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MacBook Pro 16" - Just noticed these on the screen 3months in.

D

DeejayDannyJ

macrumors member
Original poster
Aug 6, 2020
31
7
I have just sat with the light behind me and noticed what look like little tiny dents on the screen on my 3 month old 16" MBP, kind of like if you were to get a ballpoint pen and have a little stab, I count about 5/6 of them. I cannot hand on heart say that these were there when purchased, but I def know I did not do these. I handle very carefully and put back in the box overnight (not decided on a sleeve yet)

Anyone else seen this before.?

What would apples likely response to something like this be. My theory is the keys are doing the damage somehow.

I cannot be without this for any length of time atm as I am very busy working from home.
 

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I have one of these on my screen also!

I'm at work and do not have my 16" MBP w/ me so can't take a pic. But I definitely didn't cause it.
 
randomtask said:
I have one of these on my screen also!

I'm at work and do not have my 16" MBP w/ me so can't take a pic. But I definitely didn't cause it.
Click to expand...

Apple Support want me to either send it in or come to a "Genius" bar appointment, They even booked one I didn't agree to while I was in the chat that came to my inbox. I said I was busy with work (work from home atm) I def cannot come straight away or would not like to be without it for a week or more by sending it in. busier than I ever been. Def cannot be going back to an 8gb dual core i5 13" with the work I am doing atm.

I pressed and pressed that I should get a replacement and will continue to do so when I finally book an appointment. I feel this will fall on deaf ears though. But to be honest the amount of these mark on my screen would indicate very poor quality control or a hardware defect (keys pressing against the screen causing the micro indentations) I would not be happy with a repair. It just wouldn't feel like a new perfect device to me ever again.
 
I am not seeing it on mine. I have long put a thin piece of cloth on the keyboard of any laptop when I close it to avoid the marking on the screen from the keys. I guess it's not as big a problem these days with glass screens compared to the old days with plastic screens, but I still like to do it.
 
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DeejayDannyJ said:
I have just sat with the light behind me and noticed what look like little tiny dents on the screen on my 3 month old 16" MBP, kind of like if you were to get a ballpoint pen and have a little stab, I count about 5/6 of them. I cannot hand on heart say that these were there when purchased, but I def know I did not do these. I handle very carefully and put back in the box overnight (not decided on a sleeve yet)

Anyone else seen this before.?

What would apples likely response to something like this be. My theory is the keys are doing the damage somehow.

I cannot be without this for any length of time atm as I am very busy working from home.
Click to expand...
Looks like smearing of something. Maybe food particles or spit. If you lightly clean the screen with a damp microfiber cloth do they disappear? GO LIGHTLY OR YOU WILL REMOVE COATINGS RESULTING IN PERMANENT HAZE AND PITTING.
 
OP:

You have a choice to make:
- either take it to an Apple Store and get it fixed (or send it to Apple via mail)
or
- live with it.
Choose wisely.

One other thing:
Do you clean the display much?
If so, tell us how you do it...
 
jerryk said:
Looks like smearing of something. Maybe food particles or spit. If you lightly clean the screen with a damp microfiber cloth do they disappear? GO LIGHTLY OR YOU WILL REMOVE COATINGS RESULTING IN PERMANENT HAZE AND PITTING.
Click to expand...

Def not smearing, food particles or spit. It is almost impossible to catch in a photo. In the light you can cleary see the screen has small pits in that catch and reflect the light, you can also feel the pits with your nail. virtually all the pits are all along the same horizontal line.

When i do, I clean with only a micro fibre cloth and nothing else. Never had any stubborn mark that require a damp microfibre.


I have been blessed thus far and every Mac or Apple device has been prefect so this leaves a little sour taste. Not a major flaw but def want it fixed.
 
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Going to back up, re-install, taking to the apple store hoping for the best as soon as I can.. I really hope I don’t have to wait long for a fix. I can’t be going back to a spare 2015 13” any serious work on that is a pain in the ass. I have a moth old and work from home so time is if the essence at the moment.
 
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I also have a few of these pits. Unfortunately, the most likely cause is debris present on the area around the keyboard when the lid is closed. If that is the case, it's unfortunate that the screen dents so easily in that manner.

In any case, I'm interested in hearing about what type of response you get from Apple.
 
Just back from Apple Store, they are going to replace the screen under warranty. I know I had no debris on the keyboard or screen as I kept very clean in the few months I’ve had it. I find it hard to believe this can happen so easily if not an issue that wad already present that I didn’t notice. I can only assume this is a trade off from being a plastic based screen, it won’t crack or shatter but will easily be scratched or damaged in other ways by anything in between the keyboard and screen. The tolerances are crazy..
 
I had one of these "dent". It appeared to merely a dust at first, but after a careful cleaning it was still there.

Mine was exactly same as what the OP described it, a dent. I could feel it with my nail.

The solution was, I took it back to the Apple Store and they replaced the screen for me, only took me about 2 hours. The thing is though, I didn't point out that it was a dent, and hence the Genius decided to replace it on the premises that it was a dust stuck under the glass. If my memory serves me right, some users on this forum claimed the Apple Store wouldn't replace screens with dents as they are deemed user damage.
 
The genius has seen this before I believe and lead me to believe it could either be keys or dirt rubbing against the screen. Def not user caused. The screen is soft and the tolerances extremely low, a little thought out deign side effect.
 
Being delivered back to me today (less than 6 days total), quite some turnaround time seeing as it was sent to Ostrava, CZ from London to get repaired.
 
Had this as well on my 16" - Apple charged me nearly £600 to replace as they were adamant it was damage caused by me! :mad: . If I'd realised others were having the same issue I would have argued back!
 
I finally made an appointment and took in my MacBook Pro 16".
I am happy to report that Apple will be replacing my display free of charge under warranty.
 
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schmidt65 said:
Had this as well on my 16" - Apple charged me nearly £600 to replace as they were adamant it was damage caused by me! :mad: . If I'd realised others were having the same issue I would have argued back!
Click to expand...
No way I would have been willing to pay that. I would have rather threw the MacBook at someone in the store. 😂 def an issue with tolerances if dust/dirt can cause this when the lid is closed
 
The issue has appeared again, Cleary a faulty design.

Pissed. my 2015 never had this issue and is still going strong with a perfect screen.
 
DeejayDannyJ said:
The issue has appeared again, Cleary a faulty design.

Pissed. my 2015 never had this issue and is still going strong with a perfect screen.
Click to expand...
Boooo. That sucks.
Since I got mine back I've been wiping my screen and keyboard off every time before I close the lid.
My 2010 MBP screen is still pristine as well.
 
I think the tolerance between the screen and keyboard on these 16" mbp's is super tight.

I notice anytime i open up my macbook I see a lot of dust on the screen and a slight imprint of the keyboard. Never noticed that with any apple laptop before.
 
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you can use the paper which was supplied with the mbp...i lost mine, so if anybody have it and not using it, i would be more than happy for it :)
 
Despite my best efforts, I now have a new dent. The minimum gap between the screen and the aluminum is just too damn small and the screen coating too weak. All it takes is one little speck of debris.
 
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I am getting on to Apple support again this has gotten worse and now looks like dead pixels. Never had such a poor screen on any past MacBook. These screens are softer than butter and the tolerances between screen and base minute. Poor poor design.
 
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