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I bought a new 24" iMac yesterday and.....

I

ibizarocks

macrumors regular
Original poster
Oct 2, 2007
198
7
Stocks were low nearly everywhere I went which may be due to the forthcoming refresh.

Also it has a horizntal gradient issue but that doesn't bother me too much.

Other than that this is my first imac and I'm impressed as usual. Out the box and surfing the web in 10mins. How it should be!
 
same here

Yep i bought mine 2 days ago, after arguing between buying an LCD to hook to my Blackbook or an iMac... i like having two computers, but the gradient issue is prety bad...

much brighter on the left and middle, very dark on the right.

I know they are all prety much this way, and i guess im lucky i have no dust under the glass, and no dead pixils...

So i was considering returning it since there might be a new, atleast slight revision coming out, and just useing my blackbook hooked to my old ass 19" CRT. for a few weeks to see what happens...
--i bought at the apple retail store

What do you think will be the best way to avoid the restocking fee in this case if i return? since there is really something wrong, but since thats how they all are... i mean should i tell them i bought it for my business to do graphics design and can not get it calibrated, and that i read on forums that everyone has the issue so i just want a full refund?

think that will work?
 
shoulin333 said:
I know they are all prety much this way
Click to expand...

....and how do you know that? Have you seen them all? :rolleyes:


Mine's not bad. If your is, return it. Don't put up with a visible gradient during normal use. You shouldn't have to tolerate a defect, and there are many many good ones out there. There are threads here that have gotten to 5-10 pages or longer of people with good ones, and the "bad ones" threads seem to have gotten more and more rare.
 
mine is hardly noticeable to be honest. not like what i've seen on you tube and that's on a grainy video!
 
Hey

lets get on the more important part of this topic. iMac STOCKS ARE LOW! anyone else smell a refresh??? It seems highly doubtful to me that stocks would be running low right now.

To be honest though, the mac store near me seems to be fully stocked with iMacs (especially 24"), but that might be just because its part of a campus store.

Can anyone else confirm that iMac stocks are low?
 
I wonder..

First, congrats on your purchase. I'm planning on doing the same with a refurb soon.

I'm wondering though, with this revision coming out, how much are they going to jack up the price of the 24", if a 24" is still a choice? :confused: $1799 is still pretty hard to swallow, but if they go any higher, it'll be completely out of my price ranger. Main reason why I'm going with the refurb.
 
I seriously doubt that you will see an iMac refresh before the end of March, and my guess would put it realistically in April or even May.
 
Hmm..

roland.g said:
I seriously doubt that you will see an iMac refresh before the end of March, and my guess would put it realistically in April or even May.
Click to expand...

Darn the whole thing.. I'm going to go ahead with the order... :D
 
takeabyteoutta said:
lets get on the more important part of this topic. iMac STOCKS ARE LOW! anyone else smell a refresh??? It seems highly doubtful to me that stocks would be running low right now.

To be honest though, the mac store near me seems to be fully stocked with iMacs (especially 24"), but that might be just because its part of a campus store.

Can anyone else confirm that iMac stocks are low?
Click to expand...

It is possible stocks are low just because sales have been so good. There was just an article about how Apple has increaesd Mac production ~20% (and reduced iPod production ~10-20% due to decreased demand).

They might just be sellig like applecakes!
 
ibizarocks said:
Stocks were low nearly everywhere I went which may be due to the forthcoming refresh.

Also it has a horizntal gradient issue but that doesn't bother me too much.
Click to expand...


I would bring it back it is a lot of money and if your not happy with it take it back.
 
stevegmu said:
I'm yet to see this 'gradient issue' I keep hearing about...
Click to expand...

I have seen it,.. a computer lab at the University I attend has 25 or so 20" Aluminum iMac's.. about 1/3 of them have the vertical gradient. I have heard that the 24" screen is much more consistent, and I really want to pick up an iMac as I don't have a desktop but I can't justify it until they fix the screen issue.
 
stevegmu said:
I'm yet to see this 'gradient issue' I keep hearing about...
Click to expand...
For the record, ...

The "gradient issue" and the "washed out screen" issue is only on the smaller sizes.

The 24" uses a different part and different graphics chips. It doesn't have these issues the last I heard.
 
Virgil or anybody else,

I have been trying to get a clear answer about this; Are the screen issues really just on the 20 inch or on both?

I've searched and read but cannot find a definative answer.

Thanks
 
m.jakey said:
Virgil or anybody else,

I have been trying to get a clear answer about this; Are the screen issues really just on the 20 inch or on both?

I've searched and read but cannot find a definative answer.

Thanks
Click to expand...

When i first bought the iMac i thought i saw the screen being crap... but when i went to use the 24" samsung on my brothers desktop that i use to think was amazing, it looked like crap... went back to the iMac and went "wow, that really is clear and bright white"


----sometimes these forums cause people to see problems they would never normally notice.
 
SCREEN ISSUES EXIST ON BOTH 20" AND 24" MODELS.

end of. I've been to three apple stores and found issues on the store models on all but 2 imacs (out of about 30 in total)

i had a 24" imac and it went back. I wouldn't touch these with a barge pole at the moment. I'm sorry but i'm not having any more arguments with people about the existence of the issue.
 
All of these posts about banding and condensation make me really appreciate my white 17" C2D 2.0ghz iMac. I was seriously considering getting a new AL iMac recently because I've had my iMac for 1.5 years and I wanted the latest specs and a slick new AL (hot) machine. But, I decided to just up my ram up to 3gb, buy Leopard, and get the new keyboard. It feels like I have a new computer without the hassles of the AL iMac.
 
No gradient issue with my new 24" iMac

The screen is amazing. I ordered my iMac as a BTO machine and it was assembled in the US. Apple has included some dessicant in the iMac box to help combat the moisture problem. I had no condensation issues with this machine as I let it warm to room temperature overnight.
 
takeabyteoutta said:
is in everyone's head. go take a psych course and learn about optical illusions.
Click to expand...

LOL Whatever you're on I want some.

Actually it's not funny I've sent back three 24" 2,8ghz iMacs BECAUSE OF THE GRADIENT and backlight bleeding. Actually that's a lie, because the 2nd one the tech guy at Apple support recalled due to the irritating buzzing when I dimmed the screen, but it also had backlight bleeding and a gradient. Now when that comes to statistics and random sampling, it says a lot.

The countless conversations I have had with Apple Customer relations who have admitted to me that there HAVE BEEN problems with SOME of the screens, though they like to think that the problem is solved now, though judging by many of the posts recently I don't think so, but I believe it is better.
Actually today I was in one of the local stores which sell Apple machines and looking at the 24" on display it looked fine. But I have to say that after being bitten 3 times I too wouldn't touch a current Al iMac with a barge pole. My honest recommendation is to wait for the next upgrade, hopefully by then Apple will have fixed many of the issues haunting this one.

But please get one thing clear, Apple want to sell perfect machines. If you get a machine with a small gradient or is a bit uneven around the screen's edges, of if there is some backlight bleeding, who says this isn't just going to get worse over time? These machines are an expensive investment for many users and at the end of the day you should get what you pay for. If it isn't then send it back. Trust me, in my experience Apple Customer Relations is the best, if only their Al iMacs were of the same quality.

It's annoying becaues the screen panel that Apple use for the 24" iMac is one of the best on the market, maybe it's because Apple wants to comply with all these green, liberal wishy washy nutters, that they have sacrificed something when it comes to putting all the components together into such a small space. I don't know, all I know is that in my personal experience I think this machine is a lemon.

I must admit the Mac Pro far exceeds all my needs, but if you're going to do it, then you might as well do it properly.
 
I'm inclined to agree with Virgil. Here's why:
I have a 24" Al iMac. Before I bought it about 3 weeks ago I spent a LOT of time at the local Apple Store looking at screens. I did notice the 20" screens didn't look as good and I chalked it up to the differing technology they use compared to the 24". ALL the 24"s in the store looked good. I bought a 24" and it looks very very good, much better than the 20" Viewsonic I recently ditched.
So no, it's not a scientific study but my eyes don't lie. I am extremely happy with my 24" screen. And I also let the iMac come up to room temp before plugging in and turning on. No problems and I only hope my iMac continues to look this good for years to come. If not, I did spring for Applecare.
For all you 24" owners with gradient problems, how about posting a screenshot for us to see? Funny, I haven't seen anyone do that. Lots of luck to all,
Morod

Virgil-TB2 said:
For the record, ...

The "gradient issue" and the "washed out screen" issue is only on the smaller sizes.

The 24" uses a different part and different graphics chips. It doesn't have these issues the last I heard.
Click to expand...
 
Morod said:
For all you 24" owners with gradient problems, how about posting a screenshot for us to see? Funny, I haven't seen anyone do that. Lots of luck to all,
Morod
Click to expand...

thats because they go back in the box and back to apple so quick they haven't even got time to cool down and form condensation on the inside of the glass - let alone take a screenshot!
 
fluidedge said:
SCREEN ISSUES EXIST ON BOTH 20" AND 24" MODELS.

end of. I've been to three apple stores and found issues on the store models on all but 2 imacs (out of about 30 in total)

i had a 24" imac and it went back. I wouldn't touch these with a barge pole at the moment. I'm sorry but i'm not having any more arguments with people about the existence of the issue.
Click to expand...

That's a good idea, especially since you don't own one and no one was asking you to argue to begin with. :p

I recently had the LCD panel replaced on my own 24" aluminum iMac and when I got it back I thought there was a bad left to right gradient. But it is really only an issue on the display right at power up and without calibration. After the backlight heats up it is not an issue for me.
 
fluidedge said:
thats because they go back in the box and back to apple so quick they haven't even got time to cool down and form condensation on the inside of the glass - let alone take a screenshot!
Click to expand...

Let alone allow the backlight to properly heat up and smooth out the "gradient" issues. I was making this very point in another of the countless threads on this deal. Thanks for reminding me. :)

And I suspect some folks are so keen on seeing a gradient that they see one before they even look at the screen.

The issue exists in some 24" panels but it's not universal and often can be cured with proper calibration and allowing the backlight to heat up.
 
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