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Fifteen20s

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jun 9, 2012
145
23
I have been considering a MBA / rMBP for some time as an iPad replacement, my iPad has suited my mobile needs but I desire OSX over iOS.

Friday I decided to go to the electronic store and check out the new MBA. I will say, when I saw the screen, it was bad, I was not expecting retina, but it was really bad, my 7 year old Dell monitor is better. The text was soft and the (2) message icon on reminders really showed how bad the text was.

The viewing angle was also bad, any variance from looking straight at it amplified the screen issues.

I played with the MBA a bit, looking at the screen calibration settings and satisfied my curiosity that someone had not messed with the calibration and the screen really was what it was.

I bounced between the MBA and 13 rMBP and finally left without buying anything.

Today I was out and about and remembered seeing an ad for rMBP being on sale and went to look at them (Yea I know there due for an update but Im looking for an iPad replacement and the current rMBP would do me fine).

This was at a different store and while there I looked at the rMBP and decided to look at the MBA again. The MBA they had on display was night and day different then the one Best Buy had on display. It was so much better. Wasn't retina but was still completely acceptable.

I had a talk with the clerk, telling them my concern and how I have seen 2 different display qualities. I reached an agreement that I could bring it back within the next week if I don't like it. Ill tell ya, this one seems to be fine too.

I have seen first hand a bad MBA screen but I have now seen 2 good ones. In the past I have never put much weight in panel lottery concerns, writing them off as nit picking, not so much now.
 
Last edited:

scaredpoet

macrumors 604
Apr 6, 2007
6,627
342
What specifically was wrong witht he Best Buy MBA display? Was it blurry? Colors off?

It could have been a defective display. Or, it could've been set to the wrong resolution causing burryness.
 

Fifteen20s

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jun 9, 2012
145
23
It was very soft looking straight on, almost blurry. If you looked at it from an angle, not an exaggerated angle but a normal downward angle, like if it was in your lap, it was worse. Color seemed fine.
 

bp1000

macrumors 65816
Jul 7, 2011
1,476
185
MBAs in the past have come with either LG screens or Samsung screens.

Samsung screens have better contrast and more vivid colours due to their default colour temperature which is a little on the warm side.

Higher contrast can give the impression of enhanced sharpness too.

The Samsung does need calibration to tone down the warm hue.

The lg on the other hand can be much more neutral and have a slightly washed out appearance. It's great for colour replication as colours are very natural and accurate but sometimes people want a more impressive display than real life.

Both have different characteristics, both are good but I would prefer the Samsung personally.
 

HowEver

macrumors 6502a
May 10, 2005
841
336
Toronto
You "reached an agreement??"

I don't know about where you are, but here Best Buy has a 14 day no questions return policy for computers. I think you've got time...

I had a talk with the clerk, telling them my concern and how I have seen 2 different display qualities. I reached an agreement that I could bring it back within the next week if I don't like it. Ill tell ya, this one seems to be fine too.
 

newdeal

macrumors 68030
Oct 21, 2009
2,509
1,769
...

I just bought an air, I have two ipad minis, a retina iPad and a 13" macbook pro (classic). I can say that with the exception of the retina ipad the air has the best screen of the bunch imo (mine has the samsung display). The retina macbook has a nice display but does not have the all day battery life and for me I would rather have the battery life
 

U tryd

macrumors newbie
Nov 4, 2011
6
1
I just bought a 2013 11" mba and compared to my mid 2011 27" iMac and a non retina 2011 Mbp, the screen is crap. Very dull colours and a sort of washed out apearence. I am very disappointed. I have tried to colour calibrate it 3 times and not much has changed.
 

newdeal

macrumors 68030
Oct 21, 2009
2,509
1,769
I just bought a 2013 11" mba and compared to my mid 2011 27" iMac and a non retina 2011 Mbp, the screen is crap. Very dull colours and a sort of washed out apearence. I am very disappointed. I have tried to colour calibrate it 3 times and not much has changed.

the colour gammut on those screens is better than it is on the air but unless you look at them side by side you will forget about it
 

yep-sure

macrumors 6502
Sep 21, 2012
495
564
Melbourne, Australia
I purchased a 2012 11" MBA about a month ago. One of the first things I noticed was the display was quite "white", and the colours not as strong as my iMac.

I didn't think anything of it, I just figured all displays look a little different and that I'd get used to it (and because I LOVE the MBA). A couple of days ago I stumbled across a thread here about the LG vs. Samsung displays, and downloaded the MacRumours LG Colour Config - now my LG screen looks great.
 
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