Glossy vs Matte LCD Monitors
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http://live.pirillo.com/ – The decision whether to buy a glossy or matte LCD monitor is subjective. Every person will have their likes and dislikes, and you should buy whatever you are most comfortable with.
There are pros and cons to both a glossy LCD monitor, and a matte one. The cons for each type are not negative enough to sway your decision to one over another.
I prefer a matte screen for one main reason. I detest looking at dirt specs and smudges. I don’t want to have to clean my monitor every day… or several times a day. Glossy screens are bad about that. They show *everything*! However, the colors are more vibrant on a glossy screen, and the blacks are richer. A matte screen is non-reflective, but that can be a pro OR a con. It depends on your preference, again.
Thanks to Ustream, I have the capability to do a live poll via my stream. I asked our viewers and chatters which type of monitor they prefer. 65% chose matte, while only 35% chose glossy.
Thanks for validating my opinion, guys. It’s a matte screen FTW.
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21 Comments
For your safety
October 29th, 2007
at 4:51pm
finish screen. What are advantaged and disadvantaged to each? I am using this laptop both indoors and out, and planning to use it for: playing high-end games, schoolwork, web and graphic designing, computer programs, etc. What would you recommend?Glossy vs Matteis a matter of personal preference, and my personal preference happens to be Matte. Ponzi likes glossy. On the heels of that email, comes a vote of confidence (and question) from Michael Gutierrez:
For your safety
October 29th, 2007
at 4:42pm
finish screen. What are advantaged and disadvantaged to each? I am using this laptop both indoors and out, and planning to use it for: playing high-end games, schoolwork, web and graphic designing, computer programs, etc. What would you recommend?Glossy vs Matteis a matter of personal preference, and my personal preference happens to be Matte. Ponzi likes glossy. On the heels of that email, comes a vote of confidence (and question) from Michael Gutierrez:
For your safety
October 29th, 2007
at 4:42pm
finish screen. What are advantaged and disadvantaged to each? I am using this laptop both indoors and out, and planning to use it for: playing high-end games, schoolwork, web and graphic designing, computer programs, etc. What would you recommend?Glossy vs Matteis a matter of personal preference, and my personal preference happens to be Matte. Ponzi likes glossy. On the heels of that email, comes a vote of confidence (and question) from Michael Gutierrez:
For your safety
October 29th, 2007
at 4:42pm
finish screen. What are advantaged and disadvantaged to each? I am using this laptop both indoors and out, and planning to use it for: playing high-end games, schoolwork, web and graphic designing, computer programs, etc. What would you recommend?Glossy vs Matteis a matter of personal preference, and my personal preference happens to be Matte. Ponzi likes glossy. On the heels of that email, comes a vote of confidence (and question) from Michael Gutierrez:
For your safety
October 29th, 2007
at 4:51pm
finish screen. What are advantaged and disadvantaged to each? I am using this laptop both indoors and out, and planning to use it for: playing high-end games, schoolwork, web and graphic designing, computer programs, etc. What would you recommend?Glossy vs Matteis a matter of personal preference, and my personal preference happens to be Matte. Ponzi likes glossy. On the heels of that email, comes a vote of confidence (and question) from Michael Gutierrez:
For your safety
October 29th, 2007
at 4:42pm
finish screen. What are advantaged and disadvantaged to each? I am using this laptop both indoors and out, and planning to use it for: playing high-end games, schoolwork, web and graphic designing, computer programs, etc. What would you recommend?Glossy vs Matteis a matter of personal preference, and my personal preference happens to be Matte. Ponzi likes glossy. On the heels of that email, comes a vote of confidence (and question) from Michael Gutierrez:
For your safety
October 29th, 2007
at 4:42pm
finish screen. What are advantaged and disadvantaged to each? I am using this laptop both indoors and out, and planning to use it for: playing high-end games, schoolwork, web and graphic designing, computer programs, etc. What would you recommend?Glossy vs Matteis a matter of personal preference, and my personal preference happens to be Matte. Ponzi likes glossy. On the heels of that email, comes a vote of confidence (and question) from Michael Gutierrez:
For your safety
October 29th, 2007
at 4:49pm
finish screen. What are advantaged and disadvantaged to each? I am using this laptop both indoors and out, and planning to use it for: playing high-end games, schoolwork, web and graphic designing, computer programs, etc. What would you recommend?Glossy vs Matteis a matter of personal preference, and my personal preference happens to be Matte. Ponzi likes glossy. On the heels of that email, comes a vote of confidence (and question) from Michael Gutierrez:
Kawa
August 20th, 2007
at 5:13am
I prefer matte screens. I don’t like to see my face on screen instead of my desktop on a sunny say (my laptop has a glossy, beautiful, unusable under sunlight screen…).
Twenty years ago we payed extra for matte screens, that was logical.
Kawa
August 20th, 2007
at 5:13am
I prefer matte screens. I don’t like to see my face on screen instead of my desktop on a sunny say (my laptop has a glossy, beautiful, unusable under sunlight screen…).
Twenty years ago we payed extra for matte screens, that was logical.
Andre
October 28th, 2007
at 8:38pm
I personally like Glossy because I dont mind it collecting dirt, and I play alot of games, and watch videos…so I personally like glossy for its vistual rewards
Ron
November 24th, 2007
at 4:47am
I couldn’t agree more re preferring matte over glossy. Notebook PCs are bought so you can use them wherever you are. I work on my lanai (terrace) a lot and because of glare & reflection, can’t see much of anything on my glossy screen HP Notebook. No problem seeing on my matte screen MacBook Pro. BUT WHERE DO I FIND A GOOD WINDOWS NOTEBOOK WITH A MATTE SCREEN?
Ben
February 5th, 2008
at 11:04pm
IMO glossy is the way to go. I enjoy the richness of the colours, and do not mind the reflections that much. When I look at most matte screens, the picture looks very washed out and inferior.
With that said, standard matte screens are MUCH better than they were only a couple of years ago, and are closing in and even exceeding glossy screens today.
Ernie Werbel
March 27th, 2008
at 5:58pm
Glossy is terrible. I can barely use my laptop without seeing the reflection of my fingers on the keyboard or the lighting in the screen. Supposedly glossy is better for outdoors but I have yet to see this. When I took my new Gateway with its glossy screen outside all I could see is black. My old IBM 380ED has matte was viewable outdoors albeit dim. I cannot understand why people can’t seem to see beyond this trendy fad of glossy screens or am I just not getting it?
whyuwantmyname
August 2nd, 2008
at 2:44am
glossy is terrible. i am already hating my new LCD moniter that i just got as a present because when i’m watching videos i cannot make out the dark parts at all on the screen because all i see is the reflection of myself and the room. matte sacrifices visual quality? oh i don’t think so, unless ur planning to use the glossy moniter in a pitch dark state, there is no advantage to glossy. don’t listen to ‘experts’ who claim there are both advantages and disadvantages to each type, they just cannot give away their honest opinions because then they will be flamed by the people who favor the other type. but luckily if you find articles about glossy vs. matte, most ‘experts’ at least say that their ‘personal’ preference is matte…
Alecmc
September 22nd, 2008
at 3:26am
I just can’t believe what I read. How can there possibly be anyone who believes that the glossy screen is OK. It is a massive backward step from the anti-glare matt screens.
I have been looking to buy a new laptop, but cannot find a reasonably priced matt screen in the shops.
I am amazed.
I will not buy one with a blossy screen.
I intend to wait until the manufacturers come to their senses and provide a sensible product.
I really am incredulous.
Mr Nougat
December 7th, 2008
at 4:17am
I bought a 2nd hand Packard Bell Easynote same price as new notebook cos it came with XP not Vista and it also had a decent dedicated graphic chip. Unfortunately it wasn’t old
enough to have a matte screen and I didn’t really compare the two types before.This glossy screen is godawful there must be an economic reason behind all the guff about rich blacks etc. The emperor’s new clothes on this one. So what if DVD films look better (in the dark)? I still have to view within a
tiny viewing angle leaning forward giving you backache.
Another mass delusion like Chinese foot binding or model anorexia or whatever.
Mr. Lopez
May 15th, 2009
at 10:10am
I prefer Matte than Glossy. Because Glossy is not good to clean and still dirty. I am tried to use with clorox wipes and napkin on LCD Glossy and its seem to me not clean as very well. Matte is best one ever and help my eyes to see very well. Glossy is easy to kill y
VisualBasicGuy
June 1st, 2009
at 2:04pm
The people who prefer glossy, I have to think, have never used a computer in many different places. Yes it is nice to see vivid colors. But matte colors are certainly not bad. Also, under certain circumstances, I would much rather be able to SEE what is on the screen than to have to squint and see NOTHING!
Unless you have a cozy little setup with no bright lights to reflect back from your screen into your eyes, it is a no brainer! Matte is much better!!!
Player_16
July 19th, 2009
at 8:11pm
What I want to know is WHY won’t Apple use a non-reflective coating on their screens. Not that optional matte crap but non-reflective like my glasses or the iSight camera lens in the top of the screen. It was used in the CRT screens in the past. Can anyone answer that?
SoundMan
August 24th, 2009
at 3:58am
A friend tried to persuade me that his new Mac was brilliant – all shiny and new! All I could see were the reflections of room lights and my ugly mug! Can’t understand why anyone would ever want to go back to shiny screens for everyday use – thought they went out with CRTs! Remember the awful stick-on masks you could get to stop reflections?
Am looking for a new large monitor and manufacturers whose specs don’t say matte or glossy screen are rejected. Why is such a key point overlooked in the specs?