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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Notebooks > Glossy vs. matte poll

View Poll Results: What's your display like?
Poll Options:
My matte is great 66 votes (54.10%)
My matte is bad 4 votes (3.28%)
My glossy is great 48 votes (39.34%)
My glossy is bad 4 votes (3.28%)
Voters: 122. You may not vote on this poll
Glossy vs. matte poll
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danengel
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Nov 25, 2006, 05:58 AM
 
Just wondering what you think about your MBP's screen.
     
danengel  (op)
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Nov 25, 2006, 07:32 AM
 
Those with a bad glossy, what's the problem? I've only seen glossy MB's, never a glossy MBP.
     
MrN79
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Nov 26, 2006, 12:20 AM
 
I have both MB & MBP Glossy, love em both.
13" MB, 2.0, 80HD, Glossy
15" PB 1.5, 100HD, Matte
15" MBP C2D, 2.33, 160HD, Glossy
     
Webscreamer
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Nov 26, 2006, 12:53 AM
 
What's the advantage of glossy over matte? Just wondering...
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grabthatbooty
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Nov 26, 2006, 01:16 AM
 
if you are going outdoors with your laptop. then glossy will show alot more glare. where as matte will not. the glossy has a more vibrant color and sharper image. is usually good for dvds and such. and matte is just good for anti glare. they are both great depending on if you are going indoors/outdoors with your machine
     
volcano
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Nov 26, 2006, 01:59 AM
 
Originally Posted by grabthatbooty View Post
if you are going outdoors with your laptop. then glossy will show alot more glare. where as matte will not. the glossy has a more vibrant color and sharper image. is usually good for dvds and such. and matte is just good for anti glare. they are both great depending on if you are going indoors/outdoors with your machine
I've never had a problem with my glossy in lighting conditions, inside or out. Even in the sun.
     
johnpop
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Nov 26, 2006, 03:15 PM
 
the glare is so obnoxious I could not take it... So what if you have sharper colors or whatever if you can't see half of what is on the screen because of the reflection!
12" PB Rev.C 1.33ghz, 1.25gb ram
     
mduell
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Nov 26, 2006, 05:28 PM
 
When out in the sun, glossy has the advantage of actually being visible while the matte screens just wash out.
     
Naaaaak
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Nov 26, 2006, 07:49 PM
 
Originally Posted by mduell View Post
When out in the sun, glossy has the advantage of actually being visible while the matte screens just wash out.
What he said.
To be determined later.
     
newbieMacUser2006
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Nov 26, 2006, 08:31 PM
 
Well, I'm having a problem cleaning my, I feel like I'll scratch it because of the finish. I am not touching it till I figure out how to get the fingerprint that my grandson left off of the screen.
     
newbieMacUser2006
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Nov 26, 2006, 08:33 PM
 
Originally Posted by danengel View Post
Those with a bad glossy, what's the problem? I've only seen glossy MB's, never a glossy MBP.
Originally Posted by newbieMacUser2006 View Post
Well, I'm having a problem cleaning my, I feel like I'll scratch it because of the finish. I am not touching it till I figure out how to get the fingerprint that my grandson left off of the screen.
editing to say it should have said ".......a problem cleaning my glossy screen....."
     
Sourbook
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Nov 26, 2006, 08:36 PM
 
One advantage that I have found when using the matte screen in sunlight is when the battery is running down. I can lower the screen brightness to almost nothing and continue working with text. You have to play with the angles a bit to see the screen, but it can be a useful feature. I can extend the remaining 10 min. of charge time to 20 or 30 min. I don't know if the glossy screen can do the same thing as I have never used one outdoors.
     
ONG
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Nov 27, 2006, 03:25 AM
 
i would just use some slightly damped microfiber.
     
volcano
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Nov 27, 2006, 05:24 AM
 
Originally Posted by johnpop View Post
the glare is so obnoxious I could not take it... So what if you have sharper colors or whatever if you can't see half of what is on the screen because of the reflection!
If you actually used a glossy screen for an extended period of time, you might actually know what you're talking about. Unfortunately, you're just making brash generalizations on a topic you know nothing about, and that's just sad. The glossy is NOT that reflective. Like my post stated earlier, I've never had a problem in any lighting condition -- whether it be direct sunlight, complete darkness, or something in between. Maybe you should stop blowing smoke out of your butt and re-evaluate that unfounded statement.

     
workerbee
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Nov 27, 2006, 07:35 AM
 
Originally Posted by volcano View Post
Maybe you should stop blowing smoke out of your butt and re-evaluate that unfounded statement.
Thank you for this, shall we say, very clear and direct way of putting it. It's always a pleasure to follow a civilized discussion between adults.

BTW, I prefer matte myself, and find the reflections of glossy screens rather distracting even inside (in local Apple dealer stores, to be precise), so I guess I must be doing unnatural things with my digestive tract.
MBP 15" 2.33GHz C2D 3GB 2*23" ACD
     
mrtew
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Nov 27, 2006, 07:54 AM
 
Originally Posted by grabthatbooty View Post
if you are going outdoors with your laptop. then glossy will show alot more glare. where as matte will not.
WHY do people answer questions they don't know the answers to??? It's obvious you've never used either one outside! (or that your made a typo and got the two screens reversed)


Originally Posted by workerbee View Post
BTW, I prefer matte myself, and find the reflections of glossy screens rather distracting even inside (in local Apple dealer stores, to be precise)..
I always thought I preferred matte too because I loved my TiBook screen so much but changed my mind once I saw photos of the glossy being used outdoors and realized all my assumptions that I made in the Apple store might be wrong. You hardly see any reflections anywhere else and it sure looks great. I've used both and I like the glossy more!

It is a curious 'option' to have on a computer though isn't it? Especially since it started on high end M$ computer and worked is way down to all of them and now has started on low end Macs and is working its way up? Has there ever been any other computer that offered it as a choice I wonder?

I love the U.S., but we need some time apart.
     
osiris
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Nov 27, 2006, 12:02 PM
 
My girlfriend has a glossy screen on her Toshiba, and after trying out the MBP with the glossy screen I was discouraged and went for the matte.

I am quite happy with my decision, thank you very much. Hardly seeing reflections doesn't cut it for me, as I disdain reflections. In fact, they should be made illegal.
"Faster, faster! 'Till the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death." - HST
     
webmonkie
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Nov 27, 2006, 12:25 PM
 
I was wondering how many of you have the glossy and use it for design (web design)?
     
MattJeff
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Nov 27, 2006, 10:17 PM
 
haha wow it is tied up right now 22 and 3... and 22 and 3
     
mduell
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Nov 27, 2006, 10:21 PM
 
Originally Posted by MattJeff View Post
haha wow it is tied up right now 22 and 3... and 22 and 3
People either buy what they like or like what they buy.
     
stefanicotine
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Nov 27, 2006, 10:43 PM
 
It's futile to argue about, really. We have people saying the exact same things about matte screens as others are saying about glossy screens. You have to use both and form your own conclusions. As long as we take sides, none of us will be right.

It's like painting your house: If you like it, then it was the right choice.
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sonicj
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Nov 28, 2006, 03:20 AM
 
i just got my 2.something MBP Pro in today... im sitting here staring at both my glossy MBP & my 1.67 PB matte. in one machine i can see every Christmas light in the room staring right back at me and its driving me INSANE! the other machine doesn't reflect anything behind me. the buyers remorse is starting to sink in pretty heavy at the moment. i didn't even think about reviewing the return policy before clicking the place order button! i ordered a larger hard drive on the MBP and according the apple site, they don't allow returns on custom configured systems... had i thought about it during my alcohol induced post thanksgiving shopping spree, i would have ordered the larger drive from newegg.

long story short... sample both screens in the mac store (sober) before you buy a custom configured notebook. anyone wanna buy a glossy MBP?
     
pra9ab0y
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Nov 28, 2006, 05:31 AM
 
So is a macbook glossy better than a macbook matte?
     
sonicj
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Nov 28, 2006, 06:20 AM
 
its a personal thing... like boxers or briefs! i would highly recommend sampling both in a apple store!
     
osiris
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Nov 28, 2006, 10:06 AM
 
Originally Posted by sonicj View Post
its a personal thing... like boxers or briefs!
Or wear nothing at all.

Remember, there are THREE sides to every coin, so perhaps we need a satin finish MBP.
"Faster, faster! 'Till the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death." - HST
     
giggs11
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Nov 28, 2006, 04:52 PM
 
Originally Posted by osiris View Post
Or wear nothing at all.
TMI, dude... TMI.

But seriously, I went to my local Apple Store and compared, and there the glossy really bothered me, so I made up my mind to buy matte, though probably not until after the new year. Now, in the meantime, I bought a MacBook for my dad which of course only comes in the glossy screen, and seeing his indoors in normal lighting, it actually looks really nice. The glare isn't a problem, and colors are more vibrant, certainly compared to my 12" PB. I think Apple have inadvertently hurt their glossy sales a bit by displaying the machine in brightly lit conditions.

Now that said, if you use your MBP outside or in bright conditions, YMMV. But I've used my PB outdoors maybe twice in 2.5 years, so that wouldn't be an issue. I think I'm leaning towards glossy as a result.
     
Tack
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Nov 28, 2006, 06:03 PM
 
I have heard that matte screens are generally better for color accuracy. The glossy screen saturates the color, which is why dvds look so good. Any truth to this?
     
MRTrauffer
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Nov 28, 2006, 06:54 PM
 
My vote went to the Matte screen.

Glares from the glossy screens give me a headache.
I gotta have more cowbell.
     
FozzieUK
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Nov 29, 2006, 01:51 PM
 
I have a stuck red pixel on my matte
     
danengel  (op)
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Nov 29, 2006, 03:37 PM
 
A friend of mine who worked in the LCD industry told me that nowadays there should be no more dead pixels on high-quality screens, because LCD manufacturers sell the lesser screens to the cheap-PC producers. Now I still consider Apple high-quality.
     
pixiepurls
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Dec 4, 2006, 11:48 PM
 
I have a 12" Powerbook Matte and right now a straight out of the box glossy.

I had 1 white dead pixel on my 12" but a reboot fixed it, maybe try that?

When I set them next to eachother I was amazed how much much clearer the glossy is, but then later when reading white text on a blue background on a blog I saw lines for nearly 10 minutes after reading it. So far the gloss isn't an issue but I havn't had it long enough to really say.
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webmonkie
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Jan 15, 2007, 08:20 AM
 
Anyone here do image editing on a MacBook Pro with glossy screen?
Looking for feedback. I want to purchase a new MacBook Pro soon after Adobe announces CS3 Suite.
     
Apple2Mac
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Jan 16, 2007, 03:09 PM
 
I owned a 15 PowerBook G4 previously to getting my 17 glossy. I have to say I love the glossy, it great for viewing pictures and movies. it does have a bit more glare but its a small compromise...
     
Headshot
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Jan 16, 2007, 03:25 PM
 
Ilford (yes, from the film days) makes an orange antistatic cloth that is really nice for cleaning film strips thru before placing in the negative carriers, or scanners nowadays.
Calumetphoto.com should have them.

Personally, I use Viva paper towels on my 23" Cinema Display (much to the cringe of posters here I'm sure) and a little windex or Fantastic. LOL! But it looks like I bought it yesterday.

I would personally NEVER get a glossy screen like my iPod, hehe. I already have a few little scratches on it and I cannot even think how they got there.
Plus, the glare would drive me crazy doing all my PS work....

just my 2 cents!
     
   
 
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