The "whites" on my new MacBook's display are yellow-ish. Is this normal?

[CrackBerry Kevin]

Just took delivery of my new Macbook yesterday (gold of course!) and spent the evening setting it up.

This morning I put it side by side on the table compared to what it's replacing... my 15" MacBook Pro. With the two laptops side by side, I was startled at how yellow the whites on the new MacBook's retina display are compared to my older MBP. For example, in Gmail or Google homepage, there is a VERY noticeable difference. See image below (note, both screens are cranked up to max brightness).



For a second I thought maybe the gold color of the New MacBook's body was casting a yellow-ish Hue on the display (which, to a tiny extent it may be if you angle the display a bit downwards), but it's clear that if you tilt the display further back the yellow remains.

Anybody else experiencing this? Is this normal? Or should I be following up with Apple? Thanks!

 

[Bigeric23]

If I remember correctly, there were some people who experienced an issue (defective screens) like this with the MacBook Pro not too long ago. I would reach out to Apple.

When you spend that kind of money, you want everything to be perfect.

 

[kch50428]

Open System Preferences... Displays... Calibrate... tweak it to suit you... if un-tweakable to suit, then I'd take it up with an Apple Genius Bar.

 

[CrackBerry Kevin]

Thanks for the quick responses. Just tried the calibration. You can go more yellow (which is SOO YELLOW), or blue-ish (which I don't like). The native default setting is best, which is what I have it at. I compared the 15" to the new MacBook with the same calibration settings. So with settings equal, the new MacBook is still far more yellow.

To be honest, the new MacBook still looks fine. It's only when comparing side by side to my old MBP that the yellowness really jumps out.

Open System Preferences... Displays... Calibrate... tweak it to suit you... if un-tweakable to suit, then I'd take it up with an Apple Genius Bar.

 

[Bigeric23]

Thanks for the quick responses. Just tried the calibration. You can go more yellow (which is SOO YELLOW), or blue-ish (which I don't like). The native default setting is best, which is what I have it at. I compared the 15" to the new MacBook with the same calibration settings. So with settings equal, the new MacBook is still far more yellow.

To be honest, the new MacBook still looks fine. It's only when comparing side by side to my old MBP that the yellowness really jumps out.

Just my humble opinion, but that yellow screen would drive me crazy.

 

[Rene Ritchie]

No TOTALLY NOT NORMAL. My MacBook (2015) and MacBook Pro (2014) are EXACTLY the same color combination. Whites are identical.

Take it to the Apple Store. It might need a reset or, worst case, it's defective and needs to be swapped out.

 

[HankAZ]

Just took delivery of my new Macbook yesterday (gold of course!) and spent the evening setting it up.

This morning I put it side by side on the table compared to what it's replacing... my 15" MacBook Pro. With the two laptops side by side, I was startled at how yellow the whites on the new MacBook's retina display are compared to my older MBP. For example, in Gmail or Google homepage, there is a VERY noticeable difference. See image below (note, both screens are cranked up to max brightness).

For a second I thought maybe the gold color of the New MacBook's body was casting a yellow-ish Hue on the display (which, to a tiny extent it may be if you angle the display a bit downwards), but it's clear that if you tilt the display further back the yellow remains.

Anybody else experiencing this? Is this normal? Or should I be following up with Apple? Thanks!

It very well could be a calibration issue. I noticed a distinct yellowish tint on my 2010 MacBook. Calibrating the display helped a lot.

Run the calibration process by going to:

System Preferences > Display > Color > Calibrate...

NOTE: Dang you, Keith.

 

[Peter Cohen]

The MacBook's gamma should be in the same range as other MacBooks. At least it is on the two demo models we have in our stores. Might want to bring it in to the genius bar and have it checked, Kevin.

 

[CrackBerry Kevin]

Ah Ha! Success.

Sooo... it turns out Calibrating the Screen lead to success. However, the first time I went into that menu I missed that there is a check box to enable "expert" mode.

When I checked the calibration the first time, I just clicked into the calibrate process which only has a few options, all of which were the same as on my 15" MBP.

But going into Expert calibration mode, then were able to tweak up all the settings and now the color is perfect.

Still find it odd that with all settings equal the screen was so yellow-ish. But all good now!

 

[Just_Me_D]

Ah Ha! Success.

Sooo... it turns out Calibrating the Screen lead to success. However, the first time I went into that menu I missed that there is a check box to enable "expert" mode.

When I checked the calibration the first time, I just clicked into the calibrate process which only has a few options, all of which were the same as on my 15" MBP.

But going into Expert calibration mode, then were able to tweak up all the settings and now the color is perfect.

Still find it odd that with all settings equal the screen was so yellow-ish. But all good now!

Thanks for the update, and I'm glad you figured it out. Take care...

 

[NYChaos]

Actually both of your screens are yellow. This is he new trend since about late 2013


Why don't you take any older macbook and compare both of yours.

 

[eddievisc]

No TOTALLY NOT NORMAL. My MacBook (2015) and MacBook Pro (2014) are EXACTLY the same color combination. Whites are identical.

Take it to the Apple Store. It might need a reset or, worst case, it's defective and needs to be swapped out.

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Even though this is an old-ish thread, I'm replying today because I had a similar problem. I purchased last week a 2016 12" MacBook from an Apple Authorized Re-seller, and it appeared to have a noticeable yellow tint particularly when sitting next to my 2013 15" Retina MacBook Pro. Both Macs had the default color profiles and default calibration settings. I took this 12" MacBook to an Apple Store this week and the Genius had me place mine side by side next to a floor model of the sam 12" MacBook (both were at full brightness). The Genius acknowledged he could see a difference between mine and the store's floor model, but he refused to swap it out for me even though I've had the machine for less than a week and there was no other damage I caused. He said the screen looked "normal" to him. He did say there is the option to return it to the Apple Authorized Re-seller I purchased it from since there is typically a two-week no questions asked return policy. This caused me some inconvenience but not the end of the world (the Apple Authorized Re-seller was much nicer than the Apple Genius (including a guy who said he previously worked for Apple for ten years, and he agreed with me that if I was not satisfied I should be able to return it since there was no other damage, so he approved the return and a new one has been ordered, I should have it this week)). So here is a question: what about yields on MacBook and MacBook Pro Retina displays? How does Apple figure out which displays are allowed to ship / leave the factory and which ones are not? Maybe the one I purchased was "marginal" in terms of what is considered passable before leaving the factory? Its a very good thing I took care of this immediately without waiting, within the first two weeks, because had I waited, I might be still battling a Genius on getting it swapped out under warranty. Thanks.

 

[savior02]

I had the same problem with my new space gray MacBook 2016 and it was so annoying. My whites were grayish and my brightness was noticeably dimmer when compared to my older MacBook pro 2015 and another MacBook 2016 i bought. I took it to the genius bar and they didn't see a difference and said it may have been the space gray color (bull). They sent it in for repair and couldn't swap it out since I bought through a authorized reseller and in exchanging it I face a restocking fee. They didn't promise anything. We'll see how it goes.

 

[king flight]

I had the same problem with my new space gray MacBook 2016 and it was so annoying. My whites were grayish and my brightness was noticeably dimmer when compared to my older MacBook pro 2015 and another MacBook 2016 i bought. I took it to the genius bar and they didn't see a difference and said it may have been the space gray color (bull). They sent it in for repair and couldn't swap it out since I bought through a authorized reseller and in exchanging it I face a restocking fee. They didn't promise anything. We'll see how it goes.

I have the exact same problem. The new Macbook I bought show white differently than the displaying model in the store. I think that is a defective screen and I want to know how Apple dealt with your issue please. And I had it swapped but the new one had the same problem. It looks like the problem is linked to a particular production batch.

 

[king flight]

I have the exact same problem. The new Macbook I bought show white differently than the displaying model in the store. I think that is a defective screen and I want to know how Apple dealt with your issue please.

And I had it swapped and the new one had the same problem. It looks like the problem is linked to a particular production batch.