Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Are the screens really that bad?
- Thread starter JB x
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Against the side wall, the MacBooks are at the front, and the Pros follow.
I'd assume some stores will allow you to unlock them and move it over if you are supervised and say why?
The screen in the reg Macbook is a joke. If you are buying the 2.4 reg Macbook, don't. Buy the much better 2.4 Macbook Pro for $350 more. I did and it was a great decision. The 2.4 Macbook is a ripoff at $1599 when you can get the Pro model for only $350 more---I have seen it less than that recently.
I'm watching Wanted right now, and not a problem in the world..
But you know what?! Don't listen to ANY OF US on here, just go try it out yourself.. There's no other way to tell if it'll work for you or not. No matter what any of us think, you are the only one who can decide what's what.
Go to the store, take a DVD with you and give it a shot..
But you know what?! Don't listen to ANY OF US on here, just go try it out yourself.. There's no other way to tell if it'll work for you or not. No matter what any of us think, you are the only one who can decide what's what.
Go to the store, take a DVD with you and give it a shot..
I just tried watching a movie again as I posted above that I was having big issues with this and the results is that it is ok (I guess)
You just have to adjust the LCD just right as it tends to was out either above or below.
But it's definitely doable.
(just an update)
Note( I downloaded a movie with iTunes. If you have a fast connection it's great)
You just have to adjust the LCD just right as it tends to was out either above or below.
But it's definitely doable.
(just an update)
Note( I downloaded a movie with iTunes. If you have a fast connection it's great)
agreed. look at it on your own and decide for your self.
I have no problem at all and this screen is better than my HP notebook. There is a limited viewing angle, but I am used to that with my HP and my toughbook at work. So for me, this was a big improvement. Also too, if I was going to the macbook pro, I felt I should then just get a desktop as a 15 inch notebook is pretty big, too big for my travel needs.
yeah I can't seem to find what all of the fuss is about. I actually like the look of glass a lot better than matte. And then there's the LEDs and the rich colors. If you can just go to your local Apple store, that place is always super lit up. If you do look at it from a different angle, you'll see a reflection, but whatever.
My Acer laptop has a really glossy screen, and apart from being able to see my goofy mug like I'm looking in a mirror before Vista boots up, I don't have a problem with it. 
However, I don't have any viewing angles issues with it at all. I'm going to be getting a MB after Xmas and before next semester starts, and I'm becoming kind of concerned about that after reading all these threads and viewing photos people have taken and such. I don't have the luxury of going down to the local Apple Store and seeing one for myself.
However, I don't have any viewing angles issues with it at all. I'm going to be getting a MB after Xmas and before next semester starts, and I'm becoming kind of concerned about that after reading all these threads and viewing photos people have taken and such. I don't have the luxury of going down to the local Apple Store and seeing one for myself.
I would advise you to read a few professional reviews online and take into consideration what people say on these forums, but I would be weary of the pictures... They don't really do the screens justice.
Maybe you'll get your hands on one before you buy...
Maybe you'll get your hands on one before you buy...
My Acer laptop has a really glossy screen, and apart from being able to see my goofy mug like I'm looking in a mirror before Vista boots up, I don't have a problem with it.
However, I don't have any viewing angles issues with it at all. I'm going to be getting a MB after Xmas and before next semester starts, and I'm becoming kind of concerned about that after reading all these threads and viewing photos people have taken and such. I don't have the luxury of going down to the local Apple Store and seeing one for myself.
Don't worry too much about it. The screenshots I linked are worst case scenarios while watching movies with lots of black and high contrast areas. If you're not gonna watch a lot of movies on it, and if you're not going to be doing a lot of work on it that demands high color accuracy, you'll be fine. For standard web surfing, email, garageband, etc, it's vibrant and useable.
The only thing the Macbook doesn't do well is dark movies and professional color work. Both of those are solved with an external monitor.
I think that says it very well. The MB screen is fine for many everyday tasks, especially ones that require it to display text on a white background (email, writing). You have to be mindful of the viewing angle for anything with a lot of color, but that's usually easy to solve.
i have the whitebook and to me it seems a total disappointment. i was not expecting to feel so let down even after reading others comments about it but i really believe that the macbook line is given a very low level screen and you can see it when sitting next to just about any other laptop. the old ibook i was given last year has nicer colours than the macbook even if the viewing angles are terrible. i really liked the glossy computers before i got this one and thought the whiners were just oversensitive but i have reconsidered. the worst thing is your left with a feeling that you have been targeted as an upgrade candidate and purposefully given a joke of a screen. if only it was the habit of computer manufacturers to sell all models with a barebones option so that we could choose our own components the mac scene would be pretty different. as it is i will probably cave and go the pro way eventually.
No, you'd be looking for an external monitor that supported 8-bit color and was an IPS panel.
I know some professional photographers who prefer the small Macbook for the portability and simply plug their systems to a nice color calibrated external monitor when they need to do color sensitive adjustments and editing.
I think the phrase "that bad" is very subjective. Some may think it perfectly fine. Others think it horrid. Myself, I wasn't happy with it. I expected Apple to put in an above average panel in an otherwise above average laptop.
Again, it is subjective. I have been used to MBA & MBP's. Since they redid the whole computer, I thought the display would be updated too (beyond the LED backlight.)
Again, it is subjective. I have been used to MBA & MBP's. Since they redid the whole computer, I thought the display would be updated too (beyond the LED backlight.)
There's No Middle Ground on The Alum MB Screen
I just bought the Alum MB 2.0. I totally agree with the screen being slightly inferior (I have the MBP Core2Duo Late 2007).
One thing I noticed is that the top and bottom of the screen can't be viewed corrrectly at all times. I can tilt the screen back and forth to get optimal "blacks" for each but everytime, one is slightly brighter than the other or will exhibit a "negative" effect (top bar especially). There is no middle ground.
I have calibrated mine to make it slightly darker and it did some good but never eliminated the problem.
Are your screens the same as mine?...or should I take my MB back to the Apple Store?
To try this, watch a widescreen movie that shows the top and bottom black bars (you'll find it difficult to detemine this with a movie in the 1:85 format because it occupies the entire widescreen).
Also, I don't recommend watching regular DVDs on the MB but can wholeheartedly recommend High Definition content...they look amazing besides the viewing angle problem I stated above.
I just bought the Alum MB 2.0. I totally agree with the screen being slightly inferior (I have the MBP Core2Duo Late 2007).
One thing I noticed is that the top and bottom of the screen can't be viewed corrrectly at all times. I can tilt the screen back and forth to get optimal "blacks" for each but everytime, one is slightly brighter than the other or will exhibit a "negative" effect (top bar especially). There is no middle ground.
I have calibrated mine to make it slightly darker and it did some good but never eliminated the problem.
Are your screens the same as mine?...or should I take my MB back to the Apple Store?
To try this, watch a widescreen movie that shows the top and bottom black bars (you'll find it difficult to detemine this with a movie in the 1:85 format because it occupies the entire widescreen).
Also, I don't recommend watching regular DVDs on the MB but can wholeheartedly recommend High Definition content...they look amazing besides the viewing angle problem I stated above.
I just bought the Alum MB 2.0. I totally agree with the screen being slightly inferior (I have the MBP Core2Duo Late 2007).
One thing I noticed is that the top and bottom of the screen can't be viewed corrrectly at all times. I can tilt the screen back and forth to get optimal "blacks" for each but everytime, one or the other is slightly brighter than the other or the other will exhibit a "negative" effect. There is no middle ground.
I have calibrated mine to make it slightly darker and it did some good but never eliminated the problem.
Are your screens the same as mine?...or should I take my MB back to the Apple Store?
To try this, watch a widescreen movie that shows the top and bottom black bars (you'll find it difficult to detemine this with a movie in the 1:85 format-occupies the entire widescreen).
Also, I don't recommend watching regular DVDs on the MB can wholeheartedly recommend High Definition content...they look amazing besides the viewing angle problem I stated above.
I'm pretty sure they're all the same. Unfortunately.
Macbook on left, Pro on right:
Air on left, Aluminum Macbook in center, Whitebook on right:
If you liked how the screen on the whitebooks looked, you'll probably like how the screen looks on the new aluminum Macbook; that is, until you get your eyes checked, get some glasses, and are able to see properly. I'm serious.
I'm not sure how these pictures were taken, but anyone who uses these pictures to base an opinion with will be wrong.
I have the new aluminum 2.0Ghz and I literally have to go either 160 degrees to the side or about 45 degrees up or down to have the screens look that bad while playing a DVD. No one watches movies at those angles.
Most low end and midrange PC notebooks like my friend's Toshiba Tecra or my own cheap Dell (around >1k range) seem to have similar quality screens to the Macbook. The 1,200 US price for the Macbook screen is pretty much in line with that (especially when there is an Educational discount). I'm not so sure about the screen for the 2.4 model however. I'm that of the opinion that it should be better for 1,500 USD.
But honestly its not that bad. I have been trying the calibration profiles I got from the other threads on the demo Machines on the Apple stores I visit and it improves the color of the screen (not the view angels though unfortunately) a ton.
But honestly its not that bad. I have been trying the calibration profiles I got from the other threads on the demo Machines on the Apple stores I visit and it improves the color of the screen (not the view angels though unfortunately) a ton.
