What is this on my 2015 5k iMac... a dead pixel? What are my options?

[Tymbo]

2015 nearly maxed out 5k iMac.

It almost looks too big to be a dead pixel (I included cursor and folder size for scale). You'll see a little blur coming out of the corner of the "dead pixel". Yes, it's actually a blur exactly as you see it. It's definitely behind the glass and there is not a speck of dust on the front of the glass.

2 photos, same spot...

What's the diagnosis? What are my options? What's my best option? I do have AppleCare, of course. Advice greatly appreciated!

 

[nambuccaheadsau]

Doesn't look like it. Does it only appear on that folder? Try a plain screen image, say blue, and see if it turns up there.

 

[Tymbo]

Doesn't look like it. Does it only appear on that folder? Try a plain screen image, say blue, and see if it turns up there.

The folder was placed there as a a scale of reference to the size of the "clump" of dead pixels. It appears no matter what color is the background, and it's always black. Even on a black screen, it is black.

I spoke with Apple online and shared the screenshots. The advisor said to bring it in for repair. I asked what he thinks it is and he said it could be an "LCD leak". I should expect 7-10 days for repair, but I'm going to wait until Thanksgiving, when I go out of town for a week. If it spreads/gets larger, I intend to take immediate action.

I am now debating whether I should take in to the Apple store for a repair, or a "highly reputable" Apple-authorized repair place. If anyone has experience with this dilemma, please share your thoughts. Thanks!

 

[chrfr]

The folder was placed there as a a scale of reference to the size of the "clump" of dead pixels. It appears no matter what color is the background, and it's always black. Even on a black screen, it is black.

I spoke with Apple online and shared the screenshots. The advisor said to bring it in for repair. I asked what he thinks it is and he said it could be an "LCD leak". I should expect 7-10 days for repair, but I'm going to wait until Thanksgiving, when I go out of town for a week. If it spreads/gets larger, I intend to take immediate action.

I am now debating whether I should take in to the Apple store for a repair, or a "highly reputable" Apple-authorized repair place. If anyone has experience with this dilemma, please share your thoughts. Thanks!

It looks to me like there's some foreign object that got between the LCD and its backlight.

 

[MultiFinder17]

Honestly, having worked on computers professionally for a couple years, it looks like a dead bug between the LCD and one of the backing layers. Best to get it looked at if it’s bothering you, but it may be quite a pretty penny to fix.

 

[SaSaSushi]

Best to get it looked at if it’s bothering you, but it may be quite a pretty penny to fix.

Apple has only one fix for such issues and it's total LCD panel replacement. Yes, it would be extremely expensive out of warranty.

However, the OP already mentioned that they have AppleCare and this is just another fine example of why it is always a good idea on an iMac.

 

[Apple_Robert]

The folder was placed there as a a scale of reference to the size of the "clump" of dead pixels. It appears no matter what color is the background, and it's always black. Even on a black screen, it is black.

I spoke with Apple online and shared the screenshots. The advisor said to bring it in for repair. I asked what he thinks it is and he said it could be an "LCD leak". I should expect 7-10 days for repair, but I'm going to wait until Thanksgiving, when I go out of town for a week. If it spreads/gets larger, I intend to take immediate action.

I am now debating whether I should take in to the Apple store for a repair, or a "highly reputable" Apple-authorized repair place. If anyone has experience with this dilemma, please share your thoughts. Thanks!

Take it directly to Apple. Do not pass "Go" and do not take to a dealer, even if they are authorized.

 

[RUQRU]

If you have AppleCare then they will replace the screen for free. If not, it will cost over $500.00 USD.

Just had a screen on a 2013 21" iMac replaced under AppleCare so I could sell it. The bill would have been around $400.

 

[Fishrrman]

Unless you have AppleCare, it's going to be an expensive fix (as others have mentioned above).

Are you willing to pay $400-500 to be rid of it?
Or... could you just live with it?

If it was me, it's small enough so that I could probably learn to ignore it...

 

[Tymbo]

Thank you all for your wisdom. I do indeed have AppleCare and plan to take it in prior to leaving town for Thanksgiving! If anyone desires a curiosity update post-then, let me know.

 

[Fishrrman]

"I do indeed have AppleCare and plan to take it in prior to leaving town for Thanksgiving!"

I wouldn't wait.
I'd do it as soon as possible.

 

[Tymbo]

So I’m taking it in tomorrow. It hasn’t gotten worse nor improved. It’s exactly the same. I was wondering if anyone familiar with AppleCare knows if they will try to get me to cough up money for a screen replacement, or if I’d be fully covered via warranty? Any tips on how to avoid such a payment? Should I perhaps hold off until the final month of AppleCare coverage (October 2018) to pay ? Waiting til the end keeps me eligible and prolongs my ‘new’ screen by nearly another year, in a way. Gaming the system, I guess one could say. Anyways, curious to hear out any thoughts/suggestions. Thanks in advance!

 

[SaSaSushi]

So I’m taking it in tomorrow. It hasn’t gotten worse nor improved. It’s exactly the same. I was wondering if anyone familiar with AppleCare knows if they will try to get me to cough up money for a screen replacement, or if I’d be fully covered via warranty? Any tips on how to avoid such a payment? Should I perhaps hold off until the final month of AppleCare coverage (October 2018) to pay ? Waiting til the end keeps me eligible and prolongs my ‘new’ screen by nearly another year, in a way. Gaming the system, I guess one could say. Anyways, curious to hear out any thoughts/suggestions. Thanks in advance!

I don't think you'd gain anything in particular by waiting to get it replaced. If they replace it now and it somehow fails again before the end of coverage, they would replace it again.

Then again, if it's not bothering you then there's probably no rush.

If the machine is covered under AppleCare, they should replace the panel for you free of charge.

 

[xabispacebiker]

2015 nearly maxed out 5k iMac.

It almost looks too big to be a dead pixel (I included cursor and folder size for scale). You'll see a little blur coming out of the corner of the "dead pixel". Yes, it's actually a blur exactly as you see it. It's definitely behind the glass and there is not a speck of dust on the front of the glass.

2 photos, same spot...

What's the diagnosis? What are my options? What's my best option? I do have AppleCare, of course. Advice greatly appreciated!

That really looks pretty close to the glitch I have on my iMac 27 5K Retina too.. Did you finally solve it ?

 

[chrfr]

That really looks pretty close to the glitch I have on my iMac 27 5K Retina too.. Did you finally solve it ?

View attachment 765355

That looks like an insect; they can get inside computer displays.

 

[SaSaSushi]

That looks like an insect; they can get inside computer displays.

I concur. I just got my 2017 iMac back from Apple (AppleCare) a few hours ago with a brand new LCD panel because an insect had gotten underneath it somehow.

Here is a closeup shot of the panel that was replaced. The bug was about 2-3mm in length.

 

[Tymbo]

That really looks pretty close to the glitch I have on my iMac 27 5K Retina too.. Did you finally solve it ?

View attachment 765355

Sorry for the late response, but yep -- I took it to the Apple Store, put it on the table, and let the Genius look at it. She diagnosed it in less than 10 seconds. Thanks to AppleCare, my entire display was replaced in 2-3 days time at no cost to me.