Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Matte or Glossy?
- Thread starter ricpac
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
This is a very common question, and unfortunately, we can't provide you with a definite answer, only opinions.
Check out this threads:
MBP: Glossy or Matte?
Glossy vs. Matte - let's settle it w/a vote!
Matte vs. Glossy: OFFICIAL GUIDE
Check out this threads:
MBP: Glossy or Matte?
Glossy vs. Matte - let's settle it w/a vote!
Matte vs. Glossy: OFFICIAL GUIDE
The matte has a very nice subtle sheen to it and is definitely my preference.
The glossy looks like someone has used military-grade boot polish on the screen and buffed it to a parade-level of reflection that would please the most demanding of sergeant-majors.
The glossy looks like someone has used military-grade boot polish on the screen and buffed it to a parade-level of reflection that would please the most demanding of sergeant-majors.
Do you prefer 'close' to reality or enhanced reality ?
I chose matte because I do a lot of photo editing and what may look cool and wow on my screen may look pale and bad on the screen of the people that visit my website.
If it looks good on a matte screen, it will look fantastic on a glossy.
If it looks good on glossy, it may be fade on a matte.
But it is indeed a very personal choice, there is no rule but yours.
I chose matte because I do a lot of photo editing and what may look cool and wow on my screen may look pale and bad on the screen of the people that visit my website.
If it looks good on a matte screen, it will look fantastic on a glossy.
If it looks good on glossy, it may be fade on a matte.
But it is indeed a very personal choice, there is no rule but yours.
I always had matte, and didn't like glossy on other people's computers (vaio, ecc)
But I got a new black glossy macbook and I have to say it's reeeeally cool.
But I got a new black glossy macbook and I have to say it's reeeeally cool.
Both are fine. I have both. The glossy screens are gaining popularity for home users. Stuffy shirt business professionals that use Adobe Photoshop tend to like the matte displays and frown on glossy anything. They also have drop shadows under their eyes from working long hours.
I am trying to make the same decision. This will be my first Mac. I don't have an Apple store closer than 3 hours and Best Buy only has the matte Macbook Pro. I can only look at the glossy Macbook and Macbook Air, and I didn't care for either of them.
I just wonder how DVDs look on the matte screens? The online sales team say its just fine and they recommend the matte over the glossy, even though I will only be viewing the occasional DVD and doing pictures and videos for fun not business.
LOL. My eyes got a bevel and emboss filter from this thread until your funny comment.
For me, matte all the way.
Glossy gives me headaches and eye aches.
And yes, my eyes are very good as I have aviator eyes. I would have a MBA if Apple offered it with a matte screen. Instead I picked up a MBP 15.4 with a matte screen.
Bottom line, to each his own. Suggest you go to the Apple store and see them side by side if you can.
Glossy gives me headaches and eye aches.
And yes, my eyes are very good as I have aviator eyes. I would have a MBA if Apple offered it with a matte screen. Instead I picked up a MBP 15.4 with a matte screen.
Bottom line, to each his own. Suggest you go to the Apple store and see them side by side if you can.
I upgraded from a MacBook to a matte MacBook Pro because the glossiness in the Macbook really bothered me. My room gets a lot of natural light and when I had the MacBook I could hardly see anything on the screen. The glare was pretty horrible.
I have a glossy MBP and love it. Movies look great on it, as do photos.
I also do a little photoediting, and have done some side by side comparisons of photos edited on my glossy MBP and than displayed on different matte monitors, and honestly can;t detect any differences. To be fair, I havent pritned any photos edited on a glossy screen, so maybe any differences would show up there.
Alot of people complain about the glare from glossy screens. I have not found this to be a major problem. The one time I was distracted by glare from overhead lighting, all I had to do was readjust the laptop.
I also do a little photoediting, and have done some side by side comparisons of photos edited on my glossy MBP and than displayed on different matte monitors, and honestly can;t detect any differences. To be fair, I havent pritned any photos edited on a glossy screen, so maybe any differences would show up there.
Alot of people complain about the glare from glossy screens. I have not found this to be a major problem. The one time I was distracted by glare from overhead lighting, all I had to do was readjust the laptop.
Personally, I prefer the Glossy screen - it makes things look a lot better IMO. Does it reflect more light? Sure...but the only problem I ever had with it was when I had to wait outside for the iPhone with the Sun just blaring down on the screen.
It's great for every day activites as well. Cover flow looks amazing too.
It's great for every day activites as well. Cover flow looks amazing too.
Matte or glossy is a personal thing. I currently have matte on main MBP, but have a mix of matte and glossy screens.
I've never understood the complaints of glare on glossy screens though. Matte is not anti-glare, it's diffuse glare. Under the same conditions I get a diffuse milky glare on the matte, and a sharp smaller glare on the glossy. If you use one outside, you will find the matte utterly useless. It's nothing but a washed out milky glare. The glossy on the other hard has sharp reflections but is still completely useable.
For deciding which to get, unless you have a strong personal preference I would get matte if you expect to do a lot of photo printing and glossy if you expected to do a lot of video editing. Outside of those it's a matter of personal preference and lighting conditions.
I've never understood the complaints of glare on glossy screens though. Matte is not anti-glare, it's diffuse glare. Under the same conditions I get a diffuse milky glare on the matte, and a sharp smaller glare on the glossy. If you use one outside, you will find the matte utterly useless. It's nothing but a washed out milky glare. The glossy on the other hard has sharp reflections but is still completely useable.
For deciding which to get, unless you have a strong personal preference I would get matte if you expect to do a lot of photo printing and glossy if you expected to do a lot of video editing. Outside of those it's a matter of personal preference and lighting conditions.
I thought I was the only one who got headaches looking at a glossy.
I hate the glare the glossy has on it. I use a matte because of the graphics I do.
I am currently on my 3rd mbp (first one was replaced by apple just before warranty expired and I just got a new one and gave my old 2.33 one to a junior designer in my company). The first 2 I had were matte and I found that they were very hard to look at in the bright daylight office. The one I am on now is glossy. I must say that glossy is much nicer to work with in bright environment. You only get reflection when looking from a side, but it looks perfect straight on. You'd see nothing on the matte looking from a side (I must say that our office is really bright. top floor with large windows). My eyes actually get less tired with the glossy. I don't think it makes much difference in the dark. At least I don't see any.
You have LED screen on your current MBP thats why its brighter, not because its glossy... jeez