Database Users

Minor backlight bleed on my Nexus 7, should I keep it?

Hi!
Just got my fifth Nexus 7 replacement and woohooo, it has no screen separation or creaking! BUT! It has some minor backlight bleeding in the top edge of the screen. Nothing I notice on normal brightness but when I crank the brightness up to the highest I can see it. Yes I have a small case of tech OCD Should I keep the device or should any degree of backlight bleed be returned at once?

All up to you. Mine has very little screen bleed and very little lift and I'm keeping it.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium

Doraso said:
Hi!
Just got my fifth Nexus 7 replacement and woohooo, it has no screen separation or creaking! BUT! It has some minor backlight bleeding in the top edge of the screen. Nothing I notice on normal brightness but when I crank the brightness up to the highest I can see it. Yes I have a small case of tech OCD Should I keep the device or should any degree of backlight bleed be returned at once?
Br D
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Personally, I would keep it. How often do you use your N7 with the brightness all the way up? I would say you're lucky to get one with no separation or creaking. Plus it doesn't seem like the minor bleeding would interfere with your everyday use of the tablet.
Sent from my Paranoid Nexus 7

All backlit LCD screens will have some light bleed.

Toast95135 said:
All backlit LCD screens will have some light bleed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep, it's a fact of life with IPS panels. I would stop looking on the Internet trying to find problems that aren't there...
Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk 2

If it bothers you, exchange it. I have exchanged 5 and am keeping one with several very minor faults because faultless does not exist with the Nexus 7. If you believe those that say theirs is totally flawless, keep exchanging and you may get one eventually. I don't think there are any perfect ones though.

Switchbitch said:
If it bothers you, exchange it. I have exchanged 5 and am keeping one with several very minor faults because faultless does not exist with the Nexus 7. If you believe those that say theirs is totally flawless, keep exchanging and you may get one eventually. I don't think there are any perfect ones though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have decided to keep it. Had screen separation on all 4 previous Nexus 7 tablets but this one is perfect, no sign of screenlift after 3 days of heavy use. The backlight bleed is there but so minor that Im not noticing it under normal use.
I absolutley love this device!

Have some minor backlight bleed too, going to return it before the warranty period is over

I also have some back light bleeding and I get a nasty wave effect when I put a little more than normal pressure on just the left side above the one corner i have light bleed. Im out of warranty now, so that's no longer an option. Any one have a suggestion, I found some things about the Transformer suffering from the same issues but not much help.

qroot87 said:
I also have some back light bleeding and I get a nasty wave effect when I put a little more than normal pressure on just the left side above the one corner i have light bleed. I'm out of warranty now, so that's no longer an option. Any one have a suggestion, I found some things about the Transformer suffering from the same issues but not much help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Asus and Google warranties are for one year. You can still return it.

qroot87 said:
I also have some back light bleeding and I get a nasty wave effect when I put a little more than normal pressure on just the left side above the one corner i have light bleed. Im out of warranty now, so that's no longer an option. Any one have a suggestion, I found some things about the Transformer suffering from the same issues but not much help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have had this wave/ripple effect on all the Nexus 7 tablets that I received as replacements. I think it is present on all Nexus 7 tablets out there. So its something we have to live with I guess.

Doraso said:
I have had this wave/ripple effect on all the Nexus 7 tablets that I received as replacements. I think it is present on all Nexus 7 tablets out there. So its something we have to live with I guess.
Br D
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks for the info I noticed this too however I had this happen on my nook tablet too

True or false?

I've heard many people complain about the unresponsiveness of the screen and its yellow tint. How bad is the unresponsiveness for someone who has this phone? Does it bother you that much and slow your typing? Does the yellow tint bother you? I'm coming from the SGS2 and I'm interesting in buying the N4 but I hear so many bad things about it. Additionally, I heard there is a rattle in the phone? I read up on XDA on a poll thread but I think it's normal? What do you think? Is this phone better than the SGS3? (sorry to bring up this phone) and not considering the prices of both devices. I want to forget about the price and just focus on which one will not give me any noticeable problems
Thanks!

i can verify that its not too difficult to press lightly and not have a touch register. although i dont usually press very lightly, so it really depends on the individual. if you normally have a delicate touch you will notice it. personally it doesn't slow me down at all.
Henryy97 said:
I've heard many people complain about the unresponsiveness of the screen and its yellow tint. How bad is the unresponsiveness for someone who has this phone? Does it bother you that much and slow your typing? Does the yellow tint bother you? I'm coming from the SGS2 and I'm interesting in buying the N4 but I hear so many bad things about it. Additionally, I heard there is a rattle in the phone? I read up on XDA on a poll thread but I think it's normal? What do you think? Is this phone better than the SGS3? (sorry to bring up this phone) and not considering the prices of both devices. I want to forget about the price and just focus on which one will not give me any noticeable problems
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

jayluke said:
i can verify that its not too difficult to press lightly and not have a touch register. although i dont usually press very lightly, so it really depends on the individual. if you normally have a delicate touch you will notice it. personally it doesn't slow me down at all.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i
I wonder what you mean by 'light'. Are you happy you bought it? did you notice the yellow tint?

The yellow tint can only be seen from extreme angles and I'm doing perfectly fine with the screen sensitivity.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium

FatalityBoyZahy said:
The yellow tint can only be seen from extreme angles and I'm doing perfectly fine with the screen sensitivity.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks! I'd still like to hear a bit more from other people :3 By the way did you face any other issues with the n4? at all? hows the battery?

I don't think you will be disappointed by this phone coming from an S2. Most of the "issues" have been blown out of proportion. The rattle being the best example.
Yellow tint?
The screen is on the warmer side, or may have its gamma off, it's not a yellow tint. You would probably not know the difference unless you compare it side by side with something like an amoled display. Some people have mentioned a yellow tint when you look at it from the bottom left or upper right corners at an angle. This seems normal as it shows a blueish tint from the two other corners.
Rattle?
I checked mine, and to hear this rattle I have to shake the phone vigorously next to my ear and be in a completely quite room to be able to hear it, it doesn't rattle at all if you just grab or move the phone.
Screen sensitivity?
It is indeed less sensitive, for me it sometimes fails to register taps on the home button, but that's about it, it doesn't bother me that much. It depends on whether or not you're used to very light touches.

I don't have any of those issues. My response is excellent and my screen has no tint at all. In fact my N4 has none of the issues being complained about.
I think a lot of the perceived issues are overblown. Typical for a device launch. The few unhappy people post and the majority are happy and don't bother.
It seems you have more motivation to go on a board if you're having an issue than if you don't. I experienced the same thing with the gnex launch (again flawless phone) and nexus 7 launch (flawless tablet).
I don't think I'm just lucky, I just think you're more likely to find those with issues posting.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

admiez said:
I don't think you will be disappointed by this phone coming from an S2. Most of the "issues" have been blown out of proportion. The rattle being the best example.
Yellow tint?
The screen is on the warmer side, or may have its gamma off, it's not a yellow tint. You would probably not know the difference unless you compare it side by side with something like an amoled display. Some people have mentioned a yellow tint when you look at it from the bottom left or upper right corners at an angle. This seems normal as it shows a blueish tint from the two other corners.
Rattle?
I checked mine, and to hear this rattle I have to shake the phone vigorously next to my ear and be in a completely quite room to be able to hear it, it doesn't rattle at all if you just grab or move the phone.
Screen sensitivity?
It is indeed less sensitive, for me it sometimes fails to register taps on the home button, but that's about it, it doesn't bother me that much. It depends on whether or not you're used to very light touches.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks I think I'm becoming more persuaded towards the SGS3 because I love AMOLED and I'm just too worried about this phone in general.. I'm not sure what you mean by light touches though.. I usually handle my SGS2 with one hand so I kind of press densely but maybe it is not enough.. Is it hard enough, for instance, that if you press your thumb on your forearm, that your skin will bend down (not sure if thats a correct word) a bit? Or does it stay still? I would say my skin moves a bit following my thumb..

I've had neither issue but I've also had no heating issues either and people keep complaining about that too.

My screen isn't yellow-that seems like some isolated batch.
The only time my nexus 4 heated up was when I was downloading several apps, watching youtube on 3G and charging the phone all at the same time. It cooled down very quickly afterwards.
I have grown to prefer the 'touch error' of this screen, I came from an SGS2 which has a super-sensitive screen (it can be activated by hovering close to it), often a swipe or light touch would register as a single point touch and take me elsewhere in the phone, especially with one-handed use. Now, though, I actually have to press something to select it. Swipes don't register as single point touches, an errant finger in one hand use mostly won't register, which is brilliant IMHO. I prefer it.

Choosing between the N4 and SGS3 is the hardest thing in my life so far. Just kidding. I hate the SGS3's design and I think the N4 is the most sexy beautiful beast in the world. Anyway, thanks a lot of the replies guys but I have... a possibly last query.. What would you guys do if you had a change to pick again from both of those phones?

Henryy97 said:
Thanks I think I'm becoming more persuaded towards the SGS3 because I love AMOLED and I'm just too worried about this phone in general.. I'm not sure what you mean by light touches though.. I usually handle my SGS2 with one hand so I kind of press densely but maybe it is not enough.. Is it hard enough, for instance, that if you press your thumb on your forearm, that your skin will bend down (not sure if thats a correct word) a bit? Or does it stay still? I would say my skin moves a bit following my thumb..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Then I don't think you will have a problem with screen sensitivity. The most compelling reasons to get this phone are the stock android experience, future upgrades availability, and its solid build, it feels great in your hand. You will have to weight those attributes versus your preference for amoled screens. I have a Samsung 7.7 tab which has one of the best amoled screens I've seen and great hardware, but the lack of support and SW upgrades sort of makes the Nexus 7 a better option.

My screen does not look yellow to me, but it can depend on what phone you just came from. To me the green in some apps is not as vibrant as it was on my HTC One S.
I have no issues.
Sent from my Nexus 4

Thanks guys.. again xD What do you guys recommend for me?

No yellow tint on my screen, however the screen sensitivity is slightly less responsive than the Galaxy S III, but should'nt be too much of an issue. I would recommend the Nexus 4 due to the price, pure android experience, and the first to get updates.

When speaking of touch sesitivity you need to keep in mind that you are talking about a capacitive screen. That means it senses the capacitive charge setup from your finger and the screen. This can be effected by your skin, oil/dirt on your skin/screen, moisture content and temprature of the air. For these reasons it is very difficult to accurately compare the opinion of your touch to someone else's opinion of their touch.

Henryy97 said:
Thanks guys.. again xD What do you guys recommend for me?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
n4...200%
after two slcd 2 devices.... I'll never look at amoled again.
Sent from my One X using Tapatalk 2

Battery life isn't as good as the GS2, nor is the speaker or build quality and there is no Micro SD slot or removable battery. What is also annoying is seeing my friends I noticed that black levels were more of a grey, I just cannot get used to non OLED screens any more. There isn't really any improvement over the GS2, the only thing you can say is specs but the Nexus 4 is hardly the king, it's lagging behind the competition even with it's superior hardware, purely because of build quality from LG.
I was excited for the Nexus 4 but unless you cannot afford a Smart Phone and the £280 price point is perfect for you then there is no reason to buy it. I'm just gonna get the GS4 on my upgrade next year.

I came from a Galaxy SIII , and I couldn't be any happier. My battery life is much better, the screen has no yellow hue to it that I can see, even at weird angles, the touch screen couldn't be any more sensitive in the opinion (its just as sensitive as my sgs3 was) , the rattle is there, but you have to have the ear piece right up against your ear to hear it at all, if not it barely audible. To me, this phone is the best Android device I've ever owned, and I've owned ALOT of them. One more thing, this is the best screen ive ever seen on a smartphone too. Text is extremely crisp, colors are true to life, and it is really bright!
I hope this, and everyone else's posts have calmed your concerns about the Nexus 4. To be honest , you be missing out on an amazing device if you chose not to get it because some people are overly dramatic .
I hope you get it
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium

This Nexus 4 crap is really perplex.. I don't know if to buy it or not. The price doesn't matter right now, I just want a good smartphone with a lot of development teams and sexy design along with good specs. To be honest, I saw the SGS3 on a store and I used it and the screen is amazing but if i get like 1 inch close I can actually see pixels .-. And additionally, I HATE the design. But if there's no other better choice I'll get it. What do you guys recommend? forget about the price please.

Light bleed - how to check it?

Hello,
I have received Google Nexus 10 and it seems like the seal was broken, which suggests that somebody else has already used it (or at least unpacked).
I guess that the only known "big issue" is the light bleed. Could somebody tell me, step by step, how to determine it? (e.g. how to load all black screen? What brightness should I use to check it?). I am trying to judge whether to keep the tablet or not.
Thank you for help,
Theriel

Try using an app like this LCD test:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/...DEsImRlLmxhcHBlLnRpbS5hbmRyb2lkLmxjZHRlc3QiXQ..
go to the pure black and then play around with the brightness (set it to max).
You'll almost certainly going to see some but this should help you decide if it's a deal breaker for you.

the darker the room the better aswell! if you are in a pitch dark room and only see little light bleed at max brightness then have a little smile to yourself and enjoy the nexus!

theriel said:
Hello,
I have received Google Nexus 10 and it seems like the seal was broken, which suggests that somebody else has already used it (or at least unpacked).
I guess that the only known "big issue" is the light bleed. Could somebody tell me, step by step, how to determine it? (e.g. how to load all black screen? What brightness should I use to check it?). I am trying to judge whether to keep the tablet or not.
Thank you for help,
Theriel
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Check out "Backlight Bleed Test"
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.joeleveque.backlightbleedtest
Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk HD

So what is light bleed that matters?
I know the OP's question is on testing for bleed, but want to respond to help those wondering whether what they're seeing in their tests is normal or a defect that a replacement unit might solve . . .
Starting with a couple of suggested definitions:
'Light bleed' is a significant unevenness in screen lighting/brightness that's irritating in normal use – like scalloping along the edges, or being a lot brighter or darker on one side. Separately, let's call it 'black glow' when what's intended to be jet black on a screen doesn't appear completely black.
If you search the Web for 'light bleed' and the name of any major tablet, you'll find plenty of references to this. When examining your tablet, for context do the same with your laptop, LCD monitor, and LCD TV, for all are subject to the same concerns. No screen technology is perfect. Lighting on all LCD screens varies somewhat depending on the angle you look at it, and some level of 'black glow' is normal too.
Looking at your all-black screen in a dark room with the brightness turned up can be a useful test to verify problems if you find concerns that affect normal usage. This is a worst-case-scenario video test, and when you test your other LCD-screen devices this way, you are bound to see 'black glow'.
A lot of cell phones (mostly Samsung) have AMOLED screens that don't need screen backlighting & thus don't have 'black glow' – each pixel is a light and blacks can truly be black. But these screens are limited to smaller devices – the largest are two lower-resolution 7.7" units; you can't buy a 10" AMOLED tablet. With LCD's, note that the larger the screen & the higher the resolution, the brighter the backlight (really, it's on the edge) needs to be.
There are definitely defective units out there, and some that aren't as even as others. Hopefully this adds context to the discussion and will help folks new to the issue decide whether their unit is bad enough to be worth exchanging . . .

brocco99 said:
I know the OP's question is on testing for bleed, but want to respond to help those wondering whether what they're seeing in their tests is normal or a defect that a replacement unit might solve . . .
Starting with a couple of suggested definitions:
'Light bleed' is a significant unevenness in screen lighting/brightness that's irritating in normal use – like scalloping along the edges, or being a lot brighter or darker on one side. Separately, let's call it 'black glow' when what's intended to be jet black on a screen doesn't appear completely black.
If you search the Web for 'light bleed' and the name of any major tablet, you'll find plenty of references to this. When examining your tablet, for context do the same with your laptop, LCD monitor, and LCD TV, for all are subject to the same concerns. No screen technology is perfect. Lighting on all LCD screens varies somewhat depending on the angle you look at it, and some level of 'black glow' is normal too.
Looking at your all-black screen in a dark room with the brightness turned up can be a useful test to verify problems if you find concerns that affect normal usage. This is a worst-case-scenario video test, and when you test your other LCD-screen devices this way, you are bound to see 'black glow'.
A lot of cell phones (mostly Samsung) have AMOLED screens that don't need screen backlighting & thus don't have 'black glow' – each pixel is a light and blacks can truly be black. But these screens are limited to smaller devices – the largest are two lower-resolution 7.7" units; you can't buy a 10" AMOLED tablet. With LCD's, note that the larger the screen & the higher the resolution, the brighter the backlight (really, it's on the edge) needs to be.
There are definitely defective units out there, and some that aren't as even as others. Hopefully this adds context to the discussion and will help folks new to the issue decide whether their unit is bad enough to be worth exchanging . . .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mine is faintly noticeable all the time with auto brightness on. I asked for an RMA and it was 2-3 times as bad. I think I will keep this one. As of now looking at it really bothers me, but I know in a few months once this device has some wear it won't matter to me. However I am still debating on attempting to receive a refund and possibly buying it in the stores in a few months. Hmmm lol.

Thank you all for your informative responses.
I am attaching the pictures of my case. I guess I will have to return it - although you cannot see in the light and with non-black background, it is pretty annoying when the background is black and the ambient light is a bit dimmer...
What would you do in my case ? How does this case compare to your cases?
Thank you,
Theriel

my orignal device has servere light bleed on the left corner and my replacement device has servere light bleed on the right corner... 3rd one is on the way, please Google, give me a acceptable screen before the world ends!!

I do not think there is any point of returning it. It seems liek light bleed is inherent in the design of these tablets. I have two right in front of me, the second one has even worse light bleed. I shall be keeping the first one. Does any one know if they will charge my card for the second one. It seems like they charged me card, then a days before I got a second nexus 10, they removed the charged.
I was expecting a courier to pick up my old nexus 10. But no one has. Any one else in the same situation with 2 nexus 10s?

sharp910sh said:
I do not think there is any point of returning it. It seems liek light bleed is inherent in the design of these tablets. I have two right in front of me, the second one has even worse light bleed. I shall be keeping the first one. Does any one know if they will charge my card for the second one. It seems like they charged me card, then a days before I got a second nexus 10, they removed the charged.
I was expecting a courier to pick up my old nexus 10. But no one has. Any one else in the same situation with 2 nexus 10s?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You know its bad when its a best of the worst scenario. Lol.

sharp910sh said:
I do not think there is any point of returning it. It seems liek light bleed is inherent in the design of these tablets. I have two right in front of me, the second one has even worse light bleed. I shall be keeping the first one. Does any one know if they will charge my card for the second one. It seems like they charged me card, then a days before I got a second nexus 10, they removed the charged.
I was expecting a courier to pick up my old nexus 10. But no one has. Any one else in the same situation with 2 nexus 10s?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They will place another hold of the price of the device until the rma'd unit has returned to them. It would take another 7 days until the hold is released from what was explained to me. So at the moment for me they have 1k of my money on hold because the original is in route to them now and I had just ordered the replacement for the replacement!
You will have to setup a pickup or go to the nearest UPS facility to return your defective unit.
Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk HD

jjdevega said:
They will place another hold of the price of the device until the rma'd unit has returned to them. It would take another 7 days until the hold is released from what was explained to me. So at the moment for me they have 1k of my money on hold because the original is in route to them now and I had just ordered the replacement for the replacement!
You will have to setup a pickup or go to the nearest UPS facility to return your defective unit.
Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk HD
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I was thinking that. But they do not have any of my money on hold. They did but then it was returned back?! Keep checking my account. I thought they were going to organise the collection of my old devise. Seems like i shall give them a ring. They may charge my card again!

So... what do you think about my case (see photos in the previous post)? How does it compare to the "average Nexus 10" you have/have seen? Is it "ok" or "one of the worst cases" or... ?
I am not sure if it is not worth waiting 2-3 weeks for a new tablet, as opposed to holding onto a defective one for a few years...

theriel said:
So... what do you think about my case (see photos in the previous post)? How does it compare to the "average Nexus 10" you have/have seen? Is it "ok" or "one of the worst cases" or... ?
I am not sure if it is not worth waiting 2-3 weeks for a new tablet, as opposed to holding onto a defective one for a few years...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your one looks bad!

@OP: It seems the question should be whether your screen looks great to you in normal use or not. If lighting evenness irritates under normal use, *then* the dark room/full-black screen test can confirm what you're seeing. Is only time you see a funny pattern when testing the thing this way?
We can't really know if a picture taken with a typical camera in a dark room really reflects how you see the image; most cameras normally crank the gain up 'till there's some kind of funny colored image. My screen is a bit brighter in the lower right when running this test -- which I see as nothing more than an interesting detail about how the backlighting works, it's completely irrelevant to me in normal use. If your picture really does reflect what you experience, and it affects normal usage . . . yep, it's worse than mine.
The easiest way you can get context for what you're seeing is probably to run the same test on any laptop or tablet you can get ahold of -- makes sense that you don't want your tablet to come up short when compared to what you see first-hand on other LCD screens. That's probably a lot better way to decide!

Exactly how much light bleed is too much light bleed?

So I just purchased a Nexus 10 and am absolutely loving it. One thing I immediately noticed because I've seen it so many times is that there's a very gentle amount of light bleed. So gentle that I think it might actually be normal. Basically what it is is a thin line down the left side of the screen, right on the bezel (in landscape) that appears slightly yellowish on a few different colors. It's very subtle. A normal person would not notice this. But I'm on XDA, so I'm not normal . Anyway, I just wanted to ask others if they had the same problem. If most of the devices have it, I'll deal with it. But if not, I purchased it at Walmart and they had another one so I could easily trade. Thank you!
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

jtc276 said:
So I just purchased a Nexus 10 and am absolutely loving it. One thing I immediately noticed because I've seen it so many times is that there's a very gentle amount of light bleed. So gentle that I think it might actually be normal. Basically what it is is a thin line down the left side of the screen, right on the bezel (in landscape) that appears slightly yellowish on a few different colors. It's very subtle. A normal person would not notice this. But I'm on XDA, so I'm not normal . Anyway, I just wanted to ask others if they had the same problem. If most of the devices have it, I'll deal with it. But if not, I purchased it at Walmart and they had another one so I could easily trade. Thank you!
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Honestly man it depends on whether or not it bothers you. I imagine they all have light bleed to some extend but the vast majority of people just won't know what it is or even notice it!
If it's not really bad, just keep it and enjoy it! I had to send my nexus 10 this week because of wifi issues and I'd say it had minor light bleed. The one I've been sent is probably about the same and it's new.

dtwazere said:
Honestly man it depends on whether or not it bothers you. I imagine they all have light bleed to some extend but the vast majority of people just won't know what it is or even notice it!
If it's not really bad, just keep it and enjoy it! I had to send my nexus 10 this week because of wifi issues and I'd say it had minor light bleed. The one I've been sent is probably about the same and it's new.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I was guessing that this would be the case. Other than this minor issue, it's a perfect device. They only had one other at my Walmart and I'm sure that if I were to trade for it, it would have a major problem making wish I would have kept the one I have now. It really doesn't bother me at all, though, I just wanted to make sure I wasn't alone. I hope when you get your next Nexus 10 everything is good
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda-developers app

As most people in here I also got my N10 with light bleed and returned to Google for a refund and bought another one that also got light bleed but very minor. I decided to keep this one because actually it doesn't bother me at all.

Deciding to return a device for light bleed is completely up to you just like it is with TVs. I would say if its so noticeable that it's going to bug you everytime you turn the device on, then return it!

Mine has the "normal" lightbleed in the bottom corners. It seems you are lucky if you don't have any. Too much is personal preference.
On the other hand, iPads have it, too. I don't view in perfect conditions and rarely have a screen that is all black.
Sent from my Nexus 10 using xda app-developers app

Nexus 9 Black VS White models. Differences

quick story:
I bought the black nexus 9 16GB on release date at best buy. upon unboxing it, i was a bit disappointed. the build quality was pretty weak. right away i noticed that there was a click on the back, right above the HTC logo. you can press upon it, it felt a bit hollow. anyhow i tried to look pass it because I'm a really big nexus fan. next i noticed the weak volume and power buttons. there were very flush and very hard to find and press. most of the time i would accidentally power off the display trying to raise the volume. i again tried to look pass it, and actually used it for a full week. the final stray came when, after a week's use and after downloading all my apps I looked at the available storage and there were only 3gb left. No way, i just couldn't do it. with no expandable storage this was just a deal breaker. i immediately returned it to best buy. I wanted to give it another shot because i really enjoyed the screen size and front facing speakers of the nexus 9. So I bought the white nexus 9 32GB off of amazon with next day delivery.
the White nexus 9 was way better. And I mean WAYYYYY better. the volume and power button stick out more, more tactile, and have an audible click. the back feels much more solid and there is no click or give anywhere on the back. the Metal band that goes around the nexus actually looks and feels metal, something that i totally forgot and looked passed on the black version.
Conclusion: if you are going to get a nexus 9 get the WHITE 32GB version. i consider myself a minimalist but the black version just looks too bland. Ive seen the BUTTON ISSUE on the black display model at best buy. maybe the change in materials is actually causing some issues.
hope this helps anyone looking for a nexus 9. I also want to know if anyone is experiencing some issues with the white model

I too have the 32GB White Nexus 9 and it's a rock solid piece of equipment. The build quality is excellent including screen, white case back, and buttons. The white case makes the whole thing look sexy.
Merrell

Ditto for me. But just learned no mircast, hugh bummer for work

I just bought a white one, thanks for your post.

I have the black 32gb version and I don't have any of those issues. Maybe I got lucky that mine was on back order. Must have gotten one from a newer/improved batch?

Thanks for this post Rafaeli11. I ordered the white Nexus 9 on Friday and it's being delivered tomorrow. Since ordering it I've read so many negative comments that's I've almost canceled my order and just got an iPad instead. I have noticed, however that the people having problems all seem to be using the black version. After reading your post I'm a little less anxious about the build quality my Nexus 9 may have. I've read on a few different sites now that the back of the white version is more solid.
Thanks again.

Diesel779 said:
Thanks for this post Rafaeli11. I ordered the white Nexus 9 on Friday and it's being delivered tomorrow. Since ordering it I've read so many negative comments that's I've almost canceled my order and just got an iPad instead. I have noticed, however that the people having problems all seem to be using the black version. After reading your post I'm a little less anxious about the build quality my Nexus 9 may have. I've read on a few different sites now that the back of the white version is more solid.
Thanks again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately that's what I did. After reading all the negative reviews on here I went and spent the money I had saved for the nexus 9 on an iPad Air 2. It was not all that!! The sound distorts and vibrates and on a certain area of the screen just a normal light touch caused a wavy effect (just like if you press really hard on a LCD screen). This also happened when you hold the tablet in a certain way. Luckily I managed to get a full refund and will now get the Nexus 9. We all learn from our mistakes!!!!

magnumlove said:
Unfortunately that's what I did. After reading all the negative reviews on here I went and spent the money I had saved for the nexus 9 on an iPad Air 2. It was not all that!! The sound distorts and vibrates and on a certain area of the screen just a normal light touch caused a wavy effect (just like if you press really hard on a LCD screen). This also happened when you hold the tablet in a certain way. Luckily I managed to get a full refund and will now get the Nexus 9. We all learn from our mistakes!!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I owned an iPad Air last year and whilst it was great in build quality and had great battery life, it bored the life out of me. I ended up dropping it anyway. I then purchased a Nexus 7 2013 just to tide me over until the Nexus 9 came out. I just hope there's nothing wrong with mine when it arrives tomorrow, I'll be really disappointed if it's got the issues some people are suffering. I had a bad experience with my Nexus 5, I had to RMA it 3 times. If my Nexus 9 is all good tomorrow I'll be over the moon.

magnumlove said:
Unfortunately that's what I did. After reading all the negative reviews on here I went and spent the money I had saved for the nexus 9 on an iPad Air 2. It was not all that!! The sound distorts and vibrates and on a certain area of the screen just a normal light touch caused a wavy effect (just like if you press really hard on a LCD screen). This also happened when you hold the tablet in a certain way. Luckily I managed to get a full refund and will now get the Nexus 9. We all learn from our mistakes!!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
so in the end you are getting the N9. It was not clear

dtl said:
so in the end you are getting the N9. It was not clear
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
??

I purchased the Black version on release day and was incredibly shocked at how bad the build was. The back popped and I also had major light bleed. So I returned it and ordered a white one to see if it by chance could be any better. I can say that the white version seems better all the way around. No popping on the back and minimal light bleed. I can say I'm very happy and would say this tops all android tablets out there and I have owned at least 10 to 15 of them.

Can anyone confirm if this popping back issue has been fixed in new batch or is it still there in black version? I guess I will get mine replaced if it is. I guess choosing white version would be easy fix but it is not available in Finland Play store.

magnumlove said:
??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry I was confused by the wording. It was not clear that you meant the N9 in the end and meant to type ipad. I guess it reads that you returned the N9 for the ipad and returned the ipad for the N9. So cool

I have the white 16 GB version and can't see any defects on it the build quality is like my wife's ipad air it feels solid and battery life is amazing almost 4 days Jo charge on par with ipad battery life os maybe the black one does have bit different materials??

I too bought the white mainly for one reason - fingerprints. I already have experience with the N5 and N7 which I ended up getting skins for. with the white it shows up much less.
Got the bonus of it having great build quality. very happy with my decision.
And my wallet and I are back on speaking terms!

Also bought the White (32GB) and have no issues with the back popping. It feels solid.
Light bleed exist but is very minimal in a couple of corners. When watching letter-boxed videos, I don't even notice.

Add another one here.
I bought the black one the first day it came out. NFC didnt work, the back cover clicks, the tablet was laggy (older firmware). Returned it to Best Buy and got the white version. Wow, what a difference. I have none of the problems above.

I believe these are all in people's luck.
My black version is solid, with really really "good" (comparatively), lightbleed. No flexing and no back cover clicking, plus no #gapgate.
I don't think the white is constructed with better QC than its black brothers.
Assuming all units are the same, and each has a 50% chance of a bad turnout.
Your next N9 could simply have struck luck and got a good unit, regardless of black or white.
Show the black one some looooooove! It's feeling left out!

I bought my N9 32gb black the day after release. It's pretty solid in build quality with no clicking and minimal light bleed (a lot less than other devices I have). Everything appears to work. I'm very happy with it.

nimdae said:
I bought my N9 32gb black the day after release. It's pretty solid in build quality with no clicking and minimal light bleed (a lot less than other devices I have). Everything appears to work. I'm very happy with it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here. I love it.