Why does almost everyone choose matte against glossy?

[thejadedmonkey]

which is better for gaming?

A windows machine.

I've been on MacRumors for five and a half years now, and I remember when Apple offered only matte screens; the majority of complaints were "why doesn't Apple offer glossy screens?". I prefer matte, and hope for a matte option the next time I buy a Mac, but I've had a MBP with a glossy screen for almost a year now, and don't notice reflections except in the most extreme lighting conditions.

That's because at the time, glossy was not glassy. I don't mind glossy, but glassy is horrible.

My parents use an iMac with a glassy screen, and I have a MBP with a matte screen, and I hate the glassy screen. Reflections everywhere, it strains my eyes a bit...

 

[jaredelguay]

I don't have a problem with my glossy screen because I focus on what I'm doing and looking at rather than staring at the reflections just so I can complain about them. Once you get used to it, it's just fine.

 

[movieator]

I don't have a problem with my glossy screen because I focus on what I'm doing and looking at rather than staring at the reflections just so I can complain about them. Once you get used to it, it's just fine.

Oh, oh, oh!
Focus on what you're doing....

*facepalm*

Thank you! I now realize my preference is due to my complete lack of focus and not to the fact that it is merely my preference.

Also, do we really need another thread about this?

 

[secretanchitman]

on my iphone and 15" macbook pro (late 2008), i have applied matte screen protectors on both to get rid of that annoying glass/glare. i hate it so much. my original macbook pro had a matte screen and that was one HUGE reason why i went with it, because it had no glare, and i like the more natural colors it provided, instead of the glossy screen.

for me, matte will ALWAYS be better than glossy. i hate glossy with a passion, and unfortunately, i had no choice with the iphone and current macbook pro, but apple better offer the silver bezel/matte display on the upcoming macbook pros (whenever they come out)

 

[JaZzMaN251]

Since when is the matte option available for 15" and 17"?

I'm waiting for the next MBP's, but was wondering if the 13" could get a matte option (maybe the 13" matte option was not available yet when they released it for the 15" and 17"?)

Just an open question (as I know nobody actually can know this yet)

 

[movieator]

Since when is the matte option available for 15" and 17"?

I'm waiting for the next MBP's, but was wondering if the 13" could get a matte option (maybe the 13" matte option was not available yet when they released it for the 15" and 17"?)

Just an open question (as I know nobody actually can know this yet)

The matte option has been available for the 17" for a while, and the 15" since July.

I have a 15" anti-glare. Love it.

Carry on.

 

[palmerc2]

I did a test between matte and glossy MBPs in store and still liked glossy....is it cuz I am on a glossy iMac and I am not used to matte yet? How long would it take for someone to get used to matte after being on glossy for a couple of years?? Do the pixels ever become transparent after a few weeks of use? Am I just spoiled with rich color of the glossy? Cuz I found the matte to be dull....

 

[movieator]

I did a test between matte and glossy MBPs in store and still liked glossy....is it cuz I am on a glossy iMac and I am not used to matte yet? How long would it take for someone to get used to matte after being on glossy for a couple of years?? Do the pixels ever become transparent after a few weeks of use? Am I just spoiled with rich color of the glossy? Cuz I found the matte to be dull....

Just go with whichever you prefer. Some people love glossy, some people prefer the matte/anti-glare. Either way, it all comes down to personal preference.
You'll hear all the arguments from one side against the other and vice versa, but in the end, it all comes down to which one you prefer.

For me, I prefer matte, but I could deal with the glossy if I had to.
If you like the glossy better, just stay with glossy. No one here will give you any pearl of wisdom as to why they have their preferences; and at the end of they day it's all opinion for the most part anyway.

 

[rkdiddy]

Definitely boils down to preference. I use to hate glossy screens until I got a 15" uMBP. With a laptop it is much easier to adjust your angle, height, etc to reduce glare.

However, I did end up selling my 24" ACD LED due to glare issues. It was very challenging to find a position that glare wasn't an issue.

 

[palmerc2]

Just go with whichever you prefer. Some people love glossy, some people prefer the matte/anti-glare. Either way, it all comes down to personal preference.
You'll hear all the arguments from one side against the other and vice versa, but in the end, it all comes down to which one you prefer.

For me, I prefer matte, but I could deal with the glossy if I had to.
If you like the glossy better, just stay with glossy. No one here will give you any pearl of wisdom as to why they have their preferences; and at the end of they day it's all opinion for the most part anyway.

After reading a few posts of people saying their eyes get strained, it sort of does make sense.....my eyes do get strained after a while

 

[SPNarwhal]

i'm pretty sure the whole 'true' color thing comes down to what other people see and what is actually being laid down.
if you make something on photoshop using a glossy screen, it might look good on your screen but then when you go to print it out it will look different on paper.
if you do it on a matte screen, it will give you the true color and look the same when printed.
glossy is good and looks beautiful, but it's not showing you what's actually there. if that makes sense.
if you make something on photoshop on a glossy screen, and send it over to a matte screen, it will look different. or, again. if you print it out.
so that makes it hard for professional graphic designers because they don't see what's actually there or what it actually looks like, only what it looks like on the glossy screen.

(i think)
i'm not really sure, i haven't really done much research on it.
i just bought a glossy because i like the way they look, matte looks dull to me.

 

[GGJstudios]

Why does almost everyone choose matte against glossy?

I could ask, "Why do so many people insist on posting thread after thread on the matte vs. glossy debate, which has been beat to death in this forum?"

You don't know how many choose matte or glossy. You only guess, based on polls or surveys or posts in a forum. You don't have Apple's actual sales figures, which is the only way to know who chooses what.

... In terms of sales however, glossy always leads over matte.

You don't know that. Where are the statistics to back up that claim? In most surveys/polls, it's about even between matte and glossy.

As has been stated countless times, matte vs. glossy is a choice based on personal preference. Some prefer one; some prefer the other. It's as simple as that. Buy what you want and forget what everyone else does.

 

[vant]

You don't know that. Where are the statistics to back up that claim?

Feel free to walk in an Apple store and ask an associate.

One figure I was given was 1 out of 10 or so purchases is glossy.

No where near half.

 

[GGJstudios]

Feel free to walk in an Apple store and ask an associate.
One figure I was given was 1 out of 10 or so purchases is glossy.
No where near half.

Asking an Apple associate is hardly proof. They don't have access to Apple's overall sales figures, either. They only know what they see in one store, by one associate.

 

[vant]

Asking an Apple associate is hardly proof. They don't have access to Apple's overall sales figures, either. They only know what they see in one store, by one associate.

If anti-glare captured more than half the market for 15s and 17s, you would see that as an option on the 13s and possibly even the iMac.

It's pretty obvious that gloss outsells anti-glare.

 

[GGJstudios]

If anti-glare captured more than half the market for 15s and 17s, you would see that as an option on the 13s and possibly even the iMac.

It's pretty obvious that gloss outsells anti-glare.

Again, assumptions only. No facts.

 

[vant]

Again, assumptions only. No facts.

I guess you don't believe in evolution either

 

[Azathoth]

It's pretty obvious that gloss outsells anti-glare.

See my post on page 1. Anway I don't care what the idiot public think.

FWIW both matte and glossy can be calibrated accurately, as shown by many professionals. Photo editting is a bit of a non-starter on a TN screen, but it's nice to know if you are in the ballpark in terms of colour.

My semi-professional NEC 2690WUXi IPS screen is matte, FWIW (I classify it as semi pro because it doesn't have the Spectraview system)

 

[GGJstudios]

I guess you don't believe in evolution either

... as if that had anything remotely to do with this thread!

 

[snaky69]

okay so as I said to start this post, I am on a 24" glossy iMac, and i've been doing some light to medium photoshopping. When it comes to color calibration, are you guys saying I am not getting the "true" picture, because of the glossy?

I was checking out the difference between matte and glossy in store, as I am soon to get a 17" MBP, and still prefer the glossy......again, I will be doing photoshopping, probably more this time around...

even though matte is duller, it is better calibrated then glossy? explain?

Usually glossy screens appear to have more contrast, they also deepen blacks and whiten whites. The thing is, the beautiful image you see will probably not come out as expected once printed. Usually an anti-glare screen will be closer to reality.

I can't stand the new screens personally, I consider myself fairly ugly and seeing my mug when using a computer is annoying at best. I have an external HP screen that has a semi-glossy anti-glarish display, and that is the most glossy I could possible tolerate, anymore and I wouldn't have bought it.

 

[CJS7070]

I myself like the glossy display... It takes some adjusting to filter out the reflections, but the picture quality is better in my opinion.

 

[pesc]

What issues, technically speaking, glossy display panels produce a purer color as there is no intermediate filter defecting the light being emitted, i.e., matte.

Since a glossy display shows reflections, you never get the true color of the image. You get the color plus the reflection.

That's why a glossy display cannot show "deep blacks" in a lit room or outside. The display shows the reflection instead.

Look at any image of a glossy screen on Apples webpage. Such as this:

Where is the correct color of the sea? To the right or left?

I don't know what is worse: That Apple photoshops their images to show reflection defects, or that these added defects sells more computers.

 

[Patriks7]

I think the matte crew is more outspoken on forums. In terms of sales however, glossy always leads over matte.

Well if you don't provide an option for glossy on 80% of your models and on the other ones charge for matte options, it's not really surprising...

 

[Rampant.A.I.]

They don't. It's just a vocal minority.

All of my past Apple laptops have had a matte screen, and I'm very happy with a glass/glossy screen. I wouldn't trade it for matte if you paid me.

But, it is nice that Apple offers it.

Since a glossy display shows reflections, you never get the true color of the image. You get the color plus the reflection.

That's why a glossy display cannot show "deep blacks" in a lit room or outside. The display shows the reflection instead.

Look at any image of a glossy screen on Apples webpage. Such as this:

Where is the correct color of the sea? To the right or left?

I don't know what is worse: That Apple photoshops their images to show reflection defects, or that these added defects sells more computers.

You have to understand that 90% of users just don't care about any of that, at all. It's a nice looking screen. Different strokes for different folks.

Be happy with what you bought, and quit raising your blood pressure over other people's decisions.

 

[pesc]

But, it is nice that Apple offers it.

They don't. Only on their clumsy laptop models. And not on iMacs. Apple hasn't released a portable (<=13") laptop with a matte screen since the 12" G4 Powerbook, introduced five years ago.

And they say the glossy model sells better than the matte?! Go figure...

You have to understand that 90% of users just don't care about any of that, at all. It's a nice looking screen. Different strokes for different folks.

Be happy with what you bought, and quit raising your blood pressure over other people's decisions.

This was in response to someone who wanted to know if a glossy screen could have any problems with color accuracy.

Personally I don't care so much about color accuracy but I hate hate hate the distracting reflections.

I'll never buy a glossy laptop. I don't care a bit what other people like or buy if I get a choice.