MacBook Pro LED: Displays flickering when not at full brightness

We've received several reports indicating that MacBook Pro LED screens flicker when they are not at maximum brightness, generally when three bars lower than maximum brightness through lower settings, though some users have reported flickering at anything but maximum brightness. The flickering (or as some users describe it, "shimmering") is usually more noticeable on dark backgrounds,

MacFixIt reader Andrei Labin writes:

"I have discovered several (in fact all) new LED-macbook pros have a flickering screen if not set to maximum brightness. the flickering is worst at max minus 3 bars and disappears at about the last 4 bars. all those books have been running for at least half an hour."

Note that this case of flickering is not related to adjustment of the ambient light sensor, which caused a somewhat similar issue for older LCD MacBook Pros (a faulty ambient light sensor would rapidly switch the display between brightness levels).

Some users are taking their units back to Apple, and finding that replacement machines do not exhibit the same issue. However, other information indicates that the flickering/shimmering is a problem endemic to all MacBook Pros with LED screens and is simply more noticeable on some units.

There is also some indication that Apple may released a firmware update that will resolve this issue, perhaps through power delivery modification.

Feedback? Late-breakers@macfixit.com.

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