iMac screens experiencing unwanted condensation?

One of our readers dropped us a note to tell us that his new 24-inch iMac was exhibiting condensation build up behind the screen: he's not the only one, with a few people on the Apple Support forums and elsewhere also reporting the problem. Our tipster says that condensation builds up in the lower corners, goes away, and then comes back when the surrounding environment drops in temperature. Moisture plus computers doesn't compute, so make sure to report the issue to Applecare if you're seeing the same issues. Hopefully Apple will step up and publicly recognize this as a fault sometime soon.

[Thanks, Lee B.]

Read - New iMac condensation inside screen (Apple Support)
Read - Condensation behind iMac glass (DPreview)
Read - iMac Aluminium Condensation (MacInTouch)

[Delvis343 @ Oct 21st 2007 7:24PM]

How does that happen? Apple should have realized this was a problem long ago.

[Big John @ Oct 21st 2007 8:01PM]

I'm betting part of their testing doesn't include "position directly in front of air condition vent".

[Ireland @ Oct 21st 2007 8:19PM]

It's worrying when just ordered a 24" version, but Apple usually help me out if I have any issues. First iMac I found a dead pixel, and they shipped me out a new one directly. Still, I want to avoid this mist like the plague.

[chris @ Oct 21st 2007 11:27PM]

My new iMac does this too! I thought I was imagining things!

[Trevor @ Oct 21st 2007 11:48PM]

Is the picture in the article an actual photo from the Apple site that they just didn't realize the condensation problem or did Engadget actually do a half decent photoshop for once.

[Mark @ Oct 22nd 2007 12:20AM]

Ah, the quality of Apple's products never cease to amaze me... :-)

[Andrew Stone @ Oct 22nd 2007 2:18AM]

Wait, when referring to $1000+ computers, shouldn't the "unwanted" before condensation go without saying?

Peace, Love, Mac...

- Andrew

[Joe @ Oct 22nd 2007 7:15AM]

Dude, I didn't mean for it to go this far. I've been changing your wallpaper to mess with you.

[Christian @ Oct 21st 2007 7:26PM]

As opposed the the much-wanted condensation that so many people cannot achieve.

[Lt_Ladle @ Oct 21st 2007 7:29PM]

hehe i was wondering that too :P

[joey @ Oct 21st 2007 7:40PM]

I know me too

[joey @ Oct 21st 2007 7:43PM]

lets not be mean though

[Super Cereal @ Oct 21st 2007 7:26PM]

I'm glad this is being addressed. I have my iMac in front of my air conditioner and when the A/C shuts off, my iMac starts to get condensation all over it. I consider this a design flaw. I should be able to throw liquid nitrogen on it.

Apple sucks.

[Mike @ Oct 21st 2007 7:47PM]

So either:
A. Move it away from the A/C or
B. Put some kind of deflector behind it.

Anything is going to condensate in your case. Your fault.

[Big John @ Oct 21st 2007 7:55PM]

Mike, I believe it was "sarcasm".

If it wasn't sarcasm, then please get off the internet.

[Saturn @ Oct 21st 2007 9:25PM]

@Big John

Are you the same Big John who said above "I'm trying to get a handle on how you folks moderate."?

If so, that is great! It mean you also have learned what sarcasm means.

If not, my apology.

[lejupp @ Oct 22nd 2007 8:07AM]

Yeah, bring up the deflector and then energize!

[Ignatius @ Oct 21st 2007 7:25PM]

Macs just work!

[Big John @ Oct 21st 2007 8:00PM]

Why is this highest ranked? What kind of addition was provided by the comment? Seriously, if you clicked the green plus, I'd like to hear your reasoning. I'm trying to get a handle on how you folks moderate.

[Marduk @ Oct 21st 2007 8:09PM]

Is it really that mysterious? Engadget readers love irony. This is loaded with great irony. "Macs just work", and yet clearly there's a big problem when you're computer is collecting Water. On the planet Arrakis, that just might be a useful feature, but on planet Earth, it's ironic. Engadget readers also realize that, though Apple may make some good products, they are in no way as great as their adoring fans make them out to be. So it's ironic that a company that so many people say (and very loudly) is so far superior to Microsoft, Sony, Dell, and other vendors also have problems. And this is a pretty big problem right here. Ironic, see? Hope this helps!

[spyyder @ Oct 21st 2007 8:09PM]

@ Big John

They are microtards get tiny micro-boners every time they get a chance to find something wrong with a Mac. They could collectively feed a small nation with all the cream in their pants. These are same idiots who constantly click on iphone articles and bitch about seeing them so much.

[Paul @ Oct 21st 2007 8:12PM]

Lets spell it out for those new to the internet.

Comments are modded up (plussed, little green plus) when another reader feels the comment is:
1. Funny
2. Interesting
3. Important
4. Relevant
5. The shade blue on a cloudy day.

In about that order. As we examine the comment in question we see that it meets both #1 and on my monitor, #5.

[Paul @ Oct 21st 2007 8:12PM]

@spyder Fanboy much?

[Marduk @ Oct 21st 2007 8:14PM]

@spyyder

Microsoft makes operating systems. Not hardware. Why always bring Microsoft in? Maybe if it was revealed that when you booted the iMac into Vista and there was no condensation, you could make this an Apple/Microsoft issue. That would be awesome, wouldn't it?

[Ignatius @ Oct 21st 2007 8:38PM]

I love controversy, that's why I posted. Oh, and I hate fanboys. Apple, Microsoft, you name it, I hate it. ;D

[Trevor @ Oct 21st 2007 11:56PM]

One thing I love about the engadget rating system is the "highest ranked." By defintion, highest ranked should be the ONE with the most plus votes. There shouldn't be multiple highest ranked posts. WTF engadget???

[lyl545646 @ Oct 21st 2007 7:26PM]

what... iMacs are liquid cooled? nice...

[thegrey @ Oct 21st 2007 7:28PM]

iSqueegee

[EngadgetFanBoi @ Oct 21st 2007 7:28PM]

uh-ohz!

[mattstl77 @ Oct 21st 2007 8:16PM]

Looks like Apple is "sweating" with all of the competition. Must stink to be a distant second to Gates and the Windows Platform.

[Jeffrey Wrobel @ Dec 4th 2007 12:30AM]

You are comparing Apples and Oranges (or Lemons in the case of Vista), my PeeCee friend. Macs are PCs now and sport fully PC native INTEL processors (some of the fastest and newest that Intel has to offer, I might add). They are a company that has a radical approach to computers: Design the computer and design the operating system to go with it (along with countless other programs). Macs are still number one in web design, virus vulnerability, graphic designers, and many other areas that are up and coming. You can run Windows XP or Vista on a Mac as easily as you can a PC (and much faster in most cases). Add that they are two computers in one and run even Unix and Linux software and that they are feature for feature, significantly LESS expensive, faster, and more fun, there's no contest with me. Why so many continue to support a corporate raider like Gates who has NEVER contributed ANYTHING to computing (he buys other companies and sells THEIR innovations), I will never know. Go to http://www.microsuck.com for some interesting reading (non-mac affiliated) and don't go to bat for someone who already has billions upon billions of dollars. I prefer innovation over imitation, intuitive interfaces over "wizards" or "neighborhoods" and tolerance/inclusion over exclusion. Microsoft is CLOSED source. Mac is OPEN source. Hundreds of people tested the system base for Vista before it was released while MILLIONS tested the open source Cocoa subsystem of OS X before release. Leopard has had some growing pains, but nowhere near what Microsoft has. XP Pro = $270 OS X 10.4 Tiger = $120. Workstation from Dell with minimum configuration and monitor $1449. iMac 2.2 Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo with MORE features $1299. You do the math.
Jeff

[Grant @ Oct 21st 2007 7:35PM]

Damn new liquid permeable glass!

[Zach @ Oct 21st 2007 8:41PM]

Wouldn't it be glass-permeable liquid?

[Grant @ Oct 21st 2007 9:16PM]

No,
permeable implies porousness and suggests that something(in this case water)can pass through it.
"glass-permeable liquid" would imply that the liquid is porous and glass is able to pass through it, which isn't the case, because liquids are not porous.

[chris @ Oct 21st 2007 11:31PM]

By the way, glass is a liquid in an almost solid form.

[Jeff @ Oct 21st 2007 11:58PM]

Actually, chris, glass is an amorphous solid. :)

[Jagannath A @ Oct 22nd 2007 12:40AM]

@Jeff

No Jeff.. Glass is a supercooled liquid.

[Joey @ Oct 22nd 2007 5:36PM]

@Jagannath A

Actually Jeff was right, glass is indeed an amorphous solid. There is a second order transition between the supercooled liquid state and the amorphous solid state for glass. Though there isn't a dramatic and obviously phase change (eg liquid to crystals), no change in density (like water to ice), and no latent heat of fusion, there is a noticeable change in the thermal expansivity and heat capacity of glass. Hence a distinction can be made between the supercooled liquid state and the amorphous solid state.

Might I refer you to this excellent write-up: http://dwb.unl.edu/Teacher/NSF/C01/C01Links/www.ualberta.ca/~bderksen/florin.html

[- k E n - @ Oct 21st 2007 7:37PM]

since when was condensation "wanted"?

[Big John @ Oct 21st 2007 7:56PM]

In just about any photo shoot for any beverage commercial... or magazine shot... etc.

[- k E n - @ Oct 21st 2007 8:07PM]

oops, sorry. I forgot to add "in any screens" towards the end. :)

[Grant @ Oct 21st 2007 9:18PM]

well there was this one time i was watching TV with aquaman, hanging in the pool....

[hiroshi @ Oct 21st 2007 7:40PM]

I guess these Macs are so cool, they are emitting negative heat...

[Justin @ Oct 21st 2007 7:44PM]

Seriously...where are you keeping your computer if condesation of any sort is going to be a problem. Not that the issue shouldn't be addressed, but I have to question anyone that takes care of their machine in such a way that this is even possible.

[Big John @ Oct 21st 2007 7:56PM]

Agreed. If your computer is in such a place where condensation is forming on it, let go of blaming the manufacturer. That's a bad idea for the internals.

[Trent @ Oct 21st 2007 7:47PM]

Ugh!!!... Apple did not think that this could happen after they put up a shiny, reflective glass in front of the screen...flops out of chair ;)

[Philometalist @ Oct 21st 2007 7:56PM]

This doesn't surprise me.. The glass sheet over the LCD screen is acting just like a car windshield on a cold morning. There is probably a thin space between the LCD and glass that isn't sealed correctly, which is allowing premature airflow/moisture-flow, causing the condensation to occur.

[Big John @ Oct 21st 2007 7:57PM]

It's not designed to be sealed right up to the LCD in the first place.

[Joe @ Oct 21st 2007 7:58PM]

Here it comes... a small problem experienced by a small percentage of users that will be blown way out of proportion because it was posted in a gadget blog.
Engadget, you need to start trolling the Dell and HP support site for a change.

[BoredOne @ Oct 21st 2007 8:15PM]

Joe,

They don't have to troll HP and Dell because Apple acolytes make sure it is pointed out at every turn. It makes their job that much easier.