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Windows guy trying hard to switch to Apple, need help

J

jltx

macrumors newbie
Original poster
I have been trying really hard to buy a macbook; I can't even tell you how many times I've been to the Apple store to look at them. But I have a couple problems that maybe someone here can help me resolve. Please don't upsell me a pro because I really want the macbook.

First and foremost is the display. It drives me nuts and I can't imagine spending very long with it and not pulling out all my hair. 🙁 I can almost live with the gloss, but the viewing angle is so awful. I am constantly trying to adjust the angle but the unibody hinge only goes so far, so I end up bobbing and weaving like a moron trying to find a sweet spot that just isn't there. I'm used to the Sony and Dell XPS 13.3 inch displays and they are so crisp and clear.

Does anyone have experience swapping out the lcd with a better one? I tried to do some research and found a couple places that will exchange a matte screen but they say it is the same specs otherwise. If I got a Dell display is the interface compatible (it also uses 9400M)? Do I need new drivers? Are there issues with the webcam when swapping? Is there room in the lid for a CCFL version if I had to (not my first choice)? I am seriously going to do this if it is possible. It looks like it is only a couple hundred dollars which is worth it to me.

Second "problem" is the new button-less trackpad. I actually look forward to using it in OSX but, unfortunatley, I will still need to run a couple native WinXP apps. If I use bootcamp to switch, how can I get the two mouse buttons I need (and really three). I know I can add an external mouse but I'd like to be able to do it clean, especially on an airplane.

Many thanks!
 
jltx said:
I have been trying really hard to buy a macbook; I can't even tell you how many times I've been to the Apple store to look at them. But I have a couple problems that maybe someone here can help me resolve. Please don't upsell me a pro because I really want the macbook.

First and foremost is the display. It drives me nuts and I can't imagine spending very long with it and not pulling out all my hair. 🙁 I can almost live with the gloss, but the viewing angle is so awful. I am constantly trying to adjust the angle but the unibody hinge only goes so far, so I end up bobbing and weaving like a moron trying to find a sweet spot that just isn't there. I'm used to the Sony and Dell XPS 13.3 inch displays and they are so crisp and clear.

Does anyone have experience swapping out the lcd with a better one? I tried to do some research and found a couple places that will exchange a matte screen but they say it is the same specs otherwise. If I got a Dell display is the interface compatible (it also uses 9400M)? Do I need new drivers? Are there issues with the webcam when swapping? Is there room in the lid for a CCFL version if I had to (not my first choice)? I am seriously going to do this if it is possible. It looks like it is only a couple hundred dollars which is worth it to me.

Second "problem" is the new button-less trackpad. I actually look forward to using it in OSX but, unfortunatley, I will still need to run a couple native WinXP apps. If I use bootcamp to switch, how can I get the two mouse buttons I need (and really three). I know I can add an external mouse but I'd like to be able to do it clean, especially on an airplane.

Many thanks!
Click to expand...

Yeah the viewing angels aren't quite up to par, but it's a great machine! I know you said not to, but once you add up all the costs to swap out the lcd, you mine as well go buy a pro. I don't own a pro, but I know their screens are a lot better.

For boot camp, you can actually do right clicking. There is a little driver I saw which allows you to do it.
 
1) For the screen, the new MB's seem to be coming with better panels now, 9C85/7/8 if I'm not mistaken, which seem to have much better vertical coverage and less white out at the bottom. You won't be able to swap a CCFL panel in the lid just due to all the hardware involved for powering CCFL vs LED.

2) For right click in BootCamp, it's the same as "right click" in OS X, two-finger tap on the trackpad. As for scrolling, again, just like OS X, two finger drag. The last update of the BootCamp drivers includes Windows-multitouch support for OS X multitouch gestures while in Windows.
 
You're stuck with the one that's built in, you can't replace it with a dell or anything, just get over it. However, the display models are surely the old models, the screens have been updated since release, and the new ones are much better. I don't have any problems with mine at all.
 
NewMacbookPlz said:
1) For the screen, the new MB's seem to be coming with better panels now, 9C85/7/8 if I'm not mistaken, which seem to have much better vertical coverage and less white out at the bottom. You won't be able to swap a CCFL panel in the lid just due to all the hardware involved for powering CCFL vs LED.

2) For right click in BootCamp, it's the same as "right click" in OS X, two-finger tap on the trackpad. As for scrolling, again, just like OS X, two finger drag. The last update of the BootCamp drivers includes Windows-multitouch support for OS X multitouch gestures while in Windows.
Click to expand...

Are you ******** me? If I go take my Late 08 Mb and compare it to one now, will there be a significant difference?
 
It would not only be costly but it may not work out trying to change out a display that's not designed to work with the Macbook. You might want to go with a Macbook Air. The display is fantastic. You haven't seen many of the Sony Vaio's lately? Several of them have the same washed out display as the Macbook.
At least the Macbook Air you will get a great screen, 13" and a trackpad button although the trackpad works fine in Windows. The whole trackpad is a button and also you can do 2 finger tap for right-click and scroll, not sure what you would need 3 buttons for, Windows notebooks don't come with 3 buttons, for that case you would need an external mouse.
 
I switched a little over a year ago and I'm not looking back. I LOVE the OS its amazing.

As for the LCD on the laptops I found that in a house it looks much better then in the store (and this is the early screens on the unibody macbooks, not the newer screens people speak of). The gloss is glossy but the strength of the LCD kills most of the gloss (a good thing!) and I really don't see any reflections from anything behind me.

As for the touch pad, it acts the same in windows as mac OS.
 
NewMacbookPlz said:
From the thread mentioned by the other poster, quite possibly.

I too am mildly upset, but oh well.
Click to expand...

This is just ridiculous, they should have came out with the new ones in the first place. I'm sure there's a lot of pissed off MB owners. This is just horrible news for previous screen MB owners.
 
Thanks for the help so far. I will definitely have to check out the new displays (fingers crossed). Also, it's good to hear the mouse pad works the same in XP. I had assumed the multi-touch stuff was specific to OSX. I need multiple mouse buttons for some specialized CAD software I use for work. I use linux all day and coming home to Windows is so painful. I can't wait to get a real OS with a shell.
 
Brycew said:
Oh well, do you really want to be one of those guys who just keep waiting and never actually get a macbook before they die?
Click to expand...

That's exactly why I'm only mildly upset 😉 I'll survive, I watch movies on my Samsung LCDTV while I'm at home anyways, so it's no big really.
 
I was going to buy a refurb MacBook, but now I'm thinking I'll get a new one just for the screen.

But I'm still going to wait for WWDC to see if either the price drop and/or the spec bump rumors pan out.
 
Everybody complains about the macbook screens. Honestly, they aren't as bad as people make them out to be. Like somebody said, they don't look as good in the store as they do at home. The Apple stores have very bright lights and the angles they have you looking at the computers are odd. Nobody uses their laptop on a waist high table and leans over to use it. The screens look WAY better when used on a lap or on a desk while sitting. Ya, they aren't as good as the Air or the Pro but they are nice looking when used properly.

Well, thats just my 2 cents. You could always purchase one and return it. Doesn't Apple have like a 14 day return policy?
 
Ov3rlord Falc0r said:
Well, thats just my 2 cents. You could always purchase one and return it. Doesn't Apple have like a 14 day return policy?
Click to expand...

Not without a restocking fee. The easiest way to try out the Macbook screens in the store is to change the background to one of the black and white wallpapers built in and then pivot the screen back and forth and see if you can live with it. Do the same on the MBA and the Macbook Pro to compare.
 
HLdan said:
Not without a restocking fee. The easiest way to try out the Macbook screens in the store is to change the background to one of the black and white wallpapers built in and then pivot the screen back and forth and see if you can live with it. Do the same on the MBA and the Macbook Pro to compare.
Click to expand...

Dang I didn't think about the restocking fee. 🙁 Oh well.
 
I was a bit apprehensive about the "buttonless" track pad at first but have come to really love it and consider it a big improvement over any other trackpad I've used. Its texture and sensitivity are excellent. It still occasionally fails to pick up a touch click but anytime this happens you continue pressing til the whole pad clicks and the "click" pickup is 100% reliable. The ability to hardware "click" the whole pad effectively gives you a hardware button whenever you need it.

Objective testing clearly shows the MB screen as having a very poor contrast ratio and a relatively poor viewing angle. Its very glossy screen further complicates its narrow viewing angle. Screen quality is super critical to me as I work on my Notebook 8-12 hours a day and don't have the greatest eyesight to begin with. So I almost did not consider the MB.

As it turns out, the MB screen is aesthetically displeasing but for general business and school use it is quite useable all day long. Calibrating the screen improves its look considerably. Choosing a lighter background can also help. So can keeping brightness down (this is an extremely bright screen at its highest levels) I'd never use it for professional multimedia purposes but it can be just fine for general use.
 
jltx said:
Thanks for the help so far. I will definitely have to check out the new displays (fingers crossed). Also, it's good to hear the mouse pad works the same in XP. I had assumed the multi-touch stuff was specific to OSX. I need multiple mouse buttons for some specialized CAD software I use for work. I use linux all day and coming home to Windows is so painful. I can't wait to get a real OS with a shell.
Click to expand...

Then why not just run Linux at home and call it a day? Much cheaper that way.
 
well, I'm getting excited again knowing the new displays are better. I still need to check them out. But now I have a question of timing.

I see that Snow Leopard is coming out soon. What has been Apple's policy on upgrades for recent purchases? Do they give you a grace period? Should I wait a month or two? Does 10.6 only update the OS stuff or will there be leaner/meaner iLife apps too? Thanks!
 
I checked the new displays and they have a significant better viewing angle, and doesn't wash out the black during movies, i am so upset right now 😡

All i can wish for is that my macbook gets a dead pixel or something so i could get the new screen 😀
 
Buskape said:
All i can wish for is that my macbook gets a dead pixel or something so i could get the new screen 😀
Click to expand...

Problem with that is you can more than likely get the same old screen again. Don't know if you can request to put the new one on there.
 
jltx said:
I see that Snow Leopard is coming out soon. What has been Apple's policy on upgrades for recent purchases? Do they give you a grace period? Should I wait a month or two? Does 10.6 only update the OS stuff or will there be leaner/meaner iLife apps too? Thanks!
Click to expand...

Anyone know?
 
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