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)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
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.
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???
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!
lyl545646 @ Oct 21st 2007 7:26PM
what... iMacs are liquid cooled? nice...
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
thegrey @ Oct 21st 2007 7:28PM
iSqueegee
EngadgetFanBoi @ Oct 21st 2007 7:28PM
uh-ohz!
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.
bhaal @ Oct 21st 2007 9:08PM
I can't remember the last time that Engadget made a post criticizing Dell or HP hardware, though issues with their machines certainly exist.
Engadget seem to want to point out all the flaws possible in Apple products, ignoring that there will inevitably be a small number in any product that's manufactured. In this regard they're turning into Apple defects.
The thing is that people who like apple usually aren't even praising the hardware but the software. This is also the major difference between Apple and Microsoft - OS X is a hell of a lot better than Windows. Apple's hardware is good but mainly due to the fact it's running OS X.
So those who somehow think a product defect affecting a very small number of users and unrelated to the software that is the major advantage Apple has over other companies is 'one in the eye' for Apple or similar are only fooling themselves.
Super Cereal @ Oct 21st 2007 8:07PM
And another thing, when I leave it outside and it rains, for a while, the cord arcs electricity when I plug it in to my dad's life support machine. He's so irresponsible.