cMPB antiglare matte screen with Burn/Stain!

[sneak3]

Hello!

It's been a couple days since I received my macbook pro 2012 with a matte screen antiglare. I work with CG and photography.

Unfortunately, I noticed that when the background is black and the brightness is high, I can clearly see a dark burn/smudge/stain on the screen.

I attached some photos taken with my iphone, it's not easy to see but should give an idea of the issue. However, it is fairly easy to see it in person.

Do you think it's supposed to be normal? Should I contact apple and try to exchange the screen under warranty?

Thank you for your time!

 

[jav6454]

Show it to a Genius, here, you'll just get wild speculation. In general, screen issues are best shown to Apple directly so they can either: 1. Replace/repair the screen 2. Replace the unit.

Usually it's option 1.

 

[lianlua]

Well, it's neither a burn nor a stain, and you may or may not convince the Apple store employee that it's a latent defect or irregularity that affects the performance of the display.

An LCD is composed of many layers, and some lack of uniformity is inevitable. A perfect, mass-produced LCD has never been sold. Maximizing the brightness is going to cause some sort of unevenness on all of them (for example, on the computer I'm currently on, it's a slightly purple lower right corner).

If it bothers you, it can't hurt to ask, but I strongly urge you not to go down the rabbit hole of madness that marches around this and other forums around the endless quest for the mythical perfect display. If you look hard enough, you will find something wrong with every single one. Anyone who claims theirs is perfect just has a problem below their annoyance threshold.

If the backlighting is pretty even, the color is pretty consistent, there are no dead pixels, and there's no bleeding along the edges, and it's mainly visible at full brightness (which is inadvisable for color-managed work anyway), you're in good shape. Others will disagree, but as someone who works with the display industry, I'd say don't give up a good display over a minor blemish unless you can't live with it.

 

[nickandre21]

If its under 14 days take it back and ask for a replacement no questions asked if they do happen to ask you then show them the screen.

 

[ogi.nic]

Well, it's neither a burn nor a stain, and you may or may not convince the Apple store employee that it's a latent defect or irregularity that affects the performance of the display.

An LCD is composed of many layers, and some lack of uniformity is inevitable. A perfect, mass-produced LCD has never been sold. Maximizing the brightness is going to cause some sort of unevenness on all of them (for example, on the computer I'm currently on, it's a slightly purple lower right corner).

If it bothers you, it can't hurt to ask, but I strongly urge you not to go down the rabbit hole of madness that marches around this and other forums around the endless quest for the mythical perfect display. If you look hard enough, you will find something wrong with every single one. Anyone who claims theirs is perfect just has a problem below their annoyance threshold.

If the backlighting is pretty even, the color is pretty consistent, there are no dead pixels, and there's no bleeding along the edges, and it's mainly visible at full brightness (which is inadvisable for color-managed work anyway), you're in good shape. Others will disagree, but as someone who works with the display industry, I'd say don't give up a good display over a minor blemish unless you can't live with it.

Well said, I'll second that. Almost all screens have issues with the backlight uniformity (MBP is not perfect, too, but in most cases it should be somewhat uniform); if it bothers you (and you still can return it) exchange it for another one, or just live with it (as long as the rest is ok).
On one of my EIZOs I managed to get a tiny scratch on the screen while moving; very small in size, about one pixel, and it really annoyed me so that I almost replaced the entire screen. By now I don't even realize it any more.

 

[sneak3]

Well said, I'll second that. Almost all screens have issues with the backlight uniformity (MBP is not perfect, too, but in most cases it should be somewhat uniform); if it bothers you (and you still can return it) exchange it for another one, or just live with it (as long as the rest is ok).
On one of my EIZOs I managed to get a tiny scratch on the screen while moving; very small in size, about one pixel, and it really annoyed me so that I almost replaced the entire screen. By now I don't even realize it any more.

Well There's some minor backlight bleeding along all edges, but it's much more uniform, so It doesnt really bother me.

Now this dark spot is so off place. You start from the left side and keep on looking at it when suddenly you see that, jesus, it's horrible.

Now why did you emphasize (if you still can return it)? I actually cant return it but apple would change the screen right? There shouldnt be any major risks in that I believe?

 

[ogi.nic]

...
Now why did you emphasize (if you still can return it)? I actually cant return it but apple would change the screen right? There shouldnt be any major risks in that I believe?

Just means that I'm not sure about return policies in other countries. Here in Germany we can return anything we order online without giving a reason for 2 weeks (helps arguing). However, if the order is placed from a company this doesn't work ...
In your case I'd go for a replacement.

 

[sneak3]

Just means that I'm not sure about return policies in other countries. Here in Germany we can return anything we order online without giving a reason for 2 weeks (helps arguing). However, if the order is placed from a company this doesn't work ...
In your case I'd go for a replacement.

I actually bought it in Canada but I dont live there, so I cant replace it, unless they say they are going to.

But I mean, should I be worried about having the screen replaced? Are there any risks? Even if done by a technician?

 

[lianlua]

I actually bought it in Canada but I dont live there, so I cant replace it, unless they say they are going to.

But I mean, should I be worried about having the screen replaced? Are there any risks? Even if done by a technician?

The only risks are that they might reject the replacement request or that even if they do replace it, the replacement will also bother you in some way, maybe in a worse way, and of course there's the annoyance and hassle of trips to the store (or packing and shipping) and being without a computer. They are likely to be courteous with a first replacement request, but it is a courtesy and not a right for something like this, and that courtesy will diminish rapidly with multiple replacement requests for imperfections well within the normal specifications.

So just bear that in mind when deciding whether it's worth replacing.

 

[sneak3]

ok thanks. but really, a stain in the screen in NOT within the normal specs. My family has had 7 apple notebooka and thats never happened with the screen. A manufacturing defect should be taken care of, especially when you pay premium price and, in my case, 100$ more for a screen.

 

[ogi.nic]

The only risks are that they might reject the replacement request or that even if they do replace it, the replacement will also bother you in some way, maybe in a worse way, and of course there's the annoyance and hassle of trips to the store (or packing and shipping) and being without a computer. They are likely to be courteous with a first replacement request, but it is a courtesy and not a right for something like this, and that courtesy will diminish rapidly with multiple replacement requests for imperfections well within the normal specifications.

So just bear that in mind when deciding whether it's worth replacing.

That's exactly the point, everything has manufacturing tolerances (think about dead pixels). So I'd just check it at a local store and explain them the problem (politely, not demanding). It's quite difficult to assess this without actually seeing the screen.
Good luck with this!

 

[lianlua]

ok thanks. but really, a stain in the screen in NOT within the normal specs. My family has had 7 apple notebooka and thats never happened with the screen.

Again, it's not a stain, and whether it's within normal specs can only be determined with an in-person inspection. Some brightness variation at full brightness absolutely is both normal and inevitable. Usually when someone says their display is worse in person, what they really mean is that it's worse in their head.

A manufacturing defect should be taken care of,

If it's out of tolerance, it will be. But there's nothing to suggest that's the case here.

If you want to ask for a replacement, ask for a replacement. It's not objectively worth it on the information you've provided, but it's your time and your life. It's up to you.

Even subjectively, if you've got no dead/stuck pixels, otherwise even color/brightness/contrast, no backlight bleed, and no other problems, you've done very well. On full brightness and a solid color, especially black, you are always going to be able to see something imperfect.