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friend's new 2010 MBP13 has a dead pixel: do i tell her or not ?!

S

stefan1975

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Apr 15, 2010
605
0
Hi,

a friend of mine got her her new MBP13 a little over 2 weeks ago (!). She is very happy with it although she has got no clue whatsoever about computers in general and OSX in particular.

She treats it as her little baby and lets no one touch it and puts it in a little pouch after using it all the time.

Now she wanted to show it to me the other day feeling totally proud about her shiny gadget ... i was happy for her and did not spill any of my usual 'the 13" sucks' whining of course, however i immediately noticed a green dead/stuck pixel prominently on her screen.

I am in doubt if i should tell her this. she had it for over the 2 week return period, apparently is not as OCD as me and hasn't noticed it, or just doesn't care. She has been carefully installing all her stuff herself on a daily basis and would really detest having to do this all over again and lose her lappy for days on end.

On the other hand, for the €1449 (high-end 2.66) she paid it should be perfect right? i would go crazy if i knew i had a dead pixel on my screen, what if she finds out later and is disappointed or is it already too late since she's got it for >2 weeks?

what would you do ... tell her and risk spoiling her enjoyment with her new mbp13 or just pretend you had not noticed it since she didnt see herself or doesnt care?
 
well if it were my brand new laptop i would want people to tell me, but then I am really obsessed with dead pixels on any of my gadgets. I would feel bad if she found out after a month or two and apple won't do anything about it anymore. She's got it for 3 weeks now so i don't know if that is still soon enough for apple to fix it and if she has to send it back and wait for a new one if she does call apple...
 
Please don't say anything. It doesn't bother her so don't bring it up and potentially make it bother her, ruining the experience. Please leave it be
 
There are two possibilities: Either Apple will exchange it with no problems, or they won't. I don't know which. If she can't exchange it, she's better of not knowing. If she can exchange it, it should be exchanged.

So I would go to an Apple Store, talk to the resident genius, explain the situation to them, and find out exactly where she stands. Since you give them a chance to be heroes who fix a customer's problem even when the customer isn't even aware of it, there is a good chance that they will be very helpful.
 
well i did think of that, problem is we do not have 'official' apple stores here and most orders (like hers) are done online or through the phone at 0800-apple or something. So I could call them but most likely they won't share her details and such with me on the phone for privacy concerns or something.

i'm kinda afraid she can't stop looking at it once she knows it's there.
 
Really got you, huh, my friend.
if i were you, i wait.
wait until she herself finds out that spot. If she cares, you would go help her with the whole fix thing. and she would appreciate me as if you just save her little baby, and she would like you more.. i hope... but, if you tell her now"hey, look, you got a dead pixel on your baby...." she would possibly like,"what!!!!!!!!!!!what!!!!!!!!!" "that's my baby, how dare you say something bad bout her."freaking out and vent her anger and other emotions on you.

one day, i mean, i suggest you do some research on that course. like how to explain to her the problem, what is the fastest way to solve her problem, etc. dont worry, soon enough, she would notice her baby's ailment. then, you could be her hero, man.
 
I wouldn't tell her anything. She won't really understand...another thing to consider is that most screens have a fault tolerance level, so even if you get her to replace the laptop, there is no guarantee that it won't have any screen issues. At the end you will ruin the whole experience...
 
I wouldn't tell her anything. Obviously it bothers the OP more than it does her because she's getting on with her daily activities on her computer and she's not trippin' over stuff like that. OP, it's not your machine and it's not your responsibility to make sure your friends have a perfect computer or perfect eyesight in terms of noticing things like stuck pixels. You're a geek, she's not (I am guessing), so those computer anomalies are probably something she wouldn't give a second thought to.

I don't know her but other than the most OCD person (myself included, ha ha), most people end up with a dirty screens full of finger prints and dust over time. Most people just use their computer to get work done. I'll bet there's plenty of things we've all bought that had anomalies that we were unaware of because we didn't have an OCD person to help us point them out. My point is, if doesn't bother the owner, it shouldn't bother you, and OP, you're going to far talking to Apple about an issue that's only YOUR issue, your friend is getting along just fine. :) Also, Apple, like every other computer company has a certain amount of bad pixels such as 5 before they will acknowledge that. It's always a case by case decision by management, your friend is not guaranteed a replacement or a screen repair regardless of how long she's had it. Leave it alone.
 
Tough call.

I got a new Macbook Pro 13 last night and turned it on this morning to discover a dead pixel and am now frustrated that my eye seems to be drawn to it.

She may have noticed but may not be as worried so doesn't really mind.
 
dont tell her because when you notice it, it will bug you everytime you look at the screen
 
HLdan said:
Also, Apple, like every other computer company has a certain amount of bad pixels such as 5 before they will acknowledge that.
Click to expand...

well i am no lawyer but from what i understand from consumer organisations here in NL you are entitled to return your electronics device if it is defective and that includes dead pixels. Besides even though it is too late for her with apple you can return it no questions asked in 14 days.

So when my mbp15 HR-AG arrives it had better not have one single dead/lazy/stuck/rusted pixel or yellow tint or it is going right back to apple. I did not pay €2000 for a laptop with dead pixels, not even my €200 eee has those :D

I know she is probably better off left ignorant. I couldn't stop looking at the pixel all day, ruining my experience. I have one dead pixel in my HTC Hero and it eats at me every day.

i am leaning towards not telling her, although i would have wanted her to tell me if she saw anything on my screen.

she would really detest the return and exchange procedure i am sure besides it took her the better part of a day to get iwork '09 running and get the dock animated.
 
stefan1975 said:
well i am no lawyer but from what i understand from consumer organisations here in NL you are entitled to return your electronics device if it is defective and that includes dead pixels. Besides even though it is too late for her with apple you can return it no questions asked in 14 days.

So when my mbp15 HR-AG arrives it had better not have one single dead/lazy/stuck/rusted pixel or yellow tint or it is going right back to apple. I did not pay €2000 for a laptop with dead pixels, not even my €200 eee has those :D

I know she is probably better off left ignorant. I couldn't stop looking at the pixel all day, ruining my experience. I have one dead pixel in my HTC Hero and it eats at me every day.

i am leaning towards not telling her, although i would have wanted her to tell me if she saw anything on my screen.

she would really detest the return and exchange procedure i am sure besides it took her the better part of a day to get iwork '09 running and get the dock animated.
Click to expand...
I do not believe that law in the netherlands has a "dead pixel" clause (at least there is no such law here in germany). When it comes to this "defect" usually the hardware manufacturer makes rules (i.e. defines how much "dead" pixels are needed to actually have a defect display).
The reason behind this is simply in tolerance. Displays have millions of pixels, and with those high numbers it is allowed (since nothing is perfect) to have few "flaws".

Basically, there is a rule that Apple goes with:

Firstly, there are "dead" pixels. This is the case if pixel is simply not reacting at all. There is a rule on how many dead pixels are allowed on a screen based on the display size.
Also, there is a difference if the dead pixel is in the middle of the screen, or somewhere near the edges. Normally, if there are dead pixels in the middle of the screen, manufacturers go by "2 dead pixels allowed". If its somewhere near the edges, it is mostly 3-5 dead pixels that are allowed.

Secondly, there are dead "sub-pixels". A dead sub-pixel is a pixel is simply "stuck" and is displaying one color all the time. Apple tolerates usually about 3 dead sub-pixels in the middle and around 6-7 on the outer edges.
*****DO AT YOUR OWN RISK*****
It is possible to fix dead sub-pixels by gently pressing them with your thumb, and kind of "massaging" them for few seconds. This does not always work, and may end up badly
*****DO AT YOUR OWN RISK*****


If it is only 1 dead pixel, it is very probable, that apple will not replace the display (not unless you are lucky and talk to an apple genius when he has a good day, or if you make a scene at the store).
If its a dead sub-pixel, chances are even lower... but its still possible. If you plan to tell her, do it fast, since the longer you wait, the less chances you have, since it easier to complain about a new machine, than about a 9 months old one.

Hope this helps :)
 
well it is too late for her, since she has it for three weeks or so .... but if you check it right after it comes in (like i will with my mbp15) and it has 1 dead or even stuck pixel, can't you just return in within the 14 day grace period no questions asked and order a new one?
 
stefan1975 said:
well if it were my brand new laptop i would want people to tell me, but then I am really obsessed with dead pixels on any of my gadgets. I would feel bad if she found out after a month or two and apple won't do anything about it anymore. She's got it for 3 weeks now so i don't know if that is still soon enough for apple to fix it and if she has to send it back and wait for a new one if she does call apple...
Click to expand...

Yes but it isn't you--it is apparently someone much less OCD who hasn't noticed it. I for one wouldn't spoil the party over one stupid pixel. I say leave her along and let her enjoy her new baby.
 
I regret reading this thread its got me checking for dead pixels on my MBP and TV ;)

Personally I wouldn't tell her.

My parents laptop have a couple dead pixels and whenever I use it, which is rare, my eyes are instantly drawn to them as i know they are there.
As stated previously it will ruin her experience and then you will get the blame for bringing it to her attention.
 
I don't like a guy who points out a mole on my skin when I didn't notice or don't care. It's even more annoying when he starts explaining in detail how taking Vitamin C can remove it in some cases.
 
magamo said:
I don't like a guy who points out a mole on my skin when I didn't notice or don't care. It's even more annoying when he starts explaining in detail how taking Vitamin C can remove it in some cases.
Click to expand...

well when i have hair growing out of my nose or smell out of my mouth i would really appreciate if someone told me so i can do something about it. if everyone knows it but doesn't dare tell me i cannot take action against it. so even though the news perse might be hard to deliver, in the end i get better because someone had the guts to tell me (figuratively speaking of course).

i most likely won't say a thing, but i would respect it if someone told me on my expensive mbp15 .... within the 14 days of course.
 
A single dead pixel is easy to take.

Going to Apple and getting it swapped for a machine with 3 stuck pixels in annoying places will make you cry.
 
stefan1975 said:
well when i have hair growing out of my nose or smell out of my mouth i would really appreciate if someone told me so i can do something about it. if everyone knows it but doesn't dare tell me i cannot take action against it. so even though the news perse might be hard to deliver, in the end i get better because someone had the guts to tell me (figuratively speaking of course).
Click to expand...

You can easily fix the hair sticking out of your nostril or the bad smell unless it's clinical. But a dead pixel is dead. You might be able to get rid of it by rubbing it softly or something. But it could make it worse. Replacing a monitor might give you even more dead pixels too.

Besides, she will definitely be unhappy if everyone knows the funny hair and the noxious smell. But like a single mole on her skin, people don't care about a dead pixel on her screen unless she's having a problem with it. Why do you care if her monitor has a dead pixel when she doesn't notice or complain?
 
magamo said:
Why do you care if her monitor has a dead pixel when she doesn't notice or complain?
Click to expand...

because that's what friends do .... care? because maybe she didn't see it yet but in a few months when she uses it in the dark and it glows like a torch in the night she will go "jikes my mbp is broken" and get all frustrated when i tell her i saw that weeks ago and more so when apple tells her it isn't a DOA anymore after 4 months of usage?
 
stefan1975 said:
because that's what friends do .... care? because maybe she didn't see it yet but in a few months when she uses it in the dark and it glows like a torch in the night she will go "jikes my mbp is broken" and get all frustrated when i tell her i saw that weeks ago and more so when apple tells her it isn't a DOA anymore after 4 months of usage?
Click to expand...

The point is in the lines you didn't quote. By the rhetorical question I meant more like "Why do you bother about a minor thing that has no definite fix and that is potentially a problem only when she notices and cares about it?" If you know a reliable method for getting rid of it or know how to get a perfect monitor, it might be a good idea to tell her the solution. But I guess just pointing it out without giving a solution would ruin her experience by a very minor thing, which she might not care about in the first place or she wouldn't think of as a problem if no one says it is. I don't think it's an extremely good idea to let her know about it.
 
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