glossy vs matte lcd screen free sample

Yes, matte screens objectively don’t look as good as glossy. But that’s in a highly controlled environment. In the real world, matte monitor surfaces are the only practical and rational way to go.

Matte monitors employ plastic surfaces made of different polymers that undergo an etching process. Either chemical or mechanical, the etching creates an enormous number of grooves or indentations in the screen surface. These serve to reduce reflectivity by scattering light that hits the monitor. While some minor glare may still occur, it never even comes close to the full-on reflections you have with glossy displays.

But a screen that rejects light invariably also blocks light. While glossy screens allow whatever the display shows to come through nearly unfiltered, matte screens block much more of the monitor’s light output. In essence, with matte screens you get less image illumination, or just less image. Some minor details may be diminished, contrast gets lowered, and colors don’t appear as alive as with a glossy screen.

But your poor eyes also don’t need to put up with stressful reflections and tiresome glare. Nor do you need to fear touching the screen, as matte displays don’t grab fingerprints as readily as glossy screens. Thus, for monitors matte makes the better option. You don’t need to worry about placing a lamp on your work or gaming station, because reflections won’t be an issue. You don’t have to think ten times before opening the curtains and letting some light in. With matte screens, light isn’t your enemy.

Unlike TVs, for monitors matte makes for an absolutely obvious choice, especially since modern monitors continue to add brightness. While even five years ago a 300-nit monitor was good, today you easily get 500-1000-nit panels that meet DisplayHDR 400 and DisplayHDR 1000 requirements. While monitors get brighter, matte materials stay the same and so in effect more light shines through the anti-glare protection. Simply put, image quality on matte monitors keeps improving. You’d be hard pressed to tell the difference in most cases.

I went through the same dilemma when I bought my current laptop. I"m an old timer and I didn"t want the glossy screen. I almost bought a different one because I wanted the matte screen. I would go into Circuit City and Best Buy and I would hate the glare. I then used one at a friends house for a few hours in more real world conditions and I liked it. I bought a glossy one but I was still torn about my decision.

Now I"m glad I got the glossy and I wouldn"t buy a laptop without one. Not only does most things look better on it, but it has a great viewing angle. I tend to use my laptop a lot when demoing stuff or working with a user. You can"t beat the viewing angle of the glossy displays.

When I replace my current monitors they will be glossy. The issues with a laptop, because it"s mobile, just don"t really exist with a desktop monitor. Neither of my two desktop environments present a glare issue. I currently have one glossy and one matte at work and I don"t really see a difference between one and the other as far as eye strain. For me it"s all viewing angle and how great stuff looks on the glossy one.

I do professional photography, weddings, and need to upgrade to a good monitor or buy a new system like the 27" Imac quad. However it has a glossy screen and after doing some research and talking to a couple of sales people at the busy Apple store, both were photographers, they gave me straight talk and said it may not be good for what I do.

Can you not see your laptop’s screen in a bright room, or do you think the colors on your desktop computer’s display look dull and lifeless? Maybe you chose the wrong type of display coating.

Glossy and matte displays use the same LCD panels. The only real difference between these two types of displays is the coating applied to the screen. In controlled situations, glossy and matte displays will look fairly similar.

This similarity is why there’s such a great debate between the two. Manufacturers can’t settle on one best coating, and different users prefer different coatings based on what they want out of a screen. You have a choice between screens with different coatings when buying a computer monitor or laptop.

Glossy displays have more vivid color and contrast. Colors appear more intense and saturated, while blacks appear deeper. However, light shining on the display can cause extremely noticeable reflections. Sunlight is the worst case scenario — either direct sunlight outside or even just sunlight coming in through a window. Reflections can make a glossy display basically unusable in direct sunlight.

Matte screens have an anti-glare coating applied to them, so they’re much better at preventing reflections. It’s easier to see a matte screen in a bright room, whether you’re dealing with sunlight or just intense light from overhead fluorescent light bulbs in an office. The downside is that this coating makes colors appear a bit more dull.

Glossy displays tend to look better in stores where there are no bright lights to cause glare, but you may want a matte display if you plan on using the display in a bright room. Matte displays may counteract glare much better, but that doesn’t really matter if you’re never going to use it in a bright area.

In the below image, you can clearly see the difference — both in color and glare — between a matte Dell display on the left and a glossy Apple display on the right. Bear in mind that these are different monitors using different panels, so you can’t make a direct comparison. Not all of the difference in color is down to the matte or glossy coating, but it’s still instructive.

If you’re buying a monitor for a desktop computer and you always use its display in a room that isn’t extremely bright, you’ll probably want a glossy display for the more vibrant colors.

If you’re buying a laptop and might want to use it outdoors or in a bright room on sunny days, you’ll probably want a matte display. Even a matte display isn’t perfect here — in direct sunlight, you’re going to get some glare. It’s just less extreme on a matte display.

On the other hand, maybe you’re buying a desktop computer monitor for a bright room, whether it’s for a desk that gets direct sunlight or an office with bright overhead fluorescent light bulbs. You’ll probably want a matte display to reduce the glare.

You may also be buying a laptop that you intend on using indoors and out of direct sunlight, so you may prefer a glossy display with more intense colors versus the matte display and its anti-glare coating.

Let’s be honest — it’s tough to know exactly how you plan on using a display for its entire lifetime, especially if it’s a laptop. Maybe you want a matte display for the increased flexibility, or maybe you want a glossy display for the more vibrant colors. Either way it’s a trade-off.

In the photo below, bear in mind that the display on the left is on an older laptop, so you can’t directly compare the displays. The differences are due to much more than a glossy or matte coating.

There’s no end to this back-and-forth weighing of positives and negatives. It goes on and on, and it’s all a matter of personal preference and how you plan on using the display. There’s no one clear answer for everyone. If you think about it, you may find that there’s not even a clear answer for you.

If it were possible to flip a switch and change a display’s coating from glossy to matte, we’d probably switch between glossy and matte depending on the situation we found ourselves in. Sadly, it’s not — we have to pick one. (You can buy anti-glare screen films for some glossy displays, but you’re probably better off just getting a matte display in the first place if you’re going to do that.)

There’s not much you can do here besides look at displays in person, but even that won’t help much because the glossy display will look better in an electronics store where reflections and glare aren’t a factor. Actually using the different types of displays in your day to day life is the best way to really know what you want — and, even then, you may prefer different types of displays in different situations.

A few people even claim to prefer the colors on a matte display, saying that they’re too vivid on a glossy display. These people may just be used to matte displays, but they still have a real personal preference. This is a complicated choice.

A glossy display is an electronic display with a glossy surface. In certain light environments, glossy displays provide better color intensity and contrast ratios than matte displays. The primary disadvantage of these displays is their tendency to reflect any external light, often resulting in an undesirable glare.

Some LCDs use an antireflective coating, or nanotextured glass surface, to reduce the amount of external light reflecting from the surface without affecting light emanating from the screen as an alternative to matte display.

Because of the reflective nature of the display, in most lighting conditions that include direct light sources facing the screen, glossy displays create reflections, which can be distracting to the user of the computer.

In controlled environments, such as darkened rooms, or rooms where all light sources are diffused, glossy displays create more saturated colors, deeper blacks, brighter whites, and are sharper than matte displays. This is why supporters of glossy screens consider these types of displays more appropriate for viewing photographs and watching films.

Brunnström, Kjell; Katarina Josefsson; Börje Andrén (October 2008). "The effects of glossy screens on the acceptance of flat-panel displays". Journal of the Society for Information Display. 16 (10): 1041–1049. doi:10.1889/jsid16.10.1041. ISSN 1938-3657.

Glossy versus matte: fight!: From the News Desk at Ars Technica: a report of a Lenovo poll on matte vs. glossy LCDs by Jeremy Reimer, published Oct. 18, 2006.

Nobody likes interruptions when they"re watching their favorite shows, especially screen glare. So, if you find yourself struggling, a matte screen might be just the thing you need. But, what is a matte display? How does it work? And, should you consider buying one?

Unlike a regular glossy display, a matte display comes with an anti-glare coating that helps minimize reflections on your screen. Since smooth surfaces such as glass or plastic reflect light evenly, they may have a harsh glare and interrupt your content.

To fix this, matte displays are made slightly coarse using mechanical and sometimes additional chemical processing. Their texture resembles paper or canvas, which helps scatter light around the point of reflection, effectively diffusing glare. As a result, it also helps reduce eye strain since you do not have to focus too hard on your screen to see through the glare.

That"s not to say that matte displays don"t reflect light at all; every surface does. They simply subdue the sharp glare and replace it with a more tolerable, muted reflection. Due to this, a matte screen can be viewed from any angle even if it"s in the way of direct sunlight—making it an ideal solution for family gatherings or movie marathons with friends.

As good as they are, matte displays come with some trade-offs. Since there is a coating on top of the screen, matte displays reduce the contrast and color saturation of your content. If you"ve ever applied a matte screen protector on your phone, you"ve seen this in action.

This limitation goes against the current industry trends of pursuing deeper blacks and more punchy colors. Also, depending on the number of layers added to the screen, the sharpness will be affected too.

Whether you should buy a device with a matte display depends entirely on the type of device and your specific use-cases. However, here are a few things to consider before you go shopping for a matte display.

If you"re someone who uses their device, say, a laptop, outdoors regularly, then a matte display is a good pick for you. It"ll allow you to see your screen without glare, even if you"re sitting under direct sunlight. On the flip side, if your usage is limited to indoors and you can adjust the position of your device, say your TV, such that it doesn"t show any glares, you can give matte screens a pass.

An often overlooked benefit of matte screens is that they can help you save battery life. Since they are better at diffusing ambient light, they don"t require you to turn the brightness all the way up to see your screen clearly. Meaning, on top of better outdoor visibility, you"re also getting more battery life, so you can get more work done without reaching for the charger.

Image quality is a big priority for many, especially movie buffs. And if you belong to that group of viewers, you"re better off sticking to a regular glossy screen and just closing the blinds when you watch something to avoid glare.

A matte screen will make deep blacks appear washed-out and colors less vibrant, resulting in a poorer viewing experience. Reading text on matte screens is also harder, especially at a distance. If you"re a gamer and are looking for a gaming monitor, the lower picture quality of a matte screen will interrupt your gameplay.

Matte screens are way better at resisting fingerprints than glossy ones. If you"re someone who likes to keep their device free from smudges and fingerprint marks—perhaps for your smartphone—it might be a good idea to cover up that display with a matte screen protector.

2. Battery LifeDiffuses glare, eliminating the need to increase screen brightness to view content. Hence, saving battery life.Requires you to increase screen brightness to see past glare. Hence, eats more battery life.

3. Picture QualityDiminishes picture quality, affecting color, contrast, and sharpness. The thicker the matte layer, the worse the picture quality.Preserves picture quality, producing accurate colors and contrast.

If you work from home and attend heaps of Zoom or Microsoft Teams meetings, a matte screen will be really useful to you. But if you spend a lot of your time watching shows and movies, it"s not worth it. Ultimately, it depends entirely on your lifestyle and use case whether a matte screen will be a worthwhile investment for you.

Glossy screens appear to be on the upswing now in Macville, now that the iMac has gone glossy. The MacBook comes with the glossy screen, but for the moment, the matte display remains the default option for the MacBook Pro. But maybe not for long. Check out what the Apple Store says about the differences:

Choose the glossy widescreen display to make your graphics, photos, and videos appear with richer color and deeper blacks — great for watching DVD movies. If you prefer a display with anti-glare coating for a matte rather than glossy viewing experience, choose the standard widescreen display.

In other words, it seems that only losers will pick the matte display. Hey, some of us disagree that this current generation of brighter and glossier displays are better for any application. But it"s hard to object with consumer choice — as long as there is a choice to be had.

Still, a note about cleaning these glossy displays caught my eye the other day. It was on the Klear Screen site, a company that sells kits of optical cleaning spray and optical-grade chamois cloths. The note warned users that the glossy screens require "a little more patience and a little more effort to clean effectively."

1. Let the screen cool before cleaning. LCDs are digital devices and can generate some heat. Some have cold-cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) or an array of LED lights for backlighting, which also can warm up the panel. This heat could interfere with the cleaning, causing some areas to set before wiping with the polishing cloth.

2. Select the proper cleaning cloth.Use an optical-grade microchamois or microfiber cloth to clean and polish the display. Klear Screen suggested that these advanced cleaning materials would polish better than ordinary dust-free cloths or scanner wipes. (Certainly, never use paper products to clean the screen — they may feel soft to the touch but they are rough going for the actually soft surface of the LCD screen.)

3. Clean in small sections.The instructions suggested that dividing the display into small areas and then polishing until the entire screen is streak-free will work better than broad swipes with the cloth.

Of course, the glossy screens show fingerprints and other dirt more than the matte screens. So, it"s important to maintain your investment by using the proper cleaning materials and procedure.

I"ve used the Klear Screen and iKlear products for many years with my computer monitors, laptop screens, CDs and eyeglasses. The spray is non-toxic, anti-static and doesn"t contain alcohol or ammonia or other solvents that are bad for optics. In addition to large and small bottles, the company offers a handy travel kit of "singles," which include a small cloth that"s impregnated with the iKlear solution and a micro-chamois for polishing the screen.

All you have to do is look at a screen when it is off, that is as black as it will get. My glossy screen is way blacker than the matte screen I have during the day. In fact the glossy black trim around the screen is the same level of blackness as the screen itself, A matte screen can"t come close to that. At night it does not matter. I can understand some not liking the reflections.

With TVs it"s the same, I don"t buy matte screens there either because the blacks are so weak during the day. The blacks may look black to our eyes on a matte screen because of the contrast but the blacks are never darker than when the screen is turned off in any given lighting condition. Only glossy screens can give a nearly black level with any ambient light IMO and once you get used to that it"s very hard to go back to matte unless the reflections are too much.

All Apple products and smart phones/tablets have Glossy screens now (there might be a few exceptions), I can just imaging how flat my iPad would look with a matte screen. It appears that almost all displays except for some computer monitors are now glossy. Most folks are used to that and would have very little trouble with a glossy computer monitor unless the environment caused a whole lot of reflections.

I agree that the glossy face is not practical on any of these flat screens, and they certannly are not leaving the high end monitors without a reflection reduction.

I have a 15" screen that is glass, and while the picture and view through to the pannel is cleaner and unfrosted, and untextured , turn the lights on, or have the shades open (sun) Add in any contrasting surfaces and it is very bad to view. If the room is dark enough it is way better though.

I find that fingerprints do not "show" as easily by far with a matte screen plastic on top of them, be that the ones stuck down at manufacture or screen protectors that can be added by me. It may be correct that the textured surface is more likely to end up with more human oils skin and acids on it, but I far prefer it.

The glossy screens cause me to percieve (more) that the device is shiny pretty new. I can look right at the glistening machine, knowing for a fact that I would rather have matte, and I am still thinking this is dang nice looking. I can already be looking for a way to stop the (dang) reflection, and still see that it is very nice looking.

I have a very high-res display phone , and my usual matte protector , the texture was way to low-res for the devices resolution, causing minor problems, as the light from the high-res pixels is bounced around.

Luckily I found a screen protector that the matte surface reduces the reflection (not neer as much) and still allows for the extreeme DPI of a full HD screen on such a small device. (got it from boxwave). I would have been ok with the minor disturbance but the high-res protector (i am calling it that) Is a good balance of the 2.

After having used many different screen protectors for many years, I can say that There is a huge differance in quality and textures and frost and applications. I still have never seen protectors that are the exact same thing as what is stuck to the face of these monitors.

I am still wondering why this optical coating has never been applied to these mobile devices , or what the ramifications (or patent) of that would be. The coating could be impossible to work with capacitive screens.

Other stuff: the Plastic top on GPSes and resistive touch was/is part of the actual touch assembly, the resistive screen items I have had apart use a plastic top , and could not use a glass top. The second glass layer of the touch assembly for resistive screens has the very thin connection grid on it, the pastic (unlike glass) would have to flex to make the actual physical contact with the glass. Under the touch assembly was the pannel itself.