The Virus Spreads: Gloss Screens

Modred189

Modred189

Can't Read the OP
Joined
May 24, 2006
Messages
16,324
So I work at a major (Cough:BBY:cough) retailer, and I sell a ton of monitors. It's in a pretty nice neighborhood, and a lot of kinds havetheir 'rents buy them an LCD for gaming. For a while, I have been recommending the Samsung and LG's, but something I see proliferating in the LCD market, even in high end monitors, are the glossy screens.

It's bad enough that laptops all have them (can't be used outside as a result), but what's the point? It seems to me that any advantages are negated by reflections and glare...

It used to be that only laptops have them, not about a 1/3 of the desktop ones do. ew.
 
I could not imagine having my dual 22"s be glossy. I saw the glossy model of my LCD at a store, with all the lighting I could not see what was on the screen. In my room the window is behind me, so the matte finish is perfect.
 
This is great news! Can you tell me which specific models and if any are 24" or above? Glossy panels don't diffuse the colors coming from the screen...it tends to look brighter with more saturated colors. I wouldn't use one at work but they are great if you have a "gaming/surfing cave" at home. :cool:
 
joemama said:
This is great news! Can you tell me which specific models and if any are 24" or above? Glossy panels don't diffuse the colors coming from the screen...it tends to look brighter with more saturated colors. I wouldn't use one at work but they are great if you have a "gaming/surfing cave" at home. :cool:
Click to expand...

See, that's my point. VERY few people use their screens JUST in a dark environment for gaming and movies. I would put my LG (sig) up against any similar glossy screen any day.
 
I can use my laptop damn near anywhere. Unless I'm sitting with a window right behind me with the sun glaring in, I don't have any issues with glossy screens. The significantlly deeper and better color saturation is definitely worth it IMO. My laptop screen is the best LCD I've ever used (and I owned and loved a 2407fpw. . . I'll be moving up to a Westy here eventually. . .)
 
Honestly, I find that even the matte finish screens still reflect some and it's annoying on my 2007WFP. Glossy would be even more of a hassle to deal with, even though it does have some advantages.
 
I've never had any problems with glossy screens either, but I only use it in various rooms in my apartment. People keep thinking it'll be the same as they see at the shops with all the strong lights. Certainly looks alot better than my matte 17" lcd. Probably doesn't compare to a good 24" and above though..
 
Modred189 said:
See, that's my point. VERY few people use their screens JUST in a dark environment for gaming and movies. I would put my LG (sig) up against any similar glossy screen any day.
Click to expand...
I have an Acer F-20 with a glossy coating as well as a Dell 2007WFP with agressive anti-glare.....the room I use both in is not exactly a cave but I can control the lighting.
 
Everyone here has only come back with INDOOR examples. I am talking outdoors with lots of sun, i.e. when you would want to use them outside.
 
Huh? You take your desktop LCD outside?

As has been stated, glossy screens have their place amongst gamers who live in caves. I think I'd like to have a glossy LCD, personally. I use a lamp behind my monitor for ambient light, so there wouldn't be a glare problem.
 
Scyles said:
Huh? You take your desktop LCD outside?

As has been stated, glossy screens have their place amongst gamers who live in caves. I think I'd like to have a glossy LCD, personally. I use a lamp behind my monitor for ambient light, so there wouldn't be a glare problem.
Click to expand...

Sorry, lol, I was, in this case, speaking specifically about laptop screens.
 
I would not want a glossy screen outdoors - but I love the clear coatings for photography. People don't realise how much the antiglare makes light areas of photos look dusty untill they have seen the same photo side by side on each monitor (I got to do that with an Dell 20" and a NEC 20"). Plus a glossy screen can have a bright reflection where say a light is but it will be in a smaller spot compared to antiglare. Those antiglare's just diffuse the light over a larger area rendering them milky looking. If your gaming in a living room you cant control lights in the glossy could be a pain. If you can keep lights away from direct reflection then I would see no reason to have a rough suface to diffuse light and seemingly put a film over images.
 
Maybe on the glossy monitors they should start using the slimlight stuff that help keep glare down, kinda like they do on glasses and museum glass sometimes. It can make a big difference.
 
OOOH, like use a polycarbonate screen, instead of plastic or glass.... mmmmmm
 
don't cut your visual experience short :) go glossy all the way it's awesome.

20WMGX2
 
I've used a few laptops with anti-glare coatings that were just aweful, they made the screen look like there were fish scales smeared across the screen.

One was an LG laptop, and the other was a Dell 17" with a glossy coating! Yeah this dell laptop had a glossy coating over a matte screen. Pointless that...

On the other hand, a glossy 24".... it might be difficult to control the lightning on it, being so big...
 
Those who haven't seen this monitor haven't seen anything. It even rivals some better 24" rigs imho. Crystal clear, gorgeous colors. True, for the real treat you have to be in a controlled lighting environment. So what? You can do it for a coupla dollars, as I did it. Anyone can organize a computer lab in a well ventilated closet, just as I did. Laptops' screens are just too small and that has to do with glare because the eyes are focused onto a small surface. I also have an anti glare coated monitor and have to second Frychico and abcdelight on thier opinion. I have the monitors side by side. The difference is just stunning. On the anti glare colors are diffuse and pale. On the glossy they are brilliant and sharply focused. Text too, it literally screams at you. I am not a partisan proponent of glossy. This is a TN monitor, with its limited viewing angles (compared to the ISPs or even MVAs). However the inconvenience is minor. Back light bleeding is also low, but then again most of the transistor array panels have some of it. Anyhow, happy discussion to all.
 
okay as i sit here on my computer reading all this stuff about how glossy reflects too much light. i stop and look at my 24" flat samsung tv that is right next to w2207 and have to wonder why no-one has ever complanied about the tv's or ever plasma screen that we now have today with flat glossy screens. about them being un-watchable. why don't plasmas's have that dull flat mattie look? thier must be a reason. i can only guess it is because it washes out the colors. as far as the glossy being used for a laptop and it being used outside. i cannot coment on that, as i don't own a glossy laptop. but as far as in-door use. i think it is a no-brainer glossy all the way BABY....
 
I tend to agree that, indoors, glossy is the best way to go.
As for plasmas and tv-LCD's, if you get your tv from someone who knows what they are talking about and they are not just trying to sell you something, they will ask about the ambient light of your TV room.
For example, my parents make a ton of money and were looking into HDTV's. They went to BestBuy and after talking to the guy there they ended up getting a DLP from samsung. It was THOUSANDS cheaper than the LCD's and plasma, but in teh end was the best because they have 6, 5 foot tall windows in their living room, two of which are 4 ft wide and directly behind the viewer of the TV. The matte finish on these screens is what allows them to see anything. Even when they had their old curved-screen tube, the reflections were killer.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top