over the logo the problem disappears as I am blocking all external light from going through the logo, but I just want to know whether or not this is something every MBA owner experiences.

For some context, I was in class with a window facing the apple logo. It had the window cover (a cloth-like material that was one big single piece and allows light to shine through but mellows it out so its pleasant for the human eye) covering it. So it probably has to do with facing some sort flight source facing the computer. It's just that this was an every-day kind of light that one might expect if they are in a building with a window, so I figured it might be more significant of a problem that the logo was shining through in this circumstance.

Any thoughts? I'm still within my 14 day period and if no one else experiences this I will consider exchanging it.

Thanks

Haha, no worries as others said. There is no separate light inside the macbook that lights up the apple on the back. Its lit by the lcd screen. You were just seeing the light from the window come through and show up on the lcd screen.
 
Caused by screen thinness

Haha, I just noticed this today as well, while sitting with sunlight incident on the backside of my 2011 MacBook Air and the screen brightness low. Thought it was funny. Didn't really notice it when the screen brightness was higher, so I don't think it's much of an issue.

I never noticed this on my old 2007 MacBook or the my friends' MacBook Pros, so I guess this is due to the LCD panel being thinner on the MacBook Air?
 
It happens to all macs, so don't worry. And it becomes handy if your screen goes blank and you're not sure the problem is your screen or just the backlit ( shine a light to the apple logo with your flash light! )
 
you guys are this anal? LOL who cares, man. i'd worry more about how the stuff I deliver with my computer can make me $ than whether the logo shows thru (barely) when dim.
 
My old PowerBook held up to a light:
 

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If you wanna test it turn off your Apple laptop, go into a dark room, then hold a torch over the Apple on the back of the screen. The Apple logo will then show up on the screen as clear as day.
 
I'm just wondering, since it's a hole and you can see the apple logo from the front etc etc, why is the apple logo always white?
If your screen is all green (as a test), wouldn't the apple logo behind the screen be green too? I mean, since it's using the LCD's light and not its own...
 
I'm just wondering, since it's a hole and you can see the apple logo from the front etc etc, why is the apple logo always white?
If your screen is all green (as a test), wouldn't the apple logo behind the screen be green too? I mean, since it's using the LCD's light and not its own...

LCDs are backlit. The backlights are white. They simply brighten whatever image is displayed on the color LCD. The clear Apple logo is behind the LCD on the other side of the backlighting system, and is not affected by whatever the LCD is displaying. Think of it as a terribly expensive sandwich - Apple logo, backlight, LCD.
 
LCDs are backlit. The backlights are white. They simply brighten whatever image is displayed on the color LCD. The clear Apple logo is behind the LCD on the other side of the backlighting system, and is not affected by whatever the LCD is displaying. Think of it as a terribly expensive sandwich - Apple logo, backlight, LCD.

+1, thank you for clearing that out.
Another question. When screen brightness is at minimum, is the backlighting completely off? And if yes, does the color LCD still display the picture, but it can't be seen without the light?
 
+1, thank you for clearing that out.
Another question. When screen brightness is at minimum, is the backlighting completely off? And if yes, does the color LCD still display the picture, but it can't be seen without the light?

Yes the backlight is completely off but the LCD is still displaying the picture. If you look closely you can still see everything on your screen.
 
+1, thank you for clearing that out.
Another question. When screen brightness is at minimum, is the backlighting completely off? And if yes, does the color LCD still display the picture, but it can't be seen without the light?

Yup, when it's all the way down so that the screen looks completely dark, it's the backlight is off. Shine a flashlight on it (or through the Apple logo on the back :p) and you can see that the LCD is still displaying everything.
 
Cool sounds good!

One or two of some individuals got really upset when I asked this haha, I got a -1 on a post anyways. :p

Sorry, I had just never seen the Apple logo so distinctly like that. It was as if the whole screen was black and there was an Apple logo with slightly faded edges. My MB didn't do this, even in the scorching desert of Egypt! Obviously the MBA's are a bit more sensitive in this regard, just got caught a bit off guard.
 
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