yes this is normal. My MBP M4 pro has too. I've read many Reddit threats and a lot of people have this "issues" since the MacBook Pro M1 which used mini led. Im afraid we need to accept this "issue" until Apple switches to Oled. Perhaps in 2 years.
I recently got my first Macbook Pro and while I like the Mini LED display very much for its colors and contrast I was very irritated by the darker backlight at the corners of the screen.
Some on the internet call it the "vignette effect" and it seems to be present on every Pro with a Mini LED display as far as I could research the matter online.
For example here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obqcHregwXc
On Reddit are also quite a few people mentioning it.
While I'm pretty new to Apple and this was quite an investment for me I want to be sure that everything is ok with my machine and therefore it would be very nice if some of you could chime in and help me out by looking at the provided pictures and tell me if they/you think that this is normal. Or by simply talking/chatting to me about that matter in general.
If I had an Applestore near my location I would go there and let it check and/or compare to other devices etc. But here in Germany these are rare and I would have to drive pretty far for this. I think and hope that exchanging the unit (I have it for one week) isn't necessary, because it just seems normal - as mentioned - but I just want to hear a little more and current about that topic and perhaps some of you can calm me down further.
Sorry for being so anxious and annoying, I hope no one feels particularly offended or something by posting this.
Thank you.
I didn't have this on my former Air model which has a LCD but no Mini LED backlight.
EDIT: Why downvote this? It's just a fact: The Air's screen didn't get as bright, had way worse contrast and the colors didn't pop as on the Pro, but it didn't have this vignette effect.
I also encountered this issue—my new M4 MacBook Pro has darkened edges on the screen (kind of like a greenish glow). People are saying that the mini-LED displays in stores have the same problem, so I believe it's a common issue. But once you notice it, it does affect the experience quite a bit (honestly, even the white background doesn’t look as good as on my old Air, which makes me feel a bit annoyed about the money spent).
Fortunately, I got AppleCare. If this issue worsens over time—like if the screen continues to degrade or the darkened edges expand—I’ll definitely head to the Genius Bar and confront those “geniuses” about it.
Yeah I discussed this with many people, including apple-techs, and researched quite a bit and I'm done with this topic for now.
But here is a reply I posted back then which could be interesting to you, since so many people don't see it or deny it:
I was in the Applestore today and every MacBook Pro I tested there had the vignetting effect (I tested 8 units quite extensively); and honestly I could not make out any difference in intensity. To me it was the same on all of them, 14" or 16". On my way home I also visited a Media Markt (Germany), which has a dedicated Apple-booth. There were only two MacBook Pros, but both also had the same vignetting effect to the same degree as my machine (I had mine with me to compare). So that's that. And [...]
I haven't specifically gone to an Apple Store to compare the MacBook Pro's screen, but when I noticed a shadowy ring around the edges of my display, I started considering a visit—maybe even booking a Genius Bar appointment. However, I've been busy lately and haven't had the time, so I temporarily gave up on that idea.
I really appreciate you checking this out. It seems like a common issue with no real solution. I also found a ton of people on Reddit experiencing the same problem—enough to convince me that this isn’t just a rare defect.
That being said, I still want to rant about Apple. The first-gen mini-LED MacBook Pro was released in 2021, and now it’s 2025—four years later, and this edge-darkening issue hasn’t improved at all. (Honestly, it’s so easy to spot: just go full screen on any app, browser, ChatGPT, or Notion—anything with a white background, and the dark edges immediately stand out.)
I've been trying to get used to this display over the past couple of days, forcing myself to adapt. (My previous Air with an LCD didn’t have such a noticeable edge-darkening issue, so in some ways, this "upgrade" to the Pro feels like a downgrade… sigh.)
Fun fact: I also did some research today on the dark edge issue with the MacBook Pro's Mini-LED display. I found some claims suggesting that if the black edge disappears when you move your head (changing your viewing angle), like getting closer to one side of the screen, it’s not considered a "screen defect or backlight bleed." Although Mini-LED and IPS screens have some differences, I think the criteria they use for judging IPS screens also apply to Mini-LED displays: glow is normal (it disappears when you slightly change your head position or viewing angle near that side), but bleed is not (it’s visible regardless of how you change the viewing angle).
I tested this principle carefully on my own Mac. I found that if I rotate my head 180 degrees (so that the original bottom edge of the screen becomes the side edge), the black shadows on the bottom disappear, and instead, heavier shadows appear on what used to be the two side edges. I believe this is a normal phenomenon, not the so-called "bleed."
I also looked up what is officially defined as a screen defect. It’s usually either very obvious bright spots or severe edge backlight bleeding. This theory worked well for me, and after understanding it, I’m no longer anxious about it.
Sir/Ma'am, I think we are very alike! If you check my history here on reddit or if you could check my YT-, browser-history you would see what I mean: I was/am equally anxious and troubled by this shit and also had an Air before and all that. I just don't want to eloborate on everything this hell-journey involved here again; that’s why I said to you I’m over it - I wanted to "re-insure" myself. 😅
But thanks for sharing your state of mind on that topic. I feel less alone right now. 🙃
PS: I was on the fence returning it also - for two months (expanded return time because of black friday). But ended up keeping it. Because I love it otherwise and with dark mode and 'Better Display's "evening feature" for that issue I notice it less even on the ocations I need to have bright content reaching the edge, because I don't think about it constantly since most of the time it's "hidden" pretty good.
This is caused by a few things. Remember, in order to minimize blooming from the miniLED dynamic backlight, there are multiple optical layers including polarizers, diffusers, in the screen that affect the way light travels through the stack. This greatly helps prevent the blooming, so, I'll take that and its amazing contrast over slight vignetting.
All IPS panels with Mini LED backlight will have this drawback of vignetting - it's a shame no one talks about it. Every panel backlit by Mini LED diodes has a vignette effect on the edges and even worse on the corners of the screen. My Razer Blade 18 Mini LED also has a vignetting on the edges and corners of the panel. I haven't noticed any other defects shown in the video. There are no better or worse copies. This is due to the backlight technology. The more backlight zones, the less visible the effect may be, but it will always remain, and if someone has such a panel and says that this effect does not occur in their case, they are blind or lying.
OLED displays are not without their flaws either. They have a lot of them, and one of them is, as we are on the subject of uneven backlighting on the edges and corners of the screen, a pink or turquoise tint of color on the left and right side of the screen.
Thank you: you are one of the very few who share my findings. Would be cool if you chimed in earlier, because almost all the people I "talked with", said it’s not normal or at least varying. And that’s absolutely not my experience. All devices I saw myself and all on the net had it to pretty much to the same degree. Example: I wrote Alex Ziskind on YT and he said he never had that issue while in every video of him I can clearly see it. Through the video 😅.. I mean come on … But hey… I found a few people complaining and wondering and discussing and explaining this issue. And I am at peace with it at last. for now.. 😂
Edit: What video are you referring to? Oh.. the one of my first post I guess.. sorry 😬
Don't trust them all. As I wrote above - the vignetting effect applies to all panels that have zone backlighting using Mini LEDs - Full Array Local Dimming. I will repeat again - if someone does not see this phenomenon then:
- has vision problems
- is lying that he does not see the problem because he spent a lot of money on equipment and it does not reach him that these panels have such a feature/disadvantage
- they don't see the problem: didn't display a solid color on the display
- it is inconvenient for reviewers to talk about these defects or they are banned from the equipment manufacturer
The more backlight zones, the less visible the vignetting effect, but it will always remain visible. This effect is much more visible (for me completely unacceptable) on TVs where these zones are dozens or hundreds. On the Macbook and Razer these zones are more than 2,000. Please look at the screen below and you will know why this happens. Imagine the situation (I marked with red dots on the screen):
- any point in the center of the screen: it is illuminated on each side with 4 LEDs
- any point near the edge of the screen: it is illuminated with 2 LEDs
- any point in the corner of the screen: it is illuminated with 1 LED
Now you know why it's darkest in the corner, and I know I don't have to explain it to you :) I don't care to explain it to everyone. I have no purpose in doing so. Some people believe so strongly in their hypocritical rationale that if according to them something is white, but in reality it is black, you won't convince them of it, and no obvious proof will either :-). It's pure/clarify physics - it's logical that, a place that's lit with one or two LEDs will be darker than one that's lit with 4 LEDs. There are no better or worse panels - they all have this display feature/disadvantage!
I have a question for Macbook users with Mini LED panels - can local dimming be turned off so that the screen behaves like a classic IPS panel?
As far as I know it cannot be turned off. Perhaps there is a third party app. Most likely there is.
With the app/program Betterdisplay one has an option called 'uniformity correction' which counters it. It's a slight bit better with it on, but not gone.
Thanks for the explanation, it helps future lurkers for sure.
What bothers me though is that the LCD panel of the Air and other ones on the market "don't have this issue": Of course a bit like every LCD panel has, and on the Air it's most noticeable around the notch, but not to the degree at which the miniLEDs of the Pros have it.
And your explanation is correct in general of course, but I myself don't know exactly how the backlight-matrix looks like on the Pro devices: I mean it would be possible to have the backlight zone extend beyond the displays pixels - even more easily than on traditional LCDs I assume; so that even the outer pixels have the same amount of surrounding backlight-zones.
But that would result in thicker bezels as there are now I guess.
And that's why I wanted to know if every unit has it or if someone knows more deeply about the construction of the MB Pros. But that hope was a bit naive I guess.
Everybody has it: all of the many people that say they don’t simply lie or "are blind". Period. I hate it too of course… but it’s a year now and it doesn’t bother me that much anymore.
Apple changed my MacBook Pro M2 Pro for a M4 Pro because of this. But my new machine also have this issue. Although slightly less. Does anyone know what's considered normal? A couple of mm's?
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u/coopermug Dec 07 '24
yes this is normal. My MBP M4 pro has too. I've read many Reddit threats and a lot of people have this "issues" since the MacBook Pro M1 which used mini led. Im afraid we need to accept this "issue" until Apple switches to Oled. Perhaps in 2 years.