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15" standard vs. 15" hi-res

I'm undecided on what screen to go for on a new MBP 15".

Bear in mind I'll be upgrading from a 2004 G4 Powerbook 15" with 1280x854 (matte of course) resolution.

I'm used to the matte screen but I do find it a bit dull when compared to even my girlfriends HP glossy. How do the new ones shape up to the old LCD matte screens?

No stores near where I live stock matte or any HR but the standard glossy looks damn good. People say get the matte to avoid eye strain but doesnt new HR strain the eyes? Why dont Apple offer standard matte? Also is the HR soon to be the new standard?
 
trephineartist said:
I'm undecided on what screen to go for on a new MBP 15".

Bear in mind I'll be upgrading from a 2004 G4 Powerbook 15" with 1280x854 (matte of course) resolution.

I'm used to the matte screen but I do find it a bit dull when compared to even my girlfriends HP glossy. How do the new ones shape up to the old LCD matte screens?

No stores near where I live stock matte or any HR but the standard glossy looks damn good. People say get the matte to avoid eye strain but doesnt new HR strain the eyes? Why dont Apple offer standard matte? Also is the HR soon to be the new standard?
Click to expand...

The new matte displays do look better than one from 2004.
 
thanks for the input. The Gizmodo comparison is interesting but seems they are comparing the HR to an 'old' standard screen. Anyway can't really argue too much with more workspace.

I'm starting to think I may go with the HR glossy, even so I may try & see the screens side by side. I live about 2.5 hours or so from the Montpellier Applestore (its the only one outside of Paris!) at least there is one in the south.

Another thing, Antiglare is prob the wrong name if my PB matte screen is anything to go by, anti reflection yes, anti glare no.
 
my problem is even the apple store does not stock high res glossy. bestbuy does not offer any 15 inch high res. i dont need antiglare iam not a professional photographer or video guy. so i want glossy it looks like the rest of the apple line designwise.

if they offered a high res glossy in a store where i could look at it i may have picked it. but i never was one to special order things.
 
tim100 said:
my problem is even the apple store does not stock high res glossy. bestbuy does not offer any 15 inch high res. i dont need antiglare iam not a professional photographer or video guy. so i want glossy it looks like the rest of the apple line designwise.

if they offered a high res glossy in a store where i could look at it i may have picked it. but i never was one to special order things.
Click to expand...

If you want to compare the 15" standard res to the high res for yourself, you can use the 17" as a comparison (15.4" 1680 x 1050 = 129PPI and 17" 1920 x 1200 = 133PPI, so text and icons on the 15" high res should be a little bit bigger compared to the 17").
 
Human vision is adaptive, so no matter what display you get, you will get used to it in a few days. Before I got my MacBook (1280x800), I used to have a ThinkPad with the 14" 1400x1050 display, and before that, another ThinkPad with a regular 14" 1024x768 display.

Each time I switched systems, it takes me about 2-3 days before everything is natural and looks "normal" to me. You can't really do comparisons in a store or with someone else's system. If you switch and stop using the old system, you will get used to the new system as if nothing has changed.

What I do miss from the 1400x1050 display though is the extra vertical space, and the ability to run my vmware guests in a standard resolution like 1024x768. Which is why I'm considering getting a MacBook Pro 15" with high-res. The weight is a problem though... :(
 
M-1 said:
@pawo

I envy the fact that your store displays them. lol. If one Apple store can show them why can't they all? It's really annoying!

I hear what you're saying about things suddenly looking big when looking at the standard 15"... I had that same experience after playing with the 17" for a while... But it wasn't much different in the way of when I moved from the 15" to the 17", thinking everything was a tad too small... Obviously our eyes adjust and get used to what we are looking at but I agree it was an odd feeling where the 15" suddenly looked bigger and less crisp but then after re-opening applications and viewing the same web pages again it just felt right if you know what I mean... the 17" @ 1920x1200 obviously had the finer quality but the standard 15" had everything appearing in a scale that felt right and optimal for that screen...

Wow, I think I've nearly made up my mind... Optimal scaling vs. finer quality... hmm lol
Click to expand...

What did you end up buying and how are you liking it?
 
All I can say is the Hi-Res screen is awesome. The extra real estate is really nice to have, and it makes it much easier to make it my main machine. I'd say go for it... I'd never consider the standard res at this point.
 
I have a similar dilemma myself, I'm choosing between base 15" MBP with HD (matte?) vs Top 15" MBP, which one should I choose?

I'm going to study Industrial Design and I like a bit of gaming. I do like having lots of windows open at the same time and it would be my first Mac, finally :).

Which one weighs more?? the great screen or the upgrade in GPU, HDD & processor??
 
I love my HR AG 15"... Its only been a week and I am already 100% use to it. Feels like this is the resolution I have been using forever, I can't even imaging looking at the resolution of my older 15". Its not even a debate get the High Res.
 
Hi. I've small question, to mbp 15" base model with HR screen owners. How games run on this displays? For example, is CoD Mw2(or BF BC2) in native resolution runs smooth?

PS. Sorry for my bad english ;]
 
Example of Remote Server

You're right, the first question was answered, no I'm asking about what you see below. See the green text, what is your opinion on this one?

Secondly here's another remote desktop I use. That size show is the largest resolution I can use when connecting to it.
 

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teerexx52 said:
How many users out there have standard res and are happy with it?
Click to expand...


I'm probably in the minority here, but I just returned a high-res 15" i7 for a standard res and ate the restocking fee. My previous laptop was a fall 2008 unibody, and I greatly preferred its screen.

I tried my best to get used to the 1680x1050 screen, but until we have a real resolution independent UI (and a resolution independent web, which is even farther off) the computing world is meant for 100-115 DPI. UI elements are smaller and harder to hit with a mouse cursor, and the web is a disaster. You can either view things pixel perfect and smaller than intended, or scale them up and see a blurry version.

There's also the problem of trying to use a multi-monitor setup - putting a 128 DPI screen next to a 100 DPI screen (any 24 or 30" monitor) is unusable. Even the 110 DPI of the standard res is a bit odd next to a 100 DPI monitor.

I look forward to the day when we have 300 DPI displays with good resolution independence, but until then, scaling current graphics up 15% just looks crappy. And to those of you who will say that reading glasses would fix the problem, maybe so, but I've never worn glasses and can stare at a 110 DPI screen for 18 hours straight with no eye strain.
 
I returned the HR 15" i7 and got the standard res as well. Had it for a few days and tried my best. Yes, it looks great, the extra real estate feels fantastic but after few hours i got eye strain and you steadily zoom and adjust font sizes in apps or stick so close to the screen like a monkey. i just haven't felt comfortable with that screen, i always had to focus those really, really small micro fonts and buttons in CS4, office etc. which made me mad. even the 160ppi screen of a vaio z11 with 1920x1080@13" (!) is better due to windows 7's well-working GUI scaling with up to 150dpi.

but they are so many users who like that screen, so just give it a try and return it if you don't like it.
 
I went down to the store to compare and the text On the HR screen really wasn't as tiny as I was expecting. In fact, the HR screen just felt right for me, and I know I will appreciate the extra space when I'm working. Long story short, I ordered my MBP with the HR display.
 
philamac said:
I went down to the store to compare and the text On the HR screen really wasn't as tiny as I was expecting. In fact, the HR screen just felt right for me, and I know I will appreciate the extra space when I'm working. Long story short, I ordered my MBP with the HR display.
Click to expand...

Based on the replies in this thread it's hard to get the feel for it in the store. When you work with it in your everyday tasks for hours at end it gets real.
 
Just my 2cents;
I upgraded from a Matte pre-unibody 15" to a HR Glossy 15" (i7) and I cannot be happier.
In addition to the real estate increase, due to the jump in pixel per inch, all fonts are incredibly crisp. In fact, looking back at my gf's old Macbook, everything looks like mud.
If anything seems a little small-ish, I just pinch to zoom the text and voila, problem solved.

Do all yourselves a favor and get the HR screen.
 
Hi.. can anybody please post/email me a screenshot image of a 15inch MBP with the High Res Screen running Photoshop or Illustrator... I'm keen to view the real estate displaying a full window and panels... and if anyone has some feedback using creative suite with a HR screen that would be sweet.

I currently have a 2.66 15inch MBP with a 24inch LED display, ... I recently ordered a 15inch i7 MBP with high res screen but the order got mixed up... so I have in my possession a 15inch i7 MBP with a standard screen (its unopened, but here in NZ we dont have the opportunity to return it and just pay a restocking fee as there are no true Apple stores) .. not sure I want to wait another 2-3 weeks again for a new order to ship... but maybe i should if the real estate i gain is truly worth it... cheers
 
gbnz said:
I currently have a 2.66 15inch MBP with a 24inch LED display, ... I recently ordered a 15inch i7 MBP with high res screen but the order got mixed up... so I have in my possession a 15inch i7 MBP with a standard screen (its unopened, but here in NZ we dont have the opportunity to return it and just pay a restocking fee as there are no true Apple stores) .. not sure I want to wait another 2-3 weeks again for a new order to ship... but maybe i should if the real estate i gain is truly worth it... cheers
Click to expand...

The real estate gain is sizable, but if you're used to a 24 inch cinema display (95 DPI) and a 1440x900 MBP (110 DPI) you might be surprised by how small things are on the higher res screen.
 
I think its a no brainer, i bought a 15"inch umbp pre High res bump up & actually returned it for a 17" with 1920x1200 res.

The 15" form factor is perfect but the res was pathetic now that they've introduced the 15" 1680x1050 i'm very tempted to trade my 17" in.

You definitely want to go with the higher res model.
 
gbnz said:
Hi.. can anybody please post/email me a screenshot image of a 15inch MBP with the High Res Screen running Photoshop or Illustrator... I'm keen to view the real estate displaying a full window and panels... and if anyone has some feedback using creative suite with a HR screen that would be sweet.
Click to expand...

I have both the 15" i5 in hi-res anti-glare and in the standard resolution (my partner has the standard resolution). I originally purchased the standard resolution but everything looked chunky so ordered the hi-res. My partner does not mind the standard resolution but I think he would prefer the hi-res screen if offered the chance. The screen shots below are from my hi-res. For Photoshop and Illustrator, the hi-res blows the standard screen away. These screenshots are from CS5 (just received my copy two days ago!).

Photoshop (click to enlarge)
photoshop.png


Illustrator (click to enlarge)
illustrator.png


HTH
 
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