iPad Please critique my screen

[seadragon]

Hi guys,

I know, another "screen" thread. I'm just looking for a sanity check and would appreciate your advice.

I'll try to make a long story short...

About a month ago, I purchased a new iPad Air 2 128GB WiFi model and it had a gorgeous screen to my eyes. It was crisp white with even illumination edge to edge and corner to corner.

But, I usually buy the LTE model of iPad and I decided that I really wanted that version instead. So, I returned that iPad to Best Buy and purchased an LTE model from the Apple Store.

Here are photos of my current LTE iPad Air 2. The screen isn't as good as the WiFi version that I had, but it's not too bad. I noticed right away that the left edge is darker than the right, but there is no noticeable color shift and the white is a nice cool white (no yellowing). I notice the darker left edge when reading a book or anything with a white or light background.

What do you think of this screen?

Enhanced contrast to show uniformity:

 

[ron7624]

I have several iPads. Various sizes, but all are LTE. One of them is a 64gb Air 2. None of them has a dark corner or any dark area as you have pictured.
If you can take it to a store, compare it with a display model using the same settings that you require and ask to have yours checked out.
If that appearance occurs over the entire brightness gamut there is something wrong imo.

 

[Nausicaa]

Is this something that is covered by AppleCare? I'm outside the return window for my iPad and my screen has some minor issues. I decided to live with them since overall it looks nicer than a lot of the Pro screens I have seen/read about, but at some point in the future if things improve I wouldn't mind getting a "perfect" screen.

It's weird, depending on the ambient lighting and brightness settings the grey spots seem to appear and disappear. Like my eyes are playing tricks on me sometimes I see it and sometimes I don't.

To OP, it's really hard to say based on pics what is a display issue vs. just lens distortion because you took the image at a slightly off-angle or something. You're screen definitely seems to have some graying in the top left though, per the pics.

 

[BenTrovato]

This stuff isn't worth losing sleep over. If you feel there's something wrong with your device, bring it to the store and compare it to a few of the display models. If there's a difference, you'll have it replaced. If you waited to be outside of your return window, then it's too late.

 

[seadragon]

Thanks for the replies so far. I just got this one 2 days ago and still have 12 days in my return window on this unit. The photos are actually pretty close to what I see with my own eyes (except for the enhanced contrast photo of course).

I should also mention that the one pictured above is actually my 4th LTE iPad that I've purchased in the last month. The previous ones (purchased from different Apple Stores) had the same dark left edge, but worse than the current one. I believe the stock is all from the same pre-Christmas batch. The serial numbers all start with DM (the factory).

My wife also has a new iPad Air 2 64GB WiFi and it doesn't have this dark edge. It's obviously just the particular screens they are using for the 128 LTE in the last few months. Hers is from a different factory with a serial number starting with DL.

I'm not losing any sleep over it. But at this point, I either need to settle with this type of screen or give up and maybe wait for the rumored Air 3 release.

 

[Qbnkelt]

If this is going to be an issue for your enjoyment of the device, take it in. I personally wouldn't be bothered unless it interferes with a how a picture or a movie displays. Otherwise I'm more bothered by the return process than what I'm seeing on your picture.

 

[seadragon]

If this is going to be an issue for your enjoyment of the device, take it in. I personally wouldn't be bothered unless it interferes with a how a picture or a movie displays. Otherwise I'm more bothered by the return process than what I'm seeing on your picture.

Thanks. Yeah, I only notice it when I'm reading something with a light background (a book or website for example). But, its something that once seen, its hard to "un-see" it. With all other content, it's not really noticeable. And yes, I also don't like to do trips back to the store.

 

[Qbnkelt]

Thanks. Yeah, I only notice it when I'm reading something with a light background (a book or website for example). But, its something that once seen, its hard to "un-see" it. With all other content, it's not really noticeable. And yes, I also don't like to do trips back to the store.

For me, there is a blotch of darker screen on the iTunes screen when there is a light background. When I first saw it I went WHOAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!! but then I realised that all the iTunes screens have differentiation in shadings on all the screens.
Or at least mine do....HA!!!! watch it be some sort of defect...LOL!!!

 

[seadragon]

I've decided to return it. My eyes gravitate to the darker area and I can't seem to ignore it. I think I'm going to give up at this point and wait for a different batch of 128 LTEs to become available in my area.

 

[meistervu]

Do you see the same problem when you turn it up side down?

Also, do you realize that you are testing your camera as well? I used to frequent this photography forum, and one way people test camera lenses (thousands of dollars lenses) by taking photo of a white piece of paper. Mind you, this is a white piece of paper in broad daylight and should appear uniformly white. Yet, invariably there is light fall off at the corners, and you could see that the corners are darker.

 

[seadragon]

Do you see the same problem when you turn it up side down?

Also, do you realize that you are testing your camera as well? I used to frequent this photography forum, and one way people test camera lenses (thousands of dollars lenses) by taking photo of a white piece of paper. Mind you, this is a white piece of paper in broad daylight and should appear uniformly white. Yet, invariably there is light fall off at the corners, and you could see that the corners are darker.

Thanks for your reply. I did check that the problem was definitely the screen. If rotated, the dark edge followed. I know that taking photos of screens is a bit tricky, but the photos I posted are very close to what I was seeing in person.