Screenquality

In my experience, screen protectors get scratched very quickly. Even a new screen protector won't look as good as a slightly scratched rMBP screen without a screen protector. You should stick to using isoproyl alcohol + microfiber cloth to clean the screen instead of using a screen protector. Don't use a dry cloth, microfiber or otherwise.

 

I guess that's one way to look at it. I personally feel that if I'm paying $1400-$2000 for a machine, I should enjoy the screen the way it was meant to be enjoyed, instead of looking at it through a beat up $20 screen protector.

You could keep a screen protector on for a couple of years until you're ready to upgrade your laptop and still have a pristine screen at the end, but then you'll never get to truly enjoy that screen.

As for the coating, since MacBooks don't have touchscreens, they don't required an oleophobic coating.

 

isn't a slightly damp (tap water) microfibre & a dry microfibre acceptable?

cheers

 

I had a screen protector initially so I could wipe it clean on the spot. But it is pointless as it get scratches easily. I decided to remove it and if it needs cleaning I could just wait until I get home.

Tap water is great. I won't touch any alcohol based solutions even if it is meant for screens.

 

I've always been using Mac with matte screens. I use my Mac to edit photos and images, so any reflection is very annoying. When I got my first rMBP, I hated the gloss so I applied a matte film over the screen.

For a screen this large (it's not your phone!), it took me about an hour to get it applied without air bubbles or dust underneath. Here's another thread about screen films,

http://forums.macrumors.com/threads...present-part-20.1772959/page-12#post-20381413

If I didn't care about the reflection, I would use it without any sort of film on the screen. To clean it, you may try to use whatever you use to clean eyeglasses as they are mostly plastic and some have coatings.