Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Did you know about dust problem in 27" iMac?

Did your iMac got dust in the screen or you know someone with this issue?

  • Yes

    Votes: 103 42.7%

  • No

    Votes: 57 23.7%

  • I didn't even know this is an issue

    Votes: 81 33.6%
  • Total voters
    241
and 4096 others like this

and 4096 others like this

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 26, 2018
141
175
Hello,

I had a lot of questions in this topic - https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/imac-27-or-21.2122173/#post-26136334 and thankfully you guys helped me to choose better option. The thing is - I still don't know should I get 27" iMac. Does iMac still have a problem with dust in screen/under screen?

There are a lot of topic about this problem, even at Macrumors. Here you have example, what is it look like:

https://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View...+dust+in+the+screen+like+the+previous+models？

I made this poll to see if you guys and girls had to deal with this problem...
 
Yup, as long as I have my 2009 iMac I have this problem, and after me so many. It's one of the reasons I still haven't updated this one yet.
 
Any iMac release up until 2012 when Apple introduced the slimline profile has the potential to collect dust most likely around the RAM access point. If their is a large collection of dust around this area it is likely there will be a build up of dust to the interior fans as well. To clean you will need to remove the Front Glass and Display to gain access to the internals of the iMac where you can clean the fans with canned air and a fine soft brush for the stubborn areas. Here is the iFixit tutorial for removing the Display on the pre 2012 27" iMac. The tutorial is the 2011 27" iMac but it is much the same for the 2009 and 2010 models
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/iMac+Intel+27-Inch+EMC+2429+Display+Replacement/7551
 
My understanding is that the newer iMacs have laminated screens. The LCD panel is bonded directly to the glass, with no gap between them. The lack of additional air gaps reduces the number of easily-reflective surfaces, and is part of how they obtain a richer color palate, etc. Therefore, I don't know how dust would get in between the two, unless it was bonded-in as a factory defect.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mac... nificent, Samuelsan2001 and artfossil
My new iMac was just under 2 years old when I started noticing the grayish/black smudges under the glass. The first Apple Store told me that it was not covered under Apple Care and basically tried to tell me it was my fault that I must have damaged it someway. The second Apple store I took the iMac to said it was under Apple Care and fixed the iMac, no questions asked. They replace the screen. My Apple Care expires April 2019 for this iMac. I'll be watching the screen very closely to see if the smudges come back before Apple Care expires. I feel it's their defect so they should fix it even if Apple Care is expired. I can smell a Class Action Lawsuit coming. :)
 
nambuccaheadsau said:
I would guess there are many more post 2012 iMacs than pre. The laminated screens seem to be much less affected.
Click to expand...

I checked a lot of topics and unfortunately 2015 model (retina) is very popular in "dust case". Most of them are 5K model, but 4K model is also affected...

ProTruckDriver said:
My new iMac was just under 2 years old when I started noticing the grayish/black smudges under the glass. The first Apple Store told me that it was not covered under Apple Care and basically tried to tell me it was my fault that I must have damaged it someway. The second Apple store I took the iMac to said it was under Apple Care and fixed the iMac, no questions asked. They replace the screen. My Apple Care expires April 2019 for this iMac. I'll be watching the screen very closely to see if the smudges come back before Apple Care expires. I feel it's their defect so they should fix it even if Apple Care is expired. I can smell a Class Action Lawsuit coming. :)
Click to expand...

I think there is no chance for lawsuit... As colleges said before, iMac have dust problem since 2012, it's been 6 years and no one that matters in tech world, right a single article about this issue. Only users write about it. 6 years and no a single lawsuit....

Ph.D. said:
My understanding is that the newer iMacs have laminated screens. The LCD panel is bonded directly to the glass, with no gap between them. The lack of additional air gaps reduces the number of easily-reflective surfaces, and is part of how they obtain a richer color palate, etc. Therefore, I don't know how dust would get in between the two, unless it was bonded-in as a factory defect.
Click to expand...

I think (but I may be wrong) that iMac 5K I even more susceptible (as I read what people write about dust issue) than previous model...
 
998ACB26-DC8C-4CA8-8E59-0CB47F730607.jpeg
820ED782-02A3-4737-834C-90700456EB6F.jpeg
D0FB95F3-A42E-4BF3-BD8A-84C2DAED5520.jpeg
nambuccaheadsau said:
I would guess there are many more post 2012 iMacs than pre. The laminated screens seem to be much less affected.
Click to expand...
Mine is a 2014 and started getting the dust within a year or so(when I first saw it I thought I just needed to clean the screen). I brought it to the Genius Bar and they said that because it is all fused as one piece, it cant be cleaned, it has to be replaced -for $600. The implied that this is not an issue with Apple.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Darajavahus
I can confirm this exact issue happened within few months to my late 2014 27-inch Retina iMac in the lower left corner. I thought only my unit was faulty and wasn't even sure this was dust due to a design flaw of Apple (not having air filters).

A class action suit is being organized due to this I have heard.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Trt740 and Darajavahus
I have a late 2012 27" iMac and haven't had any issue with dust getting in. I even damaged the upper left corner during a move which slightly cracked the glass.

Personally I wish Apple would go back to the 2011 design where you could easily remove the glass for cleaning.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ProTruckDriver
I've used a lot of iMacs dating all the way back to the original iMac. I've never seen this issue. I suspect it happens more in extremely dusty environments like Schools though.
 
SecuritySteve said:
I've used a lot of iMacs dating all the way back to the original iMac. I've never seen this issue. I suspect it happens more in extremely dusty environments like Schools though.
Click to expand...
Nope, My house has minimum dust, no pets and it still happen to me. Apple replace the screen the beginning of this year under Apple Care and all is going good so far, no dust marks.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Darajavahus
Ph.D. said:
My understanding is that the newer iMacs have laminated screens. The LCD panel is bonded directly to the glass, with no gap between them. The lack of additional air gaps reduces the number of easily-reflective surfaces, and is part of how they obtain a richer color palate, etc. Therefore, I don't know how dust would get in between the two, unless it was bonded-in as a factory defect.
Click to expand...

Newer Macs do not have a laminated screen. There's still an air gap between the glass and the display.
 
I ordered my late 2012 iMac right after the Apple event, got those ugly, disturbing (especially as the mac is used for graphic design work) dust smudges in corners pretty soon, I thought I could live with it but decided to send it a week before the end of warranty, a year later it started again, no more warranty, and it annoys me since then. I vacuum regularly and obsessively and have an air purifier and ionizer in my room.

By now I thought everyone knew that if you get iMac you will get these sooner or later. And it was a very well known issue before, I wanted to get iMac in 2011 but because of this I waited and hoped for a redesign. It was such relief when they introduced it laminated, I ordered right away... What a lamination that is and why Apple don't give a f for so many years?
 
  • Like
Reactions: ptfuzi
Btw, I dont see any cases for 2017 and especially iMac Pro. Does anyone have this issues on 2017 or iMac Pro?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back