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Screen protector or no screen protector?

fitgirl

fitgirl

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Oct 25, 2013
712
141
Does anyone use a screen protector on their MacBook Pro retina? I've been considering one after reading somewhere that when the macbook is closed the keys can scratch or leave marks on the screen because there is no glass covering it, is this true? I'm getting a bit worried now.
 
The keys are close, but not that close. Putting on a screen protector might actually cause keys to come in contact with the screen. Not scratching but probably putting unnecessary pressure against it while closed.

I've had my 15" retina MBP for about 1 year now, screen is perfectly fine with no scratches without a screen protector. Just don't close your lid with stuff on the keyboard is all you have to do.
 
Ksc272 said:
The keys are close, but not that close. Putting on a screen protector might actually cause keys to come in contact with the screen. Not scratching but probably putting unnecessary pressure against it while closed.

I've had my 15" retina MBP for about 1 year now, screen is perfectly fine with no scratches without a screen protector. Just don't close your lid with stuff on the keyboard is all you have to do.
Click to expand...

So the keys don't actually touch the screen when closed?
 
fitgirl said:
So the keys don't actually touch the screen when closed?
Click to expand...

You have nothing to worry about. :) On my 2011 MBP with Hi-Res anti-glare screen, I have no problem, but I also use a Moshi clear keyboard cover that also keeps junk and dirt out from getting into the keyboard mechanism and prevents the keys from touching the screen.
 
My screen touches my keyboard. Probably happens when I'm carrying it in a bookbag with other books.

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troop231 said:
You have nothing to worry about. :) On my 2011 MBP with Hi-Res anti-glare screen, I have no problem, but I also use a Moshi clear keyboard cover that also keeps junk and dirt out from getting into the keyboard mechanism and prevents the keys from touching the screen.
Click to expand...

But then the oils on your hand would still be on the keyboard cover and that would touch your screen and have the same effect. But then again, you have an anti-glare screen, but still.
 
RichardC300 said:
But then the oils on your hand would still be on the keyboard cover and that would touch your screen and have the same effect. But then again, you have an anti-glare screen, but still.
Click to expand...

The anti-glare screen is even more susceptible to damage than non anti-glare models due to no screen protection at all. Also, I wash my keyboard cover often and keep my hands clean.
 
RichardC300 said:
My screen touches my keyboard. Probably happens when I'm carrying it in a bookbag with other books.

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But then the oils on your hand would still be on the keyboard cover and that would touch your screen and have the same effect. But then again, you have an anti-glare screen, but still.
Click to expand...

Have you noticed scratching from the keys touching the screen?
 
fitgirl said:
Have you noticed scratching from the keys touching the screen?
Click to expand...

I have not. That's weird. I generally try to keep my keyboard clean of debris. Are you sure it's from your keys? I'd be hard to believe that plastic keys alone would scratch the glass screen.
 
RichardC300 said:
I have not. That's weird. I generally try to keep my keyboard clean of debris. Are you sure it's from your keys? I'd be hard to believe that plastic keys alone would scratch the glass screen.
Click to expand...

I don't have any scratches but I've been debating after reading that the keys touch the screen when closed and can scratch or make marks on the screen, I bought my MacBook Pro last week and just want to make sure that what I've read isn't true.

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RichardC300 said:
I have not. That's weird. I generally try to keep my keyboard clean of debris. Are you sure it's from your keys? I'd be hard to believe that plastic keys alone would scratch the glass screen.
Click to expand...

By the way the MacBook Pro retina has no glass.
 
Don't plan to use a screen protector. Don't know if keys touch the screen at all when the lid is closed. If they do touch, they just... touch. Not rubbing or scratching the screen. And because the screen is not a touch screen like phone and tablet, fewer reasons to use a screen protector.
 
fitgirl said:
I know it is weird and it makes the screen more fragile that's why I worry lol
Click to expand...

This is my second anti-glare MBP, I've had it for over a year and carried it in my backpack back when I was still in school.

The MBP I had before that is turning 6 years old soon and was used the same way.

Neither has marks from the keys on the screen.

Don't waste your money on a useless protector.
 
snaky69 said:
This is my second anti-glare MBP, I've had it for over a year and carried it in my backpack back when I was still in school.

The MBP I had before that is turning 6 years old soon and was used the same way.

Neither has marks from the keys on the screen.

Don't waste your money on a useless protector.
Click to expand...

Yes but yours has a glass covering you're LCD panel so it's harder to scratch where as these retina ones have no glass cover the LCD which can make a bit easier to scratch.
 
fitgirl said:
Yes but yours has a glass covering you're LCD panel so it's harder to scratch where as these retina ones have no glass cover the LCD which can make a bit easier to scratch.
Click to expand...

The retina display front is glass. I don't see how an extra sheet of glass should make it more durable.
 
fitgirl said:
Yes but yours has a glass covering you're LCD panel so it's harder to scratch where as these retina ones have no glass cover the LCD which can make a bit easier to scratch.
Click to expand...

No, it doesn't. Did you even read my post? I think I'm in good position to tell you I don't have a glass panel covering my screen as I'm typing on that computer this very moment.

It's a unibody MBP with a High-Res anti-glare screen. So was my previous MBP I mentioned in my previous post. Neither model has a glass panel over the screen.
 
leman said:
The retina display front is glass. I don't see how an extra sheet of glass should make it more durable.
Click to expand...

Nope the front display is not covered by glass I have called apple support to confirm this.

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snaky69 said:
No, it doesn't. Did you even read my post? I think I'm in good position to tell you I don't have a glass panel covering my screen as I'm typing on that computer this very moment.

It's a unibody MBP with a High-Res anti-glare screen. So was my previous MBP I mentioned in my previous post. Neither model has a glass panel over the screen.
Click to expand...

Ok
 
fitgirl said:
Nope the front display is not covered by glass I have called apple support to confirm this.
Click to expand...

Again, your reading comprehension is lacking. The poster you quoted wrote that the display ITSELF is glass, and that he/she didn't see how an extra sheet of glass over it would make it more durable.
 
snaky69 said:
Again, your reading comprehension is lacking. The poster you quoted wrote that the display ITSELF is glass, and that he/she didn't see how an extra sheet of glass over it would make it more durable.
Click to expand...

The display itself is not glass!!! Maybe you should read above and check the link that a poster posted before u say I lack in reading comprehension it does have glass but it does not have a sheet of glass covering the LCD screen so if u scratch it your actually scratching the LCD itself.

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snaky69 said:
Again, your reading comprehension is lacking. The poster you quoted wrote that the display ITSELF is glass, and that he/she didn't see how an extra sheet of glass over it would

Read this before http://www.anandtech.com/show/5998/macbook-pro-retina-display-analysis
Click to expand...
 
fitgirl said:
The display itself is not glass!!! Maybe you should read above and check the link that a poster posted before u say I lack in reading comprehension it does have glass but it does not have a sheet of glass covering the LCD screen so if u scratch it your actually scratching the LCD itself.
Click to expand...

The display matrix is sandwiched between two sheets of glass. If you did truly read the article the other poster linked to, you'd find the sentence:

"The MacBook Pro with Retina Display uses a similar LCD construction to the MacBook Air/matte-MBP, without a cover glass. Instead the Retina Display's two glass layers are different sizes, which you can sort of see in the cross section below:..."

That would clearly make the display's surface itself glass. You even said so yourself.

Seeing as on the hardness scale most plastics are much softer than glass, there is no way your keys would be able to scratch the screen regardless. Unless, of course, something hard such as a grain of sand or a metal shaving is stuck on top of them.



Edit: And from Apple's very own website: "The Retina display doesn’t sit behind a layer of glass, it is the glass"

http://www.apple.com/macbook-pro/design-retina/

I was merely attempting to save you money on a protector film which does nothing but hinder image quality, seeing as my own anecdotal experience owning 2 MBP with a similar construction since 2008 and seeing no screen damage from my keyboard's keys tells me such a film is unneeded.
 
snaky69 said:
The display matrix is sandwiched between two sheets of glass. If you did truly read the article the other poster linked to, you'd find the sentence:

"The MacBook Pro with Retina Display uses a similar LCD construction to the MacBook Air/matte-MBP, without a cover glass. Instead the Retina Display's two glass layers are different sizes, which you can sort of see in the cross section below:..."

That would clearly make the display's surface itself glass. You even said so yourself.

Seeing as on the hardness scale most plastics are much softer than glass, there is no way your keys would be able to scratch the screen regardless. Unless, of course, something hard such as a grain of sand or a metal shaving is stuck on top of them.



Edit: And from Apple's very own website: "The Retina display doesn’t sit behind a layer of glass, it is the glass"

http://www.apple.com/macbook-pro/design-retina/
Click to expand...

Maybe there's a misunderstanding what I was meaning to say and referring it was that it didn't have an actual glass cover, and I think reading to much on the forums, I've read ppl saying that how the screen is so fragile and so easy to scratch and seeing that I paid $2600 I get paranoid reading these things.

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snaky69 said:
The display matrix is sandwiched between two sheets of glass. If you did truly read the article the other poster linked to, you'd find the sentence:

"The MacBook Pro with Retina Display uses a similar LCD construction to the MacBook Air/matte-MBP, without a cover glass. Instead the Retina Display's two glass layers are different sizes, which you can sort of see in the cross section below:..."

That would clearly make the display's surface itself glass. You even said so yourself.

Seeing as on the hardness scale most plastics are much softer than glass, there is no way your keys would be able to scratch the screen regardless. Unless, of course, something hard such as a grain of sand or a metal shaving is stuck on

top of them.



Edit: And from Apple's very own website: "The Retina display doesn’t sit behind a layer of glass, it is the glass"

http://www.apple.com/macbook-pro/design-retina/

I was merely attempting to save you money on a protector film which does nothing but hinder image quality, seeing as my own anecdotal experience owning 2 MBP with a similar construction since 2008 and seeing no screen damage from my keyboard's keys tells me such a film is unneeded.
Click to expand...

I've decided not to get the screen protector cause you are right it will hinder the image quality.

Thanks for the input:)
 
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