Best screen for OUTDOORS - Matte or Glossy ?

Let's say we wanted to use our laptop outside, but not in direct sunlight.

Which screen would be most visible -- Matte or Glossy?


Again, I'm only curious about OUTDOOR use, not indoors. I'm guessing that some of the folks on here have used both types of screens while outside, so I'm hoping someone can give real-life input.

I have the glossy screen and have sat out on my deck (under an umbrella however), but it wasn't bad at all. It actually resists glare pretty well. I'm sure the matte screen would be better but I'm fine with using the glossy occasionally in indirect sunlight. Hope this helps.

Hmm. Which is more visible? I think the obvious answer would be matte. But you don't get the vivid colors of a glossy screen, (but that wasn't your question. =P)

my friend has a MBP with a matte screen and we use it all the time outside and i think it is great havent used a glossy screen but the matte looks great outside

BananaPancakes said:

Hmm. Which is more visible? I think the obvious answer would be matte. But you don't get the vivid colors of a glossy screen, (but that wasn't your question. =P)

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It wasn't a question but its a good thing you told him.
Like banana said, indirect sunlight isn't going to show up on your glossy screen, but if you do decide to go with matte, you're going to lose a lot of the vibrant colors which is why most people pick glossy.

BananaPancakes said:

Hmm. Which is more visible? I think the obvious answer would be matte. But you don't get the vivid colors of a glossy screen, (but that wasn't your question. =P)

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Well, I guess I meant: which one looks better overall... which one is easier to read text on... etc, etc.

SoundsGood said:

Well, I guess I meant: which one looks better overall... which one is easier to read text on... etc, etc.

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Outdoors? In direct sunlight? Matte.
Anything else: You'll get more vivid colors and a more crystal clear screen with Glossy.

I can't imagine trying to use my glossy-screened MacBook outdoors. Took it to work one day and wasn't able to use it because the florescent lights in the office were too bright.

iKitten said:

One trick with the glossy is to elevate it so the screen can sit more upright rather than at an angle which catches more overhead lighting ~ I've set mine on a huge dictionary for this purpose.

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Yes, when ever I used my old MBP I set it on a textbook.

I'd say matte... I've sat outside with my matte MBP on a quite sunny day and the screen is perfect!
Of course... I got matte for graphics work in the first place, glossy doesn't make much sense for that. I'm really bad at focussing my eyes, so a glossy would KILL me outside! I tried watching a DVD on a train ride the other day on my old HP, which is glossy, and it drove me NUTS. I can't even use that thing anymore, matte is so much easier on the eyes... so if you have eye problems like me, matte is a nice break. It's personal preference!

Does the iMac have a Matte or Glossy screen?

iMacs have a matte screen.

Those iMacs have amazing screens, don't they?

As a graphic designer, I prefer my screens to be matte, as they provide more accurate color reproduction, especially for print media. My current HP notebook has the "Brightview" aka glossy screen and using it outside or areas with rows of fluorescent lighting is a paint. My glossy screen reflects too much even on cloudy days. I compared the glossy screen and the matte screen at my local Apple store and the matte screen does not look bad in comparison to the glossy, probably because of the brightness of the LEDs in the MBP. However, I'll admit that the colors seem to pop more on glossy screens than a matte one. Good for multimedia, not for work.

softtack said:

As a graphic designer, I prefer my screens to be matte, as they provide more accurate color reproduction...

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Well, I've got a 20" S-IPS external monitor for that. But for taking the laptop outside on the patio (occasionally) I was wondering which screen would be best.

Then again, if I go with a Macbook I guess it won't matter, since I won't have a choice of screens.

SoundsGood said:

Well, I've got a 20" S-IPS external monitor for that. But for taking the laptop outside on the patio (occasionally) I was wondering which screen would be best.

Then again, if I go with a Macbook I guess it won't matter, since I won't have a choice of screens.

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...
You intended to buy a MacBook yet you started this thread? What was the point of that?

Title27GT said:

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You intended to buy a MacBook yet you started this thread? What was the point of that?

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I said "if I go with a Macbook"

I'm still torn. But if I go with a MBP I'll need to choose one or the other.

To be honest, I prefer the size of the Macbook. But the extra features of the Pro have tempted me. If the Pro came in the Macbook's size, it would be a no brainer for me.