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mbp 13 inch screen model quality

pr33tz said:
Exactly which is why I ended up buying and exchanging until I got the right screen. It's unfair and if everyone made a fuss then Apple would do something about it but we are a minority. Two Apple store I went to, they didn't even know the MBP had different LCD manufacturers. Oh well...
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Not suprising that they were unaware of different screens being used. What percentage of the people that purchase these computers actually:

a) Care about the screen quality beyond checking that all the colors of the rainbow appear? :p
b) Realize that Apple uses different LCD displays that vary in quality?
c) Know how to check what display they have?

I think we are a vast minority. I don't know if ignorance is bliss in this case. I will say though that the consumers that have their heads in the sand when it comes to knowing about these things probably get more enjoyment out of their Macs than the "informed" crowd does. Maybe ignorance is bliss afterall...:confused:
 
cababah said:
Not suprising that they were unaware of different screens being used. What percentage of the people that purchase these computers actually:

a) Care about the screen quality beyond checking that all the colors of the rainbow appear? :p
b) Realize that Apple uses different LCD displays that vary in quality?
c) Know how to check what display they have?

I think we are a vast minority. I don't know if ignorance is bliss in this case. I will say though that the consumers that have their heads in the sand when it comes to knowing about these things probably get more enjoyment out of their Macs than the "informed" crowd does. Maybe ignorance is bliss afterall...:confused:
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So true... sometimes I wish I wasn't so obsessed! :p
 
pr33tz said:
Exactly which is why I ended up buying and exchanging until I got the right screen. It's unfair and if everyone made a fuss then Apple would do something about it but we are a minority. Two Apple store I went to, they didn't even know the MBP had different LCD manufacturers. Oh well...
Click to expand...

Don't you end up paying the restocking fee each time you return?

I have a 2.53 MBP with a 9C9E screen. Every once in awhile it'll completely distorted anything color related on screen. :(
 
nahsor said:
Noob question most likely...but how do you find out what screen you have :eek:?
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Great post timing haha.
*trying to remember off top of my head, I am on my work PC*
System preferences-->Displays-->Color-->Open Calibration-->Find row # 13 and select it and it will display manufacturer/model of your LCD panel.
pugple said:
Don't you end up paying the restocking fee each time you return?

I have a 2.53 MBP with a 9C9E screen. Every once in awhile it'll completely distorted anything color related on screen. :(
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He is exchanging, not sure if he is proving a defect and exchanging or actually returning and then re-purchasing (which would have a restocking fee). You sound like you have a pretty serious issue though...that would warrant an exchange most likely, right?
 
I refused to pay a restocking fee. The manager was pretty understanding after I explained the situation to him so he allowed me to exchange it twice although he did say he couldn't allow me to keep buying and exchanging them. If worse came to worse I would have gone to another Apple store. It's great having 3 stores within 20-30 mins of me.
 
pr33tz said:
Mine was washed out and colours weren't as vibrant.
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That is the crappy Samsung screen right? People on here claim it gets "better" after proper calibration. They are not known for the best LCD panels in these computers though.

Is it just the 13" MBP that has varying LCD panels from diff manufacturers or is this also common in the 15" and 17"?
 
if we all pay the same price shouldn't we all receive the same quality for the screen?

I would accept if there's a different set for higher and lower spec of 13'' mbp screen. But it seems like we're all mix together in this.

So those who got the higher spec will have a different quality screen and yet some with lower spec end up a better quality one.

It's more like we're put to some test subject to find out which screen is better for apple.
 
I'm pondering moving to a 15" MBP and have been trying to find out the same thing. I don't want to play the lottery again with the 15" model, it'll do my head in! I'm on an older 15" 2.53 model and it's not as nice as my 13". I may take a trip to the Apple store this weekend and take a look again at the new 15" models.
 
Has anyone wondered why just about every review of the 13" mbp says the screen is great, yet so many people complain on this forum?

I'm also noticing a lot of people talking about the "issue" now because they are reading about it, rather than experiencing it themselves. I think people are making a mountain out of a molehill here.

Personally, I can't tell a difference between the MBP 13" screens (and I am very sensitive and picky when it comes to screens).

Are there some defective screens out there? I'm sure there are, and it's definitely possible that some of the posters here have received defective screens. However, people are assuming that if they read a complaint about a 9C9E/D/F/etc screen, that it applies to an issue present in all of them, which I think is a rather bold assumption to make. I've also tried some screen calibrations from others that supposedly are meant for my particular screen model and some of them have looked very incorrect, so I wonder if there is more individual variation between these screens than we think.
 
cababah said:
Great post timing haha.
*trying to remember off top of my head, I am on my work PC*
System preferences-->Displays-->Color-->Open Calibration-->Find row # 13 and select it and it will display manufacturer/model of your LCD panel.


He is exchanging, not sure if he is proving a defect and exchanging or actually returning and then re-purchasing (which would have a restocking fee). You sound like you have a pretty serious issue though...that would warrant an exchange most likely, right?
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I just got back from the Apple store. I couldn't duplicate the problem at the store so their options to me were: "leave it there but it would probably just sit there and nothing would be done" or "take it home". I mentioned the possibility of an exchange and the guy said they couldn't do it but he said since I bought the computer 9 days ago, I could bring the original packaging + laptop and exchange it. Now my only problem is my original packaging is 200 miles away at my apartment while I'm visiting my parents. Bummer. :(
 
pugple said:
I just got back from the Apple store. I couldn't duplicate the problem at the store so their options to me were: "leave it there but it would probably just sit there and nothing would be done" or "take it home". I mentioned the possibility of an exchange and the guy said they couldn't do it but he said since I bought the computer 9 days ago, I could bring the original packaging + laptop and exchange it. Now my only problem is my original packaging is 200 miles away at my apartment while I'm visiting my parents. Bummer. :(
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Call sales support and arrange for them to collect it. Within 48 hours after the call, the couriers call you to arrange a collection. Fob them off until you can get hold of the packaging, and you should still be able to exchange it under their 14 day policy.
 
pr33tz said:
Mine was washed out and colours weren't as vibrant.
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I have a 9C9E screen from friday and so far i like it.
I followed the forums closely and checked some calibration profiles
see what it looks like
pic taken with iphone 3g.
 

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I was also unhappy with the screen (9CBD) on my new 13" MBP as the colours seemed under-saturated and on the yellow/brown side when sat aside my iMac. I fiddled with the calibration and got nowhere however now, because i am used to the MBP, my iMac looks over-saturated with an overly blue hue. I haven't changed the iMac settings i think it looks horrible now, when before it looked amazing! Your eyes are extremely deceptive!

What i have come to realise, as well as some other members, is its all about perspective. Unless you have access to professional calibration tools you will never know what your display should really look like, its impossible to trust your eyes on these things.

Although originally i hated my MBP screen to me looks great now my eyes are used to it. I just have to figure out how to get both my Macs to look the same so I'm happy with both!
 
cpnotebook80 said:
I have a 9C9E screen from friday and so far i like it.
I followed the forums closely and checked some calibration profiles
see what it looks like
pic taken with iphone 3g.
Click to expand...

I guess it's possible that even the same screens may vary in quality... Or maybe I didn't calibrate it well enough... who knows?

I'm happy with my screen and if you're happy with yours then that's all that matters. :)

Enjoy your MBP...
 
It's interesting to note that MacWorld's recent review on the 13" MacBook Pro said that the display on the new MacBook Pro had MORE problems with its viewing angle than did the old 13" Aluminum MacBook (although they said that the display was still pretty good). This proves one of two things:

1.) MacWorld reviews are worthless (or at least some may be).

-- or --

2.) There really isn't that much difference in the viewing angles between the new 13" MacBook Pro and the old Aluminum MacBook.

However, if #2 is true it may mean that the viewing angle on the new MacBook Pro still isn't that good. I say this because the acceptable viewing angles on my 13" Aluminum MacBook are almost non-existent (at least along the vertical axis).

I guess there is also a third possibility (which I think is actually the most likely). The truth may be that the most recent Aluminum MacBooks (those manufactured after late March or early April 2009) have basically the same LCD panel that is now being used in the 13" MacBook Pro. The only change has been in the backlight which produces a better "white" and therefore a wider color gamut in the resulting display. Thus, MacWorld may have been comparing against one of the improved 13" Aluminum MacBooks (those manufactured after late March 2009). I guess this possibility also means that option #1 is true (since MacWorld either didn't know about the display problems with the original Aluminum MacBook or they didn't want to mention those problems).

In any case, could someone comment on the viewing angles on their new 13" MacBook Pro? The vertical angle (display top tilted toward or away from the user) may be the most critical adjustment.
 
fpnc said:
text...
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The major problem is that you can't speak of "the MBP screen" or "the UMB screen" since Apple has different supplyers for their panels.

In the "old" unibody MB there were at least the following screen models (info from macuser.de forums):

9CA5 - LG-Philips
9CA6 - Samsung
9CA7 - Chi Mei
9CA8 - AU Optronics
9C8C - AU Optronics

In the new 13" MBP so far we have 5 different screens according to threads here on the forums:

9CA0 - Chi Mei
9CA1 - AU Optronics
9CBD - LG/Phillips
9C9E - Samsung
9C9F - LG/Phillips

Screens do not only differ in color response but also in other areas, such as brightness, viewing angles, unifomity, ...

From an engineering and customer pespective this is sh*t, because you don't have reliable technical specs and introduce uncertainty for the buyer. But I can see why Apple is doing this: keeping costs down (gaining from the competition in the market) and assuring their huge need of parts without being dependent on one single supplyer. Anyway, for us it is rather bad.

BTW, the following command reveals the screen model name, as it is named by the manufacturer (run this in terminal):

ioreg -lw0 | grep IODisplayEDID | sed "/[^<]*</s///" | xxd -p -r | strings -6
 
fpnc said:
In any case, could someone comment on the viewing angles on their new 13" MacBook Pro? The vertical angle (display top tilted toward or away from the user) may be the most critical adjustment.
Click to expand...

On my screen model (9CBD) I would call viewing angles to be definatly better than on a average TN notebook panel. Brigntness and contrasts are superb! The only issue that I have is with color fidelity as posted earlier in this thread...
 
kybernaut said:
9CA0 - Chi Mei
9CA1 - AU Optronics
9CBD - LG/Phillips
9C8C - AU Optronics
9C9E - Samsung
9C9F - LG/Phillips
Click to expand...

I think they used the 9C8C in the old unibody macbooks. Where did you see the 9C8C in the new 13" mbp?
 
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