For those questioning the screen quality difference between the MBA & MBP ...

[Zest28]

“

Mac models that support HDR​

These Mac models support HDR video on their built-in display (if applicable) and external HDR10-compatible displays.

• MacBook Pro introduced in 2018 or later
• MacBook Air introduced in 2018 or later

Reference https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210980

The MBA 15 is a still fantastic screen and one of the best, and this whole trashing seems to have gone off the rails.

No, you should buy one to color-grade the next Marvel film. Small, low budget? Calibrate and get on with your work.

Spoiled to a MBP and have the eyesight to edit and thoughtfully create an a NOTEBOOK screen? Well, I’m truly jealous. 😝

You cannot do HDR with 500 nits. It's Apple marketing that got you there. It only gets interesting at 1000+ nits.

I'm talking about simply watching Netflix movies in HDR, not colour grading work. The displays on the M1 iPad Pro and MBP are far superior.

Blacks are black and white is white. The contrast ratio is an other level in comparison to the M2 MBA (which I also own). And those screens can do real HDR.

Video consumption is a "basic task" that people on a MBA do.

 

[Zest28]

And an other issue is that the M2 MBA has, is suffering from quality problems such as backlight bleeding. I have a little bit of backlight bleeding on the top right corner, but based on what I saw in the Apple Store, there are worse models out there, so I didn't even bother replacing my unit.

The older Intel MBP (also IPS displays) didn't suffer as much from these type of quality problems as the M2 MBA does.

 

[Shelaba]

You cannot do HDR with 500 nits. It's Apple marketing that got you there. It only gets interesting at 1000+ nits.

HDR technically starts at 400 nits, whether you like the spec is a different argument. It's not Apple's marketing at fault there.

 

[kp98077]

Sure, the MBP screen quality is better, I would not say all that much better (maybe 20%) - looking at the two side by side today at Costco (14MBP vs. 15BMA) for 15 form factor is so much nicer honestly. Maybe a little biased?

 

[Zest28]

HDR technically starts at 400 nits, whether you like the spec is a different argument. It's not Apple's marketing at fault there.

HDR10 can produce 1000 nits of peak brightness and HDR10+ supports up to 4000 nits of brightness. Furthermore, the contrast ratio must be atleast 20,000:1.

So Apple marketing is really at fault here as the contrast ratio isn't that good, neither does the brightness.

OLED displays are allowed to have HDR certification with a peak brightness of over 540 cd/m2 and a black level less than 0.0005 cd/m2 (a contrast ratio of at least 1,080,000:1).

But the M2 MBA doesn't use OLED displays to justify HDR with only 500 nits.

 

[whizkid11]

This is what bothers me the most about the MBA 15. Honestly, having a 16 MBP has ruined the MBA for me, I probably wouldn’t notice it if I didn’t have the MBP. Both with brightness on max level.

Hi there! You can change the color temperature to correct this in display settings. Works great.

This issue I notice on many MBAs as opposed to the MBP is twofold. I sit in a class room flooded with both machines. First, the a lot of the MBA displays have what appears to be a blotchy screen effect. Specifically, sections of the screen look inconsistent throughout although I'm not sure what causes this. This is almost non-existent on the MBP machines. Second, which maybe linked to the first, the blacks aren't nearly as uniform and deep. Perhaps it's the micro-led technology on the MBP that makes a subtle but clear improvement in quality?

Aside from the crappy finish on the keys and intermittent screen lottery, it's a good machine. It would be great if Apple could make their screens less reflective and more durable too.

 

[kp98077]

Hi there! You can change the color temperature to correct this in display settings. Works great.

This issue I notice on many MBAs as opposed to the MBP is twofold. I sit in a class room flooded with both machines. First, the a lot of the MBA displays have what appears to be a blotchy screen effect. Specifically, sections of the screen look inconsistent throughout although I'm not sure what causes this. This is almost non-existent on the MBP machines. Second, which maybe linked to the first, the blacks aren't nearly as uniform and deep. Perhaps it's the micro-led technology on the MBP that makes a subtle but clear improvement in quality?

Aside from the crappy finish on the keys and intermittent screen lottery, it's a good machine. It would be great if Apple could make their screens less reflective and more durable too.

you mean change in th e 15 air?

 

[cramazing]

Hi there! You can change the color temperature to correct this in display settings. Works great.

This issue I notice on many MBAs as opposed to the MBP is twofold. I sit in a class room flooded with both machines. First, the a lot of the MBA displays have what appears to be a blotchy screen effect. Specifically, sections of the screen look inconsistent throughout although I'm not sure what causes this. This is almost non-existent on the MBP machines. Second, which maybe linked to the first, the blacks aren't nearly as uniform and deep. Perhaps it's the micro-led technology on the MBP that makes a subtle but clear improvement in quality?

Aside from the crappy finish on the keys and intermittent screen lottery, it's a good machine. It would be great if Apple could make their screens less reflective and more durable too.

Thanks for your input, Ive since return the MBA and got myself the base model 14" MBP
It was a $300 difference with the same specs as the MBA and the way I see it, it was also a way to "future proof" my machine and I am also very happy with the MBP screen.

The 14" footprint is a little small but I've gotten used to it and if I ever need a bigger screen, I am connected to 2 external monitors and I also have a 16" M1 MBP to use.

 

[kp98077]

Thanks for your input, Ive since return the MBA and got myself the base model 14" MBP
It was a $300 difference with the same specs as the MBA and the way I see it, it was also a way to "future proof" my machine and I am also very happy with the MBP screen.

The 14" footprint is a little small but I've gotten used to it and if I ever need a bigger screen, I am connected to 2 external monitors and I also have a 16" M1 MBP to use.

makes sense, I am about to do the same I think... tough call..

 

[CloudsNeverDie]

Second, which maybe linked to the first, the blacks aren't nearly as uniform and deep. Perhaps it's the micro-led technology on the MBP that makes a subtle but clear improvement in quality?

Yes. MiniLED displays (like the MBP's) can turn off the backlight in the areas of the screen where the image is black. Nice demo:

 

[kp98077]

Yes. MiniLED displays (like the MBP's) can turn off the backlight in the areas of the screen where the image is black. Nice demo:

yes excellent simplistic explanation for people like me! Totally explains why on the 15 air i could be seeing yellow and uneven lighting tones. - not a huge deal, but also not used to that either.

 

[whizkid11]

you mean change in th e 15 air?

Yes, in General Settings.

 

[ilikewhey]

Hi there! You can change the color temperature to correct this in display settings. Works great.

This issue I notice on many MBAs as opposed to the MBP is twofold. I sit in a class room flooded with both machines. First, the a lot of the MBA displays have what appears to be a blotchy screen effect. Specifically, sections of the screen look inconsistent throughout although I'm not sure what causes this. This is almost non-existent on the MBP machines. Second, which maybe linked to the first, the blacks aren't nearly as uniform and deep. Perhaps it's the micro-led technology on the MBP that makes a subtle but clear improvement in quality?

Aside from the crappy finish on the keys and intermittent screen lottery, it's a good machine. It would be great if Apple could make their screens less reflective and more durable too.

one correction, its mini led not micro-led, micro-led is the end all be all and be considered the holy grill of screen tech, which is still a decade away from mass production.