Glossy vs. anti-glare (matte) screens?

I'd really like to get some opinions regarding this subject. I've never had a glossy display on any of my laptops, but now that I'm about to take the plunge and get another notebook as well as a monitor, I'd like to know what you guys think about this subject.

Thing is, I keep running into really nice screens, only to find out that they're glossy. I didn't realize that there seem to be quite a few more glossy displays on notebooks, All-in-One's, and stand-alone monitors, than there are anti-glare (matte). Can anyone tell me what the advantages of glossy screens are? So far, I've read that they have better contrast as well as more vivid colors. I don't really need to be able to see the display in direct sunlight, which seems to be another common factor upon which a lot of people base their decisions when it comes to what type of screen to buy.

I have no real bases for comparison, and thus far, the glossy screens that I have seen in stores often seem very reflective. What do you guys prefer and why?

Finally, a friend of mine told me about some kind of anti-glare coating that effectively gives a glossy display a matte finish. Has anyone here tried this?

Thanks very much everyone!

 

If I wanted it for watching videos and contrast colours were important I would probably get one with a glossy finish if one was highly recommended. I prefer matte because if light is shining on it from behind you, I find the reflections are very annoying.

matteman

 

Depends much on personal preference and also what you are doing with your machine. Like Matt said watching DVD's OK with the right light condition as reflection can be a problem, for that reason my Plasma TV is not glossy. If you are doing photo editing you may give it a miss as well, as you will find the colors are looking brilliant but not true.
Beware this is purely my opinion and not necessarily yours.
hawk22

 

hmm well I've been doing a fair bit of digging round as i'm in the market for a new LCD monitor and from what i've read via reviews is that glossy screens are a major annoyance unless your in a dark room the Matt non reflective screens are the best so that's what I'll be going for

 

Agreed. OK, so we're all in agreement on that. Do any of you know of a particular monitor that you happen to know is really good? I'm not spending more than $500, and also no crappy TN panels please.

Thankfully, there are plenty of IPS monitors these days, but I haven't bought one in 15 years. I know that NEC has some rock solid ones, and I've come across some good reviews about a couple of HP and Dell monitors. Don't companies like Dell get their panels from the likes of LG and Samsung and just re-brand for the purpose of a packaged system for the end consumer?

 

Ummm, no we're not. I think this is an individual decision that must be made by the specific circumstances and working habits and environment(s) of the user.

Not true! My big screen Samsung TV has a glossy screen and IMO, it has a gorgeous display regardless if viewing it in the daytime or at night.

In thinking about this for a minute, what does a matte finish do? Would you want a matte finish on your windows? Or would you want your windows crystal clear? A matte finish scatters the light bouncing off it - but it also scatters the light coming through it.

If you are a road warrior and will be using your notebook in all sorts of lighting conditions that are beyond your control (airports, client offices, trains, planes, etc.) then certainly a matte finish may be best for you. But if like me, and you have a notebook so you can stay connected to check your email when you get to your hotel, it is no problem to position myself for glare free use and so I love my Toshiba 17" glossy notebook.

And for desktop monitors, you need to look at YOUR office - everyone else's is immaterial.

All the major players buy from each other. Sony and Sharp are in the mix too as are several OEM makers that supply panels for the major players. And even in the same brand, some panels are made in Mexico, some in Taiwan, some in China and who knows where else. But note the gloss or matte finish has nothing to do with the actual panel. That is a final cover and the actual panel is sandwiched inside.

I have used several similar "films" on various PDA devices over the years. They work fine when dealing with a screen that is 2" x 3 ". But I would not advise it for a computer monitor - except perhaps a touchscreen where the coating also offers some protection from scratches. I am reminded of after-market tinting for car windows. My neighbor just paid a bundle to have the back windows of his 4-door truck tinted. They make the truck look good but when sitting inside and looking out, there is a slight, but still discernible distortion or warping of the scenery. Whether that would be apparent when sitting 2 feet in front of a monitor or not, I don't know. But I think it could cause eyestrain and perhaps headaches after hours of use.

 

Thank you, Bill! That was excellent advice. Guess what, I did opt for a glossy 21.5" LED-backlit IPS display and it is just gorgeous. I have found that it is quite easy to position myself and the screen in a way that avoids virtually any and all glare, including even when the room where my new display resides is brightened by sunshine during the day and by various light sources at night. I also see - literally and figuratively - what you so ably explained about matte screens. At the end of the day, any obstruction between the panel and the glass, even a super thin matte filter is just that, an obstruction between the eyes and the screen. The black levels and color consistency across every corner of the display are also very impressive.

I'm still on the hunt for a new notebook and being that I mostly use my ThinkPad inside my house, this effectively opens up an significant selection of potentially great laptops which I used to dismiss based solely on the fact that so many of them have glossy displays.

Incidentally, I took the liberty of glancing at your quite impressive and interesting profile on the site that your signature links to. I see that you're an operating system guy, amongst your many skills and I would love to pick your brain for some educated opinions on what you think about specifically Apple's OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard is the identifying cat for this one) compared to Windows 7 as well as the type of hardware that Apple selects for its line of Mac's these days. In fact, I just started a new thread and would very much welcome any contributions from you.

I would love to hear from all of you, as a matter of fact. There are quite a few heavyweights on here and I know that you know your way around operating systems.

Thanks to all who responded to this thread! Every day is a learning experience and I hope I will see you in the other thread.

Thank you again!

 

well all i can say is my new Dell/Alienware AW2210 with a matt finish is just wonderful in all lighting conditions rich colours deep blacks no muddy shadows.... i must admit if i could have bought an IPS panel here for the same price with the same specs i would have 8bit IPS is much better than 6bit TN in regards to colour reproduction

 

You saw that in my sig's link? Ummm, I don't think so. I consider myself a hardware technician above anything else. I have very little experience with MAC OS - and nothing current.