Bye, Bye for now Apple, it has been fun!

[chmania]

I get eye strain (possibly due to dry eyes) in the evening some days, exacerbated by trying to read. Decades ago, when Windows was in version 3.0, my mother loved to play Windows Solitaire but had to quit because she got eye strain using my PC's monitor, whereas my father and I had no such trouble.

My first "Windows" was actually DOS on a small VGA monitor. Like your mother, the only game I play is Solitaire, just to unwind. Yes, it’s dry eyes, a result of age and too much time spent in front of the screen. I once had a Hackintosh in 2005, on a rather modest Celeron laptop for whole year., 😊

My point is, some people appear particularly susceptible to problems most wouldn't notice. I don't know whether a faster refresh rate would help you, given the activities you engage in via computer, but it's conceivable. Whatever you go with, I hope it works for you.

Thanks for the wishes! The MBP screen is kept at arm's length, and when the monitor arrives, it will be even further away. Most likely, I’ll be getting myself a Mac mini, which will be sufficient for my work. If the monitor is good enough, I’ll buy one for my wife as well. She uses Windows, so a mini PC is on the way—16GB/512GB with a 12th gen N100. It’s low power but more than adequate. Can you believe it costs just €135, and it comes with a two-year guarantee? It will also include a Windows 11 Pro licence. And it is upgradable—Windows, RAM, and storage. There’s an additional free NVMe slot as well. 👍

 

[Technerd108]

All of my laptops have glossy screens. 2 Windows laptops and one MacBook.

Windows laptops have never had a anti reflective coating until this year. Most don't.

So MacBook's with a glossy screen are much better with light reflection than most other gloss screen laptops which is the standard now.

Anti glare plastic screens were extremely common in laptop screens about 5-10 years ago. Now most nice mid range and up Windows laptops now have glass touchscreens. No more anti glare plastic screens. This is industry wide.

Desktops are completely different as a lot of monitors still use a plastic screen and a lot of gaming monitors have anti glare screens. Some gaming laptops a few years ago still had TN screens due to screen tearing.

If gloss screens bother you then a desktop will be a better choice as you have a lot more choice in monitors than laptop screens. If you have to use a laptop a screen with a anti reflective screen will help.

 

[DeepSix]

PC for desktop hands down.

MacBook for laptop. There's no PC laptop that is fanless and runs completely silent. I'll admit, the form factor is a big reason why I got the Air.

 

[eltoslightfoot]

All of my laptops have glossy screens. 2 Windows laptops and one MacBook.

Windows laptops have never had a anti reflective coating until this year. Most don't.

So MacBook's with a glossy screen are much better with light reflection than most other gloss screen laptops which is the standard now.

Anti glare plastic screens were extremely common in laptop screens about 5-10 years ago. Now most nice mid range and up Windows laptops now have glass touchscreens. No more anti glare plastic screens. This is industry wide.

Desktops are completely different as a lot of monitors still use a plastic screen and a lot of gaming monitors have anti glare screens. Some gaming laptops a few years ago still had TN screens due to screen tearing.

If gloss screens bother you then a desktop will be a better choice as you have a lot more choice in monitors than laptop screens. If you have to use a laptop a screen with a anti reflective screen will help.

There are still matte screens for windows laptops out there. My Acer Predator Helios Neo 16" has a 2560x1600 matte IPS screen with 120Hz or 165Hz refresh rate (I can't remember). So they are definitely still out there.

Then again, it's a beast and might as well be a desktop LOL.

The smaller stuff is predominately, as you say, glossy screens.

 

[1BadManVan]

When it comes to profit, I suppose someone's eyes are not taken into consideration, hence the prevalence of glossy screens. I’ve used matte screen laptops in the past, and my eyes were far less troubled compared to my experience with the MacBook Pro. While glossy screens may present images in a vivid manner that appeals to marketing, they are likely not the best choice for your eyes—especially if your computer is essential to your livelihood. I can’t speak for the fans who would buy anything from a particular brand, but matte monitors are certainly predominant in offices, as no one wants the entire office reflected on their screen.

In any case, I’ve already ordered a matte monitor after discussing it with the technical person. The MacBook is a lovely device, but my eyes are far more valuable to me. Perhaps in the future, I’ll consider getting a Mac Mini.

You know you can just buy a matte screen protector for the Mac right? Seems like a cheaper solution than replacing the system

 

[theorist9]

I used to prefer matte screens. However, since Apple moved to Retina displays, I find I strongly prefer the glossy displays because, with Retina's small pixels, you can see a real difference in text sharpness between glossy and matte, in a way that is not apparent with lower dpi screens.

Plus Apple has significantly improved the glossy coating.

I think that's why Apple mostly dropped the matte option from its MBP's once it introduced the Retina models (there may have been a 13" matte Retina MBP but, if so, that was exceptional).

I did a side-by-side comparison of the matte and glossy ASD's The matte version is superb at killing reflections, and looks great with pics & video (which is probably what it was designed for), but is noticeably less sharp than the glossy version for text.

I suspect the lack of a good glossy option is hurting Samsung's sales of its 5k 27".

 

[chmania]

You know you can just buy a matte screen protector for the Mac right? Seems like a cheaper solution than replacing the system

I suppose you’re right; that does seem to be the best solution. 😊 However, there are quite a few people who are against it, arguing that a screen protector could potentially damage the MacBook screen or even contribute to cracking it when closing the lid. They claim there isn’t enough space between the screen surface and the keyboard. Are there any of you here who have a screen protector?

 

[chmania]

I think that's why Apple mostly dropped the matte option from its MBP's once it introduced the Retina models

Apple is quite adept at using marketing terminology, such as "magic" for their mouse, keyboard, and trackpad, which, by the way, are excellent products. However, the use of "Retina" is rather misleading, as none of Apple’s glossy screens are particularly beneficial for one’s retinas in the long run.

Glossy screens themselves don't directly damage one's retinas, but they can contribute to eye strain and discomfort. The reflective surface of glossy screens can create glare, making it difficult to see the content clearly, especially in bright lighting conditions. This can lead to squinting or straining the eyes, which may result in symptoms like headaches, dry eyes, and fatigue, can lead to digital eye strain, often referred to as computer vision syndrome.

 

[eltoslightfoot]

I suppose you’re right; that does seem to be the best solution. 😊 However, there are quite a few people who are against it, arguing that a screen protector could potentially damage the MacBook screen or even contribute to cracking it when closing the lid. They claim there isn’t enough space between the screen surface and the keyboard. Are there any of you here who have a screen protector?

This would be my absolute concern with a macbook pro. I probably would not chance it, to be honest.

 

[1BadManVan]

I suppose you’re right; that does seem to be the best solution. 😊 However, there are quite a few people who are against it, arguing that a screen protector could potentially damage the MacBook screen or even contribute to cracking it when closing the lid. They claim there isn’t enough space between the screen surface and the keyboard. Are there any of you here who have a screen protector?

Matte screen protectors aren’t tempered glass. They don’t add any thickness to the screen the same way a tempered glass one does. I honestly wouldn’t be worried about that