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Got my space grey rMB, noticed something in screen comparison

thadoggfather

thadoggfather

macrumors P6
Original poster
Oct 1, 2007
16,162
17,077
VpcdjHV.jpg


snatched it up on my lunch break, only had like 10 minutes to play with it but I placed it next to my gold rMB which I was enjoying but beginning to wonder if it would hold up over time for my preferences.

side by side, I noticed the gold (left) has a pink tinge whereas the SG looks clearer, both are A027 panels too.

its weird because i thought i noticed the rMB being a bit on the red side last night, but its not terrible.

since im a screen stickler, thought i'd post some pics (for science? for paranoia? also disregard the bold font on the right, font smoothing is still on whereas on the left it is not, but I turned it off right after taking this pic cause I prefer non smoothing on a retina display, it seems crisper):
kY1aPgG.jpg

hLg2OZp.jpg


in person, the pink is more obvious next to one another, its not completely accurate a 6+ shot on the fly can only reveal so much. and its not TERRIBLE, but just worth noting for people who are sensitive to it.
 
no they're both uncalibrated, default Color LCD profile.

I didn't get a SG rMB because of the screen, I got it cause I wanted SG.

I'm sure the pink could be ironed out with a bit of raising the white point, it's not like super dingy or terrible looking, but just for reference :)
 
I know in the past there has been screen tint issues with newly-launched iPads, iMacs and iPhones and the blame was put on the "glue" (i'm simplifying this a lot) used between glass layers... these newly released machines are often factory fresh and such glue needs time to cure. Not sure if this is the problem in your example though.
 
JonnyIreland said:
I know in the past there has been screen tint issues with newly-launched iPads, iMacs and iPhones and the blame was put on the "glue" (i'm simplifying this a lot) used between glass layers... these newly released machines are often factory fresh and such glue needs time to cure. Not sure if this is the problem in your example though.
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doubtful in this instance. the left I've had for 9 days, the right I literally just unboxed.
 
thadoggfather said:
doubtful in this instance. the left I've had for 9 days, the right I literally just unboxed.
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Are you keeping both machines? If so, can you report back after a few days and let us know if they appear more similar after a while?
 
saifrc said:
Are you keeping both machines? If so, can you report back after a few days and let us know if they appear more similar after a while?
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Probably going to return the gold because I think SG will align better with my preferences having the machine for years on end.

But, I don't definitively know. One will likely go back by the end of the weekend. I seriously doubt the screen is going to change.

Put the gold up locally too to maybe help out someone who wants one but is torn up by the backorder wait but gotten nothing but scammers and low ballers.
 
thadoggfather said:
Image

snatched it up on my lunch break, only had like 10 minutes to play with it but I placed it next to my gold rMB which I was enjoying but beginning to wonder if it would hold up over time for my preferences.

side by side, I noticed the gold (left) has a pink tinge whereas the SG looks clearer, both are A027 panels too.

its weird because i thought i noticed the rMB being a bit on the red side last night, but its not terrible.

since im a screen stickler, thought i'd post some pics (for science? for paranoia? also disregard the bold font on the right, font smoothing is still on whereas on the left it is not, but I turned it off right after taking this pic cause I prefer non smoothing on a retina display, it seems crisper):
Image
Image

in person, the pink is more obvious next to one another, its not completely accurate a 6+ shot on the fly can only reveal so much. and its not TERRIBLE, but just worth noting for people who are sensitive to it.
Click to expand...

It's personal pref. I returned my Macbook Pro Retina until I GOT a red tint screen.

Mine's really red, and I love it. To me, the one on the right in your pic looks very un-soothing. I'm guessing blue-ish? Which a lot of people like.

But if you're not happy, change it out.
 
Hieveryone said:
It's personal pref. I returned my Macbook Pro Retina until I GOT a red tint screen.

Mine's really red, and I love it. To me, the one on the right in your pic looks very un-soothing. I'm guessing blue-ish? Which a lot of people like.

But if you're not happy, change it out.
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I know what you mean, but I'm the opposite lol. I professionally calibrated my 65" Samsumg Magnolia TV a few years back. It was FAR too warm for my liking. I prefer a "cool" screen I guess the more "blue" tint? Different strokes different folks :) There were two different displays in the MBA Samsung & LG. maybe same deal with the MBR?
 
IsaacKa said:
How did you find out what panel you have?
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last line of Preferences>Display>Profile>open profile (line 17 I believe)

vanimal said:
I know what you mean, but I'm the opposite lol. I professionally calibrated my 65" Samsumg Magnolia TV a few years back. It was FAR too warm for my liking. I prefer a "cool" screen I guess the more "blue" tint? Different strokes different folks :) There were two different displays in the MBA Samsung & LG. maybe same deal with the MBR?
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Since they're both A027 panels, it would appear same manufacturer, different calibrations/tolerances.

Also, I ran star wars trailer side by side (a lovely benchmark, but now trailer #2 :D as of this week) and the colors didn't seem lacking on the right panel compared to the left.

And FWIW, the left rMB (only rMB I had on hand when I had a 13" too) had deeper blacks while retaining detail and deeper saturated colors than the A02A on the 13" 2015 rMBP. They (both gold--mild tint aside and SG) remind me more of the A018 characteristics I saw in a 2014 13" rMBP that had saturated colors and deeper blacks too.

As always, YMMV.
 
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3bs said:
What's your point? There's obviously a difference between the screens. If you don't like seeing people point out issues they have with their devices then why come in this thread? The whole point of this forum is to discuss things including what could be manufacturing defects or variances between devices.
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Er... Whut? I'm saying that Apple's shoddy display QC appears to be happening yet again, you angry, conclusion-jumping forum constable.

As a long-term Mac user bored beyond description of returning multiple MacBooks, iMacs, iPhones and iPads in numerous ultimately futile attempts to get a consistent, untainted display, I'm both disappointed and unsurprised by this development. Hence the video.

And I'll come into any thread I like, thanks very much. Fairly sure I don't have to explain myself to you or anyone else.

Clear enough for you?
 
SBruv said:
Er... Whut? I'm saying that Apple's shoddy display QC appears to be happening yet again, you angry, conclusion-jumping forum constable.

As a long-term Mac user bored beyond description of returning multiple MacBooks, iMacs, iPhones and iPads in numerous ultimately futile attempts to get a consistent, untainted display, I'm both disappointed and unsurprised by this development. Hence the video.

And I'll come into any thread I like, thanks very much. Fairly sure I don't have to explain myself to you or anyone else.

Clear enough for you?
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My apologies.
 
refreshing to see a "forum dispute" handled peacefully and rationally :D

FWIW, I thought that "here we go again" could have gone either way-- in reference to my OP or Apple's inclination to keep enrolling its fans into the infamous screen lottery. But, I'm more interested in the facts and anecdotes than anything else.
 
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thadoggfather said:
refreshing to see a "forum dispute" handled peacefully and rationally :D

FWIW, I thought that "here we go again" could have gone either way-- in reference to my OP or Apple's inclination to keep enrolling its fans into the infamous screen lottery. But, I'm more interested in the facts and anecdotes than anything else.
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Ah yes, sorry - I see how it could have been read either way. No apology called for, then, 3bs.

I most certainly meant the latter. The eternal screen lottery... Curse my tint-sensitive eyes.
 
SBruv said:
Ah yes, sorry - I see how it could have been read either way. No apology called for, then, 3bs.

I most certainly meant the latter. The eternal screen lottery... Curse my tint-sensitive eyes.
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frgGAib.gif


herewego.gif


:p

At least, there only appears to be one manufacturer so far, this A027.

I haven't seen any others of the handful of ones I played with at apple store were that as well.

what concerns me is over time, maybe as gen 1 approaches EOL, perhaps mid cycle, perhaps earlier, definitively for future generations, is that its only gonna get UGLIER the disparities between screens if history is any trend with rMBP's. Once its streamlined people doing a quick review aren't gonna notice the difference, they're going to be benching it and moving on.

I expect it to turn into a total QC bloodbath once MacBook dips its price to mainstream audiences and becomes the standardized notebook. Oh boy are we in for good times. my first gen white "MacBook" (intel 13") had a nice screen (hopped to black macbook which had a worse screen by then, and was ready for something new so went for a 15" MBP non unibody, what a classy machine but crap shoot too) but i remember over time, as that mainstreamed, you saw some nice ones, and some oh my goodness netbook/disposable quality.
 
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Wait, does everyone else have A027 as their panel Model? My 1.2Ghz/512GB Space Gray has an A028 panel. I did notice a difference in the anti-reflective coating between this one and the base model space gray I had originally.

I ordered my original base model space gray from Apple, and decided to order a 1.2/512 when I found the Best Buy Movers Coupon/Edu coupon. Ended up spending a little bit more than $100 to upgrade to the next tier.

Anyhow, my base model's anti-reflective coating had a more subtle blue-tinted hue to lights that reflect off of the screen when it was off, this one has a more pink color to it. There wasn't any difference that I could tell between the color of the actual panels on them, and I didn't think to check the model number of the old one, but my new one is A028.

Anyone else have A028? Any more details about how we can find out more about our panels, manufacturer, etc....?

Love my new MacBook, BTW. Sold a Surface Pro 3 that I won in a raffle and my old MacBook Air to come up with the money to purchase this, and I don't regret a single thing. Speedy as can be, and coming from a mid-2011 13.3" Air, the retina display is what I've been waiting on to upgrade. I couldn't be happier.
 
I think its just variations in the screen from different batches and/or different manufacturers
 
stpaddy81 said:
Wait, does everyone else have A027 as their panel Model? My 1.2Ghz/512GB Space Gray has an A028 panel. I did notice a difference in the anti-reflective coating between this one and the base model space gray I had originally.

I ordered my original base model space gray from Apple, and decided to order a 1.2/512 when I found the Best Buy Movers Coupon/Edu coupon. Ended up spending a little bit more than $100 to upgrade to the next tier.

Anyhow, my base model's anti-reflective coating had a more subtle blue-tinted hue to lights that reflect off of the screen when it was off, this one has a more pink color to it. There wasn't any difference that I could tell between the color of the actual panels on them, and I didn't think to check the model number of the old one, but my new one is A028.

Anyone else have A028? Any more details about how we can find out more about our panels, manufacturer, etc....?

Love my new MacBook, BTW. Sold a Surface Pro 3 that I won in a raffle and my old MacBook Air to come up with the money to purchase this, and I don't regret a single thing. Speedy as can be, and coming from a mid-2011 13.3" Air, the retina display is what I've been waiting on to upgrade. I couldn't be happier.
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in what way is the anti reflective coating different? i've only seen a027's so far. do you mean to say the anti reflective coating difference is whats causing variation in the screen? its more likely the panel than that i would think.
 
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