Hello,
I am writing here in this forum because I think this is an important and severe issue, which should be known by apples clients. I ask those people that have the same problem to speak, because only this way will apple do something to solve it, in the same way than what happened with the discolored plastic.
Very well then, lets start:
A week ago I bought a white macbook with the condition of it not being previous to week 27, to avoid the problem with the plastic. I got a macbook made in week 30. I was happy wit the computer but there was something about the screen that I did not like, I did not know what it was, my thought at the time was this screen is not as good as they say. After four days I thought man, my eyes are really tired (I spend an average of nine hours per day using the computer), I lay back in the chair, resting and I realise the screen is flickering!! I then start to move around and look at the screen from different angles to find out what is going on, and I find a good angle.
Explanation of how to spot the problem:
You position yourself in front of the computer. The screen should be tilted backwards to favour the angle of vision. You should lower your head until your chin is nearly aligned vertically with the keyboard, it does not have to actually be on the keyboard; i.e. you are sitting in the computer chair and you slouch a bit and lower your head. Therefore you will be looking at the screen in an upwards direction and you will see horizontal lines vertically scrolling from the top to the bottom of the screen, like if it were the refresh rate of a TV set from 50 years ago.
This translates itself in a constant flicker whilst working with the computer, which has the same consequences like a CRT monitor, possible headaches, tired eyes, etc.
Most people know that TFT monitors do not refresh the image like CRT monitors, as behind each pixel there is a transistor that is switched on or off, but the image is not scanned like with CRT monitors. Therefore it is impossible that the screen does this, it must be a problem that causes that same sensation.
I spoke with a friend that has a macbook from week 26. We put his macbook and mine side by side. Mine had those scanlines and his did not, the image was still. We then compared it with another macbook from another friend, also from week 26, and it also did not have those scanlines.
I thought it must be a problem with that particular computer, so I would return it and get another one in its place.
After some bad faces in the shop and them affirming that the computer was working fine, I managed to convince them to exchange it for another one, another macbook with a broken battery which according to them was like that because they had changed it, etc, etc (1000 excuses), but always saying it was brand new. When I got home and switched the new macbook on a message appears saying Jorges network who on earth is Jorge? Wasnt this computer brand new? I dont think so!
Either way, I thought if the computer works Ill keep it, but the scanlines also appeared. This brand new computer was from week 29 and the one I had previously returned was from week 30.
After arguing with the salesman and being treated like a client should not be treated in a shop with such a reputation in my country, I said I did not want a replacement computer, but I wanted the money back so I got it.
I went to another shop. Here they treated me much better and very kindly the salesman promised to give me my money back if the computer had the same problem with the scanlines. Very well, they had a white macbook in store, also from week 29. I took it home and surprise!! It had the same problem. I returned it the next day and until Apple dont solve this problem I am not going to buy another macbook, even though I need it for my work.
Conclusion: in my opinion, this is a manufacturing problem that Apple has (well the Asustek factory), that I am pretty sure is present in all macbooks from weeks 29 and 30, and most likely is also present in all macbooks made after that to date.
I have been searching on the Internet and nobody has commented on this issue, until yesterday when I found another person that has reported it in a different forum.
Therefore, I ask everyone that has experienced this problem to report it, because if apple does not know about it, it is not going to solve the problem. With the problem of the plastic they took 10 weeks (from week 17 to 27) imagine 10 weeks with laptops with bad screens, with which you cant work because you go blind.
Thank you very much to those who read this message.
I am writing here in this forum because I think this is an important and severe issue, which should be known by apples clients. I ask those people that have the same problem to speak, because only this way will apple do something to solve it, in the same way than what happened with the discolored plastic.
Very well then, lets start:
A week ago I bought a white macbook with the condition of it not being previous to week 27, to avoid the problem with the plastic. I got a macbook made in week 30. I was happy wit the computer but there was something about the screen that I did not like, I did not know what it was, my thought at the time was this screen is not as good as they say. After four days I thought man, my eyes are really tired (I spend an average of nine hours per day using the computer), I lay back in the chair, resting and I realise the screen is flickering!! I then start to move around and look at the screen from different angles to find out what is going on, and I find a good angle.
Explanation of how to spot the problem:
You position yourself in front of the computer. The screen should be tilted backwards to favour the angle of vision. You should lower your head until your chin is nearly aligned vertically with the keyboard, it does not have to actually be on the keyboard; i.e. you are sitting in the computer chair and you slouch a bit and lower your head. Therefore you will be looking at the screen in an upwards direction and you will see horizontal lines vertically scrolling from the top to the bottom of the screen, like if it were the refresh rate of a TV set from 50 years ago.
This translates itself in a constant flicker whilst working with the computer, which has the same consequences like a CRT monitor, possible headaches, tired eyes, etc.
Most people know that TFT monitors do not refresh the image like CRT monitors, as behind each pixel there is a transistor that is switched on or off, but the image is not scanned like with CRT monitors. Therefore it is impossible that the screen does this, it must be a problem that causes that same sensation.
I spoke with a friend that has a macbook from week 26. We put his macbook and mine side by side. Mine had those scanlines and his did not, the image was still. We then compared it with another macbook from another friend, also from week 26, and it also did not have those scanlines.
I thought it must be a problem with that particular computer, so I would return it and get another one in its place.
After some bad faces in the shop and them affirming that the computer was working fine, I managed to convince them to exchange it for another one, another macbook with a broken battery which according to them was like that because they had changed it, etc, etc (1000 excuses), but always saying it was brand new. When I got home and switched the new macbook on a message appears saying Jorges network who on earth is Jorge? Wasnt this computer brand new? I dont think so!
Either way, I thought if the computer works Ill keep it, but the scanlines also appeared. This brand new computer was from week 29 and the one I had previously returned was from week 30.
After arguing with the salesman and being treated like a client should not be treated in a shop with such a reputation in my country, I said I did not want a replacement computer, but I wanted the money back so I got it.
I went to another shop. Here they treated me much better and very kindly the salesman promised to give me my money back if the computer had the same problem with the scanlines. Very well, they had a white macbook in store, also from week 29. I took it home and surprise!! It had the same problem. I returned it the next day and until Apple dont solve this problem I am not going to buy another macbook, even though I need it for my work.
Conclusion: in my opinion, this is a manufacturing problem that Apple has (well the Asustek factory), that I am pretty sure is present in all macbooks from weeks 29 and 30, and most likely is also present in all macbooks made after that to date.
I have been searching on the Internet and nobody has commented on this issue, until yesterday when I found another person that has reported it in a different forum.
Therefore, I ask everyone that has experienced this problem to report it, because if apple does not know about it, it is not going to solve the problem. With the problem of the plastic they took 10 weeks (from week 17 to 27) imagine 10 weeks with laptops with bad screens, with which you cant work because you go blind.
Thank you very much to those who read this message.
