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Big disappointment over Imac 24"

A

AppleCandidate

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 11, 2007
94
0
I only have this system for a few days and "I'll be returning it this week.

I was very happy because coming from Windows Vista, OS X really rocks, however, the iMacs are bad because of the uneven brightness (lots of threads about this here and other Mac forums).

Secondly, glossy screens cause eye strain. I wasn't aware of this, but after experiencing headaches, I researched it and found out that glossy screens are indeed a hazard for your health and can cause headaches.

The eye strain will be apparent to you soon, don't wait until you can't return the machine to Apple, check how tired you get after using the 24", and if you have headaches. It's one of those things you don't notice a first or you attribute it to to other factors, but it's certainly the screen.

As for me, not sure what to do now. Buy a MAC PRO? Get a mini? Go for the previous model of iMac (are those good?)
 
AppleCandidate said:
Secondly, glossy screens cause eye strain. I wasn't aware of this, but after experiencing headaches, I researched it and found out that glossy screens are indeed a hazard for your health and can cause headaches.
Click to expand...

My MacBooks glossy screen never bothered me. Neither did the countless number of CRTs I have used over the last 30 years, which were all glossy.
 
flopticalcube said:
My MacBooks glossy screen never bothered me. Neither did the countless number of CRTs I have used over the last 30 years, which were all glossy.
Click to expand...
Different strokes for different folks. :)

I would already have purchased two new iMacs and a MB if they had matte screens. Glossy screens give me headaches and I find it hard to focus.

Hopefully Apple will realize that there is a market segment out there who would love to have iMacs and MBs with matte screens. Here's hoping.
 
I've been using the glossy screen since August 7th, and no problems at all. The colour shift was annoying at first, but now I don't even notice it.

Sorry you're having problems, but I think you're in the unfortunate minority if a glossy screen gives you a headache.
 
I've been using my new iMac with the glossy screen for just over 2 months now and haven't had any eye strain or headaches from it. I do find, though, that like with any screen it's a big help to have a light on in the surrounding area and on the wall behind to reduce eye strain. But I at least haven't noticed issues vs. my matte LCDs at work.
 
It's just a matter of preference. If you are used to viewing a non-glare screen your are are having to adapt and side effects should pass.

I have never liked the imac because of it's disposeability and non-upgradeability and short lifespan. You are better off getting an LCD display and a Mac Mini. The iMac is for Switchers who want a cheap all-in-one solution.
 
flopticalcube said:
My MacBooks glossy screen never bothered me.
Click to expand...
I've been using a MB since February '07 and the glossy screen almost never bothers me. But with all the time I've spent in Apple stores since the alum iMacs came out? Those glossy screens do bug me. I'm not sure why. Maybe it's just the actual angle/ position? As the iMacs I've seen in stores are set higher up then I'd likely use at home. Shrug. But those screens do bother me whereas the MB's does not.
 
decadentdave said:
The iMac is for Switchers who want a cheap all-in-one solution.
Click to expand...

Nonsense. The iMac is for people who would rather not buy a Mac Pro or a Mac mini but want to run OSX and as for relatively short lifespan, tell that to the countless numbers who are running 5 or 6 year old iMacs still.

devilot said:
I've been using a MB since February '07 and the glossy screen almost never bothers me. But with all the time I've spent in Apple stores since the alum iMacs came out? Those glossy screens do bug me. I'm not sure why. Maybe it's just the actual angle/ position? As the iMacs I've seen in stores are set higher up then I'd likely use at home. Shrug. But those screens do bother me whereas the MB's does not.
Click to expand...

Maybe its just the lighting. My iMacs screens don't bother me either but there is a window with lots of light coming in behind them.
 
I guess some people may just be more sensitive to the glossy screens than others. Mac Minis sound OK, any known problems with it? Can you even run Vista on Parallels on this thing?
 
flopticalcube said:
The only problem with the mini vs the iMacs is the graphics capability. As long as you don't play heavy 3D games or do any heavy graphics work, they are super.
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Graphics and the fact that they aren't all-in-one, which is the biggest attraction for me to the iMac. If I didn't have such a large need for a AIO unit, I wouldn't hesitate to pick up a Mini, but cords are driving me nuts and I can't wait to get a wireless keyboard/mouse, and get these damn speakers off my desktop.
 
flopticalcube said:
Nonsense. The iMac is for people who would rather not buy a Mac Pro or a Mac mini but want to run OSX and as for relatively short lifespan, tell that to the countless numbers who are running 5 or 6 year old iMacs still.
Click to expand...

With a Mac Mini or Mac Pro I can keep my Cinema Display, with an iMac you have to throw the whole thing away if you want to upgrade hence it is a "disposeable" solution.
 
flopticalcube said:
The display would be worthless anyways in the 3-5 year lifespan of the iMac. Would you want a 5 year old display on your new PC?
Click to expand...

And that is my point about the longevity of the iMac and the reason why I would never buy one. My Cinema Display will last longer than that.
 
decadentdave said:
And that is my point about the longevity of the iMac and the reason why I would never buy one. My Cinema Display will last longer than that.
Click to expand...

Or after 5 years you could just buy a new display and hook it up to the iMac and have TWO displays.:eek:

@OP
Using mainly pcs most of the day and then switching to my MBP matte screen even used to give me headaches. After a few weeks though they went away. I think it just takes time getting used to Apple Displays if you´re not (especially after using a pc).
 
Having never owned an all in one before the built in screen does seem odd to me, and is one of the considerations ive made while making my imac decision. That said i really want an all in one solution this time around with as few wires as i can manage. So the imac it is for me just hoping i get a decent screen. It will also be weird moving to myfirst new monitor in a decade. Ive been using the same 20" sony trinitron 500PS CRT since 1997. Still gorgeous as ever i must say.
 
AppleCandidate said:
As for me, not sure what to do now. Buy a MAC PRO? Get a mini? Go for the previous model of iMac (are those good?)
Click to expand...

I face the exact same question. I don't want a Mac Pro because it's too expensive and I prefer all-in-one. But I can't keep using this goddam glary screen.

I also have a Macbook and the gloss doesn't bother me on there. I guess a little screen only has a little reflection but on a big screen it's just too much. When Apple did their research which revealed users prefer glossy (as mentioned by Steve Jobs at the iMac release), I wonder if they were asking laptop or desktop owners?
 
aLoC said:
I face the exact same question. I don't want a Mac Pro because it's too expensive and I prefer all-in-one. But I can't keep using this goddam glary screen.

I also have a Macbook and the gloss doesn't bother me on there. I guess a little screen only has a little reflection but on a big screen it's just too much. When Apple did their research which revealed users prefer glossy (as mentioned by Steve Jobs at the iMac release), I wonder if they were asking laptop or desktop owners?
Click to expand...

May I ask why you decided to keep it? Another poster was asking for the white iMac. You could've gotten one of those. It's odd to keep something you can't stand looking at.
 
I have used screens with glass fronts before, usually CRT monitors which had an extra glass in front so they could call them "flat screens". :)

Those were usually good quality.

The "glossyness" of the iMac 24" is very different from that of the MacBook, IMHO. I have no problems with it - in fact I love my iMac to death, and I spend upwards of 4 hours in front of it every day working on music production and photography. No eye strain or headache problems here.

But of course, if I were suffering from it I'd be careful when selecting a monitor.

Not every problem can be blamed on Apple and I frankly don't think getting headaches is one of them...
 
flopticalcube said:
The only problem with the mini vs the iMacs is the graphics capability.
Click to expand...
Uh, yeah ...that and the low-capacity, dog-slow 5400 rpm laptop drive,

...and the $900 price tag (including kbd/mouse, but no display),

...and the 2GB maximum RAM capacity,

...and no 800 MHz firewire,

...and no 802.11n WiFi

...and no iSight

But, other than that, they're pretty much the same,

LK


"All right, but apart from the sanitation, the medicine, education,
wine, public order, irrigation, roads, the fresh water system, and
public health, ...WHAT have the Romans ever done for us?"
- Monty Python, Life of Brian

.
 
Kovacs said:
I have used screens with glass fronts before, usually CRT monitors ...
Click to expand...

All CRT monitors were not created equal. For example, Sony's GDM Trinitrons had an extremely effective anti-reflective coating, and a cylindrical front surface (i.e., no curvature in the vertical plane). They were -- and still are -- a joy to work with.

OTOH, many lesser CRTs had spherical front surfaces and no anti-reflective coating. They were horrible, (even worse than the glossy iMacs), because they picked up and reflected light from all directions -- especially overhead office lighting.

I suspect that some (many? most?) "glossy" laptops have anti-reflective coatings; but the glossy iMacs are as reflective as a mirror.

BTW, I've been wonderin' -- IF, as Mr. Jobs informs us, glossy screens are "better" (or at least acceptable) for most customers, WHY are glossy stand-alone monitors so rare?

WHERE are the glossy Dells, NECs, ViewSonics, Samsungs, Eizos, ...and ACDs?

...riddle me that, Batman,

LK
 
Leon Kowalski said:
All CRT monitors were not created equal. For example, Sony's GDM Trinitrons had an extremely effective anti-reflective coating, and a cylindrical front surface (i.e., no curvature in the vertical plane). They were -- and still are -- a joy to work with.
Click to expand...
Yes they were. You paid a premium for them but they were well worth it.

And I seem to remember many companies trying to make rip-offs. But you could always tell a true Sony Trinitron by the defect line on the display. Or two of them if the display was large enough. :)
 
I guess each person has their own needs. I myself can not stand the glossy screen, but a guy at work got his 24" last week and absolutely loves it. He really likes the screen. His does not have uneven lighting.

I hope you find something that works for you, but I do understand where your coming from.
 
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