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Geofries · Jun 21, 2007, 08:30 PM

The Apple Store in Houston only has Non Gloss 15" MBPs.

Is one significantly better than the other?

ghporter · Jun 21, 2007, 09:17 PM

Take a while (a LONG while) and see what the consensus (actually the LACK of a consensus) is here. I have a matte screen on mine and it's great. A classmate has a glossy screen on her 17" and it's great too (and HUGE!). There are some situations where my screen is a bit more readable than hers (lots of ambient light sources), and in other situations, hers shows colors more vividly. I don't think you can go wrong with either one.

However, if you find that there's something irritating about the screen on any Mac you buy, TAKE IT UP WITH APPLE. There should be no flicker, no starbursts, no "graininess", or any other annoying feature in a new Mac's display, so if you find something that's bothersome, have Apple do something about it.

MacosNerd · Jun 21, 2007, 10:07 PM

As for a consensus, I prefer the matte finish. I have a Macbook and while the glossy screen is ok, I prefer the matte.

jebjeb · Jun 22, 2007, 09:17 AM

I find the glossy screens to have more vivid colour but I detest their reflectivity and how much they show up finger prints and smudges.

Much prefer the matte displays.

olePigeon · Jun 22, 2007, 12:04 PM

Originally Posted by jebjeb

I find the glossy screens to have more vivid colour but I detest their reflectivity and how much they show up finger prints and smudges.

Much prefer the matte displays.

Ditto.

Geofries · Jun 23, 2007, 11:32 AM

Originally Posted by jebjeb

I find the glossy screens to have more vivid colour but I detest their reflectivity and how much they show up finger prints and smudges.

Much prefer the matte displays.

Interesting. Makes me think of how I have those exact same feelings about my current Mac Book. I can't stand the reflectiveness, and the smudges and finger prints realllly urk me. Yet, I love the colors.

Hmm...is it safe to say that the matte screen is the same as the one on the iBook G4? Cause I used to have one of those, so i can use that as a reference in my decision if theyre the same.

alainmeyer1 · Jun 23, 2007, 03:35 PM

I feel that with glossy screens you require less brightness to be easily visible.

But matte is more work. If you spend a long time in front of the screen it may be nicer.

Geofries · Jun 23, 2007, 04:56 PM

For gaming, because that's going to be a big thing for me, would you guys suggest gloss?

highstakes · Jun 23, 2007, 05:00 PM

Originally Posted by Geofries

For gaming, because that's going to be a big thing for me, would you guys suggest gloss?

I would say go with matte for gaming. I had a glossy screen on my previous laptop, and it was annoying to play Red Alert 2 becuase you could see so much reflection on the screen.

mduell · Jun 23, 2007, 06:56 PM

I think it's funny how sensitive people get about defending their choice of screen coating.
It's one of the few issues where many people on both sides feel that the other side is a bunch of blind drooling retards.
Go to an Apple Store and see both displays for yourself. It'd be nice if you could take both outside to view them in a non-fluorescent setting, but I doubt they'll let you do that.

jaybert · Jun 30, 2007, 12:16 AM

any other comments on this subject? I have a matte coming in from a campus reseller. thinking if its worth it to bring it to apple and ask if they would be willing to do an even exchange for a glossy one. i plan on going to the apple store tomorrow to check out both and see which one I like more

highstakes · Jun 30, 2007, 02:48 AM

Originally Posted by mduell

It's one of the few issues where many people on both sides feel that the other side is a bunch of blind drooling retards.

ghporter · Jun 30, 2007, 08:40 AM

Originally Posted by mduell

I think it's funny how sensitive people get about defending their choice of screen coating.
It's one of the few issues where many people on both sides feel that the other side is a bunch of blind drooling retards.
Go to an Apple Store and see both displays for yourself. It'd be nice if you could take both outside to view them in a non-fluorescent setting, but I doubt they'll let you do that.

Originally Posted by highstakes

I have to agree with mduell on this. There have been some rather heated debates here about this very subject (I've been way too deep in one of 'em) and it all boiled down to "butter side up" versus "butter side down." Who CARES whether someone else thinks you chose a good screen treatment, as long as YOU do. It's YOUR computer, YOU use it, YOU have to live with your decision. Mduell's advice above is first-rate: GO LOOK AT BOTH FOR YOURSELF, then make a decision.

mduell · Jun 30, 2007, 08:46 AM

Originally Posted by highstakes

Go read the old threads on this. People become downright virulent over opinions on this.

MacosNerd · Jun 30, 2007, 09:04 AM

Originally Posted by mduell

Go read the old threads on this. People become downright virulent over opinions on this.

People seems downright virulent on every subject here including display sizes, hard drive makers, chip set designations,e.g., santa rosa, and of course mb vs mbp, etc.

MattJeff · Jun 30, 2007, 01:21 PM

i like matte

glossy isn't bad, its just not my cup of tea (and im a self-employed photographer so i need correct colors). i agree with going to an apple store to check them out yourself.

jaybert · Jun 30, 2007, 01:47 PM

Originally Posted by MattJeff

i like matte

glossy isn't bad, its just not my cup of tea (and im a self-employed photographer so i need correct colors). i agree with going to an apple store to check them out yourself.

actually just did that about an hr or two ago..and have decided to stick with the matte! There was just too much glare on the glossy ones. it could have been the fluorescent lights in the apple store that magnified it, but seeing my reflection on the screen was pretty annoying

On a side note, they still had plenty of iphones as of 11:00am at the willow bend store in plano, tx

VValdo · Jun 30, 2007, 02:09 PM

After hearing a ton of "glossy isn't so bad" comments, I decided to really consider it... up until a friend with a 17" glossy needed help. It was at a coffee shop, and I sat with my back to the outside, and the reflections from the street were really annoying.

So I'm sticking with matte.

W

PS-- FWIW, my friend insists glare is not a problem for him. But also, after using it, the initial "hey the colors are way better" effect kinda wore off for me too.

PPS-- caveat: his screen was REALLY dirty, which may have highlit the reflections.

go.mouse · Jun 30, 2007, 03:25 PM

My 17" MBP has a matte screen. It's almost as bright as the 17" glossy, without any reflections. But for 15" I do think the glossy one is brighter the the matte. It was a tough choice when I was shopping in the Apple Store in Lynwood, WA. 15" or 17", matte or glossy.

voicebox · Jun 30, 2007, 05:50 PM

Hi-res Matt.

highstakes · Jul 1, 2007, 01:58 AM

Originally Posted by mduell

Go read the old threads on this. People become downright virulent over opinions on this.

Man, you were'nt kidding

ghporter · Jul 1, 2007, 09:17 AM

Originally Posted by voicebox

Hi-res Matt.

That sounds like a new member's nickname!

"Posted by Hi-res Matt: I love my MBP!"

Stout · Jul 1, 2007, 04:41 PM

I'm also trying to decide the same for myself, but reading all of these posts about it is quite amusing. No matter where you look, or how many different threads, reviews, or blog entries discuss the topic, you'll eventually come to one conclusion. I need to go see the damned things for myself. This is one of those issues where it's personal preference that weighs out in the long run. Glossy owners say that their screen is by far better looking and the color isn't as much of a problem as the inconsistent colors used by different printers anyway. Matte owners say that their color is "true" and their screens don't act like a mirror. So however you shake it up, it's still going to come down to what YOU want. I wish it wasn't this way, since the closest Apple store to me is about 3 hours away, but alas, that's what it comes down to. Take my advice, you may find that a person with no experience in either matte or glossy laptops knows best.

pcryan5 · Jul 1, 2007, 05:58 PM

I got rid of my macbook - the glossy was not usable in many work areas. Matte works for me.

bballe336 · Jul 1, 2007, 09:49 PM

I find the glossy screens almost unusable. So for me matte is the way to go.

voicebox · Jul 2, 2007, 05:31 AM

Originally Posted by ghporter

That sounds like a new member's nickname!

"Posted by Hi-res Matt: I love my MBP!"

Now why didn't I think of that ...!!

Felix · Sep 29, 2007, 04:08 AM

So this issue is not a clear yes/no question...

Under what conditions it a glossy screen prefferable?

Movies? Photoshop or iMovie work?

Are the brighter colors more accurate?

A direct comparision in a Mac Stroe did unfortunately not lead to a clear decision, yet. But they had only a stupid demo running with a small movie window in the centre.

Is there a specific programm which I should use to se the difference?

Kidn regards,

Felix

Tim Collier · Sep 29, 2007, 04:20 AM

Well, for me my MacBook which has the glossy screen is perfectly fine for what I use it for. In my opinion, the colours are more vivid which does matter to me, that's why I like it.

Matte is also great, especially for games. Matte finish looks great on the 24" Cinema Display and has a great brightness.

As everyone has said, it just depends on personal preference. Also, glossy screens are super easy to clean.

VValdo · Sep 29, 2007, 05:17 AM

I ended up w/a matte and I'm REALLY glad I did. I used a friend's glossy and the reflections were super-distracting. This non-gloss is very very easy on the eyes.

W

UnixMac · Sep 29, 2007, 09:53 AM

vote for Gloss.. I had Matte in the beginning as it was the only choice, but I find the gloss clean up MUCH easier, and are brighter.

dmcnickle · Sep 29, 2007, 11:40 AM

I just got a 17" hi-res glossy and love it.
It is a thing of beauty.

hoobershnooger · Oct 5, 2007, 03:08 AM

i know four people with macbook pro's and all of them have matte screens. i have a macbook, and i much prefer the matte over the glossy. i really don't like the glare, and i have to clean the screen every few days because of the fingerprints (it's weird how you don't touch the monitor yet fingerprints show up.. hmmm). also, the vibrant display of color is nice, but no deciding factor to me.

loki74 · Oct 5, 2007, 04:36 AM

imo glossy is nicer, but only if you dont have a window or bright lights situated where they can cast a glare on your screen. Fingerprints and smudges shouldn't be a problem if you take care of your machine.

and ah.... i DO touch my screen from time to time, and I really NEVER get any visible fingerprints. Mainly dust... but I guess you'd get that on a matte screen too, right?

SierraDragon · Oct 9, 2007, 06:59 PM

Personal preference, I chose matte. Most graphics pros prefer matte and consider glossy to view as over saturated and over contrasted, which many consumers do prefer, at least on first view.

-Allen Wicks