About these glossy screens on the Macbook Pro..

[mode]

Hey there,
I've been trying to find out as much as I can about the real differences in display quality between the MacBook Pro's glossy and matte display finishes. I've read that the glossy has better overall image quality, because of the color saturation and whatnot.

I'm more or less set on the glossy screen, but I've just got one question: How bad does light glare really get on the glossy screen? I'd mostly be using mine indoors, but still, with open windows or a bright light on or whatnot, I wouldn't want to keep this thing constantly in the dark just to see what I'm doing.

For comparison sake, I'm on a G4 iMac right now. Do you think the glossy screen is comparible with this or not?

Thanks alot.

 

[it5five]

I have noticed no glare at all on my MB.

 

[nnick]

I have a MacBook and an iBook. I think the Macbook screen is much nicer. I have not had a problem with glare and video looks soooo much better.

 

[SteveRichardson]

wouldn't it be really difficult to set up a dual screen/mirror with a "non-glossy" display?

I mean that would just look weird...

 

[TBi]

wouldn't it be really difficult to set up a dual screen/mirror with a "non-glossy" display?

I mean that would just look weird...

Weird does not mean difficult

 

[dpaanlka]

This has been beaten to death here since the MacBooks came out. Simply type in "gloss" in the forum search and you'll find a million results.

 

[poppe]

I, as a video editor, would just like to know about quality, sharpness and what not and if the glossy is better. An Apple store guy said the Matte is the way to go because of an analogy that didn't make sense...


Analogy: Glossy screens are like fingernail polish. Even if you cover your nail with the polish still underneath there is the defect.

If anyone knows what he meant by this and why he used this to explain how Matte was better let me know.

 

[SteveRichardson]

If anyone knows what he meant by this and why he used this to explain how Matte was better let me know.

I think he means that the glossy screen may cover up a defect in your video editing, but what's really important is your video and not how it shows up on your glossy screen.

Okay so i officially suck at explaining. The matte screens show true colors...as in 'print-perfect' colors. The glossy screens exaggerate the saturation and contrast. If you're working on video on your computer, it will show up more contrasty/saturated than it truly is...

bottom line, if you're working with any kind of graphics on a professional level, get the matte screen.

Glossy is for the "ooh's and ah's."

I'm sorry if this made no sense. I have a giant headache.

 

[dpaanlka]

I think he means that the glossy screen may cover up a defect in your video editing, but what's really important is your video and not how it shows up on your glossy screen.

Okay so i officially suck at explaining. The matte screens show true colors...as in 'print-perfect' colors. The glossy screens exaggerate the saturation and contrast. If you're working on video on your computer, it will show up more contrasty/saturated than it truly is...

bottom line, if you're working with any kind of graphics on a professional level, get the matte screen.

Glossy is for the "ooh's and ah's."

I'm sorry if this made no sense. I have a giant headache.

That made perfect sense and I'm going to bookmark this post to help explain to others. I wish I could have come up with those words a few times in the past...

 

[austere]

I've never noticed glare on my friend's MB, which I've used for a few hours.

 

[maxi]

That made perfect sense and I'm going to bookmark this post to help explain to others. I wish I could have come up with those words a few times in the past...

Actually, no monitor will give you "true" or "perfect" colors, no matter if its matte or glossy. That's why there's a market for monitor calibrators (http://www.pantone.com/products/products.asp?idArea=2&bShowProducts=1&showNav=121) so, saying that if you are a pro, you get matte is BS. If you are a pro you calibrate your monitor.

 

[dpaanlka]

Actually, no monitor will give you "true" or "perfect" colors, no matter if its matte or glossy. That's why there's a market for monitor calibrators (http://www.pantone.com/products/products.asp?idArea=2&bShowProducts=1&showNav=121) so, saying that if you are a pro, you get matte is BS. If you are a pro you calibrate your monitor.

Of course they don't, but if you're a pro, then you're well aware that Matte screens do give you better colors than glossy ones. That is why there is so many anti-glare products on the market.

 

[dextertangocci]

I'm sitting here right now with a MBP and a MB in front of me. The glossy screen of the MB is SOOOOOOOO much better and brighter than than the matte screen of the MBP.

 

[SteveRichardson]

Actually, no monitor will give you "true" or "perfect" colors, no matter if its matte or glossy. That's why there's a market for monitor calibrators (http://www.pantone.com/products/products.asp?idArea=2&bShowProducts=1&showNav=121) so, saying that if you are a pro, you get matte is BS. If you are a pro you calibrate your monitor.

You obviously didn't understand my point, not that I blame you. I didn't mean to say that it had "perfect" colors, but rather that the colors are more "true" or "realistic" on a matte screen than on a glossy screen. Duh pros calibrate, I was just trying to help this guy out.

It's far from BS.

EDIT:

Of course they don't, but if you're a pro, then you're well aware that Matte screens do give you better colors than glossy ones. That is why there is so many anti-glare products on the market.

What he said.

(I didn't see his reply earlier...kinda made things a bit redundant)

 

[tekmoe]

This has been beaten to death here since the MacBooks came out. Simply type in "gloss" in the forum search and you'll find a million results.

lol. everytime someone posts a question that has been asked over and over again, somebody else replies, "this question has already been asked over and over again."

you are wasting your time.

 

[gloss]

Of course they don't, but if you're a pro, then you're well aware that Matte screens do give you better colors than glossy ones. That is why there is so many anti-glare products on the market.

I'm not sure I understand why. From what I had read, the primary thing is the monitor calibration tools have trouble on glossy finishes, which causes difficulty in getting the screens calibrated to begin with.

But if anything, glossy screens should allow for *better* color than matte, since they allow cleaner transmission of light from the screen to the viewer.

 

[dpaanlka]

I'm not sure I understand why.

Why don't you just take eveyrones word for it who actually knows what they're talking about.

I know glossy looks cooler, but it technically is inferior. That's all ther is to it.

You dont see dozens of glossy screens in ANY graphics lab that wants to be even somewhat accurate for a reason.

I mean, you can buy glossy if you want. But I won't, and I sure think Apple aught to give MB customers a matte option, and I really hope Apple doesnt make the MBP all-glossy in the future.

 

[steve_hill4]

Every person I have met that has looked at the screens on the MacBooks and MacBook Pro, they have preferred the matte MBP. While this may not be scientific, it is a fact from my experience.

 

[craigatkinson]

As all of the threads have shown, your going to get about half of the people complaining about glare, and the other half are going to be puzzled because they have not had the problem at all. You just have to go into a store and see for yourself. I for one have only seen glare at an angle, never sitting right in front of the machine. When sitting right in front of the machine it looks awesome. If your not planning on doing photoshop, or video editing, or anything like that, then definitely get glossy. If you need a computer that needs accurate color (for photoshoping and such) then get matte. The glossy screen apparently makes colors look brighter and more vibrant than they really are. This could cause problems when color accuracy is what your shooting for.

Hey there,
I've been trying to find out as much as I can about the real differences in display quality between the MacBook Pro's glossy and matte display finishes. I've read that the glossy has better overall image quality, because of the color saturation and whatnot.

I'm more or less set on the glossy screen, but I've just got one question: How bad does light glare really get on the glossy screen? I'd mostly be using mine indoors, but still, with open windows or a bright light on or whatnot, I wouldn't want to keep this thing constantly in the dark just to see what I'm doing.

For comparison sake, I'm on a G4 iMac right now. Do you think the glossy screen is comparible with this or not?

Thanks alot.

 

[AJ Muni]

I was at an apple store on saturday, and had both the MBP w/matte and MBP w/glossy side by side, and IMO the glossy looks sooooo much nicer. Even the apple guy was like "if you dont do any type of photography/graphic design, the glossy is so much nicer". I would trade in my MBP for a glossy MBP in a heartbeat. And the glare isnt as bad as certain people make it seem.

 

[poppe]

Oh (sadly) alright... I like the glossy better and have always had no glare... but I a lover and high contrast and vivid colors in movies can't be editing and thinking all the reds and purples and blues are coming out strong just because of my screen...

To bad...

Thanks alot guys

 

[freestyleguy128]

Imagine the scratch on the glossy screen that shows up after you accidentally drag the tip of your pen over it or you scratch it with your fingernail. You'll end up having a notebook that looks like the screen of an iPod nano.

 

[Abstract]

That made perfect sense and I'm going to bookmark this post to help explain to others. I wish I could have come up with those words a few times in the past...

But that's not even really correct.

Neither screen is "more correct" or more accurate. Regardless of whether the screen is matte or glossy, he'll have to calibrate if he's working on video or photo editing because neither are good. One isn't better than the other, really.

"Gloss" said that calibration tools have trouble with glossy screen finishes, which I don't know about. However, some calibration tools are based on a visual test involving the user, like SuperCal. Obviously, this isn't as accurate as other types, but it's still quite good from my experience. It's also free, or $19 if you think it's useful and want to pay.

If I were you, I'd get a glossy screen, calibrate it, and just change screen calibrations before I start editing of any sort. It's easy to keep 2 colour profiles and very easy to change on your Mac. I like the brightness and high colour saturation of the glossy screen for general use, but if I were to edit professionally, of course I'd have another profile for that.

Of course, the best thing to do is to hook up your MB or MBP to an external CRT or something....

REGARDING "GLARE": I only get glare from my glossy screen if I'm looking at a black screen (ie: when looking at a dark photo), or if my MB isn't turned on. Even then, the glare isn't obvious unless you try to look for it. The screen is generally so bright that it drowns out the slight reflection.

 

[dpaanlka]

This is becoming such a waste of time. I can't believe people are seriously arguing that glossy screens (the biggest step-back in the history of Apple) are a good development. And it seems to be coming from all you who "like the rich colors on DVDs!" that are trying to convince us Photoshop, Quark, InDesign, and Final Cut Pro people that it is better, because you like how shiny everything looks. Coming up with all sorts of reasons and calibration techniques and excuses around it, when the fact is pretty simple:

Glossy sucks.

CRTs used to have tons of glare in the old days, and 20 years and thousands of anti-glare products later displays have finally gotten free of glare, and now suddenly the idiots of the world clamour to go back to glossy. You never ever seen a matte-to-glossy product on the market, and there is undeniable reasons for this being so.

I think I'm going to start searching through Revelations, because this has to be a sign of the end of the world or something.

 

[gloss]

This is becoming such a waste of time. I can't believe people are seriously arguing that glossy screens (the biggest step-back in the history of Apple) are a good development. And it seems to be coming from all you who "like the rich colors on DVDs!" that are trying to convince us Photoshop, Quark, InDesign, and Final Cut Pro people that it is better, because you like how shiny everything looks. Coming up with all sorts of reasons and calibration techniques and excuses around it, when the fact is pretty simple:

Glossy sucks.

I'm glad you, like everyone else, have an opinion. Can you show me the research article that determines exactly why matte is more accurate than glossy? I'm willing to listen to something with a little research behind it, but I'm certainly not going to take your little 'because I'm smarter than you' rant at face value. Give me something legitimate.