Glossy or not for MBP?

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
What's the general consensus regarding screen type for the Macbook Pro? Do people go with the glossy or the regular? Any help would be great. Thanks!

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 16
    rich-mysterrich-myster Posts: 771member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by compulsiveguile View Post


    What's the general consensus regarding screen type for the Macbook Pro? Do people go with the glossy or the regular? Any help would be great. Thanks!



    depends. if you want to use it outside a lot, then don't get glossy because you'll get the sun light shining off of the screen. if you're mostly going to be using it indoors, or out of the sun light, then get the glossy, because it makes the picture look nicer.
  • Reply 2 of 16
    bergermeisterbergermeister Posts: 6,784member
    I'll second that and say I have a MB with glossy screen. It is fantastic. You do have to adjust it sometimes so that it doesn't reflect lights or sun, but the great images make up for any troubles.



    If you will mostly be outside, go matte.
  • Reply 3 of 16
    Thanks for the help. Are there any other opinions? I was reading in some other forums, and some people said that the glossy actually worked the same if not better in sunlight. Has anyone found this to be true? It is a possibility that it was an outdated article though...

    Also, how significant is the glare on the glossy compared to the matte?
  • Reply 4 of 16
    rich-mysterrich-myster Posts: 771member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by compulsiveguile View Post


    Thanks for the help. Are there any other opinions? I was reading in some other forums, and some people said that the glossy actually worked the same if not better in sunlight. Has anyone found this to be true? It is a possibility that it was an outdated article though...

    Also, how significant is the glare on the glossy compared to the matte?



    basically, the glossy acts sort of like a mirror, so it kind of reflects the sun so you don't see anything on the screen but the light. the matte doesn't reflect anything, so you can still see if the sun is shining on it. the article is wrong.
  • Reply 5 of 16
    kickahakickaha Posts: 8,760member
    Actually, no. I just found this out not an hour ago out on the porch with my glossy screen MacBook - I was able to see the screen *better* with the sun behind me. How? The light was going through the LCD, and bouncing off of the backlighting layer, then back out. It was like looking at a printed page. I could turn the backlight all the way off, and it looked exactly the same. The only trick was sitting slightly off angle so that the reflection of the sun wasn't directly in my eyes, but this was much better than sitting facing the sun. There, the backlight had to compete with the sun, and the screen was too dark.



    Yeah, it surprised me too, but I can confirm the article. Is it great? No. OTOH, my matte PBG4 screen was worthless with the sun behind me, great with off-angle reflections though. (The glossy hasn't been bad with those, however.)



    I'm looking at getting a MBP, and until today, I was planning on a matte, but now? I think I might just go with a glossy.
  • Reply 6 of 16
    rich-mysterrich-myster Posts: 771member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Kickaha View Post


    Actually, no. I just found this out not an hour ago out on the porch with my glossy screen MacBook - I was able to see the screen *better* with the sun behind me. How? The light was going through the LCD, and bouncing off of the backlighting layer, then back out. It was like looking at a printed page. I could turn the backlight all the way off, and it looked exactly the same. The only trick was sitting slightly off angle so that the reflection of the sun wasn't directly in my eyes, but this was much better than sitting facing the sun. There, the backlight had to compete with the sun, and the screen was too dark.



    Yeah, it surprised me too, but I can confirm the article. Is it great? No. OTOH, my matte PBG4 screen was worthless with the sun behind me, great with off-angle reflections though. (The glossy hasn't been bad with those, however.)



    I'm looking at getting a MBP, and until today, I was planning on a matte, but now? I think I might just go with a glossy.



    hmm, you wouldn't think that to actually be true. crazy.
  • Reply 7 of 16
    kickahakickaha Posts: 8,760member
    Yeah, agreed. I was kinda floored by it.
  • Reply 8 of 16
    bergermeisterbergermeister Posts: 6,784member
    Where I live I can't stay out in the sun long enough to test the screen without getting sunburned or sweating sufficiently to cause the battery to short out, so I'll take Kickaha's word for it.
  • Reply 9 of 16
    ryukyuryukyu Posts: 450member
    I was anti-glossy screen before i looked at them side-by-side at an Apple Store.

    I ended up buying an MBP with a glossy screen because the screen just looks sooooo much better.

    I love it.

    Right after I got mine, a friend who has a matte screen MBP saw mine and was kicking himself for not getting the glossy.
  • Reply 10 of 16
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ryukyu View Post


    I was anti-glossy screen before i looked at them side-by-side at an Apple Store.

    I ended up buying an MBP with a glossy screen because the screen just looks sooooo much better.

    I love it.

    Right after I got mine, a friend who has a matte screen MBP saw mine and was kicking himself for not getting the glossy.



    Hmmm... these decenting opinions are making this decision quite difficult. Any other help?
  • Reply 11 of 16
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by compulsiveguile View Post


    Hmmm... these decenting opinions are making this decision quite difficult. Any other help?



    just get the glossy man.
  • Reply 12 of 16
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by segovius View Post


    I've ordered one with the matte screen but haven't paid for it yet - just have the order number, will pay tomorrow...



    Q: Will I regret it?



    Q: Is it too late to change it?



    no.



    probably not.
  • Reply 13 of 16
    No and if you start to feel bad just remember there are plenty of downsides to the glossy



    I believe i heard somewhere that matte is more accurate therefore better for the photoshop type. im not positive though.
  • Reply 14 of 16
    elixirelixir Posts: 782member
    i'm not a fan of the gloss
  • Reply 15 of 16
    pbpb Posts: 4,255member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by segovius View Post


    Cheers....



    The glossy vs matte comparison I have done is obviuosly pre-LED backlight. How will intro of the new screens impact this question?



    Does anyone have any idea if the new LEDs will improve saturation and details on the MacBook Pro screens - it should do shouldn't it?



    Macbidouille had yesterday an article with display comparisons, old vs. new LED. They said that the LED has a yellow cast almost impossible to get rid of with calibration. In the meantime the article has been retired waiting for more confirmation.



    So the situation is still not clear. But in any case don't expect miracles with this first batch of LED displays. After two or three years down the road probably yes, but not now. Otherwise Apple would be much more eloquent about this.



    EDIT: here is another comparison.
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