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NdTonks

macrumors regular
Oct 25, 2021
107
156
"Ghostgate" haha let the stupid begin
Is it stupid? From the videos I’ve seen it’s a pretty dramatic effect to live with for 3-5-7 years for some adopters. Wonder if software fix with the pro motion could reduce it a bit
 

drvelocity

macrumors regular
Oct 20, 2008
119
89
Do you have ipad pro or another device with pro motion or it is your first device with this feature. Something it seems percepetion of 120 hz is very subjective.
I have the iPhone 13 Pro with promotion and then over the years I’ve had a lot of 144 Hz and 160 Hz PC monitors. The iPhone screen as smooth as butter compared to the mini LED display. It’s been a while since I’ve used an iPad Pro so I can’t comment on whether or not this is any worse than that. But yes objectively speaking this display does not feel anywhere close to 120 Hz just scrolling up and down a webpage for example.
 

jmho

macrumors 6502a
Jun 11, 2021
502
996
I have all of Apple's Pro Motion devices (Phone 13 Pro, iPad Pro and the new MacBook) and a Pro Display XDR. I've also used a gaming PC with a 144hz screen.

I was worried this screen was going to make the Pro Display XDR feel laggy, but it's almost impossible to tell the difference. It definitely doesn't have the same snappy feeling as the iPad Pro, and it's nowhere near as responsive as a PC gaming screen either.

That said, I just watched a HDR film side by side with the new MacBook Pro screen vs the Pro Display XDR and the new MacBook screen blows the Pro Display XDR away to the point where I'm almost considering selling the XDR. :V
 

bobcomer

macrumors 601
May 18, 2015
4,949
3,699
That looks like the pixel persistence is REALLY high. I wonder why'd they do that except for maybe it allows the Pro Motion to clock the screen down WAY low and not have the text fade away in between writes.

I remember having to shop for a high persistence monitor when I used an Amiga a long time ago. (Dual sync was really expensive at the time and mono high persistence monitors were cheap.)
 

drvelocity

macrumors regular
Oct 20, 2008
119
89
That looks like the pixel persistence is REALLY high. I wonder why'd they do that except for maybe it allows the Pro Motion to clock the screen down WAY low and not have the text fade away in between writes.

I remember having to shop for a high persistence monitor when I used an Amiga a long time ago. (Dual sync was really expensive at the time and mono high persistence monitors were cheap.)
I think in that case they could just write to the pixel multiple times every 12 ms until the pixel changes no?
 

bobcomer

macrumors 601
May 18, 2015
4,949
3,699
I think in that case they could just write to the pixel multiple times every 12 ms until the pixel changes no?
Not if the display is clocked REALLY low. But high persistent pixels would also complicate things when it's clocked high, so I'm not saying I know anything for sure! It just looks like what I'd expect if pixel persistence was high and screen refresh slow.

Anywho, I bet it's a bug this time and for some reason it's clocking the display really low when you're using a terminal session.

I didn't order one, so I can't play with it, but is there a way to turn pro motion off? If so, someone should try it and then display text like that again. If it's a bug, I'd expect it to look normal, if it looks the same, I'd want to see the full specs of the screen!
 
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drvelocity

macrumors regular
Oct 20, 2008
119
89
Not if the display is clocked REALLY low. But high persistent pixels would also complicate things when it's clocked high, so I'm not saying I know anything for sure! It just looks like what I'd expect if pixel persistence was high and screen refresh slow.

Anywho, I bet it's a bug this time and for some reason it's clocking the display really low when you're using a terminal session.

I didn't order one, so I can't play with it, but is there a way to turn pro motion off? If so, someone should try it and then display text like that again. If it's a bug, I'd expect it to look normal, if it looks the same, I'd want to see the full specs of the screen!
I mean if you have a low persistence display and a high refresh rate, you won’t really ever have a problem simulating a high persistence display by simply writing to the pixel repeatedly with super low refresh rates. So in regards to your previous post, there would be no reason for Apple to ever purposely put a high persistence display in a machine in order to accommodate low refresh rates.
 

bobcomer

macrumors 601
May 18, 2015
4,949
3,699
I mean if you have a low persistence display and a high refresh rate, you won’t really ever have a problem simulating a high persistence display by simply writing to the pixel repeatedly with super low refresh rates. So in regards to your previous post, there would be no reason for Apple to ever purposely put a high persistence display in a machine in order to accommodate low refresh rates.
What you say doesn't work with the display clocked low (refresh), which is part of how you get an always on display on an iPhone without using massive amounts of battery life. It works if you clock the display high all the time though!
 
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Wando64

macrumors 68020
Jul 11, 2013
2,338
3,109
All of the videos where the ghosting looks really bad are taken in Slow-mo.
Try with whatever laptop you have now. When you video it in slow-mo you WILL get some ghosting, yet you hardly notice it when you look with your own eyes.
 

bobcomer

macrumors 601
May 18, 2015
4,949
3,699
All of the videos where the ghosting looks really bad are taken in Slow-mo.
Try with whatever laptop you have now. When you video it in slow-mo you WILL get some ghosting, yet you hardly notice it when you look with your own eyes.
I didn't notice the videos were slowmo, and agree, that's just asking for ghosting!
 

jonnysods

macrumors G3
Sep 20, 2006
8,624
7,183
There & Back Again
Can it also be more noticeable because its a video recording of a Mac screen? Would that throw off frame rates so that you notice it in a recording, vs seeing it happening in person?

Not defending, just wondering.
 
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You’re not me

macrumors regular
Sep 23, 2021
154
189
Just a thought, what frame rate are the cameras used to record this? I would guess that they are 30 frames or at most 60 frames per second.
 

JoCouton

macrumors newbie
Oct 26, 2021
4
1
It would be great if someone could make a comparison with the 2019 16 inch. The ghosting on that display bothered me a lot, and was one of the reasons I didn't keep it. I was hoping these new models would be better...
 
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Hallonskalle

macrumors member
Mar 1, 2020
61
27
It would be great if someone could make a comparison with the 2019 16 inch. The ghosting on that display bothered me a lot, and was one of the reasons I didn't keep it. I was hoping these new models would be better...
Im doing it tomorrow when I get the new one.
 

jmho

macrumors 6502a
Jun 11, 2021
502
996
Slightly unscientific testing of recording slow motion video from my iPhone:


This is the 2021 iPad Pro 11", it's the most responsive and smoothest feeling of all.

iPad Pro 11.png

This is the 2020 M1 MacBook Air. The ghosting is quite pronounced, but it's 60hz so it doesn't feel that bad.

M1 Air.png

This is the 2021 16" MacBook Pro. Uh, it's quite bad....

MBP16.png

That said, I still think it's a very nice screen, and it doesn't bother me a huge amount or look anywhere as bad as this when you're looking at it at real speed and not slowed down to 240 fps, but it's definitely disappointing compared to the iPad Pro.
 

lordhamster

macrumors 68000
Jan 23, 2008
1,680
1,702
Can't say I've ever noticed ghosting on my 2019 and probably never will on the new machine...especially since I use these laptops in clamshell mode mostly hooked up to the mother of all monitors.
 

Hallonskalle

macrumors member
Mar 1, 2020
61
27
Slightly unscientific testing of recording slow motion video from my iPhone:


This is the 2021 iPad Pro 11", it's the most responsive and smoothest feeling of all.

View attachment 1879689

This is the 2020 M1 MacBook Air. The ghosting is quite pronounced, but it's 60hz so it doesn't feel that bad.

View attachment 1879688

This is the 2021 16" MacBook Pro. Uh, it's quite bad....

View attachment 1879690

That said, I still think it's a very nice screen, and it doesn't bother me a huge amount or look anywhere as bad as this when you're looking at it at real speed and not slowed down to 240 fps, but it's definitely disappointing compared to the iPad Pro.
Some people stated that ProMotion does not work in safari but works in appstore etc. Can u try the same thing there or some other place?
 

Delarock

macrumors regular
Original poster
Dec 25, 2016
183
89
If working or not working its slower than 60 hz macbook air, that is weird. Tomorrow i will go check it into the store.
 

jmho

macrumors 6502a
Jun 11, 2021
502
996
Here's the UFO test running at 118hz in Firefox* on the 16". (for some reason it couldn't hit a stable 120hz)

Screenshot 2021-10-26 at 22.40.54.png

*Safari doesn't run the UFO test at more than 60, but I still think Safari scrolling is 120.
 
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Newfiejudd

macrumors regular
Jul 8, 2010
222
29

You can watch this video and maybe it's the camera recording, but the pixel refresh looks really slow.
 

Prabas

macrumors 65816
Sep 14, 2010
1,149
1,282
Europe
Do you have ipad pro or another device with pro motion or it is your first device with this feature. Something it seems percepetion of 120 hz is very subjective.
I have iPad Pro 11 and 13 Pro, iPad's screen is trash compared to iPhone's. iPads and Macs have like 28-50ms response times when it should be at least less than 10ms. 13 Pro on the other hand is perfect.

I don't have this MBP but after watching AnandTech's video it immediately felt like iPad Pro's screen. They're slow. I would've returned it if I had bought a Mac with such a slow screen.
 
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