rMBP - checking display manufacturer before delivery?

[tadziak]

Hello,
I read on some forums that you can actually get the information about the manufacturer of your rMPR display (Samsung or LG) before it's even delivered.

Some users claim that they called Apple Support and they got such information over phone - all they had to do is give the serial number. Is that really possible?

I tried calling and no luck...

 

[Feed Me]

What're you gonna do? Cancel the order if it's an LG?
I'd just chill.

 

[geoffreak]

Stop being paranoid. Really. You'll be fine regardless of the supposed manufacturer.

 

[AZREOSpecialist]

Hello,
I read on some forums that you can actually get the information about the manufacturer of your rMPR display (Samsung or LG) before it's even delivered.

Some users claim that they called Apple Support and they got such information over phone - all they had to do is give the serial number. Is that really possible?

I tried calling and no luck...

Good luck with that LOL

 

[stevelam]

for what its worth, i have a lot of minute complaints about the RMBP in general, but mine has an LG display and its just fine.

 

[mad-jamie16]

Who cares?

 

[theuserjohnny]

Stop being paranoid. Really. You'll be fine regardless of the supposed manufacturer.

Not really. I've gone through 3 Retina Macbook Pro's all have been LG all have and the screen retention problem. I have a few friends who have been lucky enough to get the Samsung screen no issues what so ever.

I'm holding out until more people are getting Samsung screen's.

A lot of people with LG have had the same issues.

 

[tadziak]

What're you gonna do? Cancel the order if it's an LG?
I'd just chill.

I was actually just curious, because I read people checked that. I'm trying to not get paranoid over that and hoping that no matter if it's LG or Samsung - my screen will be good But for that I have to wait around a week...

 

[tninety]

The Samsung screens are using Samsung's PLS tech, which is "better" than the LG's IPS according to most reviews People who say they're exactly the same are just deceiving themselves. Of course it's possible that LG has made their IPS technology match or exceed Samsung's, but if you prefer the Samsung screen, you prefer the Samsung screen.

You have every right to be paranoid; you're spending thousands and playing the component lottery is very often something you have to deal with when you buy Apple.

If it makes you feel any better, you can consider the LG display the "baseline" for how the rMBP is supposed to look, and the Samsung "extra quality" or something

 

[illini71]

I have an LG and it has some of the deepest blacks i have ever seen.

 

[AZREOSpecialist]

The Samsung screens are using Samsung's PLS tech, which is "better" than the LG's IPS according to most reviews People who say they're exactly the same are just deceiving themselves. Of course it's possible that LG has made their IPS technology match or exceed Samsung's, but if you prefer the Samsung screen, you prefer the Samsung screen.

This is nonsense that Apple would be putting two types of screens into the RMBP, one of which is better quality than the other. Utter rubbish. This is not how these things work. Both screens are so close that it doesn't matter which one you get - you will still have a good MacBook Pro experience.

For the record, I saw what I thought was "burn-in" with my Samsung screen right after I started it up. I saw a shadow on the gray screen of what looked like the window that was on the screen just prior. However, this only happened in the first five minutes I turned on my brand-new RMBP out of the box. I have not seen the issue re-appear. I don't think it has anything to do with LG vs Samsung panels.

 

[appletechpro]

This is nonsense that Apple would be putting two types of screens into the RMBP, one of which is better quality than the other. Utter rubbish. This is not how these things work. Both screens are so close that it doesn't matter which one you get - you will still have a good MacBook Pro experience.

Yeah, it would really be "bogey for the course" for Apple to cause a potential backlash by using two different quality displays in the rMBP.

 

[tninety]

This is nonsense that Apple would be putting two types of screens into the RMBP, one of which is better quality than the other. Utter rubbish. This is not how these things work. Both screens are so close that it doesn't matter which one you get - you will still have a good MacBook Pro experience.

That might be true, but the screens are made by different manufacturers in presumably different plants using different manufacturing processes - they're going to be different, and one is probably going to be better than the other.

Screens are difficult to judge objectively, especially this early on, but Apple's no stranger to using different quality components in the same product line - remember the Toshiba vs Samsung SSD controllers in the last gen Air? The Samsung controller was MUCH faster, often up to 2x or much more on random reads/writes and the benchmarks proved it.

Even the SSDs in the current gen Air are not evenly matched, because although Toshiba has moved to a faster SandForce controller, it's absolutely terrible if you use FileVault with it (as all SandForce SSDs are), while the Samsung one is unaffected.

 

[AZREOSpecialist]

That might be true, but the screens are made by different manufacturers in presumably different plants using different manufacturing processes - they're going to be different, and one is probably going to be better than the other.

Different doesn't equal better. There will be sample variations, however the differences will be so minor that the vast majority of customers wouldn't notice.

 

[tninety]

Different doesn't equal better. There will be sample variations, however the differences will be so minor that the vast majority of customers wouldn't notice.

Do you have numbers showing the viewing angles, contrast ratios, brightness and color gamut are almost exactly the same across the two displays?

I'm saying the differences don't just exist, they're probably pretty significant because they are using two different (albeit fundamentally similar) screen technologies developed by two independent companies. One might even prefer the LG screen over the Samsung screen - they're definitely very different, but at the end one is probably objectively worse than the other (at this point people seem to dislike the LG screen more).

On top of it all, Apple does have a history of sacrificing quality for more convenient supply.

 

[AZREOSpecialist]

Do you have numbers showing the viewing angles, contrast ratios, brightness and color gamut are almost exactly the same across the two displays?

Do you? You're the one making the assertion that they are different, I believe the burden is on you to prove your point. The presumption by customers is that all RMBP's are generally the same with the exception of the BTO options, so if you are saying something different I'd be thrilled to see your sources.

 

[M5RahuL]

The first rMBP I received had an LG Screen [ A00F / or run the terminal command ] and it had some IR and the whites were somewhat pinkish. I first stopped at a BB close by, and then the Apple store where I [ and a couple of their floor sales people ] confirmed the discrepancy on my screen.

Fortunately, they had a genius appointment opening in the next 30 mins and I took it. The genius, at first declined to see any issues with the tint or IR. However, I showed him the saved IR images which somewhat convinced him.

So, at first he wanted me to leave it for diagnostic [ hardware and software ] which I declined. Then he offered to place an order for replacement which would take 2 weeks and I told him I was within my 14 day return policy and would rather return this for a refund over waiting 2 weeks without a computer and also expressed my disappointed regarding this experience after spending X amount!

He had me wait a couple of minutes, went back in to his back room, and 10 minutes later came out with a brand new ultimate rMBP. He did acknowledge that Apple uses multiple suppliers for the same product and that the major players for the rMBP were LG Philips and Samsung. He, however,could not confirm if the replacement he was giving me was a LG or Samsung.

I opened it right at the store and saw A00E and ran the script thru Terminal too which confirmed it was a Samsung [ LSN xxxx ]

I have to admit the Samsung is a bit brighter and there is no IR to report as of yet!

This should not be an issue for the price tag on the rMBP, but it seems it is unfortunately!!

 

[BlazednSleepy]

First rMBP had this horrible colored bleed. And the replacement looked exactly the same. Both LG display's.

I would even notice the slight color hue difference on webpages with white, grey, and black backgrounds. the right side would be slightly more whitish/pinkish and the left would be warmer/yellower. Getting another replacement and hoping for a samsung display.