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I have a love/hate relationship with my 5K iMac display
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I have a love/hate relationship with my 5K iMac display
Actually..........maybe with iMacs in general because before this I had a 1080p 21 inch iMac and the same problem existed........
Graininess. Fuzziness. I can't think of a better way of describing it. It's not a lack of sharpness. My eyes love the 5K display and don't seem to get tired even after hours on it. But there's just an odd grainy/pixellated look despite its extremely high pixel density.
And it is the display itself because when I plug in my 32 inch 4K LG monitor, it's not really there. I notice less sharpness, but a clearer, smoother image. Like someone cleaned off my monitor.
What's causing this? Is it aggressive anti-glare coating? Is it the fact that the display is built into the machine and therefore graphics bandwidth has to be conserved?
This is a late 2015 iMac, BTW.
And will the new Studio Display likely have it too? I might almost think about upgrading to it if I thought it delivered the benefits of 5K without the slight fuzziness my iMac screen has.
Oh and I have not noticed this with Macbooks. So maybe there's just something about iMac displays?
Am I insane? Hallucinating? Has anyone else noticed this?
Graininess. Fuzziness. I can't think of a better way of describing it. It's not a lack of sharpness. My eyes love the 5K display and don't seem to get tired even after hours on it. But there's just an odd grainy/pixellated look despite its extremely high pixel density.
And it is the display itself because when I plug in my 32 inch 4K LG monitor, it's not really there. I notice less sharpness, but a clearer, smoother image. Like someone cleaned off my monitor.
What's causing this? Is it aggressive anti-glare coating? Is it the fact that the display is built into the machine and therefore graphics bandwidth has to be conserved?
This is a late 2015 iMac, BTW.
And will the new Studio Display likely have it too? I might almost think about upgrading to it if I thought it delivered the benefits of 5K without the slight fuzziness my iMac screen has.
Oh and I have not noticed this with Macbooks. So maybe there's just something about iMac displays?
Am I insane? Hallucinating? Has anyone else noticed this?
Last edited: Mar 13, 2022
Fishrrman
macrumors Penryn
Feb 20, 2009
24,224
9,624
Not sure if this works with iMacs:
Might be worth trying the terminal command settings documented in this article.
Try ALL FOUR settings.
And remember that you must LOG OUT and then LOG BACK IN after changing a setting to actually see the results...
How to Fix Blurry Fonts on macOS Mojave (With Subpixel Antialiasing)
Apple’s macOS Mojave disables subpixel antialiasing, also known as font smoothing, by default. On a MacBook Air or a desktop Mac hooked up to a non-Retina display, upgrading will make your fonts look worse.
www.howtogeek.com
Try ALL FOUR settings.
And remember that you must LOG OUT and then LOG BACK IN after changing a setting to actually see the results...
Reactions: BotchQue
wilberforce
macrumors 68000
Aug 15, 2020
1,916
1,844
SF Bay Area
I think it is you, or your machine, or your settings.
Having had a 2014 and 2020 iMac I think the displays are perfection in terms of clarity, sharpness and smoothness.
Is your 2015 getting pink around the edges, btw?
Having had a 2014 and 2020 iMac I think the displays are perfection in terms of clarity, sharpness and smoothness.
Is your 2015 getting pink around the edges, btw?
I noticed the same phenomenon after moving from Catalina to Monterey on a 2019 Retina iMac. Everything seemed fine while using Catalina and Monterey is great on my Air.Actually..........maybe with iMacs in general because before this I had a 1080p 21 inch iMac and the same problem existed........
Graininess. Fuzziness. I can't think of a better way of describing it. It's not a lack of sharpness. My eyes love the 5K display and don't seem to get tired even after hours on it. But there's just an odd grainy/pixellated look despite its extremely high pixel density.
And it is the display itself because when I plug in my 32 inch 4K LG monitor, it's not really there. I notice less sharpness, but a clearer, smoother image. Like someone cleaned off my monitor.
What's causing this? Is it aggressive anti-glare coating? Is it the fact that the display is built into the machine and therefore graphics bandwidth has to be conserved?
This is a late 2015 iMac, BTW.
And will the new Studio Display likely have it too? I might almost think about upgrading to it if I thought it delivered the benefits of 5K without the slight fuzziness my iMac screen has.
Oh and I have not noticed this with Macbooks. So maybe there's just something about iMac displays?
Am I insane? Hallucinating? Has anyone else noticed this?
Well I hadn't noticed it but...........yes it does have a pinkish hue around the edges. Great. Now I won't be able to unsee it!I think it is you, or your machine, or your settings.
Having had a 2014 and 2020 iMac I think the displays are perfection in terms of clarity, sharpness and smoothness.
Is your 2015 getting pink around the edges, btw?
Reactions: BotchQue and G5isAlive
wilberforce
macrumors 68000
Aug 15, 2020
1,916
1,844
SF Bay Area
Oops sorry, did not mean to just point out a fault. Reason for asking is that it may be another excuse for you to upgrade, as this has apparently been fixed in later 5k screens, and not to wait until it gets worse that it is not easily sold (if you intend to do so).Well I hadn't noticed it but...........yes it does have a pinkish hue around the edges. Great. Now I won't be able to unsee it!
California
macrumors 68040
Aug 21, 2004
3,861
I thought the pinkish hue was just dust getting under the glass that gets sucked into the machine through the vents. Are you saying it is actually a screen problem?Well I hadn't noticed it but...........yes it does have a pinkish hue around the edges. Great. Now I won't be able to unsee it!Oops sorry, did not mean to just point out a fault. Reason for asking is that it may be another excuse for you to upgrade, as this has apparently been fixed in later 5k screens, and not to wait until it gets worse that it is not easily sold (if you intend to do so).
Not sure what you are talking about. My iMac 27" 2019 screen still looks perfect. Using the latest Monterey 12.3.1.
It is the best screen I've ever had therefore I am thinking to get an ASD.
It is the best screen I've ever had therefore I am thinking to get an ASD.
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California
macrumors 68040
Aug 21, 2004
3,861
I'm pretty sure the pinkish hue is dust getting caught inside the screen.Well I hadn't noticed it but...........yes it does have a pinkish hue around the edges. Great. Now I won't be able to unsee it!
orbital~debris
macrumors 68000
Mar 3, 2004
1,581
3,404
UK, Europe
Yesterday I noticed my 2019 iMac Retina 5K 27" has a pink tinge around the edges of the display (visible when an app with predominantly white background is in full screen mode).
@wilberforce you mentioned this might have been fixed in later models. Do you have any more details you can point to / know which models include the fix?
@California I've seen black/grey smoke-like patterns in the corner of a 21.5" iMac, from dust intake, but it didn't cause pink edges to border the whole display. Can you say why you think the pink hue is from dust?
@wilberforce you mentioned this might have been fixed in later models. Do you have any more details you can point to / know which models include the fix?
@California I've seen black/grey smoke-like patterns in the corner of a 21.5" iMac, from dust intake, but it didn't cause pink edges to border the whole display. Can you say why you think the pink hue is from dust?
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rpmurray
macrumors 65816
Feb 21, 2017
1,117
2,522
Back End of Beyond
The pink hue is actually coming from the degrading of the adhesive that is used around the edges of the display to laminate the glass to the LCD.I thought the pinkish hue was just dust getting under the glass that gets sucked into the machine through the vents. Are you saying it is actually a screen problem?
uller6
macrumors 6502a
May 14, 2010
My 2019 iMac also has pink around all 4 edges of the display.Yesterday I noticed my 2019 iMac Retina 5K 27" has a pink tinge around the edges of the display (visible when an app with predominantly white background is in full screen mode).
@wilberforce you mentioned this might have been fixed in later models. Do you have any more details you can point to / know which models include the fix?
@California I've seen black/grey smoke-like patterns in the corner of a 21.5" iMac, from dust intake, but it didn't cause pink edges to border the whole display. Can you say why you think the pink hue is from dust?
Reactions: orbital~debris
Bah! Never mind the dust... I have a 2012 iMac (no longer my primary workstation) with an actual bug under the glass. As in, an insect. It was moving around in there for a week or two, and then... it just stopped moving. And hasn't moved since -- and it's been there for years now. My daughter refuses to use that computer, because it creeps her out.
But I mean... other than that, that old iMac still mostly works great. 😆
(And no: I've never actually noticed any graininess/fuzziness, nor have I ever observed dust under the screen, of either that iMac nor my 2019 iMac. Perhaps I should check when I get home.)
But I mean... other than that, that old iMac still mostly works great. 😆
(And no: I've never actually noticed any graininess/fuzziness, nor have I ever observed dust under the screen, of either that iMac nor my 2019 iMac. Perhaps I should check when I get home.)
wilberforce
macrumors 68000
Aug 15, 2020
1,916
1,844
SF Bay Area
Wow, sorry to hear that. The 2015 models are notorious for pink edges, but I thought it had been fixed by 2019. Maybe just takes several years to show up. Does not bode well for others with 2019 or 2020 iMacs. And maybe for those with the new Studio displays!!My 2019 iMac also has pink around all 4 edges of the display.
Last edited: Yesterday at 6:30 PM
wilberforce
macrumors 68000
Aug 15, 2020
1,916
1,844
SF Bay Area
This is one theory, but I am not sure this has been proven. In (some?) cases the adhesive is pink, and there may have been just a presumption that this caused the pink edges. Maybe true, maybe not. Would like to know if someone was able to positively demonstrate this is the cause.The pink hue is actually coming from the degrading of the adhesive that is used around the edges of the display to laminate the glass to the LCD.
rpmurray
macrumors 65816
Feb 21, 2017
1,117
2,522
Back End of Beyond
I've always wondered how a bug would manage to make it under the glass if it's supposedly laminated to the LCD. In some videos I've seen there is some silicon goop that is between the glass and the LCD but you would think that it would make it harder for a bug to travel around under there.Bah! Never mind the dust... I have a 2012 iMac (no longer my primary workstation) with an actual bug under the glass. As in, an insect. It was moving around in there for a week or two, and then... it just stopped moving. And hasn't moved since -- and it's been there for years now. My daughter refuses to use that computer, because it creeps her out.
California
macrumors 68040
Aug 21, 2004
3,861
I'm starting to get the pink hue on my 27" iMac but i read it is dust coming in and accumulating. A bug could theoretically get in through the vents. I read somewhere that it just needs to be cleaned and no pink hue.This is one theory, but I am not sure this has been proven. In (some?) cases the adhesive is pink, and there may have been just a presumption that this caused the pink edges. Maybe true, maybe not. Would like to know if someone was able to positively demonstrate this is the cause.
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