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Uneven backlighting?

Mars478

Mars478

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Mar 6, 2008
595
0
NYC, NY
My air has an interesting case of uneven backlighting especially at the edges. This is not bothering to me because I think it's a result of the very thinly made LCD, which helps this computer be so small.
Test your MacBook Air 11.6" by downloading this image and putting it in fullscreen to see if your backlighting is uneven.. maybe I have an issue.
Attached is the tester image and my results.
 

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Interesting.
On mine, the top edge looks fine. The left edge is a little brighter. The image doesn't reach quite to the right edge so I have a bright line from the image there. On the bottom my display is somewhat darker. On a white background I can see the bottom of my screen as a subtle drop shadow.
All in all does ok, but I think my MBP is smoother.
 
I think i watched a review about this on youtube. The guy was saying the backlight is never even and its always either too dark or too bright on one part of the screen. Although that was up and down not left to right.
 
My first one had also an uneven backlight. I don't mind this issue. Considering that this LCD is barely there, I appreciate the thinness.
Were you testing on a 13"? This is a test for the 11"s. I don't think the 13's have this issue.
 
Usually backlight clouding and stuff happens because there is uneven pressure on LCD and diffuser (which is why your seeing it only on the edge). Most screens today have some sort of clouding because of the thin forum factor.

A bit of unevenness is to be expected but dmelgar you shouldn't have a bright line on your screen. That's a defect, I would bring it back.
 
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What Image?

OK. This I'll ask a dumb question...

Where is this image I'm supposed to download?

I'm certain my 11.6" is darker near the edges. I thought that was normal and unavoidable. Could it be that it is there in almost all units produced yet few people notice it?
 
iRun26.2 said:
OK. This I'll ask a dumb question...

Where is this image I'm supposed to download?

I'm certain my 11.6" is darker near the edges. I thought that was normal and unavoidable. Could it be that it is there in almost all units produced yet few people notice it?
Click to expand...

Mars478's 'tester image' image is just a completely black JPG. It's nothing special.
 
My left and right sides are slightly brighter at the edges, with the left appearing a bit more luminous than the right. This is normal, right? No problems otherwise.
 
potentpotable said:
My left and right sides are slightly brighter at the edges, with the left appearing a bit more luminous than the right. This is normal, right? No problems otherwise.
Click to expand...

What do you see on the bottom edge? Mine is slightly darker than the rest of the screen. It is very annoying. I wonder if I could still exchange it for a new one - it is now almost two months old).
 
iRun26.2 said:
What do you see on the bottom edge? Mine is slightly darker than the rest of the screen. It is very annoying. I wonder if I could still exchange it for a new one - it is now almost two months old).
Click to expand...

i had an extra bright spot in the lower edge of my mba11 and apple accepted it as a defect and got me a new one that's perfect.
 
Sorry for not providing clearer instructions. The image I made is just a black 1366x768 image.. nothing special, and the photo was taken with an iPhone 4, so blame Apple. The leakage is pretty bad anyways.
Can you guys post pictures of what yours look like?
 
Based on your picture, the light leakage looks pretty bad. Even so, no LCD is perfect. How does it look during normal usage?
 
xpovos said:
Based on your picture, the light leakage looks pretty bad. Even so, no LCD is perfect. How does it look during normal usage?
Click to expand...

I'll try to post a more accurate picture tomorrow. It looks OK you can notice it but I don't mind it that much.
 
Mars478 said:
I'll try to post a more accurate picture tomorrow. It looks OK you can notice it but I don't mind it that much.
Click to expand...

Did you ever go into an Apple store to see what the machines have on display look like? That's something that I am thinking of doing.

I know I've noticed this problem (at least a little bit) on every single laptop I've ever owned. Your picture made it look like it is excessively bad on the new MBA computers. (And it just seems like manufacturers should have made some progress over the years...but maybe they haven't)
 
iRun26.2 said:
What do you see on the bottom edge? Mine is slightly darker than the rest of the screen. It is very annoying. I wonder if I could still exchange it for a new one - it is now almost two months old).
Click to expand...

Pretty much the same amount of darkness as the rest of the screen. I think my display is pretty solid. :)
 
iRun26.2 said:
Did you ever go into an Apple store to see what the machines have on display look like? That's something that I am thinking of doing.

I know I've noticed this problem (at least a little bit) on every single laptop I've ever owned. Your picture made it look like it is excessively bad on the new MBA computers. (And it just seems like manufacturers should have made some progress over the years...but maybe they haven't)
Click to expand...

I didn't have this issue on the 15" Matte MBP (the current one), which I returned. I think this issue stems from the thinness of the screen and how the backlights are at the edges.

The Image I posted seems to exaggerate this a bit because it is taken in the darkness with the full brightness of the screen. Here are some pictures in the daylight, full brightness.
 

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My MBA 11.6' screen is also slight uneven in terms of backlighting. The vertical sides has about a good 1.5cm line with more backlighting leaking through. This is my 2nd MBA (the first one wobbled), so I decided to live with it. You only really notice it when you look at a fullscreen video or dark video game, and for normal office, internet and music use it's very hard to notice.
I don't have this issue on my MBA 15', but then again, the MBA's screen is much thinner..
 
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