---
title: "PROLED MacBook Pro owners report eye strain from 240Hz screen flicker"
description: "A Notebookcheck lab test found 240Hz PWM at 56 per cent depth; AppleInsider says retailers are seeing more returns."
url: https://mactoreality.com/proled-macbook-pro-users-report-eye-strain-from-screen-flicker
published: 2026-11-10T18:01:08Z
updated: 2026-11-10T18:01:08Z
author: "Mac to Reality Newsdesk"
category: News
tags: ["Mac","Software"]
publisher: Mac to Reality
ai_assisted: true
apple_heat_impact: -3
---

# PROLED MacBook Pro owners report eye strain from 240Hz screen flicker

*A Notebookcheck lab test found 240Hz PWM at 56 per cent depth; AppleInsider says retailers are seeing more returns.*

**Key points**

- The new PROLED MacBook Pro uses 240Hz pulse-width modulation with a 56 per cent flicker amplitude, which is causing eye strain and headaches.
- Genius Bars have received complaints and retailers report a higher than normal return rate for the machine.
- Apple has not issued a statement; the previous M4 Pro Mini-LED model used a much higher 14,880Hz PWM frequency.

Some owners of the new PROLED MacBook Pro are reporting eye strain, headaches and dizziness, and the cause appears to be how the OLED screen is dimmed. Notebookcheck’s lab test of the 14-inch model found pulse-width modulation (PWM) at 240Hz with a 56 per cent flicker amplitude whenever brightness is set to 99 per cent or lower. AppleInsider reports that Genius Bars and retailers are seeing a higher than normal rate of returns.

### Background

- Notebookcheck’s measurement: 240Hz PWM, 56 per cent amplitude, present at 99 per cent brightness and below (14-inch, M5 Pro review unit supplied by Apple Germany).
- The previous Mini-LED MacBook Pro was measured at 14,880Hz, far above the range most people can perceive.
- Notebookcheck’s review still scores the laptop 92 per cent and calls the display the best you can currently get on a laptop.
- Apple has not commented on the reports.

Notebookcheck says the screen also uses DC dimming, but that does not remove the 240Hz flicker. Its review lists PWM flickering among the cons and warns that sensitive users may still have problems, even though it praises the panel’s colour, efficiency and battery life.

AppleInsider says the same PWM settings are used on modern iPhones, but that the larger screen of a laptop makes the strobing easier to notice. It adds that sensitivity varies with fatigue, diet and how long you look at the screen, and that people with migraines, photosensitive epilepsy or a history of head injury may be affected more.

## What it means for buyers

The PROLED MacBook Pro went on sale on 6 November in more than 30 countries, so the first returns window is still open for early buyers. If you are sensitive to flicker, the practical advice is to try the machine in a shop for a longer session before buying and to check the return terms in your country. We will update this article if Apple responds or if a software fix appears. For the launch details, see our earlier coverage.

## Sources

- [Notebookcheck: Amazing OLED panel - Apple MacBook Pro 14 PROLED XDR Review](https://www.notebookcheck.net/Amazing-OLED-panel-Apple-MacBook-Pro-14-PROLED-XDR-Review.1438048.0.html)
- [AppleInsider: If you're getting dizzy using PROLED MacBook Pro, you are not alone](https://appleinsider.com/articles/26/11/10/if-youre-getting-dizzy-using-proled-macbook-pro-you-are-not-alone)

*This report was written by the Mac to Reality newsdesk with AI assistance from the sources listed above, under the editorial policy at https://mactoreality.com/editorial-policy.*