Apple’s new OLED MacBook Pro is giving some buyers headaches, and a few of them are sending it back.
The complaints center on how the screen controls its brightness. The technique is called PWM, and it bothers a small slice of users. If you’re sensitive to it, this laptop may not be for you.
According to a report from PhoneArena, owners who are sensitive to the flicker describe headaches and dizziness. Some have returned their laptops. Even people who never had trouble with an iPhone or iPad say the MacBook Pro bothers them. The complaints so far come from individual owners, so it’s too early to say how widespread the problem is.
What PWM is, and why it matters
PWM stands for pulse-width modulation. Instead of lowering the power going to the screen, the display rapidly switches its pixels on and off. The longer they stay off, the dimmer the picture looks. Do it fast enough and almost nobody notices. Do it slowly and some people feel it as eye strain or headaches.
That’s where the new screen runs into trouble. Notebookcheck measured the 14-inch model flickering at 240Hz, or 240 on-off cycles per second. That happens at every brightness setting from 99% down. It also found a flicker depth of 56%, which describes how far the light dips between cycles. The previous mini-LED MacBook Pro measured 14,880Hz, more than 60 times faster. Notebookcheck says 240Hz is low enough that sensitive users will likely notice it.
Apple’s first OLED MacBook Pro arrived after years of rumors. The switch brings the deeper blacks that OLED is known for, but the flicker is the trade-off for some people. The iPhone 17 has an accessibility setting that turns off PWM dimming, though it only works at low brightness. Reports so far don’t mention a similar option in macOS. Apple hasn’t publicly addressed the complaints.
What to do if the screen bothers you
Notebookcheck saw no flicker at 100% brightness. That’s too bright for most people to use all day. Another option is an external monitor that dims without PWM. If you’ve already bought one and get headaches or dizziness, stop using the display. See a doctor if the symptoms keep coming back.
If you know you’re flicker-sensitive, try the laptop in a store for a good stretch before buying, and check the return window.
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