Returning Hi-Res Antiglare

[motulist]

I just came back from an apple store, there's no option on display settings to lower the res to exactly 1440x900 on a 15" hi res model, only options I saw were some werid 14## x ### (stretch / no stretch) option, none of them look as crisp as on the low res model. I asked a Genius about this and they said they don't know why either... It's the same aspect ratio, why hi res model can't lower to exactly to the 1440x900? Driver issue??

It's got nothing to do with drivers, it's a trait that is inherent to ALL lcd monitors, it's a characteristic that's inherent to the way that lcd screens create an image. For technical reasons that I won't go into here (you can google it if you're interested) crt monitors can look great at many different resolutions, but lcd screens will only ever look good at their "native" resolution, where 1 pixel that the computer wants to display correlates with exactly one pixel of a spot of light that the lcd monitor is able to turn on or off.

 

[quasinormal]

I would have ordered the 15" anti glare, but felt the glass added some structural integrity to the lid and protection of the actual screen, so ordered the HR glossy. As I am 53 with crap eyesight, it it will be interesting to see how i cope with it, when it arrives in a couple of weeks- I saved $250 by ordering at an electronics retailer (JB HiFi). Apple has a wait of 3 days for the same BTO in Au.

 

[glhiii]

Also thinking of returning

I'm in exactly the same position as the person who started this thread. I picked up a top-of-the-line MBP yesterday and am trying to adjust to the screen. I have a pre-unibody Santa Rosa with a matte screen, and when I went to the Apple store I was thinking of getting the normal size screen -- but it was too glossy for me. So I paid the extra and got the anti-glare. Frankly, it looks better than the old MBP screen. It's beautiful. But there's something about it that's hard on the eyes, even when Safari is zoomed in to be the same size as the non-hi-res screen. Both my Santa Rosa and the new machine have LED lighting, but the old one seems easier on the eyes. I haven't entirely made up my mind yet. Fortunately, I have a couple of weeks to return it. I wish I knew what it is about the new screen that makes it hard on the eyes. By any logic, it should be easier.

 

[mastaofdisasta]

I'm in exactly the same position as the person who started this thread. I picked up a top-of-the-line MBP yesterday and am trying to adjust to the screen. I have a pre-unibody Santa Rosa with a matte screen, and when I went to the Apple store I was thinking of getting the normal size screen -- but it was too glossy for me. So I paid the extra and got the anti-glare. Frankly, it looks better than the old MBP screen. It's beautiful. But there's something about it that's hard on the eyes, even when Safari is zoomed in to be the same size as the non-hi-res screen. Both my Santa Rosa and the new machine have LED lighting, but the old one seems easier on the eyes. I haven't entirely made up my mind yet. Fortunately, I have a couple of weeks to return it. I wish I knew what it is about the new screen that makes it hard on the eyes. By any logic, it should be easier.

Welcome to the club. I can't put my finger on it exactly on why I cannot adjust to this screen. Now matter what I am looking at, from the macrumors forum page, to the desktop, it's a struggle to look at for a period of time due to the eye strain. I think I am going to pick up a standard res screen an call it a day. I have had the laptop for a few days now, and by now I probably should have been adjusted to the screen. But since that's not the case, the anti-glare screen is probably not for me. It's unfortunate because I really do love the screen the anti-glareness of it.

 

[Subbieman]

Hmmm

Well thats what happens when you are looking a screen for 2 days straight dont say you werent because we all do it LOL Sorry to hear you are having problems!

 

[revelated]

For those who bought the hi-res and had eye strain initially at first, how long did it take for you to get used to the screen?

I've never been bothered by high res BUT, I will state that your brightness setting will play a major part. Like for me, the screen has to be dimmer than my surrounding lighting or it just doesn't feel comfortable or natural.

 

[mastaofdisasta]

After much deliberation, I'm putting an order in for the hi-res glossy display. Hopefully the glossiness of the monitor won't make my eyes strain as much as the anti-glare did. I went to the apple store today, and I was fine with the standard glossy display. Hopefully it was the right decision.

EDIT: Nevermind I cancelled it lol. I was reading through the posts in this thread a second time around, and many of the posters had good points in that no matter which hi res screen, glossy or anti-glare, it will not make a difference, as its the same resolution. Therefore it wouldn't matter if I got the hi-res glossy version and I would still have eye strain issues. (unless if someone had experience otherwise, I would like to hear it). I think I'm going to give it a week and see if I can adjust. If I can't, its the standard res for me. Done deal.

 

[SPEEDwithJJ]

I've posted the same thing in another thread but thought that it might help here as well:

http://osxdaily.com/2010/04/16/new-macbook-pro-15-hi-res-screen-comparison/

 

[mastaofdisasta]

I was doing further research, and one solution for those users who have eye strain is that they calibrate the screen through the system prefs. Do anyone have any recommendations in terms of settings for reducing eye strain? In the meantime I am going to tinker with it and if I find a good setting, I will post it on here in this thread. I really would like to keep the hi-res screen if I can.

 

[AppleScruff1]

I'm going to check out the hi res too, but I think the text will be too small for me. I have compared the new MBP 13 to the MBA 13 and I find the text too small on the Air. I just don't know if I could use it for hours on end.

 

[mastaofdisasta]

I'm going to check out the hi res too, but I think the text will be too small for me. I have compared the new MBP 13 to the MBA 13 and I find the text too small on the Air. I just don't know if I could use it for hours on end.

The resolution bump makes everything smaller; text, menus, applications, everything. You might be able to zoom in in website pages, but the thing is is that the pictures get scaled up too, and it gets pixelated. Plus when you check it out at the apple store, its still night and day in comparison when it comes to the way you use it. Think about it, you're not going to be doing all your work at the apple store. Truthfully, I checked the anti-glare out at the apple store, and decided to go for the anti-glare based on those results. But when it came to the way I used it, it became too much for me in the eyes. I didn't feel the strain as much when I was looking at it in the apple store though.

What I find difficult to grasp is how everyone recommends it and loves the screen, but I cannot tolerate it. Its not fair! lol. I guess I'm in the extremely small minority group of people that cannot tolerate the eye strain, even after short periods of use. Honestly, I feel like it will affect my eye sight permanently if I continue to use it. And even if resolution independence does come into Lion, I'm not going to bear the strain till the summer. Therefore now I'm leaning towards getting the standard res. Yea the screen resolution is lower than I wanted it to be, but at least my eyes will be happy and I would actually want to use my laptop, instead of being it a burden and loathe using it. But that can all change in 15 minutes due to flip flopping I've done so far in this thread.

 

[AppleScruff1]

Do you think that anti glare has anything to do with your eyestrain or is it all the resolution? I just figured that it's all the young guys that like the hi res because they still have good eyes. I would like to see the anti glare with the standard screen.

 

[Locodice]

hey OP

I'm curious, out of interest, what screen resolution did you use before this MBP?

 

[mastaofdisasta]

Do you think that anti glare has anything to do with your eyestrain or is it all the resolution? I just figured that it's all the young guys that like the hi res because they still have good eyes. I would like to see the anti glare with the standard screen.

To be honest, I'm really not sure. What I do know is that I can see fine on a 13 inch macbook pro (which all have the standard 1280 x 800), and I can see fine on a standard res 1440 x 900 macbook pro as well. Mind you the anti-glare Macbook Pro I currently have is the first laptop LED backlit anti-glare screen I have used. This aspect might have play a role in the reason why I haven't adjusted to the screen yet. I did consider getting the hi-res glossy display, but I feel like I would be in the same pickle that I am in now, but with gloss involved. Many of the posters did have a point in saying that it's not the type of display, it's more of the resolution and the fact that it's hi-res; this argument makes logical sense to me.

Still what worries me is that I have had the laptop for a few days now, and I still have eye straining issues with it. Lowering the brightness alleviate some of the strain, but not completely. This is also the first issue that I ever came across where my vision cannot adjust to a new situation, and I rarely ever have issues with my vision. I mentioned before that I do not wear glasses, nor did I ever feel the need to wear them. One of the posters that I have read in this forum suggested that my vision might have changed, which is definitely plausible, but I can use other monitors fine.

If you can tolerate the anti-glare screen, definitely go for it. The screen is phenomenal, kind of reminds me of my iPhone 4 a little bit, and how sharp both displays are. If my eyes would've adjusted, then I definitely would keep it. But due to the issues that I am having, I might need to downgrade the resolution. But who knows, a downgrade might me an upgrade in terms of actual application.

 

[mastaofdisasta]

hey OP

I'm curious, out of interest, what screen resolution did you use before this MBP?

I don't recall exactly, but I want to say it was 1280 x 800. Before I purchased the Macbook Pro, I had a 14 inch HP-DV4t, and those laptops ran at that resolution according to google.

 

[AppleScruff1]

Why not give 10 days or so and if it still is bothersome take it back and get the standard screen? That would give you more time to see if you adapt, and if you don't you'll have no doubt that the standard res model is best for you. I think that I will probably have the same issue as you do.

 

[8CoreWhore]

The way anti-glare works is - it diffuses the light that hits it and scatters it so it doesn't cause a mirror. The problem though is that the light coming through it (from the source, your image, text, etc) is also diffused. This is why colors are nicer on glossy than matte. And why text may be sharper.

It's not that glossy "makes" the colors deeper, the blacks blacker - it's just that the clear glass does nothing to it - what you want. The source comes through as intended.

But with matte, the source and its light get diffused.

The goal of a photo editor is to calibrate their display with their printer so that what you see on the screen is what you will get on the print. If your matte screen is causing the colors to dull, you will compensate for that on-screen, but then they will be too saturated in the print.

The same is true if your output is a web page. If you design it on a matte screen, your client will see something else on their glossy (clear glass) screen.

Remember back in the day you' would see monitors with hoods on them (still do in many pro set ups) and the room ambient light is controlled so as not to fall on the screen and affect what your eyes see.

So nowadays I hear more guys complain about "glossy" as being bad for editing because of the reflected light. Well, you're not supposed to be editing color sensitive work without the ambient light controlled. If it's controlled, there is no glare.

They also erroneously state that glossy "causes" the colors to be too saturated. Wrong. It's simply the opposite.

For color editing - get clear glass - otherwise known as "glossy" - and control the light so there is no glare. Done.

 

[digitalfrog]

This is a discussion about laptops ...

do you suggest people to use theirs only with a hood around the screen and not carry them around because they won't be in a light controlled environment anymore ?

The way anti-glare works is - it diffuses the light that hits it and scatters it so it doesn't cause a mirror. The problem though is that the light coming through it (from the source, your image, text, etc) is also diffused. This is why colors are nicer on glossy than matte. And why text may be sharper.

It's not that glossy "makes" the colors deeper, the blacks blacker - it's just that the clear glass does nothing to it - what you want. The source comes through as intended.

But with matte, the source and its light get diffused.

The goal of a photo editor is to calibrate their display with their printer so that what you see on the screen is what you will get on the print. If your matte screen is causing the colors to dull, you will compensate for that on-screen, but then they will be too saturated in the print.

The same is true if your output is a web page. If you design it on a matte screen, your client will see something else on their glossy (clear glass) screen.

Remember back in the day you' would see monitors with hoods on them (still do in many pro set ups) and the room ambient light is controlled so as not to fall on the screen and affect what your eyes see.

So nowadays I hear more guys complain about "glossy" as being bad for editing because of the reflected light. Well, you're not supposed to be editing color sensitive work without the ambient light controlled. If it's controlled, there is no glare.

They also erroneously state that glossy "causes" the colors to be too saturated. Wrong. It's simply the opposite.

For color editing - get clear glass - otherwise known as "glossy" - and control the light so there is no glare. Done.

 

[tim100]

does apple track these returns?

 

[suckatcomputers]

I have the 13" and my eye strain is awful. Maybe people like us have more sensitive eyes. If I use my MBP for more than an hour, and leave my house, my vision is blurred for the next 20-30 minutes. This is with my brightness turned down. I only turn my brightness up when I watch videos.

I came to a conclusion that it's a combination of LED lights and distance from screen. I get eye strain and headaches from ALL monitors if I'm using for a long time, but NEVER have I experienced this prolonged blurry vision. I have an old Princeton plasma monitor that I used for my PC and that gives me the least amount of strain.

Is there a calibrating service available for MBPs anywhere? Not sure if it will rid you of eye strain but you might give it a shot.

Did you know ALL these new HD TVs should be calibrated because the lights/colors are too bright for our eyes? It's funny that TVs and monitors don't come calibrated when you buy them. You have to pay about $100 to get it calibrated or try to do it yourself.

I recommend you do exchange your MBP and keep trying different screens/models until your satisfied. No matter what, always practice the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes your using your computer, stare at something 20 ft away for 20 seconds. Health is wealth.

 

[brentsg]

To the OP, I often find that the no-glare causes text to be a touch blurry.

I also think it's a good idea to ge your eyes checked if you are getting strain. You can have vision problems even with 20/20 vision, as I am in this category myself.

I have a condition called latent hyperopia. My eyes are shaped incorrectly, but the muscles in my eyes work 110% to correct my vision, and its successful. However it can also be a strain over time, and as I age my muscles are slowly losing this ability.

One interesting thing about the condition is that since my eyes are used to doing this, they also attempt to correct the little bit of fuzziness from the anti-glare. Of course they can't so strain results.

I thought of this because you mentioned that it feels like it's damaging your vision. I know this feeling because when mine have been overworking, it feels like the muscles in my left eye actually cramp.

Note, this cant be diagnosed by a simple vision test. They have to chemically paralyze the eye muscles and then give you a vision test. I went from 20/20 to not being able to read a single line.

 

[suckatcomputers]

Interesting. Thanks for your story. I will look into it, but definitely ask the doc exactly what's going on when they "chemically paralyze my eyes." Not a fan of putting ANY chemical into my body. Wait, alcohol is a chemical... nm

 

[melterx12]

Can't you just...

Lower the resolution?

(I can't stand "anti glare" it makes my head dizzy and it makes the colour more dull for some odd reason.)

if you lower the resolution below native res it the image quality will degrade. 1440x900 on the standard screen will look far better than the high res screen set to 1440x900.

 

[brentsg]

Interesting. Thanks for your story. I will look into it, but definitely ask the doc exactly what's going on when they "chemically paralyze my eyes." Not a fan of putting ANY chemical into my body. Wait, alcohol is a chemical... nm

It's just a couple drops in the eyes that make the world blurry for a bit.

One interesting note, my doctor gave me a glasses prescription based on exactly what was needed to give me perfect unassisted vision. But my eyes have been doing this for so long, they continue even with glasses on and this makes everything blurry. He said to wait and age a bit more, or he would work me through a series of milder prescriptions to work up to what I needed. Apparently this is common.

I've gone without bit am reaching a point where I can't pick up the iPad first thing in the morning, as it's blurry until I've been awake for a while.

 

[glhiii]

Can't decide

I find myself at a loss as to whether to return the antiglare MBP. The screen is truly wonderful, and I think if I replaced it with the glossy non-hi-res one I'd feel I'd made a mistake. I'm trying various calibrations -- if anyone has a calibration that seems to help, please post it. I think one of the issues may be that the white is very bright and there's too much contrast with black type. I have something I scanned that has text on a grayish background and that seemed much easier to read.