Wait for a 13" MacBook Pro matte screen option

[Miss Terri]

Glossy > AG
But, if you want to get an AG screen for MBP 13" get a matte screen protector.

1) The superiority of either type of screen is personal preference. You apparently prefer Glossy, which is fine. Others prefer AG.

2) Unfortunately, the quality of a matte screen film is nowhere near that of an original AG screen. Would that it were.

 

[Miss Terri]

You're wrong, I'm afraid; the current white MB has a glossy screen, but it does not have a glass enclosure. The overall 'glossiness' of the white MB is more similar to that of the current MBA, rather than the current MBP. All of them are glossy, but only the MBP is glossy and glassy.

No, they are both glass. See the photos I just added to my previous reply (which I was apparently editing while you were posting this). They were taken from Apple's website just now. BOTH the MB and the MBP have a glass screen. This was also true when I was shopping in November/December 2010. I also had both computers side-by-side. I MUCH prefer a less glossy screen, and I would definitely have kept the MB instead of the MBP if the MB's screen had not also been glossy glass. Since both screens are equally glossy and glass, I kept the MBP because it had other features that are missing from the MB.

 

[nebulos]

Hi Miss T; i hadn't noticed originally it was you i was responding to. How ya been?

in fact, as i typed 'GLASS', i thought: "...maybe the macbook does have some (thinner) glass on it."

and, indeed, you seem to have the screenshots to back this up.

HOWEVER, i've looked at these screens a bit myself (we've discussed my issues with the 13 MBP screen some before), and i'm convinced they are different.

1. i have read, though i'm not sure i could find it now, that the color gamuts are different, the pro having a larger spectrum.

2. even if they both have glass, which i'm not refuting, i'm convinced the glass is different. the reflections on the macbook pro are wildly more pronounced than on the white macbook. (somewhat related: the macbook air is listed as 'glossy' in Apple's specs. and, yeah, i guess it is, but the air and the pro are clearly worlds apart in this respect.)

i'm surprised you found them indistinguishable actually.

but, it all comes down to personal preference anyways!

for anyone choosing a screen, go down to an Apple store or Best Buy and have a look.

************************************

it makes me cry when people say "duh. just use an antiglare screen protector".

or when they say "duh. just change the resolution" when people are worried about text size.

CRY CRY CRY.

do they realize what they're saying???

(i.e. have you ever actually tried these yourself ... and not realized how horrible they l😱🙁k???)

 

[marshallbedsaul]

I to wish the 13'' had matte option simple because finger prints! Also seems like the 13'' is a dust magnet !!!!

who knows maybe the refresh will have something for us.

 

[Miss Terri]

1. i have read, though i'm not sure i could find it now, that the color gamuts are different, the pro having a larger spectrum.

I think had read that at one point in time too; now I can't remember if I then read it was changed/updated or not. My main concern was whether it was glossy or not, because if it had been matte, I would have stayed with the MB over the MBP. I've always preferred plastic anyway, but was "driven" to change to the MBP because Apple removed the Firewire port and external battery monitor from the MB, and those are two things I like to have.

2. even if they both have glass, which i'm not refuting, i'm convinced the glass is different. the reflections on the macbook pro are wildly more pronounced than on the white macbook.

I wonder if that is because (if I remember correctly), the glass does not go edge to edge on the MB? As I remember it the white bezel is not covered in glass. Well, I'll have a chance to compare again soon as my friend who has my ex-MB (2010) is going to be here visiting, with the laptop I'm sure. I will let you know what I find 🙂

And yeah, changing the resolution or adding a matte film... no thank you! (Even though I would LOVE resolution independence so I could stop having to crank up the "command-+" on every page 😡 And the matte screen that is the reason for this thread. Come on, Apple! I would pay MORE.

Miss Terri

 

[kushed]

The "Pro" designation is a marketing term and applies to every Apple computer that carries the Pro designation. As such, the term has no formal meaning. Thus, it seems to me that which, if any, models in the Macbook Pro lineup are, or are not, "'pro' level computers" is up to each of us to decide. Apple, however, thinks highly enough of the 13 inch MBP that it gives it exactly the same designation, "Macbook Pro," that it gives the 15 and 17 inch models. Make of that what you will.

the Pro used in apples meaning is a mac that is not an air but has the aluminum. thats why there was only one run of the unibody macbooks before the pro came out and then they reverted back to plastic for the non pro macs. all marketing... would you rahter own a mac or a mac pro =)

 

[adnoh]

necro thread?

 

[mrwonkers]

I wish all of the design team would read macrumors because we seem to be the best critiques of their work and they should take note! We have all their products and are far more critical than their mass market. But inevitably give honest user experience that's harsh but follows through to the rest of the purchasers of apple products.
(

Don't be delusional why would Apples design team giva a flying **** what a bunch of ubergeeks want their precious toys 2 look like. Apple make products for the masses NOW more than ever, shiny shiny.....mmmm....pretty.....costs lots must be good.......derrr.....errrrr....grunt, these are the people that buy the majority of Apples computers and iOS devices and Jobsy likes it that way.

 

[marshallbedsaul]

I just got my 13" MBP back from TechRestore after doing the matte screen replacement. I have to say it is amazing and I wish I had done it earlier instead of living with that horrid glare all this time. Here is a picture which shows some custom sticker work I did 😛

you must post more pictures my friend you just have too side shots ect..

 

[Miss Terri]

necro thread?

Perhaps, but I am really glad that the "new OP" posted photos and results of his 13" "Mattebook Pro." Granted, he could have started a new thread, but OTOH, the issue hasn't changed since the thread started! (Ahem... apple...)

 

[PurpleMarmalade]

No, they are both glass. See the photos I just added to my previous reply (which I was apparently editing while you were posting this). They were taken from Apple's website just now. BOTH the MB and the MBP have a glass screen. This was also true when I was shopping in November/December 2010. I also had both computers side-by-side. I MUCH prefer a less glossy screen, and I would definitely have kept the MB instead of the MBP if the MB's screen had not also been glossy glass. Since both screens are equally glossy and glass, I kept the MBP because it had other features that are missing from the MB.

The Apple website is referring to the glass that goes into all laptop display panels. The bit you can touch on a MB is not glass. To put it a different way, both the MBP and the MB have the same physical display - it's glossy, and contains arsenic-free glass (at the back, not the bit you see.) The MBP then also has a glass enclosure on top of the glossy display - hence glossy and glassy. The MB has no glass enclosure.

I'm not sure what else I can say to convince you. Perhaps you might start a thread, or otherwise dig for old ones. But I am a little astonished if you've owned both machines; the difference is, I would say, rather obvious when comparing the two in any Apple shop. I say this not to offend you, and in fact I think you're lucky: it means you are less affected by the glare than I am! I am very jealous of that 🙂

 

[Miss Terri]

The Apple website is referring to the glass that goes into all laptop display panels. The bit you can touch on a MB is not glass. To put it a different way, both the MBP and the MB have the same physical display - it's glossy, and contains arsenic-free glass (at the back, not the bit you see.) The MBP then also has a glass enclosure on top of the glossy display - hence glossy and glassy. The MB has no glass enclosure.

Okay, maybe I will have to sell my MBP and get another MB then. I thought the newest unibody MB's had the same screen as the MBP (minus the bezel differences). I certainly would prefer a less glossy screen.

I would hate to give up Firewire and the external battery monitor (which they took away from the MB), but if the screen is noticeably "matte-er" I may have to change back. I'm surprised that of all the people (many!) who are vocally wishing for a matte/AG 13" Mac, I have not heard of any buying the MB for that reason 😕

I will have a chance to compare them directly when said friend is in town visiting with the MB in a week or so.

Sorry if I mis-spoke. All of my research and reading indicated that the screen in the 2010 MBP and 2010 MB were the same (minus the bezel).

Perhaps you might start a thread, or otherwise dig for old ones.

Since this is a thread about matte 13" Macs - I didn't see any reason to start a different one (?)

MT

 

[PurpleMarmalade]

Okay, maybe I will have to sell my MBP and get another MB then. I thought the newest unibody MB's had the same screen as the MBP (minus the bezel differences). I certainly would prefer a less glossy screen.

I would hate to give up Firewire and the external battery monitor (which they took away from the MB), but if the screen is noticeably "matte-er" I may have to change back. I'm surprised that of all the people (many!) who are vocally wishing for a matte/AG 13" Mac, I have not heard of any buying the MB for that reason 😕

I will have a chance to compare them directly when said friend is in town visiting with the MB in a week or so.

Sorry if I mis-spoke. All of my research and reading indicated that the screen in the 2010 MBP and 2010 MB were the same (minus the bezel).



Since this is a thread about matte 13" Macs - I didn't see any reason to start a different one (?)

MT

I think it's a very understandable assumption; Apple does not make the difference particularly clear. The MBs are still glossy, but the lack of glass means at least that you couldn't use it as a shaving mirror (me, not you! 😛) But those that are wishing for an AG 13" MBP would not want the MB, I would think, for a few reasons: it's plastic, not unibody; it's old tech, and will be phased out soon; it's still glossy. If you couldn't make the switch to the MBA as the glossy-but-not-glassy screen, then the MB will be similarly unappealing.

I've just taken delivery of a new 15" AG MBP. I'm officially in love (and would never go back to glossy).

 

[nebulos]

Miss T,

you will notice the difference immediately. 😉

i got impatient before the update and decided to just go ahead and order a laptop and, after narrowing it down to the 13s, i ordered the white macbook instead of the pro, primarily because of the difference in screens; aside from being much less glossy, (compared to the mirror on the pro, essentially matte!), i just found the screen generally more easy on my eyes. you can also tell the difference in color, but it wasn't a deal breaker by any means.

the explanation on the glass above makes sense. you will see for yourself the glass panel on the pro is missing on the white; it's still reflective, but, again, nothing like the pro.

of course, the macbook may get updated soon ...

(p.s. the macbook was a huge compromise for me and when i started hearing more reliable rumors of an ever closer update, i sent it back, unopened.)

 

[Miss Terri]

Well cr-p!

I actually vastly prefer plastic to aluminum. I've always had plastic Mac notebooks. When my 2008 Macbook died a premature death (like four times in a row), I got a unibody Macbook as a replacement (from Apple). I was all "oh sweet!" (and in some ways it was an upgrade from my 2008 Macbook).

But then I noticed:

-Screen seemed totally glossy (so no detectable change there)
-No Firewire 😡
-No external battery monitor 😡
-No infrared port (not as big a deal but still, something taken away).

Since I had a friend who was on the verge of buying a MB, I started thinking about the MBP. But... I really, really don't like aluminum. So I went back and forth. Eventually I decided I wanted the things that were "missing" (plus had always secretly wanted a backlit keyboard), so I passed the MB along to my friend and bought an MBP. I put on a bestskinsever which helps make it a bit less "aluminumy," although I still vastly prefer white plastic.

But... I thought for sure the screens were both equally glossy. Dangit! Now I'm all riled up 😱

For me now, the MB Is not a huge downgrade, because I have the same processor in my machine (2010 MBP). And I have even read that the MB will accept 8 MB RAM even though it supposedly only takes 4MB of RAM. I would kind of hate to give up the backlit keyboard now (not to mention the Firewire and the battery monitor), but.... maybe I will. After all, the screen is being looked at 100% of the time.

I'm still surprised no-one has mentioned it when so many people would like a less glossy screen. I will make note of it for future "wish I could have a less glossy screen" threads. (BTW, for me the Air is not usable due to the high screen resolution without resolution independence; otherwise it looks great.)

I do take your point in that the MB seems like a "bad deal" now, compared to the MBP; but for the 2010 models there was not as much of a difference, since they had the same processor.

Thanks for correcting me on the screen. I had no idea the glass Apple was referring to was in the back, behind the screen. Weird!

I'll compare screens when my friend arrives and then decide whether to sell the MBP and go back to an MB.

Miss Terri

 

[eaf7s]

So my chances for a handy 13" MacBook with a matte screen are close to 0%, eh?

There are companys ripping out the glossy screen and installing a matte screen instead.
But I wasn't able to find something like this for 13" MBP. Is there a service like this for 13"?

What do you think in general about that procedger? Any knowledge about the screen quality?
Is there something in the european union? Shipping my MBP to the US and back just to pay 200$ for ripping out a screen would be overkill I guess...

😡

And good luck convincing customs that you don't have to pay import tax on it again when you get it back lol. My personal laptop was shipped to me from home (the US) to uni (the UK) and they seized it for over a week while I got all the paperwork together to prove that I already owned it and that I needed it for school, and that it was provided for under my visa.