Laptops - Matte vs Glossy Screen - Poll

[z_squared]

in light of all the different opinions being voiced on the choice of screen options (Matte vs Truelife), just thought it might be useful to gauge what people thought in a poll..

if you can explain your decision, that would be even more helpful!

[hightech]

I always prefer matte screens with good viewing angles. If you do lots of word processing, spreadsheets, etc., you do not want high reflection levels as it causes eye fatigue.

Glossy screens do offer more vibrant colours, but only under correct lighting and proper viewing angles.

[mlc2000]

I have an HP with a glossy screen.
Its a pain.

[simondaman]

I have a lg matte flat panel, and a dell inspiron with truelife . . . I think the matte is good, for long periods of use, because its easier on the eyes, but the glossy screens, are great for watching movies, because it adds color depth (only if your not under light and get a stupid reflection. Glossy screens are good if you want to turn a laptop into a portable dvd player:D ! But matte is better for word processing or when you have to stare at the same image for a long time:|

[TenzoR]

i prefer matte

[SKYMTL]

Matte all the way.

[Oversized Rooster]

Matte forever! Shows scratches/marks much less. Doesn't expose dust as easily. Close to no reflections!

[cmge]

matte ftw.. the glare on teh gloss are sometimes unbearable

[Siefer999]

colours look more rich in a glossy but when you turn your brightness down on your screen, you cant see anything cause of the reflection.

matte for me.

[cjpark]

I'm about to order a laptop, definitely going with matte...hate the glossy screens.

[NiteHawk]

matte for the same reasons mentioned above.

[Vinman]

There's no easy answer, as both matte and gloss screens have their place.

I'm typing on a matte screen right now, and I'd prefer to be on a gloss screen under these conditions. Under some others, matte works best, and it also depends on the quality of the screen - I'd take a superior gloss LCD than a generic matte, and vice versa.

Overall, semi-gloss is the way to go, and Dell offers that on some of their ultra high-end models, like the Latitude ATG.

[7ofu]

glossy is like having a mirror in front

[mixpdf]

Matte all the way. The glossy screen shows every speck of dust there is!

[zander]

There's no easy answer, as both matte and gloss screens have their place.

I'm typing on a matte screen right now, and I'd prefer to be on a gloss screen under these conditions. Under some others, matte works best, and it also depends on the quality of the screen - I'd take a superior gloss LCD than a generic matte, and vice versa.

Overall, semi-gloss is the way to go, and Dell offers that on some of their ultra high-end models, like the Latitude ATG.

Well put, Vinman. Agreed on all points.

For the poll, I chose matte. I am not a gamer, don't mind movies on matte and spend the vast majority of my time on a computer reading the screen, not watching it.

[Pyobum]

I've used both and vote for matte. I'm currently using a glossy screen and under current lighting conditions it really doesn't matter, but for people on the go definitely matte.

[red120]

Matte is better for work purpose, I think.

I've worked with both, including super glossy, and it can be very bothersome.

[board123]

Matte is much more practical. Glossy might give you slightly richer colors, but that doesn't really matter when you're always staring at a reflection of your own face.

[leovee1]

An interesting read for a twist on this topic...
Macworld editor wrote some initial comments on the new iMac release which now includes a glossy screen. It's just a paragraph or two of his gripes but some good points:

http://www.macworld.com/weblogs/editors/2007/08/august7_reaction/index.php

oh, and I chose matte.

[pham12h]

Same kind of poll at this link with 500 votes.. love it or hate it.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=49330

For all those who don't like the glare of the glossy screen outdoors, just get a 3M Privacy filter. Problem solved.

[bokep]

i thought i liked glossy, but after using a glossy screen for a while i am thankful i bought a matte screen on my lappy.

[Emancipated]

You want a poll to gauge which people preferred more? I think if you look at Apple's decision to make the MacBook all glossy, it's safe to draw the conclusion that more often than not, glossy is the winner. You should go and look at them for yourself. I liked what I saw in the store environment but they didn't have a glossy one in stock and I didn't want to wait. I regret my decision to this day.

[stev3-o]

Same kind of poll at this link with 500 votes.. love it or hate it.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=49330

For all those who don't like the glare of the glossy screen outdoors, just get a 3M Privacy filter. Problem solved.

you lose visibility with the filter, but turning up the brightness will fix it. It will also fix your battery too, but it's a nice option. You probably won't need that much lighting when you work with a word processor or a spreadsheet where the bg is white. I haven't seen it before, just a thought.

[board123]

You want a poll to gauge which people preferred more? I think if you look at Apple's decision to make the MacBook all glossy, it's safe to draw the conclusion that more often than not, glossy is the winner. You should go and look at them for yourself. I liked what I saw in the store environment but they didn't have a glossy one in stock and I didn't want to wait. I regret my decision to this day.
Did Apple make the switch because they're telling people that glossy is good, or...

Did consumers actually demand the change?

[Siefer999]

Did Apple make the switch because they're telling people that glossy is good, or...

Did consumers actually demand the change?

people like shiny things...

[LonesomeDove]

You may not get a choice between Glossy and Matte since most laptops out there seem to be glossy. Especially HP, which is all glossy.

[chicken_little]

I chose a glossy over matte. Big mistake. Can barely see the screen outside on a sunny day. It's like looking at a mirror. >:(

[Cafe_333]

What in the world are some of you guys talking about?! Know the technology behind glossy screens before voicing your opinions about it first. High reflection levels do not cause eye fatigue. This is a common misconception as glossy coated screens are actually called anti-reflective because it does not reflect light but rather actually absorbs most of it, much in the same way a regular mirror absorbs light to create a dimensional image inside of it.

So to understand the differences between glossy and matte screens, we have to first understand how they work. With anti-glare matte screens, exterior/ambient light is reflected on contact with the anti-glare coating and is then diffused. Because no light passes through to get absorbed, it will not create any images in the panel. It is however the same reason why it is difficult to see the screen when used in an outdoor environment. With anti-reflective glossy screens, exterior/ambient light does not get reflected on contact, but instead passes through the coating and absorbed. This is why you can see a mirror-like reflection in the panel when it is turned off. However these reflections are only noticable on black backgrounds while indoors and at certain angles while outdoors.

http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/7782/antiglarewf7.th.jpg (http://img515.imageshack.us/my.php?image=antiglarewf7.jpg)http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/6058/antireflectivelz4.th.jpg (http://img410.imageshack.us/my.php?image=antireflectivelz4.jpg)

If exterior light can pass through easily without diffusing on anti-reflective glossy screens, inversely it can do the same while transmitting the panel light. Light transmits directly through the coating without diffusion so all of the light passes through to your eyes - instead of some light like on matte screens. This is very the reason why glossy screens provide better contrasts, superior color vibrancy, sharper text and images over matte screens. It does not need to be "only under correct lighting and proper viewing angles" either to gain these benefits. In fact matte screens quickly lose these benefits to certain lighting and viewing angles than the gloss. This is because the transmitting panel light diffuses as it passes through the matte coating, losing its contrast, color vibrancy, and sharpness. However, this is also the same reason why matte screens are easier on the eyes for business use because less light reaches your eyes.

I don't know why in the world someone would suggest "people on the go should definately go for the matte". Try using a matte screened notebook outdoors and then try telling me again that it should be for people on the go. The reason why notebooks have conformed to the anti-reflective standard is specifically *for* people on the go so that they CAN see their screens outdoors far easier than with matte screens. Don't believe me? Plenty of handheld electronic devices have long already conformed to the anti-reflective standard, such as the lcd screens on our digital cameras and the screens on our cellphones are all anti-reflective. Yet little do some of you realize how much of a proven technology it already is, including the many established reviewers on the internet who have negatively criticized glossy screens and their failure to comprehend the reason why many notebook manufacturers and apple's decision to go with such screens are.

http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/9509/ibooksunlighthv3.th.jpg (http://img255.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ibooksunlighthv3.jpg)http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/7200/macbooksunlightxs4.th.jpg (http://img258.imageshack.us/my.php?image=macbooksunlightxs4.jpg)

So to summarize:
- Advantage of glossy screens are richer colors/sharper text & images. Improved visibility outdoors.
- Disadvantage of glossy screens is you see a 'reflection' on certain angles outdoors and on black backgrounds indoors.
- Advantage of matte is less eye fatigue because less light reaches your eye. No reflections.
- Disadvantage of matte is inferior colors and sharpness, very poor visibility outdoors.

Love it or hate it, these are the facts. I think that a good number of people who dislike glossy screens are influenced by the many, many negative reviewers who slammed the technology and posted pictures of how reflective these screens just are. Then people would go into the stores, look for the reflections, see the same thing and think wow, that IS annoying! So your best bet is to try one out for yourself and be your own judge. At least now you know the real facts, the benefits, and the drawbacks of the technology. The only posing question left for you now is if the benefits outweigh its shortcomings enough to justify a decision in going with a glossy screen or not.

[Cafe_333]

I chose a glossy over matte. Big mistake. Can barely see the screen outside on a sunny day. It's like looking at a mirror. >:(Do you think matte would be any better? I guarantee that you would have had worse results with a matte screen under the same conditions, so now you can feel happier about your decision in going glossy lol. I suggest to change the angle of your lcd or shift your notebook around untill you can see the screen during such sunny days. ;)


Did Apple make the switch because they're telling people that glossy is good, or...
Did consumers actually demand the change?
It's Apple telling people that glossy is good. It's not just a marketing gimmick, it's an already proven technology. :)

[Vinman]

I have both matte and glossy screen laptops, and while none are perfect outdoors, the glossy ones are infinitely better. Sure, you get some reflection, but the matte screens are not bright enough to compete, and you can barely make out the images in bright sunlight.

But like I said before, if you want to get the best of both worlds, spend the $$$ on a high-end semi-gloss system, like the Latitude ATG. It looks great indoors, outdoors, good light, bad light, in the shower, etc.

[ZenOps]

Well, people tend to use matte comparisons with many years old matte screens (like standard aspect ones)

Its not really fair - as the newer ones are much brighter mostly due to more backlight CCFL's being used more than any actual technology difference between matte and glossy.

Its sort of like how people tend to compare 20 year old fishbowl CRTs to a new LCD. Of course the newer one will have advantages.

There aren't as many new matte screens out there, but they are making a comeback.

Glossy is extremely distracting for me because I have solid shiny black hair (mmm nice!) and a fair complexion. Its like im always staring at my hairline in a glossy screen, and I have to tilt the screen to exteme angles so I don't have to look at my face all the time. I can imagine its much less distracting for someone who is black/dark or blonde/white.

Glossy can be distracting in bright light, matte can a little harder to read for some in bright light. In general though, try to avoid bright light with either screen.

I hate floating eyebrows on my screen, and thats usually what I see.

[Vinman]

Well, people tend to use matte comparisons with many years old matte screens (like standard aspect ones). Its not really fair - as the newer ones are much brighter mostly due to more backlight CCFL's being used more than any actual technology difference between matte and glossy.

Nope, I'm talking about a 2007 Latitude D620 with a WXGA+ screen. I also work with other matte screen business units from 2006 and 2007.

[TurboRegal]

I'd go with glossy over matte in most situations. At work I have a matte screen, it's alright, but the colors and other things disappoint me on it. I go home to my glossy WSXGA+ screen on my dell, and it looks way better.

The only time I'd prefer the matte is in situations where it's overly bright, and the reflection causes problems with the glossy screen.

[BB88]

I hate that Dell has to put glossy truelife on all the higher resolution option.

[Cafe_333]

Well, people tend to use matte comparisons with many years old matte screens (like standard aspect ones). Its not really fair - as the newer ones are much brighter mostly due to more backlight CCFL's being used more than any actual technology difference between matte and glossy.I also agree with vinman, the glossy screens are infinitely better outdoors and i enjoy them just as much indoors. I've also seen the 20" Viewsonic VX2025 against the 20" Acer AL2051W, both of which are using the same panel (AUO M201EW01) except the former lcd came with the matte coating while the latter came glossy. The difference was night and day. My earlier post explained that matte screens are simply dimmer in comparison because of the way the backlight is diffused when transmitted through the coating. It has nothing to do with the backlight itself.

[Sonbuster]

i voted matte

-less glare
-clean from dust and smudges.
-viewing angle is much better.

[jollyeskimo]

Meh, neither... but then again, I can't afford a transflective panel.

[Yaowsers]

i voted matte

-less glare
-clean from dust and smudges.
-viewing angle is much better.I have never used a glossy screen before but I bet this is all true. Glossy screens look so much nicer from afar.

[Cafe_333]

i voted matte
-less glare
-clean from dust and smudges.
-viewing angle is much better.

I have never used a glossy screen before but I bet this is all true. Glossy screens look so much nicer from afar.i can agree with less glare but you tradeoff outdoor visibility. When it comes to dust there isn't all much difference, making this argument a moot point. sure it's more noticable on glossy screens when it's off, but you'd also notice it on a matte when it's off as well. when on, you will not notice the dust on either screen. smudges can be avoided, but nothing a quick wipe from a microfibre cloth can't fix. viewing angle is also a moot argument. it is largely dependant on the panel itself, and very little to do with the matte or glossy coating. in fact it's the glossy screens that have slightly better viewing angle over mattes, but too negligable to bother pointing out. As I have pointed out in my post, in the end the only advantage matte screens have is less eye fatigue and does not reflect an image in the panel. glossy screens however offer better contrasts, richer colors, crisper images, and sharper text & pictures. the only real drawback is the reflection that is noticeable on dark areas. all other drawbacks mentioned in this thread are more myth than reality. so the question is if the benefits outweigh its shortcomings. sure sticking with matte is safe, but you won't enjoy any of the new and proven technology either. Glad to see that support for glossy has gone up since its supporters have chimed in. Even over on the notebookforum support has been 50/50, many of the matte half are likely people who were influenced by the negative reviews that told them to go and look for the reflection and they did.

[harapino9]

Hey, I am about to buy a dell notebook. I use my comp for web browsing, word processing and watching dvds. Am I better to go with the inspiron 1520 with xga sisplay, xga display with true life or the high res. glossy?

[Vinman]

If you're buying the 1520, then definitely spend the money on the UltraSharp LCD.

[cdencore]

I purchased a Dell laptop with glossy screen. Reflections were so bad that I had to return it. Never again!

[torontoraptor]

I have an HP with a glossy screen.
Its a pain.

Ditto.

[cloneman]

Vinman, could you elaborate on what you mean by a high-end semi gloss system? Which screens have this?