Anti-glare screen protector for M14x?

As much as I like the Alienware M14x, the one thing I'm a little disappointed in is how ridiculously reflective the screen is. I can understand that glossy screens are reflective, but compared to my Toshiba and Mac (which also have glossy screens), the Alienware is even more reflective and I can see my reflection in the screen even if the background on the screen is white and the screen's not facing a window.

So I was wondering...would you recommend this anti-glare screen protector? AG2 Anti-Glare Screen Protector for Dell Alienware M14x Laptop : Monitors | Dell

Or is there a better one I should look at? Has anyone used it and would recommend it? I'm just trying to reduce the glare, even if by a little bit...

 

Nice scoop thanks - I ordered one today

 

Didn't like it made it look add it had a haze to it.did I also mention it's difficult to apply.no matter what I did I had bubbles.

Best I could do.

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk

 

Aww crap...well, I'll give it a try. I'm assuming it can be removed once applied, right?

 

Looks decent, I'll be ordering mine. I cant take this mudderfugging MIRROR of a laptop much longer.

Seeing my ugly face all day is gonna drive me insane

 

This forum already has side by side pictures of two m14x's, one with the anti-glare and one without.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m14x/605050-side-side-w-pics-gloss-vs-matte-cover.html

Go ahead and look at post one and three for on and off comparisons of the anti-glare screen protector.

For those of you who get bubbles. . . it would probably benefit you to watch the video provided by the maker of the screen protector.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kw4uN4T9Csk

~Latromi

 

*sigh* That thread just made me not want to do it. Not only because it'll be hard to do, but I just know that it's going to reduce the already not-so-wonderful screen quality...hmm...I still have a little while to return this computer...not sure what to do, as usual...

 

Hmm. . . Don't really know what to tell you. Once you have it on there, it very well COULD be worth the 20 min or so struggle to get the protector on. I didn't see ALL that much talk about reduction in screen quality. I couldn't tell you myself because my m14x is still in the mail. I have the protector ready to apply right out of the box. I am hoping the struggle will be worth it. From the video, it doesn't seem TOO hard to do, though I am aware that its been reported to be much more difficult than other protectors out there for other laptops.

It seems to be entirely preference as to whether or not the anti-glare helps. I think if you go into it thinking it will solve ALL your issues with the reflectiveness WITHOUT ANY drawbacks, you will be setting yourself up for disappointment. It's not going to turn your screen into a new screen. Its going to protect it from scratches and make it a little less reflective.

Is the reflectiveness the only issue you have with the screen, or are the colors an issue for you as well? I have heard people say that the colors aren't that great. For that, I can only say to fiddle with them for a while until you get the colors to be something acceptable.

From you saying that you are already debating returning it, I would like to ask (or for you to ask yourself at the very least) if you have other issues with the system?

I have a friend who had a laptop with a screen she really disliked, but she really needed the portability for classes at school. She ended up getting a decent monitor for home/dorm computing, and then bought a film to reduce glare for when she DID need to rely on the screen. She to this day is not 100% impressed with the screen, but the system itself was too well fit to her needs to switch to another system. Reduced glare helped quite a bit for her, but she only used the laptop screen when she NEEDED the portability.

I don't know what your budget or lifestyle or needs are in a computer. You could be someone who can get a new computer every year, or someone who holds out and gets a new one every 4 years or so. You could be on the move a LOT, or basically stationary most of the time.

Since you HAVE the m14x and macbook air, I can only assume that the portability is important enough to you. If the screen is 100% of a dealbreaker. . . that is something you have to evaluate yourself. It may be something you need to give the laptop a second chance over. . . or it may be something you need to return the laptop over and give it more thought and research.

 

I know it's not going to cure everything, it's just I've been trying to find a good PC laptop for the past year and a half with no success. So I've tried and returned more than 4 PC laptops during that time. The screen is really important to me but I came to realize that I simply couldn't get a perfect screen on a PC laptop (with everything else that I wanted), so I decided to settle for something less-than-perfect, but still decent. The color issue I really fixed by adjusting the saturation to +10. It makes the colors look almost identical to the colors on the Mac.

I thought about getting the 17-inch Alienware with the super high quality 1920x1080 screen, but it was very expensive and very heavy. I chose the M14x because it solved that issue. The screen quality is fine to me, though not perfect (it's a bit "liney" if you know what I mean). So the problem is the reflectiveness, just because this screen is MORE reflective than your average glossy screen, which is already reflective enough. The only time I don't notice it is at night. Other than that, if there is the slightest bit of light in the room I can see my reflection in the screen. I wish it didn't bug me so much, but it turns out it does.

I'm not sure. I already ordered the screen-protector, so I'm going to try it (hope I can get it off well if I decide I don't like it), but beyond that, I don't really have a solution in mind.

 

I definitely understand your gripe with reflectiveness! It's almost impossible to find a decent laptop with a nice non-reflective screen. And one that plays games well to boot? Forget it. Alienware is the only brand right now that seems to be offering portability and power all at once without leaving craters in your wallet too. The lack of choice is more than disappointing. I pretty much refuse to get any laptop over 7lbs. Once you pass that mark, you might as well get a desktop. (I switched houses every other week when I was younger due to a split up family, and I did so with a 10lb desktop and 22 inch monitor, so I am VERY done with heavy computer lifting)

I am sincerely impressed that you have bought and returned that many laptops. I don't think I would have the patience. Though, if you have the patience for that many laptop returns (presumably with quite a bit of customer service as well) then putting on a slightly-more-difficult than normal screen protector shouldn't be too much pain.

Hopefully it WILL fix your issue enough to the point where you don't have to go through returns again. Did you order the protector through dell? I got mine literally within 24 hours of ordering it, so you shouldn't have to wait very long to try it out.

From the video, it seems to leave no residue or even be difficult at all to take on and off. (In the video they just used a piece of normal scotch tape to form a tab that could be used to lift the protector up in places) I wouldn't worry about that side of things at all. Just be sure to follow the instructions, stay as calm as possible, and watch the video beforehand so you know what to do if you encounter bubbles or lint stuck in between the protector and the screen.

 

I ordered it through Dell, yeah, so I hope it comes soon. I got an email saying it was coming, so I'll just wait patiently.

One of the laptops I tried and returned was an HP dv7t. It was 17 inches and weighed about 6 and a half pounds (which is light for a 17 inch) and it had the most perfect non-reflective screen I had ever seen. Hands down, the best screen ever. But unfortunately for picky me, the sound wasn't perfect, there was a constant "static" sound in the background when the headphones were in (also I hated that it didn't have a backlit keyboard), so I ended up returning that one.

Anything else I've tried it seems like the only good screens are 1920x1080 and on a screen smaller than 17-inch, that gives me headaches. That's why I went with the Alienware because it has that 1600x900 on a 14", which is really rare. Unfortunate the physical screen itself is like a mirror. So we'll see. I'll definitely be getting back to this thread with the results

 

That is impressively light for a 17 inch laptop. Not many laptops have backlit keyboards though, and if any company is putting one in, its not going to be HP. I have had so many issues with HP products (desktops, laptops, printers) that I pretty much steer clear of them. They can make nice screens though. I liked my HP screen on my desktop computer pretty decently for everything but its viewing angle, and the fact that it's power plug was broken right out of the box so shifting it SLIGHTLY would cause the screen to lose power. (Something that made it not so fun to set up every two weeks when I switched houses. >__< I already knew how terrible their customer service was when I had 2 reps hang up on me when they couldn't find me in their database, so I wasn't returning or exchanging it!)

What I find amusing is that of ALL the laptops on the market that HAVE backlit keyboards. . . I have yet to see one with a matte screen. Especially in the m14x's case, with it being SO overly reflective. . . you think someone on the design team would have gone, "this keyboard is cool, but I always have it off because when I look at the screen I can't see anything BUT my keyboard."

That thought ALONE made me buy the screen protector at the time I purchased. "How am I supposed to enjoy a light up keyboard when the tiny power light on my NETBOOK reflecting off my screen annoys me!?" Granted, my netbook only shows reflection when below 50% brightness, and only is it annoyingly obvious at around 30% or below. I usually operate at around 80% brightness on this netbook because the screen is deceptively bright.

From what I have seen of alienware laptops (my friend owns an m11x and an m18x) they can get pretty bright (though not as much as my EEEpc) and that helps reduce reflection a lot, but I am not sure how true this is of the m14x. Most of my house has ambient lighting that is either aimed at walls or the ceiling, so if I can't see my face or the keyboard lights when the laptop is running in that sort of environment, I will be pleased. If the screen protector can make it so that I am able to turn it down one or two more notches without being severely bugged. . . I think it will be a keeper.

Let me know how it goes for sure. In the event that my m14x arrives before your protector does, I will certainly let you know how difficult it is. I have no knowledge on tints or films; all I know is what I learned from the GreenOnionsSupply video.

My m14x came in Monday!

After about a half hour of struggle, I DID manage to get the screen protector on without ANY bubbles. There is still some VERY small lint pieces, but they are so small that you can only tell they are there if the computer is off or if you REALLY look for them. Really there are very few situations in which I have swiped dust off my screen and gone "that one is under it". How often is your screen 100% dust free? I know mine isn't, so 2-3 VERY small under the screen dusts really dont bug me unless I am reading online and I see them glaringly obvious. Even now I have to LOOK to find them. . . and move my head very close to the screen to even tell.

Due to my struggles putting it on, I realized about half way to giving up that I was going at it VERY wrong. So here's a couple tips to help people.

1- Take off the blue film before attempting to remedy bubbles and dust. Once the screen protector is how you like it, its going to be in your way.
2- Don't use the TERRIBLE microfiber cloth they provided unless that is your only choice.
3- Wear a clean shirt without too much lint on it, or just skip wearing a shirt all together. Anything that DOES have tiny air dusties on it. . . will immediately magnet to the screen as you attempt to FIX issues with it. I suggest working in a place with little to no carpets. Kitchen is where I did mine.
4- DONT tackle entire sections of the screen and expect to fix like. . . a quarter of the screen at a time.
5- What you need to do is WORK OUTWARDS. Find ALL the issues you have with the center of the screen. . . pick a corner. . . lift. . . get rid of them. . . and then lay it down. If that bit of space is fine. . . DONT LIFT THAT FAR UP AGAIN!! Work outwards, each time lifting less and less until you are happy. Don't even bother LOOKING at the lint or pockets in the corners if there is something further towards the center you want to fix. By the time you have the more center part to your liking. . . there will be 6 more things in the corner that you need to address. JUST WORK OUTWARDS.

It does NOT leave any sort of residue, but the dust isolation sheet can if you wipe or dab with it. . . so don't do that. Use scotch tape. My scotch tape did NOT have the sticking power that the video guide's did. I ended up using my nail to lift the screen up each time. . . kind of a hassle at first until you get the hang of it.

You WILL notice a very slight "rainbow dot" effect once its on and you have the laptop on and functioning. It doesn't do away, it never will. The effect ir more severe at some angles rather than others. . . but so far I haven't seen any sort of external light source affect it. So its not going away. It's not terrible once you learn to look past it. It has the same sort of subtle dapple effect that many tablet laptops have, or perhaps non-glass laptop screens. If you are looking for it, its there, but its not so terrible that it makes me want to never use this laptop. . . where as the intense glare IS. So its a slight tradeoff. I would not say it hinders the quality of the screen at all in any way. I am pretty picky about screens too.

You WILL probably have to re-calibrate stuff once the screen is on. I have found that having Nvidia control the display for color and contrast SIGNIFICANTLY helps in the color an contrast zone of things. Having Nvidia use it's settings for the display doesn't affect optimus as far as I can tell, and even at DEFAULT settings it looks WAY better than Intel's defaults for sure. After all of this tinkering. . . I can say that this screen looks almost exactly like my eee pc 1005ha. The rainbow dotting is slightly more severe on the m14x. . .but the color is identical. I don't have any idea what people are saying about the color being bad. Maybe have never had a good laptop screen that is fit for something like photography. I have no idea, but I can say for sure that the m14x certainly suits me fine.

 

I just struggled through what you did today and it took about a hour also to get as near as perfect as I could - And I agree with you on the screen also , My father isn't superman and my mother isn't the bionic woman so I cannot see all the wavelengths of the color spectrum to pick this screen apart . I am beyond happy with this laptop , screen and pretty much everything else .

 

Sorry to revive this old thread, but I'm about to get this laptop, and I was searching for an anti-glare solution. Do you guys think this is worth it? I can't find anything else that ships to my country.

Anti-Glare Screen Protector DELL Alienware M14x (Cover Whole Screen) | eBay

 

Looks pretty good, I've been looking for a screen protector as well.

 

It isn't the Green Onion Supply one, so I can't say how worth it it would be.

Honestly I love my m14x, but the screen is still much more glare-y even WITH the protector. (Not to mention it was HELL putting it on, and it still has dust under it)

If anti-glare is really THAT important, Sager Laptops have the option for matte, and I have heard they are very nice. They are high end gaming laptops and are just as well priced as the m14x is.

custom gaming laptops - Welcome to Sager Notebooks

You can get a matte screen with most of their models (I don't think their 14 inch has it, but their 15 inchers do). You can even specify thermal paste brand, and get dual hard drives instead of a DVD drive.

Honestly if I were to turn back time today, I would get a Sager. My m14x has already broken and had to be repaired once, and I haven't even had it 6 months yet. The NP9150 has a slightly better GPU in it too. It's the one I would get.

 

Hello all,

Might be a dumb question but I'm about to spend $50 on this coating and I want to be sure, are the dimensions for the M14x R2 exactly the same as the original M14x?

I'm planning to buy and have the Green Onions Supply anti glare coating shipped and I want to be sure.

Cheers

 

It is an exact fit. The cutout holes for mics/webcam are a little big (and when I got my film on, its not centered) but its a very nice fit.

Calm down before you put it on. Don't do it while you are stressed. And, though it sounds completely crazy. . . I would even say don't put it on while you are DRESSED either. Every single piece of microscopic fuzzy you never knew was stuck to your shirt. . . you are gonna have that static right off you and stick to the screen/film. Wet your hair down (tie it back if its long) and take off the shirt. Do it in a room that's well lit and NOT with carpet preferably. Don't have any fans on. Don't dust the house first. Basically treat the whole ordeal as surgery where your patient could die if anything is floating in the air.

WORK OUTWARDS, NOT in quarters or sections. Put it on, get the middle how you like it. . . then lift one side and work from the center to remove dust and other particles. Go inch by inch. . . slowly being sure you left nothing behind and ONLY lift up more when necessary to. Once you have one side how you like it, do the other side. Work outwards work outwards work outwards.

Don't go into it expecting easy work, or to get it right the first time. You won't, and it will only frustrate you. I went back and adjusted mine 3-4 times and every time was about an hour and a half of me wanting to return my laptop and (as stated above) just get a 15 inch matte screen Sager (doing that next time. I am NEVER messing with films again >__<).

The final time was a little less stressful because I went into it with the plan to work outwards an NOT in quarters. My original plan did one FULL corner at a time. You cant do an entire section at once. Don't even try it. Work outwards slowly.

 

Mate, for your reply and good advice I thank you very much.
Cheers

 

is it worth it? isnt the screen good enough?

 

No problem. I hope you don't have to go through multiple sessions of hassle.

I advise against using any really strong tape too. I was using cheap dollar store stuff and it wasn't able to help much when stuff was stuck to the film itself. I switched to clear plastic packing tape and got residue problems.

I actually told them about my issues between tries 2 and 3.

The response I got said this:

Normally if you use a piece of clear cellophane (mostly Scotch or 3M) tape, you should not leave any residue on the Screen Protector. (Note: please do not use overly-strong/heavy-duty packing tapes.)
If your Screen Protector is currently full of dust parcels, what I'd suggest is to stick it on the dust isolation sheet's sticky side (make sure it's lying completely flat and not bent, and make sure the dust isolation sheet is throughly attached with the Screen Protector in order for it to stick off all the dust parcels).
This should help you remove most, if not all the dust parcels at once from your Screen Protector reapplication.

They also suggested I give the video another watch. Which is here:
Dell Alienware Laptop Screen Protector Installation Instructions | Green Onions Supply
The video may also give you a clearer idea of how good the fit is. I can't recall if they do any closeups. Its mostly instructional.

Good luck! >__<

Its better than nothing.

Its not better than a straight up matte screen.

I managed to dig up the old side-by-side pictures that GIJoeMyGoodness posted way back.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m14x/605050-side-side-w-pics-gloss-vs-matte-cover.html

You have to decide if that amount of anti-glare is worth it to you. I personally find the M14x screen IMPOSSIBLE to work with as standard. I hate glossy even on TV's. The anti-glare gets it to the point of toleration for me. I will never make the mistake of thinking to buy a laptop and an anti-glare ever again. I applied the film with much hassle and I have no desire to ever go through that again. I will shell out the extra money and get a model upgraded to be fully matte from another company next time.

But some people can stand glossy. I can't. I loathe that it even exists.

 

Thanks! Now my biggest challenge is to find this Green Onions Supply m14x protector in a place that they'll ship to Australia, one of Amazon's sellers that claimed to ship overseas cancelled my order soon after I placed it blaming it on stock

 

I would offer to help, but it was hard enough getting one in Canada. Dell's website didn't have it listed, but Canada Post said it was cheapest through them (they have a shipping calculator for a lot of online stores) so I looked on the site and found it listed for 50 bucks. Shipping from GreenOnions to here was 35 or 40 bucks for the 35 buck protector, so double the price of the product from them. I paid the 50 to Dell for the protector and only had to pay taxes on it since I got it at the same time as the laptop.

If I was still in the USA I would help you out. But it would probably be cheaper to get someone actually in the USA to do it. Its gonna be an arm and a leg no matter what. . . but possibly 20 bucks less so if it were to get shipped to me. I still have contacts there (I AM from the USA), but I don't know how you'd feel about going through a stranger on the internet. . . let alone a stranger through another stranger. Also I don't know any really easy ways to transfer money. If you can't find anything though, drop a reply down and I will see what I can do for you.

 

Again, cheers mate, I contacted one of my friends and it's on the way to the US and then it'll be forwarded to me here, thanks a bunch for the offer

 

Good deal! I hope shipping isn't too horrifying! Good luck getting it applied!

 

Let me start off saying I love AW laptops but absolutely hate that they don't come with a matte screen options.
C'mon DELL most people that use these would gladly pay extra for this and while getting a screen protector is a option they are a pain to put on and most of the time the screen quailty suffers when they are applied.

 

Anyone can tell me where i can order one of this anti-glare in europe (Italy)?thanks

EDIT: I saw in a video that the mainly problem il the platsic glossy panel, and not the screen behind tha panel.I know, the lcd is glossy too, but the frontal panel is the problem..is twice as glossy. It would be good if there was a matte frontal panel, obviously not made from Dell, but made from another brand.

 

I did one of these myself, I removed the Glass Panel and installed a Matte 900P screen from ScreenCountry, looks DEADLY

 

Sorry, i'm italian, so i can't understand what it means "DEADLY". I tried to translate with google, but i caan't find an italian corrent word.
Deadly is GOOD, or BAD?

 

He means: it looks great

 

Can you give me the exaclty link for this 900p matte on screencountry.com ? i want to be sure. thanks

 

Honestly it was about a year ago that I did this mod. I think it was from a Dell E6420 that I had lying around. But check this, they carry one certified to work

Alienware M14X replacement Laptop LCD Screen from $54.99 Brand-new screens (never used).

 

Ok, thanks..but are you using the screen without plastic front panel? Because i think the problem is the front panel too. Ok, the screen is glossy, but if I buy a matte screen and than replace the original front plastic panel (that is very glossy), I'll have the same problem...Can you post a photo of your m14x please? thank you very much