The Official "Should I Return My SR MBP Because of the Yellowish Screen" Thread..

[subl1me]

Okay, so I just bought a new SR MBP (15.4", 1.5, 2GB + free ipod nano) from the Apple Store yesterday. It's very nice.. I like it..no I LOVE it actually. I don't have the yellow bottom 1/3 screen issue, but I do notice the yellowing from the side angles.

Now I don't terribly mind the yellowing from the side angles, because sitting right in front of it, straight on (like one is supposed to), I don't see the yellowing. It looks fine.

So here's my question...

I've been scanning these threads, and I couldn't determine for sure, if there were people out there with the new SR MBPs that don't have any yellowing at all. So when I say "don't have any yellowing at all", I mean, no yellowing from the sides, from the front, from the top, bottom..whatever. I've read some people have perfect SR MBPs, but wasn't really sure if they still had the yellowishness from the side angle..

Okay, so actually now here comes my question:

Does anybody out there have a SR MBP that has no yellowing at all? Not even from the side angles.

Yeah, so that's my question.

If there does exist SR MBPs with absolutely no yellowing at all, I might just go return this thing, get a new one, and satisfy my obsessively compuslve perfectionist personality.

Thanks.

 

[Heb1228]

If there does exist SR MBPs with absolutely no yellowing at all, I might just go return this thing, get a new one, and satisfy my obsessively compuslve perfectionist personality.

I can't answer the question, but I don't think it would be obsessive or perfectionistic to return the machine if you might get one that doesn't have the issue. I know I would.

 

[PDE]

I feel pretty confident when I say that these displays all have a yellowish hue when a) using the default ColorLCD and b) viewed from the sides. I think that overall tint can be almost completely eliminated with calibration, but the yellow that is a result of viewing angles is just the nature of these displays.

I think the only people who should return are those who have the lower section yellow tint after they have calibrated.

 

[Alloye]

A few points to consider based on everything I've read on MacRumors and Apple Discussions (plus a little bit of personal experience):

• There is little rhyme or reason to the display issues being reported. Similar defects have been noted in both the matte and glossy versions of the 9C67 LG and 9C68 Samsung panels. Returning one for the sake of trying to get the other does not guarantee anything.
  
  
• Yellowing seems more common with the 9C68 Samsung. Flickering at reduced brightness levels seems more common with the 9C67 LG. Again, these are trends rather than absolutes.
  
  
• The 9C68 Samsung panel with the default "Color LCD" profile has a yellow cast over the entire screen. This is not the same as yellowing only at the bottom. The former is easily correctable with calibration. The latter is not.
  
  
• All LCDs will exhibit a color shift and/or a loss of contrast/brightness when viewed at a severe enough angle. The TN panels used in laptops are notorious for this behavior because they have far narrower viewing angles than the PVA and IPS panels used by most desktop displays. For example, my MBP is quite yellow when viewed from the sides. A few Dells we have around the office are quite magenta under the same conditions. My 23" ACD is very good at maintaing color but definitely loses contrast when viewed off-center.
  
  
• All 6-bit laptop panels will "fail" the gradient test. Some may produce better results than others, but none can touch the accuracy of a true 8-bit desktop panel.
  
  
• I have never seen a "perfect" LCD display. I always notice some degree of uneven illumination, color shifting, backlight bleeding, and/or pixel defects regardless of brand. This goes for laptops screens, desktop monitors, and LCD televisions. Some are quite acceptable. Others are not. I think the severity of the problem combined with an individual's visual acuity must determine when the display is actually defective. Posts in an online forum shouldn't influence that decision.
  
  
• SIDE NOTE: This whole issue reminds me of everyone's quest for square geometry, even color, and hyper-accurate convergence with CRT monitors. That utopia never really materialized even though the technology became "good enough" right as it was about to be phased out. LCD tech is suffering from similar pains.

Bottom line: If your MBP display looks good to you after calibration and from a normal viewing angle, there should be no need to return it.

 

[mayoko185]

I had the yellow cast with the default color profile, after I calibrated the yellow cast was gone even at extream viewing angles (still have the color distortion but its better). If I were you I would not risk getting another one and live with the one ya got

 

[Wolfpup]

I feel pretty confident when I say that these displays all have a yellowish hue when a) using the default ColorLCD and b) viewed from the sides. I think that overall tint can be almost completely eliminated with calibration, but the yellow that is a result of viewing angles is just the nature of these displays.

I think the only people who should return are those who have the lower section yellow tint after they have calibrated.

Sounds like it must just be the natural color of the LED lights.

 

[rickster2k]

I get a slight yellow hue on my screen, but i think it's something that can't be totally eliminated and is again down to user preference, I also think its probably a bi-product of the new LED displays.

To be me it's not an issue, I rather have a slight hue than have dead pixels.

 

[Alloye]

Sounds like it must just be the natural color of the LED lights.

Could be. My understanding is that the so-called "white" LEDs used for the backlight are actually blue with a yellow phosphor coating. At least with the Samsung panels, the default ColorSync profile has insufficient blue and too much green. The net result is a rather warm white point. Calibration fixes it right up.

 

[subl1me]

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

Sounds like the yellowishness is inherent when viewing from the sides...which is fine since I like to sit right in front of the screen when I'm working anyways..I dunno about everyone else...

Anyways...I'll just hang onto it and enjoy it...!