Matte a little glossy.. or is it just my screen?

[TonicAngel]

Okay. This is really insane.. People with matte screens.. I am typing right now with the sunlight to the side of me. I am seeing reflection of my hands for instance on a black background. Do any of you get that??

I didn't order a glossy.. I just ordered a stock 17". I just think its very odd that I can see my hands when I'm typing on what is supposed to be a matte screen.

Is there a way to tell in system profile on whether or not I have a glossy screen? On my box it never said anything about it being glossy. I notice the screen looks really kind of shiny when I opened it up for the first time. I thought it was glossy, but I looked on my box and it doesn't have any information about the mbp being a glossy screen. I was just curious because I find this to be extremely bizarre.

 

[TonicAngel]

Well I went out in the sun and it's definitely a glossy screen. Oh well, I can live with it. I don't want to send it back and get an uneven screen. The screen I have is well evenly lit. I still am curious how I got a glossy screen when it doesn't say anywhere that it is glossy and I specifically ordered a matte screen. I would delete this thread, but it doesn't give me an option. The mods can lock it if they want.

 

[suneohair]

I dont know. There is an anti reflective coating which adds a little bit of sheen to the screen.

It might be glossy though. Did you check the box specs? Maybe throw some pics up.

 

[mkrishnan]

You really know instantly which one you have. They are completely different looking.... If you have a glossy screen, you should see *clearly resolvable* reflections (e.g. your hands) when you're in the wrong conditions. If you just see some light/dark areas as a result of the reflection, that still occurs on matte screens. If you're still confused, take a flash photograph with your camera at an oblique angle (i.e. not facing the screen directly).

 

[e12a]

Easy test. Turn the computer off. Shine a light at yourself from behind the computer. If you can see yourself as if you were looking into a mirror then yes you have Glossy.

 

[steve_hill4]

I think Apple's Pro displays, (ACD, MBP), are closer to a satin-matte style. The iMacs seem to have a coating on the screen that it is possible to chip and peel off that the pro displays don't appear to have.

As for reflections on the matte, it should have minimal to none. I just tried on a completely black screen, (usually most reflective), on differing light levels and got zip. This, and better colour accuracy, are reasons I was glad I went for the MBP, (despite there being no glossy option when I bought this and no MacBooks, just iBooks). Had Apple switched to glossy with the MBP, I would have probably swayed and gone with a final revision PB.

 

[PDE]

The matte 17" MBP seems to have a slightly more glossy surface than the matte 15" and definitely more than previous powerbooks. It's still quite matte compared with the glossy though. Like everybody has said, if it's a glossy one you'll see a clear image of yourself in it - nothing diffused at all. Can you see yourself in the display?

 

[crazycat]

I don't know why you are so worried, i like glossy screens more then matte ones. I exchanged my MacBook Pro just to get the glossy screen and downgraded to a smaller hard drive as a price. Glossy looks much better, the only downside is that you have to make sure there are no light behind you.

 

[greenmeanie]

I also think glossy looks better. Any kind of graphics work looks alot better on it.

 

[72930]

I also think glossy looks better. Any kind of graphics work looks alot better on it.

Professionals prefer matte as it gives you closer representation of print...

Smudges are more apparent on glossy screens.

Sunlight makes it difficult to see glossy screens (although this is rarely a problem here in London...)

A lot of people get less eye strain with matte screens...

 

[iW00t]

That's funny, you should send it back as a matter of principle!

 

[3nm]

hahaha agreed.

That's funny, you should send it back as a matter of principle!

 

[greenmeanie]

So using your theory when doing a glossy magazine add wouldn't glossy be better?

Professionals prefer matte as it gives you closer representation of print...

Smudges are more apparent on glossy screens.

Sunlight makes it difficult to see glossy screens (although this is rarely a problem here in London...)

A lot of people get less eye strain with matte screens...

 

[TonicAngel]

The matte 17" MBP seems to have a slightly more glossy surface than the matte 15" and definitely more than previous powerbooks. It's still quite matte compared with the glossy though. Like everybody has said, if it's a glossy one you'll see a clear image of yourself in it - nothing diffused at all. Can you see yourself in the display?

I can't other than that one time. It does look like it has a sheen to it. I just was expecting a matte screen like on the imac g5. I tried the light shining and I didn't have any reflection. I think I do have a matte display it just is a bit glossy like you said. It just sort of shocked me when I saw my reflection since I wasn't expecting anything at all.

 

[Cybergypsy]

Glossy all the way!!!!!

 

[tivoboy]

new macbook

I just picked up a new macbook 13" 2.0, and it SHOULD have a glossy screen, but it looks pretty matte to me.
As well, the dashboard along the bottom, looks a bit washed out. Are there some macbook screen differences?

 

[jimytheassassin]

Do screens come with a protective overlay that's meant to be removed in the manufacturing process??? Is it possible there was one and it wasn't removed before shipping? Sometimes things are missed at the factory. But a matte screen will diffuse any light or reflection.. you won't see any sharp images of yourself as others stated. And as I've noticed, Macbooks seem to have a less "glossy" gloss than many other makes and models... I think that makes them more attractive

 

[e12a]

I just picked up a new macbook 13" 2.0, and it SHOULD have a glossy screen, but it looks pretty matte to me.
As well, the dashboard along the bottom, looks a bit washed out. Are there some macbook screen differences?

I've noticed this with my friends new blackbook. At full brightness, the colors dont look to contrasty, instead they look a bit washed out. I think that can be fixed with switching profiles though.