iMac reflectivity, does it make for strained reading?

[applecultvictim]

I am getting easily tired these days on screens that are not excellent, and matte, reading. Headaches, sore eyes, hard to concentrate the whole lot.

Do you guys wanna share in your experiences of imac reading and the screen? Should I just go for the mini and a great eizo screen I have in mind or should I go for the imac?

Also, the dot pitch is rather bad, does that affect clarity? Esp. on the 24" model which is even worse?

 

[NRose8989]

I'm no expert on displays and how the human eye reacts to them but I thought the main reason why people were getting headaches after long periods of using a computer was because of the brightness level and not so much the reflection.

Also the amount of reflection you get on a iMac screen is completely dependent on your rooms lighting. If you have a window(s) behind you when you work then your probably going to hate every minute of it.

 

[brianr19]

I had the new iMac 24" with the 9400m and had to take it back because of eyestrain. I still dont know if it's the glass, resolution, screen size, refresh rate, response time. It just was painful. I went and got the white macbook instead and it isn't as hard on the eyes, but I should have known 13.3 inches was gonna be to small. I'm gonna get the mini and hook it up to my 19" Samsung tv.

 

[brianr19]

Also the screen on the new white macbook is horrible!

 

[applecultvictim]

I'm no expert on displays and how the human eye reacts to them but I thought the main reason why people were getting headaches after long periods of using a computer was because of the brightness level and not so much the reflection.

Also the amount of reflection you get on a iMac screen is completely dependent on your rooms lighting. If you have a window(s) behind you when you work then your probably going to hate every minute of it.

Hey thanks. You mean the brightness is too high or too low? What's your experience with the imac's screen?

I had the new iMac 24" with the 9400m and had to take it back because of eyestrain. I still dont know if it's the glass, resolution, screen size, refresh rate, response time. It just was painful. I went and got the white macbook instead and it isn't as hard on the eyes, but I should have known 13.3 inches was gonna be to small. I'm gonna get the mini and hook it up to my 19" Samsung tv.

Hey brian thanks for the heads up!

 

[Reventon]

Had my 24" iMac since Tuesday. Personally, for me the glossy screen doesn't really bother me or give me any issues with my eyes or headaches. But, I guess it varies from person to person. You can decrease the brightness of the screen by pressing the F1 key on your Apple keyboard. At the lowest setting, the screen is pretty dark and is less of a strain on the eyes.

 

[NRose8989]

Hey thanks. You mean the brightness is too high or too low? What's your experience with the imac's screen?

Both I would presume. Having the screen to bright would obviously give you eye strain because it would be like staring into a light bulb and having the brightness to low I assume would too because you would have to focus more just to read things.

There was a thread somewhere that discussed this and the fix was to turn the brightness down a bit.

There are probably a bunch of factors playing into this though. I work on a computer all day and night, I usually work on my non-unibody MBP w/LED glossy screen during the day then on my iMac at night when I'm home. For a awhile before I had my iMac, I used my MBP extensively all day and night. At night I would get headaches from using it after a couple hours, later I found out that turning down the brightness helped. The funny thing though is that my iMac now is WAY brighter than the LED MBP and I run it at full brightness, in the same room, and it doesn't give me any problems.

All in all, people have different sensitive levels to light, and maybe my body position could have been the cause of my headaches (being slouched over a notebook vs. siting upright at a desktop). I really don't know what causes people to get headaches and the worst thing you could do is get a expensive Elzo display with a underpowered Mini and still get headaches / eye strain, when you could have just gotten a iMac.

BTW what are you currently using now (monitor) and how does that effect you?

 

[applecultvictim]

the worst thing you could do is get a expensive Elzo display with a underpowered Mini and still get headaches / eye strain, when you could have just gotten a iMac.

BTW what are you currently using now (monitor) and how does that effect you?

That's what I am afraid of...about the mini +eizo combo.

Right now I have blackbook, a generic wintel lappie from a few years ago (this is the worst in terms of eye strain) and a sony hdm-hs73 a pretty close second worse which I can't wait to just chuck away.

I ve been told that eizo S2231W is a marvel to look at and it's far above anything else at this size...but I really would prefer an imac if its screen is comfortable for reading.

I was also about to buy a mbp 15" but I hate the glassy display and I am holding out to see how it plays out with the rumored tablet, the next iteration of the air and a possible matte mbp at 15"

 

[brianr19]

That's what I am afraid of...about the mini +eizo combo.

Right now I have blackbook, a generic wintel lappie from a few years ago (this is the worst in terms of eye strain) and a sony hdm-hs73 a pretty close second worse which I can't wait to just chuck away.

I ve been told that eizo S2231W is a marvel to look at and it's far above anything else at this size...but I really would prefer an imac if its screen is comfortable for reading.

I was also about to buy a mbp 15" but I hate the glassy display and I am holding out to see how it plays out with the rumored tablet, the next iteration of the air and a possible matte mbp at 15"

You are in the same position as me. I know the screens are better in the mbp but that's too much $$$ for me. I was also thinking about last years 20" imac with the ati card. It's still glossy but it might not have as much eye strain because of the resolution and screen size. Only problem is it comes with the wired keyboard and mouse and I cant have that.

I'm not having any eyestrain with my samsung monitor and its hooked up with vga and its stretched lol

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

I was also about to buy a mbp 15" but I hate the glassy display and I am holding out to see how it plays out with the rumored tablet, the next iteration of the air and a possible matte mbp at 15"

If you hate the glassy display, what makes you think you'll like the iMac? Why not the 17" MBP with antiglare if you can handle the size/are looking for a desktop replacement?

 

[applecultvictim]

You are in the same position as me. I know the screens are better in the mbp but that's too much $$$ for me. I was also thinking about last years 20" imac with the ati card. It's still glossy but it might not have as much eye strain because of the resolution and screen size. Only problem is it comes with the wired keyboard and mouse and I cant have that.

I'm not having any eyestrain with my samsung monitor and its hooked up with vga and its stretched lol

And at a sweet price that 20 imac with the ati, that's the exact same thing I had in mind, and I am flirting with still....

If you hate the glassy display, what makes you think you'll like the iMac? Why not the 17" MBP with antiglare if you can handle the size/are looking for a desktop replacement?

I think the glass on the imac is less reflective than the really hyper-reflective glassy mbps. Yes, good suggestion, I have though of the 17" mbp, a lot...but I think an air and an imac with a decent screen would be the best combo, cause the 17" isn't really a desktop and it's too big to be a lappie...I dunno...I am so hence my post here....

 

[peskaa]

That's what I am afraid of...about the mini +eizo combo.

Right now I have blackbook, a generic wintel lappie from a few years ago (this is the worst in terms of eye strain) and a sony hdm-hs73 a pretty close second worse which I can't wait to just chuck away.

I ve been told that eizo S2231W is a marvel to look at and it's far above anything else at this size...but I really would prefer an imac if its screen is comfortable for reading.

I was also about to buy a mbp 15" but I hate the glassy display and I am holding out to see how it plays out with the rumored tablet, the next iteration of the air and a possible matte mbp at 15"

The S2231W is simply colour accurate, not magically "different" to look at. If you have problems reading LCD screens you'll still have problems with the Eizo.

The glassy displays are fine without any light bouncing off them - and you can just turn the brightness down. The screen brightness easily "overpowers" any reflectivity in most room set ups.

 

[jmpage2]

I am getting easily tired these days on screens that are not excellent, and matte, reading. Headaches, sore eyes, hard to concentrate the whole lot.

Do you guys wanna share in your experiences of imac reading and the screen? Should I just go for the mini and a great eizo screen I have in mind or should I go for the imac?

Also, the dot pitch is rather bad, does that affect clarity? Esp. on the 24" model which is even worse?

My wife has a Sony Vaio Laptop with the same highly reflective screen. When she's at home her desk is right by two large bright windows, and I really haven't noticed any ill effects of the glossy screen.

Basically once the brightness is up to a medium level on these screens it will "overcome" the glare/reflections unless you are looking at something a uniform dark color on screen.

 

[trose]

I was so afraid I'd hate the reflective screen after I got my new iMac, but it turned out to be a bunch of nonsense.

The colors are infinitely better looking on a glossy screen. Everything just looks so much nicer. I was blown away when I opened up iPhoto... it was like I was seeing my pictures for the first time.

Obviously, if you are using your computer in a direct light source it's going to be problematic at times. Though, I use my iMac in my bedroom which has three very large windows (house built in the 1800s... you know the window types... from floor to 12' ceiling) and the brightness of the screen easily overpowers the windows and I see no glare.

After having used one of these glossy screens, I just have to laugh at the suppposed "pros" who can't do design work on them because of the glare. Where are you doing your design work? In the park?

And to really answer your question- No, reading isn't bad at all. Looks just as good or better than most any other consumer (I.E.- Not $1000+) display.

 

[jmpage2]

I was so afraid I'd hate the reflective screen after I got my new iMac, but it turned out to be a bunch of nonsense.

The colors are infinitely better looking on a glossy screen. Everything just looks so much nicer. I was blown away when I opened up iPhoto... it was like I was seeing my pictures for the first time.

Obviously, if you are using your computer in a direct light source it's going to be problematic at times. Though, I use my iMac in my bedroom which has three very large windows (house built in the 1800s... you know the window types... from floor to 12" ceiling) and the brightness of the screen easily overpowers the windows and I see no glare.

After having used one of these glossy screens, I just have to laugh at the suppposed "pros" who can't do design work on them because of the glare. Where are you doing your design work? In the park?

And to really answer your question- No, reading isn't bad at all. Looks just as good or better than most any other consumer (I.E.- Not $1000+) display.

You have a bedroom with a 12 inch ceiling?

Well, hullo Tom Thumb!

 

[trose]

You have a bedroom with a 12 inch ceiling?

Well, hullo Tom Thumb!

It cuts down on the heating bills

Oops

 

[IJ Reilly]

It takes a little adjustment, but otherwise not a problem.

I keep the screen brightness on our iMacs turned all the way down or nearly. I'm always surprised when I see them in stores with the brightness on full. That feels like staring into the headlights of an oncoming car at night. Painful!

 

[genmic]

I am getting easily tired these days on screens that are not excellent, and matte, reading. Headaches, sore eyes, hard to concentrate the whole lot.

Do you guys wanna share in your experiences of imac reading and the screen? Should I just go for the mini and a great eizo screen I have in mind or should I go for the imac?

Also, the dot pitch is rather bad, does that affect clarity? Esp. on the 24" model which is even worse?

When you say "hard to concentrate" do you mean your eyes shift out of focus? While I don't think you'll have any problem with the clarity of an iMac screen, if you have any problems separating focal planes the glossiness will bother you.

The one's who say that the brightness "overcomes" the reflections, mean that as the intensity of the screen images increases it becomes easier for them to not see the reflections. I can't do this. Even at full brightness my eyes will constantly shift between seeing my reflection (or other light sources), and reading the screen. I am starting to understand I am in the minority, as I hear other's talk about how the reflections "disappear with increased brightness" because they are able to not focus on them.

So if your lucky and your eyes are nothing like mine, but you simply get tired after staring at a screen for extended periods of time, then an iMac would probably suit you just fine.

 

[applecultvictim]

Big thanks to anyone who chimed in!

The S2231W is simply colour accurate, not magically "different" to look at. If you have problems reading LCD screens you'll still have problems with the Eizo.

The glassy displays are fine without any light bouncing off them - and you can just turn the brightness down. The screen brightness easily "overpowers" any reflectivity in most room set ups.

Hey peskaa, I would have really liked to hear to that it is somehow magically different to look at...sigh...they really did tell me eizo makes you "calmer" looking at it. You seem to know about screens, have you met others who had a hard time with lcd screens? Why might that be?

My wife has a Sony Vaio Laptop with the same highly reflective screen. When she's at home her desk is right by two large bright windows, and I really haven't noticed any ill effects of the glossy screen.

Basically once the brightness is up to a medium level on these screens it will "overcome" the glare/reflections unless you are looking at something a uniform dark color on screen.

A friend has a sony vaio which I use one and off and I found it very hard to get used to the glossy screen, nearly impossible.

I was so afraid I'd hate the reflective screen after I got my new iMac, but it turned out to be a bunch of nonsense.
...
And to really answer your question- No, reading isn't bad at all. Looks just as good or better than most any other consumer (I.E.- Not $1000+) display.

HEy thanks! that's really great to hear, of course I might be a bit more sensitive to it and I might require a good screen and a mini setup, I will go see an ohthalmologist for some advice in a few days.

It takes a little adjustment, but otherwise not a problem.

I keep the screen brightness on our iMacs turned all the way down or nearly. I'm always surprised when I see them in stores with the brightness on full. That feels like staring into the headlights of an oncoming car at night. Painful!

Very well said about the headlights, but I am afraid I might be more prone to problems than most.

When you say "hard to concentrate" ... you just fine.

I am afraid we might be facing the same issue here and the glossiness bothers us for the focusing that you said. Most glossy screens are extra hard for me to work with.

 

[Pagga]

I have absolutely no problem with the gloss of the 24" Imac.
I did have some issues with the new 17" MBPU though. Maybe the
Imac is just bright enough to fight off the reflections. For me it works really well. I do try to avoid placing it front of a sunlit window though

P