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Glossy vs. Matte - let's settle it w/a vote!

Glossy vs Matte

  • Glossy

    Votes: 309 40.5%

  • Matte

    Votes: 360 47.2%

  • Can't decide/don't care.

    Votes: 53 6.9%

  • Haven't seen one/both of them--so I don't know!

    Votes: 40 5.2%
  • Total voters
    763
I think the reason Apple dumped the matte option was due to wanting to be eco-friendly. The all glass displays are easier to recycle, cheaper to make, and don't use caustic chemicals to produce - though I'm not sure how adding a matte option would affect that. Maybe it's because turning a glass screen to matte without doing some kind of overlay would be difficult and expensive. Or, to create a separate technology for matte option would be logistically/financially prohibitive? I suppose Steve took a look at the numbers and saw that 50% of people prefer glossy and decided to go with it in order to save on manufacturing costs. In the end, it wasn't a matter of Apple deciding to go glossy over matte; I think it was simply because they were no longer able to make matte screens with the new manufacturing process. If that's true, you all need to get used to it because glossy is not going away, and matte is not coming back.
 
THX1139 said:
I think the reason Apple dumped the matte option was due to wanting to be eco-friendly. The all glass displays are easier to recycle, cheaper to make, and don't use caustic chemicals to produce.
Click to expand...

Don't agree. Throw away the glass and you have a matte MB(P). Without the glass it would be even more eco friendly.
 
THX1139 said:
I think the reason Apple dumped the matte option was due to wanting to be eco-friendly. The all glass displays are easier to recycle, cheaper to make, and don't use caustic chemicals to produce - though I'm not sure how adding a matte option would affect that. Maybe it's because turning a glass screen to matte without doing some kind of overlay would be difficult and expensive. Or, to create a separate technology for matte option would be logistically/financially prohibitive? I suppose Steve took a look at the numbers and saw that 50% of people prefer glossy and decided to go with it in order to save on manufacturing costs. In the end, it wasn't a matter of Apple deciding to go glossy over matte; I think it was simply because they were no longer able to make matte screens with the new manufacturing process. If that's true, you all need to get used to it because glossy is not going away, and matte is not coming back.
Click to expand...

Well I guess that means that Apple will lose my purchases on their laptops. I'll just purchase Apple's desktop computers with matte monitors. Apple isn't going to force me to get used to glossy displays and if everyone who prefers matte to glossy does this then there will definitely be a major decrease of laptop sales for Apple and force them to bring matte back. If a company stops producing something that you need you don't roll over and admit defeat, you fight back so they bring the option back otherwise they won't know. Personally I'd much rather have a less environmentally friendly laptop that has a matte display than a more environmentally friendly laptop with a glossy display.
 
one of the main reasons that i got a mbp over anything else was because they were one of the few laptop manufactures that still offered a matte screen. I'm glad I got it when I did, because it wouldn't even be an option for me now without the matte screen option. Viewing everybody elses laptop, and then going back to my own laptop reminds me why I choose the matte option. Its so much less painful to look at (especially when you are trying to work)
 
Glossy wins. I've had an iBook, a Powerbook, and now a MBP. The glossy on the latest machine is a non-issue as far as reflection goes.
 
iBookG4user said:
Has anyone managed to get the glass off of the MacBook (Pro)? If so could you give me a link to it?
Click to expand...

get a few suction cups meant for glass windows. stick em on and pull the glass off.

its like removing the glass from the iMac.

andrewdale said:
Really? I've heard posts saying differently. I have no idea of my own, just haven't seen any proof of either theory.
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it wouldn't make sense to have matte under a glass panel.

and it's glossy underneath.

just like current iMacs.
 
Hmmmm. Very interesting. Too bad the glass provides structural rigidity to the screen or I'm sure people might remove it all-together (and replace with a glare resistant plastic or something).

For some reason I doubt the mbp screen can be removed that easily.
 
hrm it seems that i was mistaken. A friend had shown me a picture of the glass panel off of the display and magnets on the shell, but that could have been just for the magnetic latch.

anywho. Sucks when your LCD goes out of warranty. Only one place to buy those things!
 
matte is simply better. I think the reason apple dropped matte is that glossy is cheaper and looks better in a show room.
 
Scarlet Fever said:
The display is glossy underneath the glass.
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1) The glass is removeable, see here (very short scene)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WwhhjUgbtM

2) All I know is that it is matte, glossy would make no sense and would lead to kind of double reflections (reflection on two layers)

3) Even if it is glossy, it is better since it is not glassy. My MBA Rev B isn't as disturbing as was my returned glassbook pro.

4) This guy could answer the question, ask him if you don't believe
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/590159/
 
AndiG said:
1) The glass is removeable, see here (very short scene)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WwhhjUgbtM

2) All I know is that it is matte, glossy would make no sense and would lead to kind of double reflections (reflection on two layers)

3) Even if it is glossy, it is better since it is not glassy. My MBA Rev B isn't as disturbing as was my returned glassbook pro.

4) This guy could answer the question, ask him if you don't believe
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/590159/
Click to expand...

For pete's sake, it's not matte underneath. Matte is NOT the natural quality of an LCD screen. It's an overlay that diffuses the image underneath and also diffuses external light. It has to be added to every single LCD screen that is a matte display.

If matte was the original surface of an LCD screen, then glossy display would not appear sharper because the diffusion layer would already be there. They look sharper because there is no diffusion layer.
 
the display is NOT matte underneath.

since you're looking at the panel at the same plane, you wouldn't see "double reflections". There is no parallax error when you're looking straight at it. Shine a bright light at an angle and you'd be able to see the matte texture if it was a matte screen, but you don't.

*coming from someone who's taken apart the new iMacs w/ glass screens. these do not have matte screens underneath.
 
e12a said:
the display is NOT matte underneath.

since you're looking at the panel at the same plane, you wouldn't see "double reflections". There is no parallax error when you're looking straight at it. Shine a bright light at an angle and you'd be able to see the matte texture if it was a matte screen, but you don't.
Click to expand...

Interesting and good to know what is underneath the glass panel. Thought it could be even more disturbing, since light always changes its angle when it passes through different media. So if it would pass through glass / air / glass there are three different types of media. But I think since the gap between glass panel and display is very small, or the media types of the glass and the glossy surface are very similar you just can't see it.
 
e12a said:
the display is NOT matte underneath.

since you're looking at the panel at the same plane, you wouldn't see "double reflections". There is no parallax error when you're looking straight at it. Shine a bright light at an angle and you'd be able to see the matte texture if it was a matte screen, but you don't.

*coming from someone who's taken apart the new iMacs w/ glass screens. these do not have matte screens underneath.
Click to expand...

And this is why I stand by my original post of why Apple is no longer offering Matte as an option. It would require a different manufacturing process and Apple decided to cut costs and the hassle of dealing with it. When they say that MOST people want glossy, I think they believe it. For those who don't want glossy, they are hoping people will be converts. I have a couple of friends (both graphic designers) who bought the unibody. When I asked them if the glossy bothered them, they said no- once you get used to it. The way I see it, you have a choice. Buy it and deal with it, buy used, or buy a windows machine... but good luck with that. As for me, I'm going with the unibody and hope that the glossy doesn't drive me crazy. I'm not going to boycott Apple just because of a screen. That would be shooting myself in the foot.
 
A lot of the windows machines now have glossy as well.... I still prefer matte.

Peace
 
THX1139 said:
I think the reason Apple dumped the matte option was due to wanting to be eco-friendly. The all glass displays are easier to recycle, cheaper to make, and don't use caustic chemicals to produce - though I'm not sure how adding a matte option would affect that. Maybe it's because turning a glass screen to matte without doing some kind of overlay would be difficult and expensive. Or, to create a separate technology for matte option would be logistically/financially prohibitive?
Click to expand...

:D Nope. The glass isn't actually part of the screen itself. It's just a design thing, is all. :D
 
amd4me said:
the verdict of your poll is going to be overwhelming for matte.
Click to expand...

Looks like you don't realize how many people are satisfied with glossy. I for one think it's leaps and bounds better than matte is so many ways. Matte only has a few select uses... mainly for true colors for a professional job. Otherwise glossy blows it away in terms of enjoyment. I hate using my friends macs that are matte. It's like their computer is dull and has no life! :eek:
 
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