Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Apple to Bring Back Matte Displays as an Option on More Macs?

I've used a glossy MacBook for three years - I don't know what all you people who absolutely loathe glossy displays are using, but I don't have the eyestrain, headaches, or hideous reflections that some of you claim you experience with your screens.

If Apple offered matte screens again, I don't know that I'd go for that over a glossy display - I don't much care what the screen is, as long as it's of a decent quality and suits my needs.
 
dr. shdw said:
So buy a different 2 grand laptop. No one forces you to buy Apple. :p
Click to expand...

"No one forces you to buy Apple." Great slogan when things are going well. Here's another one for you. Pride goeth before a fall.

With that oh so common attitude of "No one forces you to buy Apple", around here, AppleT&T might end up back where they were before Steve came back. Remember the three stooges, Sculley, Spindler and Amelio ? :D
 
I much much prefer glossy on everything (notebook, desktop monitor, LCD TV, etc), but I think it's always better when a company offers both choices on notebooks ;) Ultimately, should make more people buy their products.
 
dr. shdw said:
So buy a different 2 grand laptop. No one forces you to buy Apple. :p
Click to expand...

Exactly what I intend to do if the option hasn't returned by next February when I replace my existing mbp matte, and I've been consistent on that stance (check my prior posts). The people who really tick me off are the ones who feel the same about matte but reward Apple's arrogance by buying a glossy anyway (like the guy earlier in the thread who said he'll "demand" a matte replacement for the glossy he just bought). Either buy a refurb matte or buy a thinkpad and tell them you did so (and why) via their feedback form on the website. Apple are very good business people, the only thing they'll listen to are the dollar signs... money talks.
 
AidenShaw said:
Perhaps you don't touch your screen a lot while eating a barrel of Kentucky Fried Chicken... ;)
Click to expand...

And still, you have some wonderfu cleaning products which make getting a clean MBP screen a great ease. (Yeah, that's on one of those SR matte babies)...

Anyway, went to the shop yesterday to check if I could stand the glossy stuff. Even in the shop, they adjusted the position of their lights to not make the displays look horrible. Still, when I turned the brightness anywhere lower then maximum, the mirrorish effect distracted me way too much.

Here's the hoping that if this option comes, it comes before the end of Back to School promo...
 
Mal said:
That's only an issue if the user is, in fact, placing the notebook on their lap, which has been highly discouraged for a very long time now (in addition to the inherent danger to the laptop and the poor viewing angle at most positions, there is danger especially to men in the... lap area). Of course, if you move a reasonably small distance and pick up a reflection again, it might be a good idea to then adjust the display slightly more than the previous time, but it should be rare that slumping slightly or any other small motion like you're referring to should cause a reflection to be visible again.

Basically, all you matte lovers need to realize that there is nothing inherently bad about a glass display (and in fact some nice advantages). It may not be your preference, but stop trying to convince everyone else that there's something objectively wrong with having glass over the display. I'm not going to try to convince you that having an anti-glare coating on the display is wrong either.

jW
Click to expand...

No, it could be an issue if the notebook/screen was on a desk, and the user was moving. If the screen is static but the user moves/slouches/leans etc, then a reflection may appear on the screen again, since they're no longer looking at the screen 'dead on' (and it would be very un-ergonomic for a user to attempt to).

But you're right, it is largely down to preferences. Both display types do have inherent disadvantages though - matte displays can look washed out, glass displays can cause more obvious reflections; so it's a matter of which matters more to you. Using a portable device somewhere the sun refuses to move on demand, it's an easy choice for me. :p
 
IANAP (I am not a physicist - mathematician actually) so I may have misunderstood the full reasoning -- if so I apologise in advance and promise I'm not trying to fan the flames! :eek:

However, as an 'outsider' to the physics of the situation and looking merely at the basis of the argument, isn't it impossible to be precisely head-on to the entire screen? By that I mean there is precisely one point on the screen (per eye actually) which has a vector from it to the eye that is normal to the plane of the screen ... and that point is Lebesgue measure zero.

Have I misunderstood, or is the argument that being head-on to the display removes reflections idealised to the point of being void?

If not, I am off to patent the idea of a glass-fronted screen shaped as a section of a sphere with radius equal to about where most people's eye(s ... damnit!) would sit ... that'd be reflection free! :p
 
You're right, you will be looking at most of the screen at a very slight angle, no matter how you arrange it. But, by minimising the angle you minimise the glare.

Even in an ideal situation, you could still get nasty reflections* if the sun is shining on your face, which would then be reflected on the screen.

(* nasty in my case, nicer for pretty people.. :D )
 
Has Apple inadvertently admitted this today?

I was looking at today's new release of Final Cut Studio 3. I noticed that MacBook Pro displayed on the landing page shows no gloss on the glass. Check it out:
http://www.apple.com/finalcutstudio/

If you look at the ones they put on the Images for Media on their PR site, they have the gloss:
http://www.apple.com/pr/products/fcstudio/fcstudio.html

Interesting considering Apple's vivid attention to detail on these things. And the fact that was announced on a Thursday...
 
DHagan4755 said:
I was looking at today's new release of Final Cut Studio 3. I noticed that MacBook Pro displayed on the landing page shows no gloss on the glass. Check it out:
http://www.apple.com/finalcutstudio/

If you look at the ones they put on the Images for Media on their PR site, they have the gloss:
http://www.apple.com/pr/products/fcstudio/fcstudio.html

Interesting considering Apple's vivid attention to detail on these things. And the fact that was announced on a Thursday...
Click to expand...

Great catch! It may just be a coincidence, but it also might be a detail that tips Apple's hand!
 
motulist said:
Great catch! It may just be a coincidence, but it also might be a detail that tips Apple's hand!
Click to expand...

No kidding, amazing attention to detail to catch that distinction, but the new image certainly appears to be a matte screen with a black bezel. Maybe they just "photoshopped" it to get rid of the ridiculous glare on the original?
 
jim.arrows said:
No kidding, amazing attention to detail to catch that distinction, but the new image certainly appears to be a matte screen with a black bezel. Maybe they just "photoshopped" it to get rid of the ridiculous glare on the original?
Click to expand...
Hate to break it to you, but the glare was photoshopped on in the first place. All screen images are simulated on Apple's website. Nothing creates a reflection like that in the real world (razor-sharp edge one one side, perfect gradient to the bottom, exact angle and proportional size reproduced in every image? Dead giveaway). The new image lacks the "swipe" that has been added to images recent Macs. It doesn't show a prototype or anything particularly juicy. It doesn't "appear" to be anything other than a currently shipping MacBook Pro.

Samsung does the same with their televisions. Even Sony and Eizo spice up their product images. It's just an effect to increase visual interest in an image.
 
I'll put in another vote for Apple to offer matte screens as an option on a larger number of products.

I think the demand for this is higher than some of the naysayers realize.

I have a top of the line 24" 2009 iMac. I love the display when I am working with it in the pitch dark and absolutely hate how it gives me eye strain and headaches when working with it during the day in my well lit office.

By comparison, my wife got the 17" MBP with the matte screen option. Her screen is far easier on the eyes than mine and still has a great, vibrant image with good color reproduction.

I would gladly pay $50-$100 for a matte option on the rest of the MBP or iMac line.
 
matticus008 said:
Hate to break it to you, but the glare was photoshopped on in the first place.
...
It's just an effect to increase visual interest in an image.
Click to expand...

Which is worse?
That apple uses photoshop to introduce a display defect in their ads?
Or that this actually help sales?
 
I really hope this comes to pass. I bought a "previously cherished" 15" 2.4GHz MBP a few months ago because I couldn't get a new one with a matte screen with a view to waiting this out in the hope that Apple would reintroduce the matte "anti-glare" option at some point, so if they bring it back soon that would be perfect! :D

Just my 2 cents worth - Zaphodz
 
jmpage2 said:
I'll put in another vote for Apple to offer matte screens as an option on a larger number of products.

I think the demand for this is higher than some of the naysayers realize.
~snip~ I would gladly pay $50-$100 for a matte option on the rest of the MBP or iMac line.
Click to expand...

Yep. I don't mind the glossy screen on my MBA, but for some reason I'm less fond of the gloss on my MacBook. I more often use the MacBook on a desk. With the MBA on my lap I probably adjust the angle to ditch reflections without even realizing I'm doing it.

Anyway I'm thinking a matte screen would be my preference for some MacBook Pro model down the road a bit, for my next "desktop" machine.
 
LizKat said:
Yep. I don't mind the glossy screen on my MBA, but for some reason I'm less fond of the gloss on my MacBook. I more often use the MacBook on a desk. With the MBA on my lap I probably adjust the angle to ditch reflections without even realizing I'm doing it.

Anyway I'm thinking a matte screen would be my preference for some MacBook Pro model down the road a bit, for my next "desktop" machine.
Click to expand...

The Macbook Pro's add a layer of Glass on top of the Glossy Display, thus adding for reflections. The Air is just a Glossy finish, no extra glass. That's why some people have referred to the Pro screens as "Glassy" vs. the older "Glossy" ones.
 
not buying any Apple notebooks or displays until they bring back matte displays. will use my g4 powerbook (15" high resolution, matte) until it dies or become too slow for computing. glossy displays are too cumbersome with reflections from light/sunlight. don't want to torture my eyes with apple's cheapo TN displays, let along have to constant adjust LDC/eyes to reduce reflection.

if matte displays are not forthcoming, will carefully look at windows 7 when that comes out. alternatively it may be linux running on thinkpads or such.
 
I am ready to buy the high end 15" MacBook Pro to replace my two year old 17" 2.33 MBP. The only thing holding me back at this point is the glossy screen.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back