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Glossy or matte? 

Which screen do you have?
Glossy 50%  50%  [ 8 ]
Matte 38%  38%  [ 6 ]
Free Pie 13%  13%  [ 2 ]
Total votes : 16

Glossy or matte? 
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I've placed an order for my laptop. It comes with a 17.3" 1080p widescreen, and a blu-ray drive. I initially wanted matte as that's what I'm used to and this glossy stuff is new to me but started to doubt my mind. Laptop is still in preproduction so I can change the option.

My sister has glossy on her laptop and under the fluorescent strip, the reflections are horrendous. But the colour is good especially in the dark. I have a fluorescent strip above my desk, where I'll use it to play games and work. But it'll be on my lap, in the dark when watching movies. So I'm doubting myself.

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Sun Jul 24, 2011 5:56 pm
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If you knew just how matte it was... All my screens are glossy now bar a super-cheap matte netbook screen, so I can't really help other than to say if you don't mind adjusting the screen position, glossy isn't really a problem IME :)

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Sun Jul 24, 2011 6:04 pm
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I wonder whether it's really that good. The matte option was an extra £89, so to switch back to glossy just makes it cheaper. Not sure about gamut because the suppliers who provided 90+% gamut have stopped making the screens.

It's a laptop so the viewing angle will always be slightly different every time I open the screen/lid!

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Sun Jul 24, 2011 6:09 pm
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cloaked_wolf wrote:
It's a laptop so the viewing angle will always be slightly different every time I open the screen/lid!


I was thinking of just how annoyed you'd get with that, if you thought it wouldn't be as much a problem with matte :)

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Sun Jul 24, 2011 6:17 pm
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During daylight hours I wish the iMac had a matte screen. Other than that it doesn't bother me.

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Sun Jul 24, 2011 6:23 pm
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Health and Safety hereforbids the use of glossy screens at work - probably one of the reAsons whY Macs aren't that popular with creative agencies over here - or the employee has to sign a waver.

I've never like glossy screens, another reason why I upgraded my iMac for a Windows desktop. I prefer to see what I'm working on, not my reflection; I'm not that vain. :D

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Sun Jul 24, 2011 6:37 pm
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Glossy screens are fantastic in perfect darkness. They give you the best colour and contrast, really bringing everything to life.

Totally hopeless if you can't find a dark corner though. I absolutely hate the screen on my desire HD because you just can't use it outside or if the sun shines through the window - it is a mirror.

My netbook screen is super shiny, but I'm usually in a dark coms cupboard or behind my sofa which is pretty dark.

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Sun Jul 24, 2011 6:44 pm
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JJW009 wrote:
My netbook screen is super shiny, but I'm usually in a dark coms cupboard or behind my sofa which is pretty dark.

In my head, there's an image of you as your avatar, sat behind the sofa, next to the window with the closed curtains, in the dark, surfin X404. :lol:

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Sun Jul 24, 2011 6:47 pm
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I have both.
Laptop - glossy
PC - matt

If I could have found the spec laptop I wanted with a matt scree, I've have got it.
I hate glossy screens!

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Sun Jul 24, 2011 8:25 pm
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Use a glossy screen here at home. Sitting in front of it now, with a bulb about 2 feet to the right of my head, and about 4 foot above me, there are no reflections.
During the day, with the big french window behind me, there is sometimes a slight reflection, but it is only slight.
YMMV of course, but my experience is that glossy = no big deal.

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Sun Jul 24, 2011 9:25 pm
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I was convinced I was going to buy the matte screen for my MBP until I saw both of the screens side by side.

If I was working on design for print then the matte made more sense. But for general internet work the glossy looked better.

My desk has a lamp above it & reflections never bother me.

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Mon Jul 25, 2011 7:35 am
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I have a netbook and that has a matt screen – I know it mutes the colours a bit but makes it easier to see in sunlight

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Mon Jul 25, 2011 9:58 am
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Jon Honeyball's last word column in the latest issue of PCPro is about glossy vs Matte screens.
His contention is that the position of the reflections in a glossy screen (essentially not in the same plane as your are focusing on) means that the brain finds it very easy to filter out the effect. Worth a read if you're passing a newsagents and have a spare 5 minutes.

I can't say I'm convinced myself and prefer a nice matte screen. Largely seems to come down to personal preference (unless you are the German HSE of course).

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Tue Jul 26, 2011 5:38 am
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davrosG5 wrote:
Jon Honeyball's last word column in the latest issue of PCPro is about glossy vs Matte screens.
His contention is that the position of the reflections in a glossy screen (essentially not in the same plane as your are focusing on) means that the brain finds it very easy to filter out the effect. Worth a read if you're passing a newsagents and have a spare 5 minutes.

I've always found it quite easy to focus through the reflections in all but the worst cases.

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Tue Jul 26, 2011 6:16 am
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It is great until the sun gets on the screen, then it is tough to view.

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Tue Jul 26, 2011 10:14 am
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