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Glossy or matte(anti-glare)


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Ever since I saw my first glossy screen on a 50" screen many years ago I just cant stand anything else. In fact I almost didnt get my new dell 7720 this christmas because the guy I was buying it from sent me an anti-glare screen when I asked for glossy...then crap got all messed up with return shipping times during the holidays...anyway which do you all prefer and why?

J

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lol... I have exactly the opposite preference. For me glossy = annoying reflections. Even on the screens that didn't get moved much (i.e. my Alienware M17x) I found it really difficult to position it in such way to remove all the reflections. I can't say how much of a difference makes a desktop matte screen. Some screens are highly glossy (i.e. M11x-R1) which IMO was the dumbest decision ever to put on an ultraportable laptop. Same for iPad. I tried watching Star Trek (fairly dark scenes) when I was on an airplane on an iPad and I had a horrible experience. Not only due to the fact that I could more clearly see everything that was reflected of it, but to add all the fingerprints were clearly visible too -- in fact EVERYTHING was more clearly visible than the actual movie I was trying to watch.

I am actually pretty surprised about the lack of matte displays on laptops and portable devices (I had same problems when I used iPhone without a matte coating), since they are used on the go and the reflections can be quite problematic. I do suppose in ideal conditions (complete dark?) the glossy screens look more vibrant; its just that I very rarely found myself using the iPhone/iPad/laptop in those conditions. I prefer to have some lights on when I am working on the computer. Same goes for my work -- the uber-glossiness of M11x-R1 was so annoying every time I was in a classroom or a conference room or trying to watch something during the sunny days when I take my lunch to eat outside of my building.

I have similar experiences with the damn glossy coatings on any devices, in my opinion they make it look cheap in addition to being highly prone to fingerprints.

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I think it also depends on who does the finish. Not all glossy or matte screens are the same. I've used good glossy screens (like my last Acer laptop) outdoors. I don't like the fingerprint magnet of touchscreen glossy panels though.

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Matte screens remind me of older Macs. They don't seem as crisp as glossy screens but are generally better for fingerprints and outdoor viewing (I've found). I haven't tried an anti-reflection coating, but wouldn't there be problems with air bubbles?

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I've generally preferred Matte myself. This go around, I got just the regular glossy screen with the P370EM i just ordered because I plan to swap over to a 120Hz panel later. To my surprise, it's not as bad as the glossy screens I've used in the past. Maybe the LED backlighting on this one has something to do with it

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In my experience, the contrast is better on glossy screen under ideal (pitch black) conditions -- conditions that I personally had only when I watched something in a completely dark room.

Under any other conditions, even home desktop use, glossy (depends on a particular screen of course) is highly prone to reflections. It boggles my mind when someone would EVER produce a laptop, by definition a portable device (or any other portable device) with a glossy screen.

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I generally only use my laptops in my office and my room, where lighting conditions are ideal for glossy screens. It's not pitch black in here, but it is dim enough so I don't get any visible reflections on my screen. Glossy screens do seem to be more vivid with better colors, though there are some very high quality matte finishes on the market.

If I had to use my laptop in a brightly-lit room on a regular basis, I'd probably go with a matte finish though. Fortunately, I don't, so glossy is my preference.

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Sure a glossy screen might provide better image quality, however, the reflections are just too much of a pain to deal with,

This holds true in an adequately lit room and I can barely use my laptop outdoors even with the brightness set at max.

What's the point of better image quality when all those reflections get in the way?

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Glossy screens are harder to see in direct sunlight, but produce a much sharper picture and more vibrant colours.

Mat screens are easy to see in bright lights, it depends if you intend to use your laptop outdoors.

Pretty much this. I tend to use my laptop in a bright area with tons of light coming into the window at my college which I have no control over. so I need a Matte. Though at night time I would like a Glossy for Movies and such but. being able to game in the sunlight is a huge bonus. sense the colors are not as vibrant I was wondering does resolution matter as much with a matte? than with a glossy

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Pretty much this. I tend to use my laptop in a bright area with tons of light coming into the window at my college which I have no control over. so I need a Matte. Though at night time I would like a Glossy for Movies and such but. being able to game in the sunlight is a huge bonus. sense the colors are not as vibrant I was wondering does resolution matter as much with a matte? than with a glossy

imho, glossy versions are often used to compensate poor panels. so i would not prefer glossy for movies in general. of course a good panel with glossy finish might perform better in that situation than a comparable matte one.

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Glossy screens are quite nice in moderate ambient light scenarios, but as soon as you get outside on a sunny day you need to crank up the backlight to be able to discern something on the screen...

Even good matte screens have the issue with the bad viewing angles and the picture being somehow not that sharp but overall i think they are less straining to the eye.

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