Apple reinstates matte display option on 15-inch MacBook Pro


Recommended Posts

Apple reinstates matte display option on 15-inch MacBook Pro, charges $50 for it

15-inch-mbp-matte-option.png

We'd heard just under a month ago that Apple was mulling the possibility of adding matte display options to more than just its flagship 17-inch MacBook Pro, and lo and behold, it seems the anti-glare revolution has begun. Starting now (like, right now), those in the market for a new unibody 15-inch MacBook Pro can order one directly from Apple with an anti-glare widescreen display, packing 1,440 x 900 pixels and a LED backlight. Sadly, the privilege will run you an extra $50 over the traditional mirrored glossy panel, and it will replace that svelte borderless look present on glossy MBPs with a silver frame bezel (check here to see just what we mean). A brief look around Apple's international sites also shows it available elsewhere in the world for similar amounts, though we're still curious as to what machine will be next in line for the upgrade, er, "option."

souricon.gif News source: Engadget

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Damn... just bought a 13-incher 2 days ago... they better not bring out a matte option for the 13-inch anytime soon :(

LOL - in Australia, the 17-inch anti-glare option costs an extra $80... even if they offered it for the 13-inch, I don't think I'd bite! :p

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Was a time you paid for the glossy, now you pay for the matte. But it's far superior!

Yeah, I was thinking that too.

I don't think matte should cost any extra.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I personally prefer the Glossy option. When I bought my 17" I could have taken the Anti-Glare and I totally considered it but after receiving my Glossy it's so much better. First of all its highly scratch resistant and its a lot easier to clean which are important to me in a screen I'll be owning for the next 3 years or more.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well now I can finally consider buying a new Macbook Pro, I was waiting for them to re-instate the matte displays.

I personally prefer the Glossy option.

My guess is you don't use your laptop outside much? It's completely and utterly un-useable in bright conditions.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well now I can finally consider buying a new Macbook Pro, I was waiting for them to re-instate the matte displays.

My guess is you don't use your laptop outside much? It's completely and utterly un-useable in bright conditions.

My old MBP was also a 17" but with Matte and it was just as unreadable in sunlight as a glossy is.

Glossy in Sunlight: Reflects everything

Matte in Sunlight: Completely washed out by the sun and unreadable.

So both options are completely bad in Sunlight whichever way you go I'm afraid.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The MacBooks seriously needed a Matte option. Wonder if this will become available on the 13" as well.

I guess it's personal preference.

I love my 13' inch glass screen. Comparing with my friends 17' mate screen I think my screen has a bit more vibrant color.

But to each his own....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Matte in Sunlight: Completely washed out by the sun and unreadable.

So both options are completely bad in Sunlight whichever way you go I'm afraid.

My experiences with it are completely different - I use my laptop almost daily outside (in the sun most of the time) and it's quite useable, however I tested the glossy display (Unibody 15") and I couldn't do anything - it was impossible to even IRC on a black background :-)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I do enjoy the matte screen much better, but when I bought my 15" MBP (June 2008), I thought the options were the same price, but it appears it won't be that way anymore. I don't find it too difficult to use outside, so it works for me. Obviously the colors and brightness will not be up-to-snuff, but it's much better than the mirror the glossy screen boasts if you're not positioned just right in the sun.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Does this premium anti-glare display still protect the display itself with a layer of glass? That's what I like about the current unibody models: that the display is protected by glass, which itself can be easily cleaned.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Does this premium anti-glare display still protect the display itself with a layer of glass? That's what I like about the current unibody models: that the display is protected by glass, which itself can be easily cleaned.

that would be neat but then it would have to have the anti-glare on the glass itself.

the other thing I don't like to see is the silver bezel around the matte screens. prefer the black bezel look.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The glossy screens are absolutely amazing, sure some people need a Matte option, but I would never be able to buy a matte screen over a glossy screen on a Macbook.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As I said everywhere else, I don't see the point in a matte screen if there's no S-IPS panel, so why bother?

Pros: Glass, easier to clean

Cons: Shows every last fingerprint *ugh* Needs constant cleaning!

Matte:

Pros: No shiny shiny, fingerprints won't show *quite as bad*

Cons: Not as pretty, MacBook LCDs generally aren't accurate enough to matter anyway.

Good luck calibrating a MacBook Pro LCD to anything usable XD It's not a huge deal to me anyway. It could be worse!

MacBook "glossy":

Pros: NONE. Perhaps slightly better saturation

Cons: Orange peel in glossy finish, crappy LCD that is washed out. !!*#@%

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

I am buying a MacBook Pro 15" and am wondering whether I should pay the extra $50 for the anti-gloss screen. This seems to be a hotly debated issue out on the world wild web without a clear and decisive answer on which is best.

I will be using my MacBook Pro at my home mostly and when I travel but all for personal computing. I won't be doing work on it 8 hrs/day.

I feel like I would enjoy the glass screen, but I don't want to be focusing on the shininess and glare instead of what is being displayed if it's that extreme. I thought I preferred the black bezel of the glossy over the silver bezel of the anti-glare, but now I think I'd enjoy both equally except that the black keyboard might match the black bezel a little better. From what I've read, both are fairly easy to clean, but the glossy requires more cleaning.

Stupid choices. I'd probably be better off if they only sold it with the glossy. :p

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My guess is you don't use your laptop outside much? It's completely and utterly un-useable in bright conditions.

Yeah, because the Matte screen is soooooo readable outside....?:rolleyes::

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.