Tim Hardwick
According to several user reports on Reddit (1, 2, 3) and MacRumors forums, some new iPad Pro M4 models exhibit visible static grain on the OLED display.
Image credit: MacRumors user bk215
Users who experience grain typically report that it is most noticeable in the dark; when using the display, set the brightness to low to medium when viewing content with gray or muted colors. Some compare this effect to a photo taken at a high ISO that has visual noise.
At this point, it's hard to say whether this is a true display defect. OLED displays in general can have visual grain or a “screen door effect” due to several factors related to the design and manufacturing process.
Individual subpixels in OLED displays can vary in size and shape. , which contributes to the formation of an uneven, uneven texture or graininess. This is usually more noticeable on larger displays. Differences in the application of organic materials can also affect the uniformity of light emission.
OLED displays also control brightness at the pixel level, and power management techniques can cause subtle variations in brightness across the entire screen. This can sometimes be seen as a grainy effect, especially in low light conditions or when displaying flat colors.
Notably, similar reports of grainy screens have been reported on the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra smartphones.
Samsung supplies the displays for the 11-inch Apple M4 iPad Pro, while LG Display supplies the panels for the 13-inch model. According to a March report from Korea, Samsung faced poor production of 11-inch panels and was unable to meet Apple's order volume. The shortage forced Apple to transfer some orders for the smaller LG Display panel.
Image credit: Reddit user Vingdoloras
So far, most of the reports are related to the 11-inch iPad Pro, but there are one or two that refer to the 13-inch model, so it's unclear if there is a potential defect – if it really exists, it is specific to one OLED panel supplier. The reports seem to be limited to the new iPad Pro models with standard glass. Apple's latest iPad Pro models are also available with a matte nanotexture display for 1TB and 2TB storage configurations for an additional $100.
Please note that these reports are not related to the known issue we discussed earlier this week regarding color distortion when viewing certain HDR content on M4 iPad Pro models.
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