Dell Glossy Screen Laptop Users... and ex-users...

I am planning on getting the 1420. But I need to know if the glossy screen is annoying or not. I've only had laptops with MATTE screens, so transitioning to a glossy might be a nightmare for me...

I've read A LOT about glossy and matte screens so I know the basic pros/cons. All I need now is advice/suggestions on which is better FROM EXPERIENCED users.

All I'm afraid of is the horrible glare I'll be getting. I want a high-res screen with MATTE screen but Dell doesn't offer that which I think is stupid.

Does anyone have the standard matte screen? Is the resolution any good? I'm afraid the standard screen will be bad quality, not enough detail...

 

Glossy screen is annoying, picks up dust/finger prints, glares hurts your eyes, and you wouldn't like the fact that you scratched the screen so easily. However, Dell specifically has improved on the Glossy screen of the laptop, and there are anti glare cover you can purchase to turn your screen in to a matte like screen if you can't stand it

I would say Matte is pretty reliable, more general look and less you have to care about.

Being on the pro side, I liked the color contrast they give you in the glossy screen, and it is... certainly new looking and it looks almost enthusiastic. I have standard Matte screen, and the resolution is 1440X900 so I guess that is okay on 15.4 screen (notice you are even getting a smaller display), but it isn't bad when I turn it down to 1280X768. Stil plenty of details good quality (hell, it doesn't even look that bad when I have 17 inch monitor turned down in to the 1280X768)

 

A friend of mine has an Inspiron 1501 with the glossy screen. Beautiful colors and contrast, but reflections are bad, especially if you like to use your machine outside in the sun. The glossy screen picks up fingerprints quite easily too. I think the pros (excellent visual quality) outweigh the cons (glare!) in my opinion.

 

Glossy screens can be a problem in brightly lit rooms or outdoors. But if no glare is present, then colors look richer and images are sharper with TrueLife. Go to one of the PC shops around your area or borrow one from a friend and use see for yourself; no matter how many of us post here, it won’t help you as much as hands-on experience.

 

I hate the dull, washed-out look of the matte screen. I now have a 19" glossy external monitor and couldn't be happier. Bright, vibrant colors, more precise text. I sit at a table next to a window, with an overhead light. I'm rarely aware of the reflections, and in any case they're more than made up for by the positive aspects of the glossy.

Reading all of the "glossy" horror stories made me shy away from getting a glossy screen. I now realize that this issue is 100% personally subjective. Other peoples' opinions will be useless to you until you see the differences for yourself. Go into a showroom and check out different screens in person.

 

My 1520 has a glossy screen and in normal room lighting, the reflection is hardly noticeable for me...... I dont use it outdoors so I didnt get a chance to see it in sunlight..... But the colours look pretty bright and the overall picture on the screen is so vibrant....

 

I had problems with the glossy screen when I had the windows beside me...no matter how i turned the laptop still I could hardly see...

glossy - for home
matte - for road

 

glossy - for home
matte - for road


thats basicly it, ive had glossy screens for the last few years and dont have any trouble, they are richer and visualy brilliant, mines always udes indorrs anyway, you can use them outdoors if you dont sit with the sun shining right on it, which really is the same for any sort of screen weather it glossy or anything

 

Are you sure you want higher resolution? Paradoxically, it may result in blurry fonts. In some threads and user reviews, some people have said they regretted their high resolution screens because their fonts were too small to read, so they had to change the dots per inch, which in LCD screens leads to blurrier fonts, worse than if they had opted for a lower resolution screen. Unlike CRT's, LCD screens are sharp only at their native resolution.

Also, keep in mind that you may be able to get high color, high contrast screens that have anti-glare coatings. Sony claims:

 

I have two laptops, glossy and matte and like the glossy better.

I use the glossy in classes 5 days a week with florescent lights in bright classrooms with no problem. If i inadvertently sit in a spot where i get a glare i just have to turn the screen brightness up.

Glossy > matte

 

I suppose it depends what you're using it for and where you're using it. I've got an old laptop with a matt screen that's fine for word processing but i really can't do with it for photo editing or any kind of graphical work because the screen looks so washed out and bland. For that my glossy screen laptop is miles better - better for watching movies on too. If you've ever used a standard glass screen monitor on a desktop then it's pretty much the same thing in terms of reflections.

 

Same here. I have the glossy (have always had matt before, and really really like it - not sure whether it's the glossy or the WSXGA+, but it's fantastic. My wife has the 1720 with a matt WXGA+ and having now seen mine she likes my screen better - colors are better. The glare is hardly noticeable to me. The dust is only noticeable when the screen is off (black).

I haven't travelled with it yet - so will see whether that will change my mind.

 

I have a Thinkpad (known for only using matte screens because they're business machines that normally get used in "office" settings) and I had my screen converted to glossy. I would have bought a Dell, but I think the Thinkpad is built more sturdy. I agree this issue is 100% personal.

Glossy > Matte when you can control the glare issue because you get higher contrast, greater viewing angles, and more vibrant colors.

Matte > Glossy if you can't figure out how to avoid lighting issues.

 

I got a "scratched" Inspiron 1520 with WSXGA+ Glossy Screen for my wife before I'd read all the pros & cons. I was worried about the choice because the laptop will primarily be used for web research and word processing.

Out of the box the fonts were way too small, but the colors are exceptionally vivid. Because the screen is so sharp smaller fonts are more useable than I expected. And with a little tweaking I have the fonts at a comfortable size

The glare has not been a problem in her home office.

I'm now very glad I got the glossy screen.

 

Anyone like their high resolution notebooks? We are trying to decide to go high resolution or not.

We've got Brightview HP notebook and have had it for 3 or so years and I would always pick glossy. I have windows behind me (I keep blinds closed) and yes you can see glare etc but you don't notice it after awhile. If you tilt the screen at different angles it helps alot. Glossy is worth it to me.

SK

 

Yes I got a glossy WSXGA+ 1520 and the screen is fabulous - the glare is hardly a problem. My wife has the anti-glare (matt) 1720 WXGA and she says my screen is far superior (she's a photographer).

 

I got the glossy screen and it is a little annoying under the flourescent lights @ work and school... but at home, its great. Can anyone tell me where I could get one of the screen covers to use @ work and school, and take it off when I'm at home?

Thanks,
Bambs

 

I love my glossy screen on the 1420. Having been only a matte user till now, I was very scared I'd made the wrong decision this time. But I simply love the 1420 with glossy screen and now find the matte screens of the other laptops just dull and horrible to look at.

I use it mainly indoors but even if I sit with a window behind me, I hardly get any reflections.

As long as you're not on the lowest brightness settings, you shouldn't be getting much glare.

 

I ordered the matte screen on my 1420, and I much prefer it to my roommate's Toshiba with a glossy screen. The reason is that I actually use the computer outside sometimes, which it is much better for. Also, in many situations it is perfectly visible at the lowest brightness setting, which gives AMAZING battery life. However, if you are never/rarely going to use it outside, or you do a lot of photo editing and watching movies, the glossy screen may be better.

Also remember that even though everyone talks about the glossy screen having great colours, its not as if the colours on the matte screen are bad. It looks hundreds of times better than the Dell 15" CRT I was using before I got my 1420.