iMac Screen Getting Worse

Hi All,

A while ago I posted about how my iMac's (24Inch 2.8GHZ) screen was showing 'shadow' type lines across it.

Well it has since got worse.

You can see an image of my screen here:

http://img527.imageshack.us/img527/8716/macscreenrc8.jpg

Apple have told me they will fix the screen, and to bring it to a local dealer. I also have the apple care protection plan, so I have 3 years hardware support anyway so this is more of an inconvenience than a worry.

The question must be asked though, what the heck is up with iMac screens!! How can there be so many problems with a product, if it has been correctly tested leaving a company?

I am a recent switcher so have no loyalty to Apple anyway, but this kind of thing really doesn't encourage me.

Boy, this sort of thing worries me. I have heard complaints like this repeatedly. I am looking to replace my PowerMac G5 with a new Mac soon and the 24" iMac was the one I had in mind. However, I do a LOT of image editing in Photoshop and I need a good display above all else.

I have been torn between the iMac 24" and the Mac Pro plus a 24" external monitor. Of course the Mac Pro course would be quite a bit more expensive. However, I am starting to wonder if I can trust the 24" iMac. Yesterday, there were threads about difficulty calibrating its display and today, yet another of the "screen artifact" type threads.

Is anyone out there using their 24" iMac for serious photo editing? Are you happy with it?

Graphics is pretty much what I use it for.

I spend about 10 hours a day in CS3, between AI, PS etc etc so the screen is quite important to me as well..

I had also thought about the Pro, but as you said its quite expensive.

Its sad that you are now having to face a decision based upon worries that the product you buy (brand new in my case) will suffer serious problems!

Before I buy, I am waiting for the next revision to the iMac. I am expecting a quad core Penryn update soon. If I am lucky, perhaps the highest end processor will top out at 3.0 GHz. That would be my "dream iMac" - a 3.0 GHz quad core Penryn based 24" iMac.

Since there have been more than a few screen related complaints, perhaps this next iteration may include some design improvements to overcome this once and for all. There is clearly a marginality here. It doesn't effect all iMacs, just some. Perhaps they will fix that. I can always hope...

The price difference between this and a comparably equipped Mac Pro is quite steep. If I look at the current 2.8 GHz quad core Penryn based Mac Pro, equipped with a 750 GB hard drive, 2 GB of RAM and the nVidia 8800 GT, it runs up to about $2800. Then I have to add an external 24" monitor - I have found a nice one for $807.00. The total, with Texas tax included, is about $3850.00. The above iMac, assuming pricing for the high end model stays roughly the same, would be about $2650.00. $1200.00 delta. A non trivial amount of money. Hence the desire for an iMac!

Interesting, where did you hear that there was going to be a new iMac with this level of hardware installed?

The question must be asked though, what the heck is up with iMac screens!! How can there be so many problems with a product, if it has been correctly tested leaving a company?

I am a recent switcher so have no loyalty to Apple anyway, but this kind of thing really doesn't encourage me.

Click to expand...

What problems? I know people have grumbled over the quality of the screens, which was just the LG units Apple had bought. Actual failures, such as you're seeing, having been few and far between.

Alexis said:

What problems? I know people have grumbled over the quality of the screens, which was just the LG units Apple had bought. Actual failures, such as you're seeing, having been few and far between.

Click to expand...

Go onto google, and do a search for "iMac screen problems"

I use an iMac 24" (late 2007) for design and spend all my day between photoshop, illustrator and Cinema 4D, and in my experience (20 years) this is one of the best screens I have ever had. Maybe I'm one of the lucky guys with a good one.

The shiny glass takes some time getting used to, but now, when I have to work in any other machine I miss my iMac's screen.

Just to let you know that maybe the replacement screen will finally work for you.

every product has its problems. I have a 24" 2.8 and it has been flawless. I don't understand what the issue is here? Apple said they would fix it, so let them fix it.

jiarizti said:

I use an iMac 24" (late 2007) for design and spend all my day between photoshop, illustrator and Cinema 4D, and in my experience (20 years) this is one of the best screens I have ever had. Maybe I'm one of the lucky guys with a good one.

The shiny glass takes some time getting used to, but now, when I have to work in any other machine I miss my iMac's screen.

Just to let you know that maybe the replacement screen will finally work for you.

Click to expand...

Hope so

TWM said:

every product has its problems. I have a 24" 2.8 and it has been flawless. I don't understand what the issue is here? Apple said they would fix it, so let them fix it.

Click to expand...

That is what I intend to do.

slinki said:

Go onto google, and do a search for "iMac screen problems"

Click to expand...

I can't believe you don't see the problem with this statement.

theonegod said:

I can't believe you don't see the problem with this statement.

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True but questions about the screen problems are frequent. It's easier to tell the person to go a google search than retype the same answer that was given out last week.

theonegod said:

I can't believe you don't see the problem with this statement.

Click to expand...

Hmmm, that's an interesting post. Thanks for your useful input on the thread theonegod.

bryphotoguy said:

True but questions about the screen problems are frequent. It's easier to tell the person to go a google search than retype the same answer that was given out last week.

Click to expand...

That is true.

hhmmm thats crazy i havent seen anything like that before.i had a 24" before and the screen was starting to do some funky stuff i exhchanged to the 20" it best suited me. the screen is great so far on my 20....i guess it just depends on the computer it can happen to any screen ya know. just let apple do the fixin and itll be all good

I've worked with Macs for 13 years and love them - I use CS3, Quark and iLife quite a bit. I have an iMac G5 at home that got a small line about 6 months ago, and then more started to appear. Now, there are probably 30 of them. I've used my laptop and work iMac G5 desktops and none of those have had lines. I just wonder if it was the earlier models. I love Macs and wouldn't want to give them up, but the screen lines are annoying and very disappointing.