The most recent additions to Apple’s laptop line, the unibody Macbook and Macbook Pro are receiving complaints regarding issues with their graphics and displays.
“Black Screen of Death”
Apple’s Support forums have reports of Macbook Pros that get a black screen after just a few minutes of gaming, while the audio continues to work. The only reported solution to this so far is to do a “hard reset” by pressing on the power button until the laptop is turned off. Some users are said to have success correcting this by using programs such as smcFanControl. SmcFanControl allows the user to set the minimum fan speed which can help the laptop cool itself adequately.
Apple has not identified the source of the problem yet, whether it be the cooling of the new NVIDIA chips, or if it is a software problem.
Wavelike Screen Distortion
Also, both the new unibody Macbooks and Macbook Pros are recieving complaints about screen distortion when scrolling through webpages in OS X or watching HD movies. Most users describe it as a screen tearing or seeing blinking text. In Apple’s Support forum, there are also speculations about whether different types of screens used on the MBPs could possibly be the cause as was brought up by Daniel Seiden:
Experiencing exactly the same issues as described here. Very strange effect, like a wave distorting the text during scrolling – either to do with screen refresh rates or graphics processor drawing. Pretty poor for a premium model from a premium brand like Apple.
My screen, I discovered from one of the other threads, is a Chi Mei. The new Pros either have a screen manufactured by Chi Mei (a low brow Chinese brand) or LG/Samsung. I discovered that my panel part is 9C85 using Coloursync Utility to find out. The LG/Samsung panel is 9C84. People have commented that the 9C85 is yellower and is not as color vibrant as the 9C84. However, both are much better than the new Macbook panels, which a number of people, myself included, have returned for the Pros. Now I find that there are issues with the Pro screens too.
It is a lottery as to which screen you get in your model. You could like the one in store, only to purchase the computer and find out that it is not what you remember. Even though Apple probably requires that they all be made to certain spec, you can easily imagine that using different parts suppliers is going to end up with a similar, but essentially different product for one half of users. Let’s face it – we buy TVs from one manufacturer over another because of the quality of the LCD panel. Here, what we think we are buying, may not necessarily be the case. Give me a Japanese manufactured panel any day. Then, a Korean one. The last thing I would want is a bloody Chinese-made panel. That’s what I’ve got.
Imagine if Apple substituted CPUs? Why should the panels be any different? There are some components that you just can’t compromise on – the screen is absolutely one of those. I tell you, if there was an alternative, I’d be out, after my recent experiences with these new Macbooks and Pros.
I wonder if the scrolling issue comes down to the brand of panel used in particular users MBPs?
Hopefully Apple will solve these issues before the masses come to purchase Macbooks and Macbook Pros for the holidays.
