Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

happy orchard

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jun 3, 2020
1,176
1,596
Hello :)

I'm someone who's had issues with PWM on iPhones, couldn't use X; while things improve each year, I couldn't use an OLED iPhone until the 14PM.

I'm aware that I can buy an iPP from Apple to try for two weeks, but having bought and returned so many OLED phones over the years, I've learned to first seek advice and experience when possible.

Generally: Anybody with PWM problems or bad reactions to the OLED phones had experience with these M4 iPad Pros? How's it been?

Specifically: Anybody who had problems before but can use a 14 Pro Max had experience with these M4 iPad Pros? I can use my 14 Pro Max comfortably; I'm curious if that's telling that I'll be handle the similar PWM of 240ish (according to Notebookcheck) of the new iPP? Anybody have any any experience with that?

Also, I returned 2021 iPP 12.9 5th generation released in 2021 because of a bad reaction to the mini-LED screen.

Thank you for sharing. :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: snipr125
Argh. :( Can you use any of the phones? Do you use any of the iPad Pros?
I can tolerate the 13 Pro but not for long and none of the newer models. Once I realized I had daily headaches and other issues after all these years I downgraded all my products to all LCD panels (no miniLED even). The new iPad Pro OLEDs are what made me realize I had issues as they are insanely bad with pwm frequency.

The only iPad Pro without PWM is the 11” model prior to OLED. Check out the Notebookcheck website.
 
Last edited:
I have never had issues with an OLED device (iPhones or TVs) but tried the 13in M4 iPad Pro and got eye strain and headaches. Returned it within a few days and have gone back to my trusty 2018 iPad Pro.
 
Hello :)

I'm someone who's had issues with PWM on iPhones, couldn't use X; while things improve each year, I couldn't use an OLED iPhone until the 14PM.

I'm aware that I can buy an iPP from Apple to try for two weeks, but having bought and returned so many OLED phones over the years, I've learned to first seek advice and experience when possible.

Generally: Anybody with PWM problems or bad reactions to the OLED phones had experience with these M4 iPad Pros? How's it been?

Specifically: Anybody who had problems before but can use a 14 Pro Max had experience with these M4 iPad Pros? I can use my 14 Pro Max comfortably; I'm curious if that's telling that I'll be handle the similar PWM of 240ish (according to Notebookcheck) of the new iPP? Anybody have any any experience with that?

Also, I returned 2021 iPP 12.9 5th generation released in 2021 because of a bad reaction to the mini-LED screen.

Thank you for sharing. :)
Happy Orchard, I have the 15 Pro which has PWM of 242 hz which I am fine with when brightness is 50% or higher - no headaches etc. The IPP 11 M4 is about the same PWM at 242 hz, now again I am fine with it at the same brightness however be careful as out of the box and setting up it has auto brightness on, and I got a headache during set up, so maybe looking away from the screen until you can manually set the brightness to 50%.
 
Happy Orchard, I have the 15 Pro which has PWM of 242 hz which I am fine with when brightness is 50% or higher - no headaches etc. The IPP 11 M4 is about the same PWM at 242 hz, now again I am fine with it at the same brightness however be careful as out of the box and setting up it has auto brightness on, and I got a headache during set up, so maybe looking away from the screen until you can manually set the brightness to 50%.
See I was wondering about that. Noticed the similar PWM. Thanks for the tip and the info. :) Do you use Reduce White Point on either device?
 
I have never had issues with an OLED device (iPhones or TVs) but tried the 13in M4 iPad Pro and got eye strain and headaches. Returned it within a few days and have gone back to my trusty 2018 iPad Pro.
Whoa. That's not what we want to hear.

But yeah those 2018 iPP are kind to us. :)
 
I can tolerate the 13 Pro but not for long and none of the newer models. Once I realized I had daily headaches and other issues after all these years I downgraded all my products to all LCD panels (no miniLED even). The new iPad Pro OLEDs are what made me realize I had issues as they are insanely bad with pwm frequency.

The only iPad Pro without Pwm is the 11” model prior to OLED. Check out the Notebookcheck website.
Yeah I'm looking at the 11" model prior to OLED. Just want the bigger size and a later model to last longer, but might have to go with the 11" 4th gen from 2022 (I think?)
 
See I was wondering about that. Noticed the similar PWM. Thanks for the tip and the info. :) Do you use Reduce White Point on either device?
Yes but just at 25%. On the iPP m4 you need to turn it off to watch HDR videos at their best (watch Tron hdr videos on utube, its amazing).
 
I just bought an 11 inch iPad Pro M4 and will be returning it after barely having it for a couple days. I've never had issues with any iphone (had 11 pro, 13 pro, 14 pro) or issues with M1 Macbook Pro or M1 iPad Pro 13 but the new 11 inch with tandem oled is giving me horrible eye strain and dizziness. It's crazy how bad it is. Not sure if the cause is PWM or something else about it. Maybe there is something to there being two displays in the mix. Regardless I am now worried about these being the future of Apple device displays. If they are I might have to jump ship.
 
I just bought an 11 inch iPad Pro M4 and will be returning it after barely having it for a couple days. I've never had issues with any iphone (had 11 pro, 13 pro, 14 pro) or issues with M1 Macbook Pro or M1 iPad Pro 13 but the new 11 inch with tandem oled is giving me horrible eye strain and dizziness. It's crazy how bad it is. Not sure if the cause is PWM or something else about it. Maybe there is something to there being two displays in the mix. Regardless I am now worried about these being the future of Apple device displays. If they are I might have to jump ship.
I never had an issue with any OLED phone. But I bought an 11'' M4 too and was having severe eye strain and dizziness every time I tried to use it. It was so bad that I decided to return it.

Surprisingly, after 7 - 10 days the symptoms disappeared completely. I don't know what happened: maybe my eyes/brain got used to it, but the thing is that now I can use the device for as long as I want without any issues: no eye strain, no dizziness, no headaches, nothing.

I've read of many other people that have experienced the same.
 
Similar to others, I’ve had to make several adjustments. White point at 50%, auto brightness off. Dark Mode. With those changes I’m having minimal PWM effects. I do think I’ve adjusted as well.
 
  • Like
Reactions: happy orchard
I never had an issue with any OLED phone. But I bought an 11'' M4 too and was having severe eye strain and dizziness every time I tried to use it. It was so bad that I decided to return it.

Surprisingly, after 7 - 10 days the symptoms disappeared completely. I don't know what happened: maybe my eyes/brain got used to it, but the thing is that now I can use the device for as long as I want without any issues: no eye strain, no dizziness, no headaches, nothing.

I've read of many other people that have experienced the same.
I do think there are people that can get "used" to it but once you stop using them and come back the tolerance level is much lower. For example; I used my iPhone 13 Pro for years and didn't think much of it but after the last few months of using non PWM displays now when I go back to the 13 Pro it's obvious something is off.

I'm really hoping Apple updates the SE with MagSafe, FaceID, and USB- C without an OLED display.
 
  • Like
Reactions: happy orchard
Similar to others, I’ve had to make several adjustments. White point at 50%, auto brightness off. Dark Mode. With those changes I’m having minimal PWM effects. I do think I’ve adjusted as well.
From all my research and testing, reduced white point and dark mode has little impact given how PWM works but glad it's helping.
 
I never had an issue with any OLED phone. But I bought an 11'' M4 too and was having severe eye strain and dizziness every time I tried to use it. It was so bad that I decided to return it.

Surprisingly, after 7 - 10 days the symptoms disappeared completely. I don't know what happened: maybe my eyes/brain got used to it, but the thing is that now I can use the device for as long as I want without any issues: no eye strain, no dizziness, no headaches, nothing.

I've read of many other people that have experienced the same.
Now that you mention that I do recall my Mini LED display on my Macbook Pro M1 giving me trouble originally. Not nearly as bad but still worse than other devices. Doesnt bother me much at all now so not impossible I would have gotten used to it. For now I am happy just using my M1 iPad Pro but when they bring the tandem OLED to the Mac I may have to give it another shot.
 
I just bought an 11 inch iPad Pro M4 and will be returning it after barely having it for a couple days. I've never had issues with any iphone (had 11 pro, 13 pro, 14 pro) or issues with M1 Macbook Pro or M1 iPad Pro 13 but the new 11 inch with tandem oled is giving me horrible eye strain and dizziness. It's crazy how bad it is. Not sure if the cause is PWM or something else about it. Maybe there is something to there being two displays in the mix. Regardless I am now worried about these being the future of Apple device displays. If they are I might have to jump ship.
Whoa. That's not good. ...but thanks for sharing!
 
I never had an issue with any OLED phone. But I bought an 11'' M4 too and was having severe eye strain and dizziness every time I tried to use it. It was so bad that I decided to return it.

Surprisingly, after 7 - 10 days the symptoms disappeared completely. I don't know what happened: maybe my eyes/brain got used to it, but the thing is that now I can use the device for as long as I want without any issues: no eye strain, no dizziness, no headaches, nothing.

I've read of many other people that have experienced the same.
Okay I'm finding this fascinating.
 
Have you had issues with any other Apple OLED devices?
I have.. I believe it was the iPhone 13 Pro Max and iPhone 14 Pro Max devices. iPhone 15 Pro Max is okay for me as well as the iPad Pro. I did think the iPad was going to cause problems the first couple of days of use. They felt tired after using it.. Didn't get any headaches or anything.. But it seems like my eyes adjusted and all is well.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.