Glossy Screen or Not?

S

steveak

Weaksauce
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I'm thinking of finally upgrading from my many-years-old Hitachi 19" CRT and moving to either a 22" or 24" widescreen LCD.

My initial thought has been for the LG L227WTG-PF, but I'm not yet sold on any particular brand. (I've just been reading other threads about Acer monitors, so that might be a possibility also...)

Browsing in BestBuy last night, I was struck by the bright glossy screen of the LG model.

So the question is: Glossy screen or traditional "matte" screen?

I want to get the best viewing for my particular circumstances and want to make sure to get all the info I can before purchasing.

Obviously, any screen will look great at night or in low-light situations.

But how will a high-gloss screen do in a very bright situation?

Here's my living room setup: The monitor faces a wall of windows, so light comes in over my shoulders to hit the screen. I have curtains, but they are thin. They block out some light, but not all light. In the late afternoon, the monitor will be hit with direct sunlight because light comes through tall windows that have no curtains.

Now obviously I'm not at the computer during bright daylight all the time. But on weekends especially, I could be at my desk at anytime during the day. During weekdays it's usually at evening or at night.

So, how does bright sun affect viewing with a glossy screen such as with the L227WTG? Would a matte screen be easier to see in direct sun?

Would this particular LG model be a good choice considering my bright living room location?

Thanks for any ideas.


Steve
 
steveak said:
Here's my living room setup: The monitor faces a wall of windows, so light comes in over my shoulders to hit the screen. I have curtains, but they are thin. They block out some light, but not all light. In the late afternoon, the monitor will be hit with direct sunlight because light comes through tall windows that have no curtains.
Click to expand...

This does not sound like a good situation for a glossy screen. You will probably want to stick with a matte screen.
 
I agree.

I just purchased a glossy but haven't set it up yet. I only have a single overhead light to worry about, but that is enough to make me not so sure. I made certain I could return this thing in the event that I can't adjust it to avoid glare.

In your case, I would either make a major adjustment (buy sun blinds or thicker curtains, both of which are expensive), or go with a matte screen. Sorry if that's not what you want to hear, but light sources will be reflected.

Before buying mine today my dad observed it on display next to a non-glossy. He had a moment like an epiphany and asked "why is the one on the left so much easier on the eyes?" The Office Depot salesman said "that's because it's a matte screen. The glossy screen on the right is catching[reflecting] all the fluorescent lighting on the ceiling". I will install this thing in about an hour. Wish me luck.
 
I like glossy monitors better than matte, which does put me in a minority here. To me, they look more vibrant and I haven't been bothered by reflections.

However, even then I would be uneasy about a glossy monitor which is hit by direct sunlight, I must say. It's hardly ideal viewing conditions for any monitor, but glossy screens would reflect all that light directly back, whereas matte would scatter it to some degree.
 
Okay, well, I have a new w2408h that I've toyed with for about 1 1/2 hour now (and maybe that's not long enough), but for my environment this glossy will work fine. The only time a glare is noticeable is when the screen is black. Normal web surfing is fine. But again, this in a bedroom with only a single overhead light. I think your situation sounds very different.
 
If you can manage the light well than glossy has a higher contrast and will look better than matte but you don't have to worry about reflections with a matte screen. Now if only someone world make a glossy H-IPS Polarized 30".:D

In your situation I would go for a matte screen.
 
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