Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
I think the assumption that Apple "went out of their way to put an inferior screen in the MacBook" is beyond silly. Yes, they could have used a better screen, but it would have cost more. Would the average MacBook buyer be willing to spend an extra $100+ for a better display? I highly doubt it.

There have been some people who claimed they traded the Macbook for a MBP just for a better screen, so yes some people would pay more for a better screen.
 
Why would you doubt it? The ONLY difference between the $1300 and $1600 MB is .4ghz and a lighted keyboard. Are you also saying that it would kill apple profits if they put a lighted keyboard in the low end model? Or did they intentionally put a different keyboard to get people to upgrade to the next level up?

And a bigger hard drive. And yes, it would hurt Apple's profits if they put additional costs into a notebook without adjusting their price. It's called a margin and Apple runs them pretty high, something that has allowed them to thrive with an extremely small market share. If you are trying to argue some philosophical argument that Apple doesn't "need" to charge what they charge, unfortunately, right or wrong, it doesn't matter. Business is business and Apple has obligations to their company and shareholders to generate net operating profit. And they do a damn fine job at it.

What this means is that if it costs more to produce something, it will cost the end user more.

There have been some people who claimed they traded the Macbook for a MBP just for a better screen, so yes some people would pay more for a better screen.

Maybe pro photographers or video editors might, but I doubt the average consumer is going to pay an additional $700 just for a screen that they most likely couldn't discern a noticeable difference with. Maybe a few people have, but do you honestly believe the average consumer is going to pay $700 for JUST the screen?
 
Maybe pro photographers or video editors might, but I doubt the average consumer is going to pay an additional $700 just for a screen that they most likely couldn't discern a noticeable difference with. Maybe a few people have, but do you honestly believe the average consumer is going to pay $700 for JUST the screen?

They said they didn't do any of that stuff... but then again this is the internet. I agree with you that $700 just for a screen is ridicules and I am happy with this screen. At the time I was going to get a Pro just because I didn't think a 13 inch was big enough, but I couldn't see paying all that money and have all that power for no reason, so I got the Macbook and couldn't be happier.
 
And a bigger hard drive. And yes, it would hurt Apple's profits if they put additional costs into a notebook without adjusting their price. It's called a margin and Apple runs them pretty high, something that has allowed them to thrive with an extremely small market share. If you are trying to argue some philosophical argument that Apple doesn't "need" to charge what they charge, unfortunately, right or wrong, it doesn't matter. Business is business and Apple has obligations to their company and shareholders to generate net operating profit. And they do a damn fine job at it.

What this means is that if it costs more to produce something, it will cost the end user more.



Maybe pro photographers or video editors might, but I doubt the average consumer is going to pay an additional $700 just for a screen that they most likely couldn't discern a noticeable difference with. Maybe a few people have, but do you honestly believe the average consumer is going to pay $700 for JUST the screen?

It has nothing to do with build cost. It all about the product and trying to justify the higher price. Putting two leds in the lower end Macbook for the lighted keyboard would cost Apple pennies yet they won't do it.
 
Let's not forget or gloss (pun intended) over the fact that the MB screen is still an improvement over the previous generation MB screen. It really is not bad at all.
 
Let's not forget or gloss (pun intended) over the fact that the MB screen is still an improvement over the previous generation MB screen. It really is not bad at all.

I agree and no matter how these were made, people would still find somthing to complain about.
 
Some of you are sipping that Kool-aid.
The new Macbooks have horrible viewing angles. Watching movies fullscreen is dreadful. Even though it's right in front of me it still looks bad.
 
Some of you are sipping that Kool-aid.
The new Macbooks have horrible viewing angles. Watching movies fullscreen is dreadful. Even though it's right in front of me it still looks bad.

Then why did you buy it?

It has nothing to do with build cost. It all about the product and trying to justify the higher price. Putting two leds in the lower end Macbook for the lighted keyboard would cost Apple pennies yet they won't do it.

I'd love to see an invoice showing that a backlit keyboard costs pennies for Apple to purchase and install.

And of course it is about the build cost- it is the cost of those features that are added to the total cost of the notebook from which Apple derives their prices. As much as you seem to want to believe it, the price doesn't come before the product. It might help guide the product but in the end the price of a device is determined by the cost of production and all the channels it goes through before it gets to you.

I think what you are getting at is Apple is creating value for a given product at a given price. It's called marketing. But for you to think the build cost has nothing to do with the final price just doesn't make sense to me. Backlighting, 90GB of HD space, and a .4ghz faster processor is what you are paying that extra $300 for. And I guarantee you that those 3 things do not cost Apple "pennies" to purchase and install.
 
Some of you are sipping that Kool-aid.
The new Macbooks have horrible viewing angles. Watching movies fullscreen is dreadful. Even though it's right in front of me it still looks bad.

I honestly think my screen is fine. I watch movies on it, I use it in lots of different lighting and settings. I don't have glare issues, and the colors and quality are fine for me, at every comfortable viewing angle.
 
I have both the late model Pro and Macbook. I agree the Pro is better but the MacBook screen is still nice in my opinion. I mean I just don't see the MacBook screen as horrid at all.
 
I have both the late model Pro and Macbook. I agree the Pro is better but the MacBook screen is still nice in my opinion. I mean I just don't see the MacBook screen as horrid at all.

Just out of curiosity... what do you do with both the Pro and regular MacBook's? Yes, I'm slightly jealous... :)
 
Just out of curiosity... what do you do with both the Pro and regular MacBook's? Yes, I'm slightly jealous... :)

Well, I'm retired and Macs are my only vice. So I take the Macbook when I go out like to Dunkin Donuts or the mall. Wife shops I have coffee and surf. The Pro basically stays on my desk. I could easily get along with just one of them but.....hey I worked hard for many years so I indulge myself a bit. The screen on the pro is very very nice. Sharp and good from most any viewing angle. The Macbook is good as well but I agree with some of the previous posts the viewing angle is much narrower. But, the screen over all is still far from horrible.
 
I think what you are getting at is Apple is creating value for a given product at a given price. It's called marketing. But for you to think the build cost has nothing to do with the final price just doesn't make sense to me. Backlighting, 90GB of HD space, and a .4ghz faster processor is what you are paying that extra $300 for. And I guarantee you that those 3 things do not cost Apple "pennies" to purchase and install.


Since nobody knows the true cost of these missing features then you actually can't "guarantee" anything. But what we do know is that companies as big as Dell or Apple have been known to make huge discounted bulk purchases which enabled them to give us higher quality products at affordable costs. (Like when Apple caused a solid state media shortage a few years ago buy locking in a discounted price in order to get solid state iPods to a very affordable level.)

Anyway, I agree with anyone who says this discussion is stupid. But I think that in the end then fact that people are defending the price rather than the actual screen does answer the topic of "Why does everyone complain about screen quality?". People complain because the screen quality is poor enough that customers can see the difference.
 
Opinions are like Aholes, everyone has one and they all stink. All this whining about "why apple didn't do this" and "why apple didn't do that".... Be happy that you can afford a MB or MBP when A LOT of people can't.

Is the MBP screen better than the MB, sure.... but if it was all the same, then there would be no point in offering different models. If you don't like the MB screen, the answer is simple, JUST DON'T BUY IT!!!!!!! Simple as that. But to say that the MB screen is horrible is way off base. So far, its been the best notebook screen I've had so far. I'm on a brand new panasonic toughbook right now and that screen is bad.... My HP palillion dv1000 notebook screen was not as good as my MB's screen either.

I get it, its an internet forum and things can be talked about, but just because you have the ability to bitch about something doesn't mean you should.
 
i love my macbooks screen and for what i do its perfect for me. Yea the pros screen is a bit better and has better viewing angles but the screen is nice and plays hd videos very well, and i have no complaints..99% of the time its right in front of me anyway so it dosent really matter. BTW tonight my family was over and they were crowded around my macbook as we watched an ad and none of them complained that the screen was bad. They even complimented that the screen was better than some of there $400 LCD monitors they have:D. i say as long as the screen works for you than dont complain lol.
 
Well, I'm retired and Macs are my only vice. So I take the Macbook when I go out like to Dunkin Donuts or the mall. Wife shops I have coffee and surf. The Pro basically stays on my desk. I could easily get along with just one of them but.....hey I worked hard for many years so I indulge myself a bit. The screen on the pro is very very nice. Sharp and good from most any viewing angle. The Macbook is good as well but I agree with some of the previous posts the viewing angle is much narrower. But, the screen over all is still far from horrible.

Pretty much the same here, my MB is the mobile office. While the MBP stays at home and is my main computer, as the family is always on our iMac. I really do think they should leave a matte option for the 15 in MBP, as I think my display from a late 2007 mbp is amazing. Still no issues with the MB display or otherwise, its great.
 
Why does everyone complain about the screen quality of the new Alu MacBooks? I don't own one yet (its on its way =]), but I have seen them in various shops and the quality seems amazing! Far better than the white MacBooks! And I didn't notice any annoying glare problems (maybe i will when mine arrives...).

Because we know what good screens look like, and this ain't one of them.

Like some people can't tell the difference between a chicken and a turkey. Believe me, there's a difference. And this macbook's screen is a turkey.

So why do we buy them anyway? Pros outweigh the cons.

Why do we complain? So people know what they're getting into and so Apple will use a better screen in the future.

You can't tell the difference? Go to the optician.
 
The macbook screen is average. I've had my share of cheap Toshibas and Dells notebooks so I can tell that they are pretty much have similar screen quality. Actually I feel that the Macbook screen is a little better compared to my old cheapo notebooks.

Do I wish it was better? Yeah, absolutely but it is not "unusable" or "horrible" as many people would claim. Though I can understand where the anger is coming from. Since the Macbook is the only full featured small form factor mac portable available - it would have been nice to have a "Pro" version of the 13 incher (Macbook Air panel, higher res, better viewing angles etc)
 
This is why I will never get a MacBook unless the screens are sorted out. I would be prepared to pay the premium on the MacBook (And as much as you try to deny it, there is a premium!). But with a premium comes an expectation. An expectation that everything will be top notch for what it is. Just because there is a Pro line, doesn't make the MacBook a consumer notebook. It still costs £1,150 for the best one. Sorry but that's not a consumer price...

And maybe there may be an argument for not calling it a premium if the screen quality was good. Then it would be a well-valued, portable but powerful notebook.
 
because they are computer nazis

Godwin's Law invoked by page 2 of the thread? Fun stuff.

The Macbook screen is perfectly suited to the market that Apple is targeting for the notebook. People that don't know any better.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.