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Macbook Pro 15" Panel Lottery

I like the 9CA3 (LG/Philips) panel

I have read a lot of posts stating the new MBP:s screen darker, more uneven and more yellow than previous models. I don't know if it's any substance in my remarks but here's my story to the panel lottery with my brand new MBP 15" 2,0 GHz. And yea, I know I'm having an issue with wanting my tech things being perfect - especially Apple stuff.

As soon as the unboxing procedure was done and that familiar tune that starts the OSX had faded I noticed the display being not that bright as I expected - the viewing angle was poor, and it had a yellow tint towards the lower part of the screen plus that the panel also was brighter at the bottom. Well, I did a thorough research and found out that my panel was labled: 9CA4 - a Samsung panel I think. :(

I took my new MacBook pro to several retailers here in Stockholm and compared my computer to the units they had on display and there was no doubt about it: They did all have brighter, more neutral screens than mine. I went into those units settings and found a different display model number: 9CA3 - LG/Philips (I learned).:confused:

Anyway, I went to the service desk and showed my findings to them. They could see my point and promised to check with Apple if I was entitled to a change of display. Apple agreed to a warranty change but no one could tell which display I would end up with. To my satisfaction I immediately noticed that the new panel was very much brighter and better looking and yes it was a 9CA3-panel. :D

I'm sure this is to an extend a matter of personal opinion but it's a fact that the screens could be very different although the same year, model, specs and config. :)
 
websterMBP said:
I have read a lot of posts stating the new MBP:s screen darker, more uneven and more yellow than previous models. I don't know if it's any substance in my remarks but here's my story to the panel lottery with my brand new MBP 15" 2,0 GHz. And yea, I know I'm having an issue with wanting my tech things being perfect - especially Apple stuff.

As soon as the unboxing procedure was done and that familiar tune that starts the OSX had faded I noticed the display being not that bright as I expected - the viewing angle was poor, and it had a yellow tint towards the lower part of the screen plus that the panel also was brighter at the bottom. Well, I did a thorough research and found out that my panel was labled: 9CA4 - a Samsung panel I think. :(

I took my new MacBook pro to several retailers here in Stockholm and compared my computer to the units they had on display and there was no doubt about it: They did all have brighter, more neutral screens than mine. I went into those units settings and found a different display model number: 9CA3 - LG/Philips (I learned).:confused:

Anyway, I went to the service desk and showed my findings to them. They could see my point and promised to check with Apple if I was entitled to a change of display. Apple agreed to a warranty change but no one could tell which display I would end up with. To my satisfaction I immediately noticed that the new panel was very much brighter and better looking and yes it was a 9CA3-panel. :D

I'm sure this is to an extend a matter of personal opinion but it's a fact that the screens could be very different although the same year, model, specs and config. :)
Click to expand...

Kind of strange experience considering that in past mbp's, the samsung screen was preferred. However, I believe Apple was using Chi Mei as the other screen supplier back then. So the alternative was worse than the Samsung. I guess now they have switched suppliers.
 
I went back and read this whole thread, but couldn't find my answer.

My new 15" MBP is on the way, what's the best site for testing for dead pixels or yellow tint?

Anything else that I should test with the screen outside of these two?

Thanks!
 
It seems, i have a new panel type in my MBP 15 anti-glare laptop. With ioreg -lw0 | grep IODisplayEDID | sed "/[^<]*</s///" | xxd -p -r | strings -6

I get LP154WE3-TLB2. TLB1 was a LG-Philips panel, i don't know whether 2 in TLB make a difference.

But I'm really happy with the panel. No eye strain after hours working with it.
 
Have the same panel as Dimi5...the terminal command gave me "LP154WE3-TLB2" and Display info shows manufacturer "0160" and model "A005" no serial numbers and manufacture date of C91DE380, it's HR Anti-glare for a 15 inch MBP.

Is this a new line of LCDs? I had to do a repurchase since the first one had constant kernel panics...that one was a samsung lcd (9CB7 LTN154MT07 Samsung Anti-Glare) and ordered early March.

My repurchase was ordered early April...and it looks great with no dead or stuck pixels and no color issues. It felt brighter than the first one I purchased.
 
I have also got the LP154WE3-TLB2 A005 panel on a 15" AG screen orderet in mid April (I live in Denmark). I have to say that I am pretty satisfied with this screen although I would like it to be a bit brighter. But the white color is white and not yellowish. I too am interested in knowing if this is a new paneltype.
 
LP154WE3-TLB2 A005 here, too.
waiting for someone else to tell his/her experiences. :)
 
mac jones said:
Mine square and bright and has pictures on it that move :)
Click to expand...

lol
My 5 cents
+:
The text is sharp. The black color is really black. Brightness is not an issue for me, because i'am working usually with only 50% of it.

-:
The vertical view angels are bad (but it is not an IPS-panel, i don't know, if it is an issue for IPS too).

My advise: if you get the MPB with this panel you can keep it (i have had an dell display with an issue, what was common for all buildin panels of some manufactor, but I don't make against dell company:) ).
 
Just got my replacement 2.3GHz quad-core 15 for a DOA 2.2GHz (external display support failed on that one, and I decided to take the opportunity to pay the difference for the processor upgrade in view of my plans to run Windows-based GIS software with Parallels, one of the few uses that shows a significant improvement with the faster processor), and the display on the new one is the A005, not one I've personally seen before.

Compared to the 9CB7 on my previous model (the 9CB7 has been shipping as the antiglare option with a lot of computers over the past year and a half), I frankly prefer the A005. It's not as bright as the 9CB7 (the 9CB7 is brighter than any Mac laptop display I've seen, which is nice from the point of view of not having to crank up the backlight all the way) but it renders text more crisply to my eyes and also has a wider viewing angle in both directions giving the impression of more even lighting. One difference is that the stock profile on my A005 comes out cooler (bluer, higher color temperature) than on the 9CB7 so if you do serious photography on this you'll definitely need to address that.
 
dblissmn said:
Just got my replacement 2.3GHz quad-core 15 for a DOA 2.2GHz (external display support failed on that one, and I decided to take the opportunity to pay the difference for the processor upgrade in view of my plans to run Windows-based GIS software with Parallels, one of the few uses that shows a significant improvement with the faster processor), and the display on the new one is the A005, not one I've personally seen before.

Compared to the 9CB7 on my previous model (the 9CB7 has been shipping as the antiglare option with a lot of computers over the past year and a half), I frankly prefer the A005. It's not as bright as the 9CB7 (the 9CB7 is brighter than any Mac laptop display I've seen, which is nice from the point of view of not having to crank up the backlight all the way) but it renders text more crisply to my eyes and also has a wider viewing angle in both directions giving the impression of more even lighting. One difference is that the stock profile on my A005 comes out cooler (bluer, higher color temperature) than on the 9CB7 so if you do serious photography on this you'll definitely need to address that.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. I have the 9cb7 on my 15" 2.3. It is a bit "warm". But it is a very nice screen. I haven't had a matte since the glossy screens came out several years ago. It has been a pleasant surprise so far. Been looking for a color profile that might have a bit more blue in it. Anything else you can tell me about the A005 screen? You are saying the A005 shows text sharper?
 
PurrBall said:
My A005 is definitely sharper and cooler than the 9CB7 I've played around with in the Apple Store. Not much else to say about it other than it's lovely. :)
Click to expand...

My Apple Store didn't have out an A005 so I couldn't see it. I do like the 9cb7. Tired a bit different color profile with it so that made it even better. My real first experience with the matte screen came last night. I was sitting at the table with it with the sun coming through an upper window behind me. Usually with my glossy I have to angle the screen so I can see it. For the first time ever I didn't have to do that. It was great, best wishes and good luck with your new machine..
 
teerexx52 said:
Thanks for the info. I have the 9cb7 on my 15" 2.3. It is a bit "warm". But it is a very nice screen. I haven't had a matte since the glossy screens came out several years ago. It has been a pleasant surprise so far. Been looking for a color profile that might have a bit more blue in it. Anything else you can tell me about the A005 screen? You are saying the A005 shows text sharper?
Click to expand...

It's a bit difficult to describe. To my eyes the 9CB7 has the correct (neutral) color balance while the A005 is too cool and would likely result in me pumping up and warming up the color a fair bit on final prints. But the A005 has a slightly wider viewing angle and renders the text just a bit more crisply, and I think it might have something to do with the native gamma on the two panels. The gamma difference between the displays, at least my two samples, is really quite dramatic. A 9CB7 on the current standard of 2.2 gamma will render a given shade of gray at the same level as the A005 on 1.8 gamma. I can honestly see boosting the gamma as a good workaround for working with text if you have eye strain, while reducing the gamma for photography (to get full control over this and not just a choice between 2.2 and 1.8, you need to use the expert mode in the System Preferences or get a color calibrator — I could see creating a profile for the 9CB7 at well above 2.2 gamma to get crisper and bolder text and the built-in expert mode allows you to go up to 2.6, but 2.2 is quite sufficient for the A005 for text and you might want a 1.8 profile on hand for photography).
 
9CA3 here. Was paranoid as hell before getting it, but it looks fine to me. When I do the grey image with white bars at top and bottom, the bottom one looks like a slightly different color, though not quite yellow. Even if there is a tint, it's certainly not bad.
 
Yellow tint? What yellow tint? 9CA3 and it's awesome :D I've had many PC's, looked at many PC's, and I'm paranoid about screens. I still think Apple has some of the better screens out there. None are perfect. Trying using a Dell or something else for a while, you'll be happy you have a Mac.
 
JorgeNC said:
Yellow tint? What yellow tint? 9CA3 and it's awesome :D I've had many PC's, looked at many PC's, and I'm paranoid about screens. I still think Apple has some of the better screens out there. None are perfect. Trying using a Dell or something else for a while, you'll be happy you have a Mac.
Click to expand...

Mine is beautiful
 
I have got 15" MBP 2011 AG.

A005
LP154WE3-TLB2
Color LCD

The screen is awesome and beautiful to see. Anyone mind posting their calibrate profiles? :)
 
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