Can Anyone Help With iMac Display Issues?

[222Mystic]

Hi everyone - this is my first time on here but I am a long time Mac user. That, however, may change as my experience with Apple support just now was insane. I have 27inch 2019 iMac - 5K 3ghz and I have just realized that weird headaches etc I have been getting coincided with my purchase of the iMac. Not only that - if i sit down in front of it, my ears ring etc.

I've gathered this potentially has to do with the Retina display & spent a fruitless hour with Apple help trying to work out what monitor refresh rate was. Finally they said you can't change it. I asked about monitor radiofrequency - that's not on their site either.

I love this Mac but it is making me ill - i need to work out a way to make it less toxic. And yes I have seen an ear/eye specialist - the new one I got said that a lot of screens can make sensitive people have ear/eye issues - to do with Led backlighting/flickering etc. Should I set this to super high resolution? Low resolution? Or, if I accept i got a dud iMac and give up, what would be the best thing to get next? I am a writer and i know nothing about monitors but alarmingly, nor did the Apple help agents.

I would appreciate any advice or info whatsoever - thank you!

 

[chscag]

I've run into another person complaining about the same thing as you (in another Mac forum) and he wound up returning his Mac for a refund. I'm not suggesting you do the same thing but I don't believe changing resolution is going to resolve it for you. Some folks are very sensitive to retina screens and it seems the larger the screen, the worse the sensitivity is.

i hope you can find a solution without having to return your new iMac. I have a 27" iMac 5K model (2017 version) and absolutely love using it. Fortunately, I'm not sensitive to the retina screen.

 

[222Mystic]

I've run into another person complaining about the same thing as you (in another Mac forum) and he wound up returning his Mac for a refund. I'm not suggesting you do the same thing but I don't believe changing resolution is going to resolve it for you. Some folks are very sensitive to retina screens and it seems the larger the screen, the worse the sensitivity is.

i hope you can find a solution without having to return your new iMac. I have a 27" iMac 5K model (2017 version) and absolutely love using it. Fortunately, I'm not sensitive to the retina screen.

Thank you so much! I wonder if there is a subtle diff in the 2017 and 2019 models? Would you mind telling me if your specs are the same as this?

Display

• Retina 5K display
• 27-inch (diagonal) Retina 5K display
• 5120‑by‑2880 resolution with support for one billion colors
• 500 nits brightness
• Wide color (P3)

And I would love to get a refund but Apple were crazily unhelpful.

 

[chscag]

My specs are the same as yours. The big difference between the 2017 and 2019 models are the GPU, faster CPU and memory for the 2019 model. Otherwise the screen and resolutions are the same. Trying to get a refund from Apple beyond the 2 week grace return period is probably not possible.

Perhaps you can sell yours without too much loss from the original price since it's new. You might also try using a protective anti-glare cover for the screen. I'm not sure that would help and those type of screen covers for the 27" display are rather expensive.

 

[222Mystic]

My specs are the same as yours. The big difference between the 2017 and 2019 models are the GPU, faster CPU and memory for the 2019 model. Otherwise the screen and resolutions are the same. Trying to get a refund from Apple beyond the 2 week grace return period is probably not possible.

Perhaps you can sell yours without too much loss from the original price since it's new. You might also try using a protective anti-glare cover for the screen. I'm not sure that would help and those type of screen covers for the 27" display are rather expensive.

Thank you so much - I will look into it. I just found something from someone on another forum who says they think it is because new monitors etc have more radiation! Which is interesting as I have stiff neck that doctor says is like radiotherapy fibrosis.

Also, I made a typo above sorry - my old iMac - was 2012 so that would be vastly different. I think Apple have lost the plot a bit.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP:

Fishrrman's credo:
Reality is what it is. It is not what we believe it to be.

I don't think you're going to have much success changing the refresh rates, and of course, you can't change the display panel itself.

If you are CERTAIN that the iMac -- as it is now -- is "toxic" to you, there's really only one solution:

Sell the iMac, buy a DIFFERENT Mac and try that instead.
I would suggest a 2018 Mac Mini, and a 3rd-party display of your choice.
It's much easier to change a display, than to change the entire computer.

You ARE NOT going to "change" the iMac into something it is not.
Again... it "is what it is".

And it sounds like "it's not for you"...