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Anyone return a retina for anit-glare option?

Marilynfan

Marilynfan

macrumors member
Original poster
Jun 19, 2007
47
1
I spent the last 5 years with an anti-glare macbook pro. I looked at the retina in store and loved the screen. Cut to my day to day use after 1 week with it and miss my old matte screen. I find I usually sit with a window behind me.

The kicker is that it will actually cost me more to return this for the classic MBP with the same specs. No SSD is a dealbreaker. So I need to decide if the anti-glare is going to be worth the additional cost over the long term.

If I do take this one back can someone advise as to how I would wipe all the data off the retina and restore factory settings.
 
If you want, you can purchase anti-glare films to significantly reduce the glare. I had a ClearCal on my old MacBook Pro but still waiting for them to release one for the new retina. Give it time and you'll adapt to it. I personally would't downgrade just because of glare.

As for wiping the drive clean. Hold command + r on startup to boot into recovery partition, use disk utility to wipe the drive clean and then reinstall lion.
 
mohsy90 said:
If you want, you can purchase anti-glare films to significantly reduce the glare. I had a ClearCal on my old MacBook Pro but still waiting for them to release one for the new retina. Give it time and you'll adapt to it. I personally would't downgrade just because of glare.

As for wiping the drive clean. Hold command + r on startup to boot into recovery partition, use disk utility to wipe the drive clean and then reinstall lion.
Click to expand...

He wouldn't be downgrading in anything except for the resolution. The new 15 cMBP has identical specs minus the SSD and RAM. Not to mention that at least it is upgradable...

Anyhow, OP I would not dare put a Anti-Glare film/screen protector on a RMBP as Anti-Glare films tend to make the screen fuzzy and ruin the point of having a extremely high res screen. I had a Anti-Glare film on my iPhone 4 and it made the Retina Display look like ****. On the other hand, the Anti Glare MBP you want is fantastic. It keeps the sharpness unlike the AG films. So if you want a Anti-Glare MBP go for the High Res Anti-Glare MBP. You can put a after market SSD and RAM in it for a hell of a lot cheaper than what Apple charges for them. I would also say the cMBP would be more future proof due the the ability to upgrade. Either way I hope you are happy with your decision :).
 
The cMBP Hires Antiglare is definitely brighter then the rMBP. I have checked them out at my local Apple store. Also, to reduce glare on the rMBP, you need to max out brightness.

The only minor drawback I see in the Hires Antiglare: The dirt or dust that could accumulate at the bottom between the aluminium frame and the screen. But with a spray duster I believe it could be solved out.

PS: Susceptible rMBP souls, please don't troll ;)
 
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I'm considering the same thing. I've got 60 days to return my retina. I'm weighing the option of buying the MBP with antiglare on tax free weekend. I'll then buy 16gb of ram and an SSD to upgrade it.

I sometimes use my laptop in the sunlight when doing a load calculation on a house and the retina doesn't get as bright as the MBP. I know the AG is a nice screen but the retina is wonderful.

Guess I'll have to go to the Apple store with my retina and place it next to the AG on display.
 
I am in a somewhat similar situation. I prefer everything the Retina has to offer over the classic, except the screen glare. I too tried out the Retina in my home and office environment, and after a couple of days, I noticed the glare, and couldn't stop noticing it. To be fair, it is substantially better than the standard MBP displays, but not close enough to the matte display.

That being said, after having worked on the Retina, the matte screen looks kind of oldish, with colors being off.

I have therefore also asked around the forum for an anti-glare option film for the retina, but all I have found myself is this one: http://www.gearzap.com/capdase-aris-screenguard-macbook-pro-15-with-retina-screen-protector.html

I am sure the other usual players will produce an anti glare film as well.

From what I gather, some users find the film distorts the display, while others really like it, and cannot see a difference between a high-quality film and Apple's own matte display.

I returned the Retina I was playing around with, which was the base model, as I want the 2.6GhZ, and just wanted to test our the Retina's glare. I still haven't completely made up my mind, but the order is still processing.
 
I'm actually a little surprised that people are having trouble with the screen glare on the RMBP. It is definitely greater than the old-school matte laptop screens that used to appear, but it's far better than what I used to experience with my 2009 MBP. I'm actually sitting outside with it, on my patio under some trees on a sunny day, and I'm astonished at how clear the screen is compared to any computer I've used outside before. I suppose it would be even better with some kind of aftermarket anti-glare option, but it's actually more good enough for me to get work done without doing battle with my screen.
 
Thanks to everyone for their responses. I'm leaning towards just dealing with it as I don't really feel like going through the process of ordering another MBP. I have one more week to make up my mind before the 14 day return timeframe is over.
 
Marilynfan said:
I spent the last 5 years with an anti-glare macbook pro. I looked at the retina in store and loved the screen. Cut to my day to day use after 1 week with it and miss my old matte screen. I find I usually sit with a window behind me.

The kicker is that it will actually cost me more to return this for the classic MBP with the same specs. No SSD is a dealbreaker. So I need to decide if the anti-glare is going to be worth the additional cost over the long term.

If I do take this one back can someone advise as to how I would wipe all the data off the retina and restore factory settings.
Click to expand...


hmmm... don't sit with a window behind you. :D
 
If I were you I'd keep the Retina and try to be happy with it, and maybe try using an anti-glare film and seeing how you personally like it.

I definitely feel your pain, though. I came from a 2011 MBP w/ an anti-glare screen, and as fantastic and bright and clear the Retina looks, it's simply not as easy on the eyes as the anti-glare screen was. Apple does a really good job with their matte screens, and I didn't appreciate how good it was until it was gone. That being said, though, I still think a little more strain on your eyes is worth it in order to enjoy a screen that is, as of right now, the only one in its class.
 
Mavrack said:
He wouldn't be downgrading in anything except for the resolution. The new 15 cMBP has identical specs minus the SSD and RAM. Not to mention that at least it is upgradable...

Anyhow, OP I would not dare put a Anti-Glare film/screen protector on a RMBP as Anti-Glare films tend to make the screen fuzzy and ruin the point of having a extremely high res screen. I had a Anti-Glare film on my iPhone 4 and it made the Retina Display look like ****. On the other hand, the Anti Glare MBP you want is fantastic. It keeps the sharpness unlike the AG films. So if you want a Anti-Glare MBP go for the High Res Anti-Glare MBP. You can put a after market SSD and RAM in it for a hell of a lot cheaper than what Apple charges for them. I would also say the cMBP would be more future proof due the the ability to upgrade. Either way I hope you are happy with your decision :).
Click to expand...
There is a difference. AG films do much worse the more there is between the panel and the matte film which is usually one of the top most layers of the film.
The iphone has a glass cover that is bad for ag films. The Retina screen does not which makes it much more suitable for a ag film with good results.
Also there are some really poor ag films like the ones you can buy in some at&t shops. The easier a film is to apply the worse it is. It needs to be very thin and stick very tightly with as little adhesive as possible.
I once used the ARM200 from Vikuiti (3M). Which was pretty good there are similar ones out there.

You probably won't get one in 1 week to try it but in theory you can apply such a film and remove it again without any residue. Actually removing it is like cleaning the screen perfectly of any little dust particle.
Next to the RMBP price tag those films are cheap 30-50$. If you manage the time problem somehow you can just try it.

As for the link of klex
Easy to install without air bubbles
Some screen protectors can be a hassle to install - but not this one, as it is quick and easy to apply without the fear of trapping air bubbles.
Click to expand...
If this is true (they all say it is easy to apply but that is rarly true), it is a crap film. At least my research on the matter showed that when I compared different ones for my Samsung a few years back.

I would get the 3M film. You need to check google for resellers that sell them precut. The 3M homepage links some too I think.
http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/IndustrialFilms/Home/Products/ProtectionFilms/
Those are very good and from the source so you know what you get.
Most company just buy them from 3M or similar companies and put their own label on it.
For example I guess the viewguard is just a 3M film sold under the brand of that company. I doubt viewguard has the know how or resources to make such a film themselves. All the do is cut them into the right shape and form. Package them and sell them.
http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=5753
http://www.viewguard.com/en-us/

You need to find one reseller that cuts them into the right shape that includes the whole black border. After that applying it should be somewhat easier than with notebooks that don't have that border. The result should be as good as can be with an ag film on the retina MBP. Much better than on the glass covered stuff.
 
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I really hope that Apple brings out a matte version of the rMBP. That was one of my issues, rMBP looks great no doubt, though it wasn't as big a difference as I thought it would be over my high res AG 15". But that AG screen is so easy on the eyes, still very sharp. 13" in comparison is f'n annoying to do anything with if there are windows, or lights etc reflecting/glaring.

I wouldn't put a film on the rMBP either, I tried on the 13" and didn't like any of them, gave the screen and especially text a fuzzy/muted look. The rMBP higher dpi may handle that better though with not a real difference since it's already much sharper than my 13" for example. Won't know until somebody tries lol
 
SurferMan said:
I really hope that Apple brings out a matte version of the rMBP.
Click to expand...

I'd line up for one. I love the rMBP's form factor and features but I'm not getting another glare-y screen ever again (I have a Late '08 MacBook). If Apple released a MBP with the retina's form factor but the anti-glare screen I'd be all over it. I don't care if it's lower res than "retina". The one on the current cMBP is fine for me.

Shame Apple will never do it.
 
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