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Apple replaced Retina on 15in and it doesn't look the same. (PICS)

N

NoHo

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Aug 2, 2011
303
5
The Retina screen on my late 2013 15in Macbook started showing weird horizontal and vertical lines out of the blue, so I took it to Apple and they replaced the screen.

But when I got it back, something is off with it. It does not look the same. It's like it's lacking contrast, has a weird dull tint to it. It's lacking tons of clarity.

It also seems like the screen can't keep up with movement. Like it's always behind. I type a letter and it's slow to show on the screen. It's barely noticeable, but it's happening and I'm not crazy. It's not lag like when your computer starts slowing down. It's more like visual lag. Like the refresh rate is slow.

I didn't think anything of it and thought it was just a new screen and was better, but I do color-correcting and now when I proof my images they are always off when they shouldn't be because I color-correct tens of thousands of images on this screen and the only change is the new screen.

My wife has a late 2014 15in Macbook pro and I wanted to compare them and sure enough, there is a tad bit of difference. Her's looks how mine used to look and mine is now washed out with a yellow dull white point. She says she barely notices it, but I certainly do and it's messing with my work.

My previous screen was calibrated and had it's separate color profile so I thought that could be it, but I changed my color profile to the same default one as my wifes and there is a difference between the two.

Is this normal?

Here's some pics.

My new screen on the left, and my wifes normal screen on right. Note the red in the cat and the yellow in the iPad.

669d6s.jpg


Here is the display screen where I show we both are using the same color profile. Even the retina display options box has a weird yellow washed out tint to it on mine on the left. My wifes on the right is how my old monitor was.

2pzmb6v.jpg


It's missing tons of clarity. I've mirrored all options on both displays, but I can't get mine to look the way it used to.

What is going on? Is it possible Apple uses lesser quality parts in replacements? It's barely noticeable, but since I work with color all day it's extremely noticeable to me and when I am working images, what looks right on my screen ends up proofing out incorrectly.
 
There are variances with every display. You can try to calibrate the display with the built in display calibrator that apple has provided. Other than that, your best bet would be to show apple what you have posted here and hope that they are willing to exchange it again. It depends on who you get I would say.
 
No 2 displays are alike, even if they are the same make and model. There will always be variances, and in your examples, neither screen is "accurate" anyway so your entire comparison/pixel peeping session is meaningless. Eventually your eyes will get used to the change and it won't be a big deal.

You can try and hire a calibration service to get it "closer" to the standard of sRGB or rec 709, but it will never be perfect. Not even the $40k reference displays they use in Hollywood to edit films are spot on.
 
Every screen is different, literally. No two screens will have exactly the same tint, contrast, color, brightness, etc

I wouldn't worry about it :apple:

----------

Every screen is different, literally. No two screens will have exactly the same tint, contrast, color, brightness, etc

I wouldn't worry about it :apple:
 
I don't know if it's how the pictures were taken but I do see the left screen is yellowish. I also feel that it's not as sharp as the one on the right.

Go back to Apple with these pictures (or bring both sets along) and try to sort it out with them?
 
When I come across posts like these, before reading the text I like to examine the pictures and choose which screen OP will think is the 'good' one and which is the 'bad' one. In this case, the one you're unhappy with is the screen I'd actually prefer.

As others have said, if your quest is to go through endless returns to find a 100% identical match to your wife's screen, well you might as well quit your dayjob and cancel all your plans because you have a very long road ahead of you. Or you could just keep your current screen, which I think is better than your wife's.
 
Zubba said:
Could be samsung vs. lg screens, no?
Click to expand...

Very true! LG retina screens sucked for many ppl, there was a long thread with a "who got a lemon" poll,
and many unhappy users returning LG screens, and checking in shops a manufacturer of computer's screen
with a system command in Terminal, before purchase

Now, because there has been so many returns of Macs with LG lemon tint screens, :apple: has a large stock of them,
and they are trying to use them as replacements in order to get rid of this stock

If I were you, I would demand to replace an LG faulty screen with a Samsung screen.
Use your photos as a proof of problem, and clearly show that you're not happy with a current "solution"
 
Zubba said:
Could be samsung vs. lg screens, no?
Click to expand...

Yes, that's exactly what it was. Apparently I had an LG screen before and when it was replaced it was replaced with a Samsung screen, which they said is what they use for replacements and in half the new screens.

They are both fine, but the Samsung screen is a bit duller and less bright and vibrant and they said most people don't notice at all, but since I had been doing color-correcting on an LG screen for years, when it was replaced with a Samsung, it was going to be very noticeable to me.
 
NoHo said:
Yes, that's exactly what it was. Apparently I had an LG screen before and when it was replaced it was replaced with a Samsung screen, which they said is what they use for replacements and in half the new screens.

They are both fine, but the Samsung screen is a bit duller and less bright and vibrant and they said most people don't notice at all, but since I had been doing color-correcting on an LG screen for years, when it was replaced with a Samsung, it was going to be very noticeable to me.
Click to expand...

So what happened to your screen now? Replaced again or just have to live with it?
 
If you're not happy complain, though to be honest I can't really tell.

Have you tried calibrating it, not to your wife's computer but making the adjustment unique to your computer to get the display more pleasing for your needs. As others stated, there are natural variances between models, and panel makers.
 
Hm..I can see the left is more yellowish and the right is more red-ish? Try to calibrate until a white space looks most natural to your eyes.
 
Yes, I've calibrated it. It's not a bad monitor, there's nothing defective about it -- it just has too much saturation and it's missing clarity. Which some people might prefer, and even I might if I hadn't already been used to the other brand of retina monitor I previously had.

I'm sure to everybody else it isn't very noticeable, but I color-correct sports images for a living and I was used to my old monitor and now when I color-correct on this new monitor, my proofs don't match what I see on my screen.
 
I own a 2012 15" rMBP with a Samsung screen, and it's developed a little moire spot that warrants a visit to Apple since it's still under warranty, yet I'm hesitant because it's such a good unit otherwise that I don't want to go through the headache of multiple visits and returns just to get a decent replacement.

Anyhow, if you're a pro photographer and your livelihood depends on it you may want to consider something like goo.gl/2uLrfZ
 
NoHo said:
Yes, I've calibrated it. It's not a bad monitor, there's nothing defective about it -- it just has too much saturation and it's missing clarity. Which some people might prefer, and even I might if I hadn't already been used to the other brand of retina monitor I previously had.

I'm sure to everybody else it isn't very noticeable, but I color-correct sports images for a living and I was used to my old monitor and now when I color-correct on this new monitor, my proofs don't match what I see on my screen.
Click to expand...

Did you used a hardware calibrator?
 
paolo- said:
Did you used a hardware calibrator?
Click to expand...

Yes, the design house where I work used a Spyder. It's calibrated properly for this screen, but I'm used to the previous screen so all my color-corrected images are coming out wrong because I'm overcompensating all my cyan.

I can work on my wifes computer fine, but hers in the entry level, and mine is maxed out in specs.

My last Macbook I had for 6 years, but this one I bought for $2600 maxed out on everything not thinking I would need another for 6 more years, but after a year the retina screen already gave out and had to be replaced and its having issues with freezing and lag. It's almost like it's an iOS device, where it works beautifully for a year, but after that it starts to slow down and you need to upgrade.

That's fine for an iOS device but I'm getting a little worried that MacBooks are going to need to be replaced every 2 years too.

As always, Apples customer service has been top notch, but it's a little disheartening that I'm already having issues with a machine I was expecting to last me 5-6 years.
 
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