Gizmodo reports that,
Whether true or not, i think i'd rather an LED display, if only for durability and lifespan.
Whether true or not, i think i'd rather an LED display, if only for durability and lifespan.
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MBP LED and CCFL screens are not discernibly different
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I think that's accurate -- its biggest benefits are no mercury and better power consumption. But, after they came out, comments came out from people convinced they were substantially brighter, also. Probably the usual sort of "Safari is teh snappier" placebo effect.
That was probably part of the reason, Green Peace was getting a tad annoying when Apple doesn't actually contribute that much compared to Dell etc... but I'm sure in the long term this move to greener technology will pay off in performance and price too...
This was already posted a couple of days ago as an article from engadget I think.
Maybe it was from gizmondo.. anyway.. already posted, now if I could only find it!
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/310715/
No, that's not it. Maybe I dreamed it... I can't find it.
Maybe it was from gizmondo.. anyway.. already posted, now if I could only find it!
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/310715/
No, that's not it. Maybe I dreamed it... I can't find it.
Rather than 'just' brighter, I thought the main selling point of LED vs. CCFL was more even backlighting and less power consumption? And ofcourse the eco friendliness as pointed out already....
If they want to get all scientific about it, I'd rather they measure the colour gamut of both technologies. This is of much more interest to professionals imo.
Bit of a strange statement from Gizmondo...
If they want to get all scientific about it, I'd rather they measure the colour gamut of both technologies. This is of much more interest to professionals imo.
Bit of a strange statement from Gizmondo...
It's absolutely ridiculous to say that there is no difference between the displays. Theoretically, they are both the same brightness, but the old ones were never really 300 - look at the objective tests done here: notebookcheck.com. At its brightest point the display was 230 cd/m2 while at its darkest point it was 184 cd/m2.
The current LED displays are evenly illuminated throughout. I suspect that they are also slightly below specifications, but it will be even throughout or more or less even. That means that they will appear brighter and much more consistent. That has been my experience and I'm sure tests will confirm that.
Also, there is much more to displays than brightness. The new displays are significantly better quality IMO. They don't have the grainy, sparkling characteristic that the old ones had, the have whiter whites and blacker blacks (better contrast), slightly better viewing angles both horizonally and vertically (I haven't measured, but when in use I havent' noticed as many non-optimal angles as the previous ones). This display is the best laptop display I've used or seen. It's wonderful.
Color gamut is apparently the same, but at least photos on this display will look the same everywhere because of the even illumination.
The current LED displays are evenly illuminated throughout. I suspect that they are also slightly below specifications, but it will be even throughout or more or less even. That means that they will appear brighter and much more consistent. That has been my experience and I'm sure tests will confirm that.
Also, there is much more to displays than brightness. The new displays are significantly better quality IMO. They don't have the grainy, sparkling characteristic that the old ones had, the have whiter whites and blacker blacks (better contrast), slightly better viewing angles both horizonally and vertically (I haven't measured, but when in use I havent' noticed as many non-optimal angles as the previous ones). This display is the best laptop display I've used or seen. It's wonderful.
Color gamut is apparently the same, but at least photos on this display will look the same everywhere because of the even illumination.
I'm Waiting For A Green LED 1920 x 1200 17" Option With Leopard
Right. and it's for this reason I'm waiting once more for the 17" 1920 x 1200 option to be LED as well with Leopard on board. I want to vote for longer battery life and greener tech by waiting once more. Can't be too much longer beyond October can it? What's the status of the manufacturing ramp up to bigger higher resolution LED screens?
For some reason the link won't work for me, but the fact is that unless the original article is talking only about maximum brightness of the screens, I would strongly beg to differ with the claim that there is no discernible difference at all between the screens.
I've been staring at an extremely grainy, sparkly 15" MBP screen with the most ridiculously pathetic viewing angle ever in the history of LCD displays, for about 8 months now. I went to the Apple Store last night to see the 15" LED screens.
There is an EXTREME difference between these two screens. With the new LED models, the display is finally worthy of the machine's price. The new display looks like a pro-spec laptop's display should have looked all along---except, of course, that I'm pretty sure it's still 6-bit and will therefore exhibit noticeable color banding in gradients. Still, a huge improvement over the last generation.
I've been staring at an extremely grainy, sparkly 15" MBP screen with the most ridiculously pathetic viewing angle ever in the history of LCD displays, for about 8 months now. I went to the Apple Store last night to see the 15" LED screens.
There is an EXTREME difference between these two screens. With the new LED models, the display is finally worthy of the machine's price. The new display looks like a pro-spec laptop's display should have looked all along---except, of course, that I'm pretty sure it's still 6-bit and will therefore exhibit noticeable color banding in gradients. Still, a huge improvement over the last generation.
Reason enough to welcome the new screens.
OMG! You don't say! .... not like anyone else doesn't do that...
Perhaps the main reason Apple is not talking that much about LED LCDs yet is the fact that its 17" MBP doesn't have them? In fact, Apple seems to be going out of its way to emphasize that there is no difference. And of course they have to do that, or else they would be saying that the 17" isn't as good. I can't imagine anybody looking at the old MBP and the new MBP side-by-side would come to any other conclusion than the LED-lit one being quite significantly superior.
Exactly what I was thinking! "The two are identical when you leave one warm up for 30 minutes beforehand"...
I have to agree that it's wonderful to wake the MBP and instantly have full brightness - it never used to bother me with old LCDs that it took time, but now I wouldn't want to go back.
And, like you all, I really like the fact that it's a greener display. That's more of a reason than any to use these kinds of displays.
And, like you all, I really like the fact that it's a greener display. That's more of a reason than any to use these kinds of displays.
I think you have a good point on the 17". I was sorely disappointed to see that the 17 didn't have LED lighting, even though I knew it wasn't likely on the first go. I just kept hoping the rumor mills had missed an order by Apple for the larger panels.
If they were to emphasize the LED backlight as the primary new feature (which it is), two things would probably happen: (1) New Mac buyers and switchers would inevitably not read carefully enough and would mistakenly think the 17" model they just bought was supposed to have LED lighting as well. --- (2) Just what you said: they would be acknowledging a devaluation of the 17" model with no corresponding price decrease; their "flagship" model.
Oh well, I'm still going with a new 17" (hi-res) because I really prefer working on the larger screen. CCFL is a disappointment, though.
I actually posted a comment in that gizmodo thing; really, the argument was really stupid in my opinion.
The silliest part is where they said you have to wait half an hour for the old LCD to get to full brightness, and also make sure you use a new one because it wouldn't be fair with a 6 month old screen.
The latter part is what is so ridiculous; one of the touted benefits of LED backlighting is that it doesn't fade out over time; so to say there's no difference is ridiculous.
If the screen does get noticeably worse in even 6 months, that is a pretty major difference, since that is going to affect everyone eventually.
And there clearly is a difference with older screens. Looking at the old MBP's on the floor at the Apple Store next to the new one, it was startling how much darker the old screen was at full brightness. It clearly does show that they do get darker over time.
I am much more concerned with how both types of screens would look 6 months down the road than just what they both look like brand new.
Aside from that though, the other big benefit isn't more brightness, but evenbacklighting. Uneven backlighting was my biggest problem with the old MBP, and that alone is reason for me to like the new one.
The silliest part is where they said you have to wait half an hour for the old LCD to get to full brightness, and also make sure you use a new one because it wouldn't be fair with a 6 month old screen.
The latter part is what is so ridiculous; one of the touted benefits of LED backlighting is that it doesn't fade out over time; so to say there's no difference is ridiculous.
If the screen does get noticeably worse in even 6 months, that is a pretty major difference, since that is going to affect everyone eventually.
And there clearly is a difference with older screens. Looking at the old MBP's on the floor at the Apple Store next to the new one, it was startling how much darker the old screen was at full brightness. It clearly does show that they do get darker over time.
I am much more concerned with how both types of screens would look 6 months down the road than just what they both look like brand new.
Aside from that though, the other big benefit isn't more brightness, but evenbacklighting. Uneven backlighting was my biggest problem with the old MBP, and that alone is reason for me to like the new one.
Am I the only one that's never noticed this on CCFL screens before? Though I'm only using desktop monitors/TVs, so maybe laptops are worse?
I've never seen that either, but again, only used desktop screens, not laptops.
At any rate, if this is better than the old backlighting, it's a good thing!
when i compared the 13.3 " MB screen to the MBP 15" LED screen i didn't see a significant difference in brightness to my eyes. i however had the feeling that the 15" LED looked "crisper" or "sharper" with better contrast (both glossy IIRC).
but that was the only subjective difference i saw. nothing that would make me prefer one computer over the other. the screen quality was too similar to base a purchase on this alone.
for people working more professional with a better eye for color and contrast this may be different of course.
but that was the only subjective difference i saw. nothing that would make me prefer one computer over the other. the screen quality was too similar to base a purchase on this alone.
for people working more professional with a better eye for color and contrast this may be different of course.
Do you kind folks believe it probable that when Apple does indeed upgrade the 17" displays, they will upgrade the rest of the machine as well (possibly even the redesign of the case), or just minor upgrades to the harddrive, etc. ?? ........i hope they do this at least by the same time as leapard..
I was in an apple store today and they had an old MBP and a new MBP side by side and the LED MBP screen was noticeably brighter, especially when viewed at an angle.
If the iMac gets a silverish makeover as speculated I think the MBP and MP designs are here to stay for a long time. At least I hope so... I'll be picking up a new MBP next week and if they redesign it within a year I'll be furious.
I think its possible the LED screens could have been even brighter [I looked at the 15" LED and 17" screen side by side yesterday, it is a noticeable difference and major improvment over the old 15"] but Apple did not want to "show up" its flagship model. This also accounts for their DL attitude towards the LED.
Keep in mind though that many of the machines there have been on for months and their backlighting had diminished. But that's what's supposedly great about these - in six months they will look the same!
Comparison
I have a Premium reseller in Milan (Italy) and the other day we got the demo units and the first supply of MBP. The first thing I did it was to put an old and a new one just close. We checked a lot of HD trailers looking even frame by frame.
I was with two of my customers, a professional photografer and a video producer of nature documentaries.
The difference was cleary OUTSTANDING.
PS The old model was new, from the box
I have a Premium reseller in Milan (Italy) and the other day we got the demo units and the first supply of MBP. The first thing I did it was to put an old and a new one just close. We checked a lot of HD trailers looking even frame by frame.
I was with two of my customers, a professional photografer and a video producer of nature documentaries.
The difference was cleary OUTSTANDING.
PS The old model was new, from the box
For what it's worth, I think the 13.3" MacBook screens were always superior to the old MBP screens. They always seemed brighter to me and to not have quite so much of a problem with uneven backlighting.
The difference though between the old 15.4" screens and the new ones, especially after some aging, is much more stark. The biggest problem I always saw on the old displays was uneven lighting though, with the right side being darker than the left, and the new ones don't exhibit this problem.