I've owned the hi-res anti-glare MBP since last Thursday. I'm the exact opposite of disappointed.... I'm thrilled to death! Best notebook computer I've ever owned or touched.
BTW, see solution in my previous message.
Mark
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High Res Screens in 15'' Macbook Pro
- Thread starter absolutazn87
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I've owned the hi-res anti-glare MBP since last Thursday. I'm the exact opposite of disappointed.... I'm thrilled to death! Best notebook computer I've ever owned or touched.
BTW, see solution in my previous message.
Mark
MrCheeto
Suspended
Hey hey, I only have one contact in. So while I can clearly see this display, if I close one eye everything just fuzzes out.
Seriously, on this 22" Display at 1680x1050, I can't read the MacRumors logo at the top of this page from any farther than the length of my hand.
I know, I'm blind. Without glasses I honestly don't recognize people around my house and can't tell if somebody is talking to me because I can't see their eyes or faces at all.
How blind is too blind?
Seriously, on this 22" Display at 1680x1050, I can't read the MacRumors logo at the top of this page from any farther than the length of my hand.
I know, I'm blind. Without glasses I honestly don't recognize people around my house and can't tell if somebody is talking to me because I can't see their eyes or faces at all.
How blind is too blind?
Too small
I just received my 1680 x 1050 15" MB with 512GB SSD and I am very disappointed in the display. It makes everything smaller, not higher resolution per se. So the menu items with your bookmarks in safari are now 3 point fonts in terms of physical size. Same number of pixels per letter, but just smaller letters.
I was hoping the display would be rescaled like an HDTV screen. If the resolution goes up to 1080P, you don't get smaller actors on the screen and miniaturized images, you get the same physical size, but with better resolution. Here you get smaller images with the same resolution and get more real estate instead.
I just received my 1680 x 1050 15" MB with 512GB SSD and I am very disappointed in the display. It makes everything smaller, not higher resolution per se. So the menu items with your bookmarks in safari are now 3 point fonts in terms of physical size. Same number of pixels per letter, but just smaller letters.
I was hoping the display would be rescaled like an HDTV screen. If the resolution goes up to 1080P, you don't get smaller actors on the screen and miniaturized images, you get the same physical size, but with better resolution. Here you get smaller images with the same resolution and get more real estate instead.
sammich
macrumors 601
I think you forgot something...😛 If you are being serious, may I ask why you would buy a screen to allow more information to be presented, and then only to scale back the amount of information it could display?
You have a good point. I guess I really need to see them first before I order one.
Day 2 with the matte finish after returning the glossy - love this screen. I can sit anywhere without having to adjust due to reflections from overhead lighting.
I see a couple of people have complained about the fonts now being smaller..... um in Safari.... add the shortcuts for zoom and zoom out. You can easily toggle between the two default sizes.
I loaded to word files side by side. Was amazed that i could function with both documents and read / work - get stuff done! each was zoomed in at about 135%
I too wish i still had the black framed border.... but im happy nonetheless. Not sure why apple made that change?
Photo taken with a crappy IPhone camera...
I see a couple of people have complained about the fonts now being smaller..... um in Safari.... add the shortcuts for zoom and zoom out. You can easily toggle between the two default sizes.
I loaded to word files side by side. Was amazed that i could function with both documents and read / work - get stuff done! each was zoomed in at about 135%
I too wish i still had the black framed border.... but im happy nonetheless. Not sure why apple made that change?
Photo taken with a crappy IPhone camera...
So basically you're saying all screens should have the same DPI? The screen real estate would be directly proportional to the screen size you have.
If this was the case, the screen real estate gained on the 15" and 17" wouldn't be significant. 🙄
I can understand what people are saying about resolution versus screen size. However, there has to be a balance between making stuff microscopic in order to increase how much you put on it and it being able to be read. To the layman (me 😱) I equate higher resolution with better picture, not a decrease in image size - but I can understand how the opposite is true.
I had a similar issue going from PC to Mac and I have adjusted over time. But there is a limit (which I guess is different for everyone) on just how small stuff can get before it's no longer functional.
I will definitely be waiting to see these all in person before buying.
I had a similar issue going from PC to Mac and I have adjusted over time. But there is a limit (which I guess is different for everyone) on just how small stuff can get before it's no longer functional.
I will definitely be waiting to see these all in person before buying.
Can we demand to see the particular macbook pro before purchasing it at Apple store? I suppose the chance of getting dead or stuck pixels is somewhat small, but I'd rather just see the unit first and know that the screen is flawless, especially when paying 150 extra for the high res antglare...
According to page 2, you can see all the PPI's (Pixels Per Inch) for the screens across the MBPs.
The way I understand it, the PPI determines the image quality (higher resolutions normally come with higher PPI). It is also changes the size in which you perceive things on screen at their native resolution (because of Pixels Per Inch). To display the same 100x100 pixel image, a screen on a higher PPI will display this same image in a smaller area.
So all else equal, if you only consider PPI the order of image quality and font size should be in this order going from worst to best (biggest to smallest font menus)
15.4" 1440 x 900 = 110PPI
13" 1280 x 800 = 114PPI
15.4" 1680 x 1050 = 129PPI
17" 1920 x 1200 = 133PPI
To accomodate larger screen real estate per inch of screen you have, your only option is to increase PPI and settle with smaller font (hence cramming and shrinking, but better quality).
What was discussed earlier was to keep the same image size across the board of screens, meaning constant PPI across 13", 15" and 17". I think task would be hard to accomodate all users as some need more real estate, but picking a good constant PPI would be the best place to start, something like 120-125PPI.
My colleague has a 17" at 1920 x 1200 and text is perfectly readable, even from a few steps back. And this is a higher ppi than the 15" hd screen.
I'm waiting for my local apple store to get an 15" i7 with the antiglare in stock then I should have mine 😀
I'm waiting for my local apple store to get an 15" i7 with the antiglare in stock then I should have mine 😀
This is exactly why OSX needs properly working resolution independent scaling. For the record this feature has been mentioned in Apple's UI design guidelines since 2007 but it still hasn't been implemented so that it actually works right. That's why it's only accessible via command line and even Apple's own programs don't scale correctly (blurry pixelated icons etc). Hopefully 10.7 will have this feature that has been in Windows Vista/7 for several years now.
Loving the high resolution screen
I've spent some time with the high res screen and it is amazing. I can't see how anybody would not like this.
Personal preference obviously, but this screen is great!
To all those people who are surprised that the fonts are smaller; get real people; of course they are smaller!
If you work on spreadsheets, photography, digital art, or anything like it you are going to appreciate the additional screen real-estate.
This is the best laptop I've ever owned.
I've spent some time with the high res screen and it is amazing. I can't see how anybody would not like this.
Personal preference obviously, but this screen is great!
To all those people who are surprised that the fonts are smaller; get real people; of course they are smaller!
If you work on spreadsheets, photography, digital art, or anything like it you are going to appreciate the additional screen real-estate.
This is the best laptop I've ever owned.
elppa
macrumors 68040
First I agree what Windows has is better than what we have on the Mac. Vista/7 does have DPI scaling for three discrete values.
Proper resolution independence that Apple talked about in 2006 but haven't delivered on yet is more complex than the 7 implementation. It also involves not using bitmaps to draw UI elements.
I was set to get the high res screen, but just to be sure I went to my local Apple reseller to see the difference for myself. Ofcourse they didn't have the 15" high res, but I was told that I could compare the standard res 15" to the 17" screen, since the 17" would be comparable to the 15" high res screen (15.4" 1680 x 1050 = 129PPI and 17" 1920 x 1200 = 133PPI, so text and icons on the 15" should be a little bit bigger compared to the 17").
When I got to to the store the text and icons on the 17" looked very small and I was sure to get the 15" standard res. However, after playing with the 17" for a while, the text on the 15" looked really big and less sharp and I was surprised at how much I noticed that I couldn't fit as much on the screen as I could with the 17".
What I mean to say is: I think the higer res takes some getting used to. Can anyone corroborate this from personal experience? (I'm still on the fence though about which one to choose).
When I got to to the store the text and icons on the 17" looked very small and I was sure to get the 15" standard res. However, after playing with the 17" for a while, the text on the 15" looked really big and less sharp and I was surprised at how much I noticed that I couldn't fit as much on the screen as I could with the 17".
What I mean to say is: I think the higer res takes some getting used to. Can anyone corroborate this from personal experience? (I'm still on the fence though about which one to choose).
uberamd
macrumors 68030
As someone who went from a 15" MBP to a 17" MBP I can tell you that you quickly learn to appreciate the extra screen space.
MrCheeto
Suspended
Hahahaha! Oh my!
I've just discovered a new use for my glossy display.
Watching TV while surfing the web in bed can cause neck strain, trying to support my head to focus on the elevated television.
So what to do?
Simple!
Turn off all of the lights, and turn your back to the tv. I now have a 6" image reflected in the top corner of my display. It's the closest thing to live TV on my mac, hahaha.
Brilliant, I love it. Not only do I save $50 on a Matte display, but I save on a USB TV tuner.
I'm poor =\
I've just discovered a new use for my glossy display.
Watching TV while surfing the web in bed can cause neck strain, trying to support my head to focus on the elevated television.
So what to do?
Simple!
Turn off all of the lights, and turn your back to the tv. I now have a 6" image reflected in the top corner of my display. It's the closest thing to live TV on my mac, hahaha.
Brilliant, I love it. Not only do I save $50 on a Matte display, but I save on a USB TV tuner.
I'm poor =\
I cant tell what you mean by that... whats the average laptop viewing distance? I just gave a rough estimate.. but Im pretty tall and I just measured from my fingertips (arms almost fully stretched, yet still relaxed like Im typing on a desk) to my eyes and it was about 3 feet. So with the screen being alittle bit further than my fingers Id say that's pretty accurate.
.. or did I totally misunderstand this and your basically saying Im blind for saying its small at 3 feet away.
It wasnt too bad, but I just want whats going to easiest on my eyes and more comfortable in the long run.
I think if MrCheeto was a farmer, he'd try to convince us that having skinnier, smaller, hard-to-see cows in a field would be beneficial because you'd get to see more grass than if the cows were larger.
Unless one is using the laptop as a movie player or game toy, or for some specialist line of work, there is absolutely no benefit in having a higher res display. For everyday computing, relaxed viewing is essential and it is PREPOSTEROUS to go for the high res in a 15" when the only benefit is eye strain. With the high res, a CNN webpage will be physically smaller on the 15" than it is in landscape mode on the much smaller iPad (true) and without the constant ease of enlargement the small device offers.
As for drivel about "more real estate", is this a joke??? A miserable little 15" screen the subject of great increases in real estate? It's so laughable it's painful. Anyone with even half a need for high resolution and "more real estate" would demand an external monitor for such work and not expect to make do with a 15" alone. The laptop has an angle of view (vertical) that makes any kind of professional image retouching a joke, if not completely impossible - it's pure guesswork as to whether the image is being viewed correctly at any moment, with color and tones shifting with even a minuscule 3-degree movement of viewing position. anyone claiming they do better color work on a high res laptop screen of 15" (or 17" for that matter), rather than a standard res, is talking tripe.
Save the money on the high res and put it towards an external monitor. If you feel you don't need an external monitor for your work,
that in itself is a good indication you don't need the high res screen.
Unless one is using the laptop as a movie player or game toy, or for some specialist line of work, there is absolutely no benefit in having a higher res display. For everyday computing, relaxed viewing is essential and it is PREPOSTEROUS to go for the high res in a 15" when the only benefit is eye strain. With the high res, a CNN webpage will be physically smaller on the 15" than it is in landscape mode on the much smaller iPad (true) and without the constant ease of enlargement the small device offers.
As for drivel about "more real estate", is this a joke??? A miserable little 15" screen the subject of great increases in real estate? It's so laughable it's painful. Anyone with even half a need for high resolution and "more real estate" would demand an external monitor for such work and not expect to make do with a 15" alone. The laptop has an angle of view (vertical) that makes any kind of professional image retouching a joke, if not completely impossible - it's pure guesswork as to whether the image is being viewed correctly at any moment, with color and tones shifting with even a minuscule 3-degree movement of viewing position. anyone claiming they do better color work on a high res laptop screen of 15" (or 17" for that matter), rather than a standard res, is talking tripe.
Save the money on the high res and put it towards an external monitor. If you feel you don't need an external monitor for your work,
that in itself is a good indication you don't need the high res screen.
I'm a newbie, but IMHO...
I visited my local (70 miles away!) Apple store in Glasgow to check out the difference between the hi res and standard screens for myself... and of course to have a general drool over the Apple loveliness!
I'm by no means a 'pro' user but enjoy photography and using PhotoShop and will no doubt end up doing some audio work for my job on Logic or Pro Tools once I get the new machine. IMHO the hi res screen on the 17" machine made things a little too small for me to feel comfortable with but I could absolutley see that there was much more 'real estate' available on that screen.
I thought that I was looking at a hi res 15" (its the 15" I'll be getting) but now I'm not so sure as the fonts didnt seem quite so (comparatively) tiny on that screen vs the 17"... but I'm guessing this is down to the hi res 15" being 'less' hi res than the 17"? (is this where I get flamed for knowing nothing?! Be gentle! I'm new to
😛 )
I'll visit the store again before finally parting with my hard earned cash but I have just checked the resolution on the laptop I'm using now (again 15") and its 1280x800 so I'm guessing that even the standard res screen on my new Macbook will be higher resolution that what I'm used to... or have I got that wrong?!
I suppose, when all is said and done, it's like anything else, it comes down to personal preference and how you plan on using the machine?
I visited my local (70 miles away!) Apple store in Glasgow to check out the difference between the hi res and standard screens for myself... and of course to have a general drool over the Apple loveliness!
I'm by no means a 'pro' user but enjoy photography and using PhotoShop and will no doubt end up doing some audio work for my job on Logic or Pro Tools once I get the new machine. IMHO the hi res screen on the 17" machine made things a little too small for me to feel comfortable with but I could absolutley see that there was much more 'real estate' available on that screen.
I thought that I was looking at a hi res 15" (its the 15" I'll be getting) but now I'm not so sure as the fonts didnt seem quite so (comparatively) tiny on that screen vs the 17"... but I'm guessing this is down to the hi res 15" being 'less' hi res than the 17"? (is this where I get flamed for knowing nothing?! Be gentle! I'm new to
😛 )I'll visit the store again before finally parting with my hard earned cash but I have just checked the resolution on the laptop I'm using now (again 15") and its 1280x800 so I'm guessing that even the standard res screen on my new Macbook will be higher resolution that what I'm used to... or have I got that wrong?!
I suppose, when all is said and done, it's like anything else, it comes down to personal preference and how you plan on using the machine?