When you buy a laptop or monitor, you are faced with a choice: matte or glossy? Which screen cover is best? What turns into a “mirror” in the light of the Sun, or one on which the colors seem faded?
We hope this article will help you decide.
Glossy vs matte
Where did this opposition come from? After all, both glossy and matte monitors use the same LCD panels.
Nevertheless, manufacturers are releasing glossy and matte monitors, and buyers are in the throes of choice.
Consider the advantages and disadvantages of each of the coatings.
Glossy displays are more "bright". They have more saturated, intense and contrasting color reproduction; especially deep black. This is a plus.
However, they shine in the sun. This is a minus. If you often work outdoors or your workplace located by a window, glare may interfere with you.
Matte displays have an anti-reflective coating that "extinguishes" glare. Therefore, in rooms with bright artificial or natural lighting, it is more comfortable to work behind such monitors.
The disadvantage of matte displays is fading. Colors look a little duller on them.
The pros and cons of glossy and matte monitors are clearly demonstrated by the cover photo. Matte Dell on the left and glossy Apple on the right.
What to choose?
It all depends on your goals.
If you're looking for a desktop monitor and the room isn't overly lit, a glossy finish with more vibrant colors is probably the way to go.
If you're buying a laptop and plan to work outdoors a lot (on the terrace on a sunny day), then look for a matte display. Similarly, when buying a monitor for desktop computer in very good lighting conditions (table by the window, powerful lamps). But remember: the AR coating on a matte display will not protect you 100% from glare, but it will be slightly less noticeable than on a glossy screen.
Of course, it is impossible to create ideal conditions for the entire life of the screen (especially when it comes to a laptop). Today your desk is far from the window, and tomorrow they transferred you to an office flooded with sunlight. Therefore, choosing a glossy or matte display, in any case, you make a compromise.
(The photo shows not only laptops with a matte (left) and glossy (right) finish, but also different models different generations. Please do not make direct comparisons.)
If it were possible to make a monitor where, at the click of a finger, a matte finish would change to glossy (and vice versa), many would be happy. After all, this would allow "tuning" the monitor to specific conditions. But this is unreal.
Therefore, it is likely that the opposition “glossy vs matte” will continue. After all, how many people, so many opinions.
Many, when planning to buy a new netbook, laptop or monitor, are faced with the fact that the type of screen coverage of these devices is matte or glossy. A number of questions immediately arise about the differences between a glossy screen and a matte one. In this article, we will try to help you understand which of the screens fit better in your particular case - glossy or matte.
Glossy screens: pros and consThe question of whether a glossy or matte laptop screen is better will soon disappear by itself. Most manufacturers have been producing for several generations of gadgets exclusively with glossy screens. But the opinion of manufacturers, most likely, is dictated not so much by the convenience of the user, as by the presentation of the device on the shelf. First of all, a laptop with a shiny glossy screen has a better presentation than counterparts with matte screens. The main advantage of this type of screens is the picture quality and color reproduction in rooms where direct light rays do not fall on them. Otherwise, a mirror effect is created, and the user, except for his own reflection, will not be able to see anything. The advantage of such screens is that the picture on them is much brighter and more contrast, and the black color is much more saturated. In ambient lighting conditions in the room, the viewing angle of the image on the screen of a laptop or monitor of a glossy type will be much larger than on a matte counterpart.
Matte screens: pros and consIf you have chosen a device with a matte screen, then you need to be prepared for the fact that it will be inferior in colors and brightness to glossy counterparts. This feature of these devices is caused by applying a special anti-glare layer to the screen surface. The picture will 
not as "lively" and a little grainy, but where the monitor hits the light or direct Sun rays, the image on a matte screen will be clearly visible, unlike a glossy one. You need to be careful with such screens, they should not be touched with greasy hands, if spots appear, it will be quite problematic to erase them.
Before buying, be sure to consider in what conditions you will operate the device most often. If there is a window behind your workplace, then it is better to give preference to a matte screen. Well, if you want to use the device in a room illuminated by diffused light, and you are demanding on image quality, then it is better to choose a glossy one.
When you buy a laptop or monitor, you are faced with a choice: matte or glossy? Which screen cover is best? What turns into a “mirror” in the light of the Sun, or one on which the colors seem faded?
We hope this article will help you decide.
Glossy vs matte
Where did this opposition come from? After all, both glossy and matte monitors use the same LCD panels.
Nevertheless, manufacturers are releasing glossy and matte monitors, and buyers are in the throes of choice.
Consider the advantages and disadvantages of each of the coatings.
Glossy displays are more "bright". They have more saturated, intense and contrasting color reproduction; especially deep black. This is a plus.
However, they shine in the sun. This is a minus. If you often work outdoors or your workspace is near a window, glare may bother you.
Matte displays have an anti-reflective coating that "extinguishes" glare. Therefore, in rooms with bright artificial or natural lighting, it is more comfortable to work behind such monitors.
The disadvantage of matte displays is fading. Colors look a little duller on them.
The pros and cons of glossy and matte monitors are clearly demonstrated by the cover photo. Matte Dell on the left and glossy Apple on the right.
What to choose?
It all depends on your goals.
If you're looking for a desktop monitor and the room isn't overly lit, a glossy finish with more vibrant colors is probably the way to go.
If you're buying a laptop and plan to work outdoors a lot (on the terrace on a sunny day), then look for a matte display. Similarly, when buying a monitor for a desktop computer in very good lighting conditions (a table by the window, powerful lamps). But remember: the AR coating on a matte display will not protect you 100% from glare, but it will be slightly less noticeable than on a glossy screen.
Of course, it is impossible to create ideal conditions for the entire life of the screen (especially when it comes to a laptop). Today your desk is far from the window, and tomorrow you have been transferred to an office bathed in sunlight. Therefore, choosing a glossy or matte display, in any case, you make a compromise.
(The photo shows not only laptops with a matte (left) and glossy (right) finish, but also different models of different generations. Please do not make direct comparisons.)
If it were possible to make a monitor where, at the click of a finger, a matte finish would change to glossy (and vice versa), many would be happy. After all, this would allow "tuning" the monitor to specific conditions. But this is unreal.
Therefore, it is likely that the opposition “glossy vs matte” will continue. After all, how many people, so many opinions.
Here comes the long-awaited day of buying a new monitor. And the first question in the store puzzles us: “What kind of monitor do you want? Matte or glossy? They begin to list all the advantages and disadvantages of both. As a result, we get lost and go home with nothing. To prevent this from happening, let's first figure out which monitor is better: matte or glossy? What is their difference?
Both monitors have liquid crystal panels. Glossy and matte monitors differ only in the coating that is applied to the screen. But if both displays use the same LCD panels, where does the contrast between matte and glossy come from?
Features of glossy monitor screens
Features of glossy screens are brighter, more saturated colors, high color rendering, black color is much more pronounced. However, when using glossy monitor reflections and glare become more noticeable. The downside is that when the computer is turned off, all fingerprints are visible. When sunlight hits the screen, the image becomes worse. As a result, it becomes impossible to work on it on a sunny day or on the street. Another disadvantage of such a monitor is that they put a lot of strain on the eyes.
Matte screens differ from glossy screens with a special anti-reflective coating that prevents reflections. With a matte monitor, you can work in any conditions and reduce eye strain. The disadvantage of such a monitor is poor color reproduction, the colors are faded, dull.
Operating conditions for glossy and matte monitors
If you need a monitor for home computer then you should think about the lighting in the room. If not too bright, then a glossy monitor with rich colors will do. But if you plan to work on the street or in a room (office) where there is bright lighting, then it is preferable to choose a matte screen. Although it is worth remembering that a matte screen does not protect 100 percent from glare.
In any case, light sources that are in direct line of sight should be hidden. However, in most workplaces, so-called open light sources are used to illuminate the workplace, which include all kinds of chandeliers, office wall or floor lamps. In this case, the use of gadgets with matte screens gives a significant advantage over glossy ones: they make glare less sharp, as if blurring them.
It is impossible to foresee all the conditions in which you will work. Everything can change the very next day after the purchase. For example, you bought a glossy monitor, and tomorrow you have to work outside or in a place where there is a lot of light. Purchasing an anti-reflective film will help solve this problem. However, it is no longer possible to make a glossy monitor out of a matte monitor.
When working with graphic objects, image processing, glossy screens artificially increase contrast. The picture is bright and saturated. However, excessive contrast only visually creates a false sense of beauty. For these purposes, it is better to use a matte monitor.
If you use your computer to watch movies, surf the Internet, play games, make videos, and graphic editors, then a glossy monitor will do. Reflections are not so noticeable. Indeed, in games and films there are bright pictures, here you need color saturation, entertainment. Another plus of a glossy monitor, for example, in laptops is less battery consumption, since the picture looks more colorful when using a lower backlight. However, since modern gadgets, in our case, a laptop, a mobile and easily transportable device, it is easier to deal with excessive solar and household glare - the display screen can be easily moved to a convenient non-solar place and rotated / tilted as you like. For this reason, the glossy screen coating has found wide application and has become especially popular on mobile devices.
Which monitor to choose for working with text, numbers?
At the same time, if you buy equipment mainly for working with texts and numbers, then the most important criteria for choosing a monitor should be eye comfort and the ability to use it in any conditions. In this case, it is recommended to buy a matte monitor. Unlike a glossy screen, images on a matte monitor will not be as bright and saturated, but bright sunlight when it hits the monitor will not cause glare and the image will remain well readable.
If, however, when choosing a monitor model, the highest need for transmission is in the first place colors images in a room with secondary lighting, using a laptop / monitor at one workplace without moving it, adjusting the environment to it (lighting, location of the workplace to a light source, etc.), an additional reflective device, then glossy models can be considered. It should also be said that if you worked with a matte screen and switched to a glossy one, then some discomfort will be felt at work for some time.
Before buying, you should carefully weigh the pros and cons of these monitors. In general, it is quite difficult to argue and gossip about the fact which of the screen coverings is preferable, since each user chooses the most acceptable solution for himself. But if you sum up all of the above, then if you work in a room with dim lighting, a monitor with a glossy display will do. And in the case of using the monitor in brighter lighting, you should choose a display with a matte finish.
Let's sum up a little:
Pros of glossy monitors
- brighter, more saturated colors and high color rendering;
- well-defined black color;
- the best when working with graphic objects, image processing, watching videos.
Cons of monitors with a glossy screen
- glare when sunlight hits the screen;
- fingerprints are visible;
- eyes get tired faster.
Pros of matte monitors
- special anti-reflective coating;
- more comfortable to work with texts, numbers;
- generally less responsive in games.
Cons of monitors with a matte finish
- poor color rendition;
- colors are faded, dull;
- graininess is visible in some cheap options.
If you look closely, each type of coverage has its advantages and disadvantages, but in the end it all comes down to how the monitor will be used: be it games, movies, or just work.
