M1 MacBook Air black uniformity (red glow)

[0906742]

Same ”issue” with my M1 Air.. However, I do see the warmer colors on the right side of darker windows such as gray/dark gray backgrounds during normal use at 50% brightness.

For example, in Final Cut Pro X, The right side is warmer than the left side. The left side almost feels a little green.

I returned the computer and got a new one but it had the same uneven colors. The temperature and brightness do shift when I’m moving my head away from the center so maybe its the coating, maybe not, no clue.

Got the computer for more than half off so I think I’ll just going to live with it! Very odd issue though!

Does the M1 Pro suffer from the same issue? Could’ve gone for that one but seriously hate the Touch Bar and prefer the shape of the Air..

Thanks for confirming that exchanging the unit does not help. I already assumed this.
I've been thinking about coating issue too as mine definitely improves a lot if I just move my head say 5" to the right still looking screen at straight angle. Also there is no red tint in brighter images.
Could you take a photo of yours displaying test like described in this thread first post?
Mine also shows this red tint even using lower than 100% display brightness when I look at it in a dark.

M1 Pro should not have this but depending on your luck there may be some other uniformity issues and those that show up in bright or white image are absolutely no go for me, so while I hate display uniformity issues I rather have this than something that shows all the time...

 

[James_C]

Just for giggles I did the same test with my iMac 5k retina. I used the blacklight bleed test website. Lights turned off, screen brightness set to 100%. because it is so dark and the iPhone is trying to make the screen brighter than it is, it is basically exaggerating any colour cast. In normal light with the same settings the screen looks fine (Black). I agree that the colours you are seeing are probably caused by the screen coating.

Like I said before no-one uses 100% brightness in complete darkness. I would say the MBA screens are working as intended.

 

[Krm.]

Now when I know about this uneven weirdness, I totally see a difference in brightness comparing right and left side of the display. I don’t know if it’s the warmer tone of the right side that makes it seem darker or not.

I do 100% of my job on my computer and it is so annoying being aware of this difference in color and brightness! Not sure what to do..

Here’s a photo of my M1 Air display:

 

[Sowelu]

This is not just an issue with fully black images on the display - what you're seeing when the screen is all black is also visible on whites when viewing web pages, and anything white, light and so on. The uniformity and shift wouldn't just be apparent with a black screen - it's an indication of the uniformity of the panel regardless of what is being displayed. An all white screen will also shift in temperature (green to pink or vice versa), but it may be less noticeable to some as there are other windows/apps open (and some panels are worse than others - the lottery).

And don't compare these displays to the 5K iMac as a measure of what is normal - I've never seen such horrific white balance and uniformity on any computer display as bad as these. I had three and just gave up and kept the 'least worst' of them all. The color temperate shift from one end to the other (and in some corners) is dramatic and jarring and very noticeable with an all black screen as well as when working with large documents with white backgrounds (Excel, Word, web, etc.).

I don't know if uniform displays simply do not exist, or if Apple is choosing not so great ones in their very expensive products., but I have yet to own a Mac with a uniform display. Some are (way) better than others, but there is always a noticeable shift and my eyes are unfortunately very sensitive to it.

Between white balance issues and Apple's notorious, signature, green-hued factory display calibrations, had it not been for dark mode, customizable calibrations and color filters on all my Macs and iOS devices, I'd be very unhappy with just about all of their display offerings (yes, even OLED iPhones have a temperature shift - vertically, in my experience).

Many will never notice these things, some are just more sensitive to it than others.

 

[justinf77]

This is not just an issue with fully black images on the display - what you're seeing when the screen is all black is also visible on whites when viewing web pages, and anything white, light and so on. The uniformity and shift wouldn't just be apparent with a black screen - it's an indication of the uniformity of the panel regardless of what is being displayed. An all white screen will also shift in temperature (green to pink or vice versa), but it may be less noticeable to some as there are other windows/apps open (and some panels are worse than others - the lottery).

And don't compare these displays to the 5K iMac as a measure of what is normal - I've never seen such horrific white balance and uniformity on any computer display as bad as these. I had three and just gave up and kept the 'least worst' of them all. The color temperate shift from one end to the other (and in some corners) is dramatic and jarring and very noticeable with an all black screen as well as when working with large documents with white backgrounds (Excel, Word, web, etc.).

I don't know if uniform displays simply do not exist, or if Apple is choosing not so great ones in their very expensive products., but I have yet to own a Mac with a uniform display. Some are (way) better than others, but there is always a noticeable shift and my eyes are unfortunately very sensitive to it.

Between white balance issues and Apple's notorious, signature, green-hued factory display calibrations, had it not been for dark mode, customizable calibrations and color filters on all my Macs and iOS devices, I'd be very unhappy with just about all of their display offerings (yes, even OLED iPhones have a temperature shift - vertically, in my experience).

Many will never notice these things, some are just more sensitive to it than others.

I am very sensitive to display uniformity and I have to agree with this. I've been trying to train myself to care less about it because I don't think I've ever had a perfectly uniform screen, and I really don't like playing the screen lottery.

Both my M1 MBP and MBA have uniformity issues, but I honestly think they all do, it's just that some, like you say, are way better than others.

 

[jabbr]

it's always a total lottery with mass-produced displays. The nearly perfect unicorns exist but they are quite rare.

 

[me22]

I am returning my air and getting a pro (not because of this, because both screens are really good), but I had them both here and decided to compare last night.

My air is noticeably brighter towards the left half when all black, and not as dim as the pro overall. It also has some slightly purple and yellow areas along the top. The pro is ever so slightly darker in the center left, but that varies a bit when the screen is flexed from normal handling.

 

[justinf77]

I am returning my air and getting a pro (not because of this, because both screens are really good), but I had them both here and decided to compare last night.

My air is noticeably brighter towards the left half when all black, and not as dim as the pro overall. It also has some slightly purple and yellow areas along the top. The pro is ever so slightly darker in the center left, but that varies a bit when the screen is flexed from normal handling.

View attachment 1697698 View attachment 1697699 View attachment 1697700 View attachment 1697701

Thanks for the photos! Why did you decide on the Pro vs the Air?

 

[me22]

Thanks for the photos! Why did you decide on the Pro vs the Air?

Since the Air was already such an upgrade over my 2018 pro, I was excited to go back to a non-touchbar Mac, but I quickly realized all I was ever missing was the physical escape key.

Otherwise, the slight improvements to performance and battery life, and to a small extent, the slightly brighter screen won out over the air’s slightly lower weight and slimmer profile. I do 3D and graphics work, but for anyone just looking for a portable but powerful computer, I would probably recommend the Air.

 

[Paul1980]

I think this is down to the coating on the display. I have the same on my MBA but when I move slightly either way the tint changes and moves. Ive taken some pics at slightly different angles.

 

[0906742]

Just for giggles I did the same test with my iMac 5k retina. I used the blacklight bleed test website. Lights turned off, screen brightness set to 100%. because it is so dark and the iPhone is trying to make the screen brighter than it is, it is basically exaggerating any colour cast. In normal light with the same settings the screen looks fine (Black). I agree that the colours you are seeing are probably caused by the screen coating.

Your iMac 5k retina screen is just showing typical "ips glow" in the corners and that is different issue than what happens with MBA M1. For example my iPad Air 2019 has this glow in the corners that only show up in photos, visually it looks just fine.

Problem with MBA M1 is that you can actually see that. Sure camera makes it look worse than it is but right edge is definitely reddish and that does not look like ips glow at all. Maybe it is some kind of coating issue.

Like I said before no-one uses 100% brightness in complete darkness. I would say the MBA screens are working as intended.

Can you actually see right edge being reddish in your unit when you view it in a dark? Not sure what camera you used to take a photo of yours, but right side looks difrerent but not quite as red as most other photos in this thread.

Maybe using MBA in darkness is not that usual but I could imagine some peoples watching some movie or series occasionally and likely doing it is a dim conditions and then you eventually start to notice that when you eyes get adjusted to lightning.

 

[0906742]

Now when I know about this uneven weirdness, I totally see a difference in brightness comparing right and left side of the display. I don’t know if it’s the warmer tone of the right side that makes it seem darker or not.

I do 100% of my job on my computer and it is so annoying being aware of this difference in color and brightness! Not sure what to do..

Here’s a photo of my M1 Air display:

Can you actually see right edge being reddish even with white or lighter shades of grey?
Because my MBA M1 definitely does not show any reddish tint with lighter colors. Check this thread first page, I even posted photo of my MBA M1 displaying white image.
If there was issue noticeable with lighter colors, I would have returned my MBA already. Sure I don't like this current issue too but not sure if would get better by exchanging to another MBA and I don't want to get MBP due to other things I don't like about it.

 

[0906742]

This is not just an issue with fully black images on the display - what you're seeing when the screen is all black is also visible on whites when viewing web pages, and anything white, light and so on. The uniformity and shift wouldn't just be apparent with a black screen - it's an indication of the uniformity of the panel regardless of what is being displayed. An all white screen will also shift in temperature (green to pink or vice versa), but it may be less noticeable to some as there are other windows/apps open (and some panels are worse than others - the lottery).

But it does not. That's why I even made this thread because this issue was so strange!
In my MBA there is absolutely no red tint on the right side viewing white images.

I don't know if uniform displays simply do not exist, or if Apple is choosing not so great ones in their very expensive products., but I have yet to own a Mac with a uniform display. Some are (way) better than others, but there is always a noticeable shift and my eyes are unfortunately very sensitive to it.

Uniform displays do exist so I'm not sure why this happens with these machines. For example I have rather cheap Zenbook with absolutely uniform display as far as color tint is considered. But on the other hand it is not P3 gamut, just sRGB and even that just barely plus it is dimmer. But whites and greys look absolutely even.

 

[0906742]

I am returning my air and getting a pro (not because of this, because both screens are really good), but I had them both here and decided to compare last night.

My air is noticeably brighter towards the left half when all black, and not as dim as the pro overall. It also has some slightly purple and yellow areas along the top. The pro is ever so slightly darker in the center left, but that varies a bit when the screen is flexed from normal handling.

You MBA did not show reddish tint on the right edge even when you looked at it in a dark?
You photos looks pretty good but I know camera play tricks when two machines are side by side and even my MBA photos looked totally fine without red tint on the right when I had my Zenbook or iPad on the same photo displaying the same test image. But with my own eyes I could of course see red tint.

 

[0906742]

I think this is down to the coating on the display. I have the same on my MBA but when I move slightly either way the tint changes and moves. Ive taken some pics at slightly different angles. View attachment 1697742 View attachment 1697751 View attachment 1697762

Looks pretty identical what I see with my, except when I try angle shown on your 3rd image mine looks about even black with no red tint (when viewing with my own eyes).

 

[Paul1980]

Looks pretty identical what I see with my, except when I try angle shown on your 3rd image mine looks about even black with no red tint (when viewing with my own eyes).

Its the only time I see any red is when I do this test. The camera actually seems to pick up red that I don't even see with my own eyes. I did see that red on my tool bars but realised that was the transparency and the wallpaper underneath. The Big Sur wallpaper seems to make the blacks redish with that wallpaper. If you chose a black wallpaper the problem went so knew it wasn't an issue with the screen

 

[0906742]

Its the only time I see any red is when I do this test. The camera actually seems to pick up red that I don't even see with my own eyes. I did see that red on my tool bars but realised that was the transparency and the wallpaper underneath. The Big Sur wallpaper seems to make the blacks redish with that wallpaper. If you chose a black wallpaper the problem went so knew it wasn't an issue with the screen

Are you absolutely sure? Download black image and open in from your photos zoomed full screen and try again in a dark.
I know what you mean with wallpaper but using photos app with test images I see this issue. It is not wallpaper issue.

Or were you only talking about the issue seen in your 3rd photo only??

 

[Paul1980]

Are you absolutely sure? Download black image and open in from your photos zoomed full screen and try again in a dark.
I know what you mean with wallpaper but using photos app with test images I see this issue. It is not wallpaper issue.

I do see some red if I do that test with the black image in a dark room but I don't ever see the red in any other circumstances. If it caused a problem in normal use then I would return it but I don't ever notice it and if I hadn't of seen this thread then I would never of seen it.

 

[0906742]

I do see some red if I do that test with the black image in a dark room but I don't ever see the red in any other circumstances. If it caused a problem in normal use then I would return it but I don't ever notice it and if I hadn't of seen this thread then I would never of seen it.

I agree it does not look as strong red as it does in the photos as camera always makes issues like this look worse.
But it is there if using this in dark room or dim enough, not sure how many does that you'll notice it in those conditions when using it long enough.

 

[Paul1980]

I agree it does not look as strong red as it does in the photos as camera always makes issues like this look worse.
But it is there if using this in dark room or dim enough, not sure how many does that you'll notice it in those conditions when using it long enough.

I have used it a fair few times in dark rooms and never noticed it on the blacks. I guess if the brightness was at 100% I might notice it but I wouldn't have it that high if the room was dark. I have AppleCare so if it got worse then I would be covered if it became a bigger problem

 

[0906742]

I have used it a fair few times in dark rooms and never noticed it on the blacks. I guess if the brightness was at 100% I might notice it but I wouldn't have it that high if the room was dark. I have AppleCare so if it got worse then I would be covered if it became a bigger problem

Maybe not everyone is as sensitive to notice this issue but if yours have it, you should see it in a dark even with lower than 100% brightness setting, it is there even say 6 clicks down from max or more but of course not as noticeable then and you need to wait a good while to make sure your eyes get adjusted to dark environment.

I don't think this is something that will get worse in use and I don't think you can AppleCare for such issue if it is typical for the panel type. Not sure you can claim this as a faulty panel?

 

[Paul1980]

Maybe not everyone is as sensitive to notice this issue but if yours have it, you should see it in a dark even with lower than 100% brightness setting, it is there even say 6 clicks down from max or more but of course not as noticeable then and you need to wait a good while to make sure your eyes get adjusted to dark environment.

I don't think this is something that will get worse in use and I don't think you can AppleCare for such issue if it is typical for the panel type. Not sure you can claim this as a faulty panel?

It wouldn't be covered now with AppleCare but if it got to a point where it was so bad the screen became unusable then AppleCare would cover it. If the red was bad enough now I would order another one and see if it was any better and then return the worse one.

 

[James_C]

Can you actually see right edge being reddish in your unit when you view it in a dark? Not sure what camera you used to take a photo of yours, but right side looks difrerent but not quite as red as most other photos in this thread.

Maybe using MBA in darkness is not that usual but I could imagine some peoples watching some movie or series occasionally and likely doing it is a dim conditions and then you eventually start to notice that when you eyes get adjusted to lightning.

I normally have the brightness level set to Auto. I have tested in complete darkness with a completely black screen. With Auto Brightness this is around 40% brightness, which is bright enough for normal work or watching a movie. I can see no red glow at all. I have to turn brightness up to 70% in complete darkness with a black screen before I see any blooming, and even then it is pretty minor.

My point about using a Laptop in the dark, was not just using in the dark, but in the dark AND the brightness set unnecessarily high.

Camera was iPhone X

 

[0906742]

Camera was iPhone X

Same I used for photos I posted here. I see your photo was a bit from the different angle so could be causing the difference but just for fun, could you post photo of yours where photo is taken straight in the middle and brightness 100% with TrueTone on and post the photo where is shows reddish worst? Just for seeing are they all the same if testing with the same way or is there obvious variance. Because your photos look least worst in this thread but definitely something with right edge.

 

[James_C]

I did here. True Tone was off as this causes a colour shift.

M1 MacBook Air black uniformity (red glow)

Ok I just realised that because I closed the lid when I moved the laptop it reset the brightness level. I have retaken at max brightness and my screen looks like more like the images that you posted. However this is still a non issue as I would never have my screen to max brightness in those...

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