Reports Suggest Mini-LED 'Blooming' Effect on New MacBook Pro Displays Not an Issue

[MacRumors]

Reports suggest that despite the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros sharing the same mini-LED display technology as the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, the new Mac computers are not obviously suffering "blooming," a phenomenon found on the iPad Pro.

The new MacBook Pros and the 12.9-inch iPad Pro consist of mini-LED technology, which uses dimming zones. These local dimming zones allow specific screen areas to turn completely dark when they're not needed, resulting in richer blacks and improved energy efficiency.

Unlike traditional displays, which control individual pixels, displays with dimming zones control separate zones rather than individual pixels. If one dimming zone is lit up, artifacts from it may be noticeable in neighboring zones with a black background, leading to "blooming," as shown below on the 12.9-inch iPad Pro.

Blooming is typically only noticeable when viewing black content or text and when viewed from the side. Apple has in the past addressed the phenomenon by saying the ‌iPad Pro‌'s display is designed to minimize its visibility. Given that the new MacBook Pros announced last week include the same mini-LED technology, some have been concerned about whether the new MacBooks will face the same issue.

According to users' reports and reviews, that doesn't seem to be the case. Brian Tong noted in his review of the new M1 Max 16-inch MacBook Pro that while blooming is still present on the new displays, it's only visible with "deep black backgrounds, and bright white text or a white logo is contrasting it." Additionally, Tong stressed that the blooming effect is exaggerated when recorded with a camera and that it's much less obvious when viewed with the naked eye.

New owners of the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro are also sharing their thoughts on the MacRumors Forums. Compared to the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, the new MacBook Pro makes better use of mini-LED and dimming zones. As one forum user wrote:

Overall I think the IPP 12.9 display is awesome but the XDR on the mbp is even better because when I play HDR content only the window portion is super bright - on the iPad everything just looks bright. You're not going to get gimped here on the display of the new mbp. well maybe the ghosting issue is annoying for some overall it is a fantastic display.

Another user shares the same thoughts, saying that despite the small instances of blooming, the new MacBook Pro displays are "fantastic."

Comparing the 12.9" iPad Pro and the new 16" MacBook Pro, the MacBook Pro is a bit better. Much less blooming, and the colors pop a bit more. That being said they are both amazing screens. When I first used the iPad I was really impressed by the screen. When I first used the MacBook Pro I was completely blown away. As a test I played a 4K HDR demo and the peak brightness, colors, and the realism is one of the best I have seen on any screen (not counting extremely high end TVs).

Michael Kukielka, also known as DetroitBORG, noted on Twitter that blooming on the new MacBook Pros is almost "imperceptible" compared to the 12.9-inch iPad Pro.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1453343742920953857

The Liquid Retina XDR display on the new MacBook Pros includes several new features, including higher sustained brightness for HDR content and ProMotion, allowing for a variable refresh rate of up to 120Hz. The 12.9-inch iPad Pro includes 2,500 dimming zones, and while it's not entirely clear how many zones are in the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros respectively, it seems that Apple has improved its display technology with its new high-end Mac computers.

Article Link: Reports Suggest Mini-LED 'Blooming' Effect on New MacBook Pro Displays Not an Issue

 

[Sandstorm]

Very happy to see this. It's been a long, long time since I've been so excited about a new Mac product.

 

[nortonandreev]

I was very pleased with it, much better than on the iPad. Actually, I am yet to notice it.

 

[tomswift99]

False. Blooming is same as iPad. But you won’t notice it unless viewing dark movies at night.

 

[Armada2]

They must have listened to the number of complaints regarding the M1 iPad Pro and decided they can't get away with it to launch during summer.

 

[bp1000]

What do people expect with mini zoned LED technology. The moon on a stick? This isn't OLED.

 

[Serban55]

it will be an issue for the envy windows users

 

[MrGimper]

That iPad picture is such a misrepresentation of what the blooming is actually like on the iPad.

 

[macpot]

I wonder if they are controlling each mini-LED separately on these Macbooks, or at least different brightness in each LED of every group, as opposed to them being the same brightness in groups of 4 on the iPad...

Because it has the same 10,000 mini-LEDs, yet the screen is much larger, so the blooming should actually be worse, not better?

 

[JippaLippa]

I misread the title and I was almost having a heart attack...

 

[playtech1]

The iPad goes up to 600nits whereas the MBP goes up to 500nits (on SDR content). Maybe the blooming is less because the brightness is a bit lower?

 

[twarburg]

That iPad picture is such a misrepresentation of what the blooming is actually like on the iPad.

No not really, I returned my ipad precisely because of this

 

[MrGimper]

I wonder if they are controlling each mini-LED separately on these Macbooks, or at least different brightness in each LED of every group, as opposed to them being the same brightness in groups of 4 on the iPad...

Because it has the same 10,000 mini-LEDs, yet the screen is much larger, so the blooming should actually be worse, not better?

Exactly that! Perhaps it's a FW change that may find it's way to the iPad.

 

[n-evo]

That iPad picture is such a misrepresentation of what the blooming is actually like on the iPad.

Hence,

Additionally, Tong cautioned that the blooming effect is exaggerated when recorded with a camera and that it's much less obvious when viewed with the naked eye

 

[MrGimper]

No not really, I returned my ipad precisely because of this

I kept an ipad because it's nothing like this.

 

[LFC2020]

No blooming but the brightness below 7 bars is trash.

 

[ahrian]

there is a LOT of ghosting tbh

 

[MJaP]

Do we know if there are the same number of dimming zones "per inch" on the MacBook Pro screen as there is on the iPad screen? If they are the same, but the blooming is more controlled on the MacBooks then that would suggest the two devices are using different dimming algorithms and one would hope that means they could port whatever algorithm they are using on the MBP to the iPad.

 

[Loudsilvereel]

Unlike traditional displays, which control individual pixels, displays with dimming zones control separate zones rather than individual pixels. If one dimming zone is lit up, artifacts from it may be noticeable in neighboring zones with a black background, leading to "blooming," as shown below on the 12.9-inch iPad Pro

I would say 'traditional displays' don't have dimming zones, instead using a constant backlight across the whole display. Not quite right to say they control individual pixels unless you're referring to OLED.

 

[ProfessionalFan]

I tried to see it on mine and it is only visible on a black background and when looking from the side. And even then, it isn't much. Though who would ever use their laptop that way anyway? I don't notice at all looking straight on which is how I assume most people use their laptop. So not really an issue.

 

[MrGimper]

I would say 'traditional displays' don't have dimming zones, instead using a constant backlight across the whole display. Not quite right to say they control individual pixels unless you're referring to OLED.

And as a consequence, the blacks aren't actually black.

 

[Serban55]

What do people expect with mini zoned LED technology. The moon on a stick? This isn't OLED.

big panels oled cant even reach 1000nits...so oled cannot have physically blooming...just blue pixels fading away, maybe some burn-in and insane overexposure

 

[Serban55]

And as a consequence, the blacks aren't actually black.

oled has black shutting down the pixel itself...otherwise even oled cannot reach the same black level as the mini-led and micro-led tech...they need to shut down the pixels (so black level is 0 )

 

[MrGimper]

oled has black shutting down the pixel itself...otherwise even oled cannot reach the same black level as the mini-led and micro-led tech...they need to shut down the pixels (so black level is 0 )

Exactly. Total absence of light on OLED

 

[Joosst]

Exactly that! Perhaps it's a FW change that may find it's way to the iPad.

More probable would be: a different coating material between the LEDs and the screen. (But I obviously also have no idea.)