MacBook Pro: glossy or matte?
Hi,
I’m about to get a MacBook Pro but don’t know if to go for the glossy or matte display (wouldn’t mind the “older” MBP if that’s what’s needed to get matte). Any opinions? Did anyone have a chance to compare them side-by-side?
It comes down the preference really, i prefer matte screens because you dont get nowhere near as much glare bouncing off the screen.
Matte
go for matte, mat mate. lolz! 
(try saying that really fast!)
Matte - I hate those new MBPs. They’re toilet.
I went into apple and i couldn’t believe my eyes. I asked the store guy about it and he was all sheepish saying a lot of people have been put off. Fine for the straight up MB but for pro hardware and video and graphics etc you want a screen that’s going to give the truest reflection (no pun intended) of an image, and a glossy screen just doesn’t do that.
In terms of playing gigs etc i can just envisage lights from clubs reflecting on the screen making it hard to see the text. Choosing music in a club using text rather than flicking through a record box is hard enough. It shouldn’t be made harder with a glossy screen!
Very poor from apple
This company is UK based but they do great deals on older models of MB
http://www.jigsaw24.com/default.aspx?t=ITEMS&p=1WG_NOTESC_NTAPPPL_MBPFC_MBP2.4CC&v=&vbc=&vc=
Peace
Thanks guys, that pretty much reflects 
also my opinion but wanted to get a feeling if others think the same.
@nemo: tried it
I have a glossy screen I was scared that I would have too much glare in the clubs, and really I havent had any problems (yet)
I hate the new MB & MBP pro’s they have the Raiders color scheme if you know what I mean…
guys, just wanted to revive this thread as i’m currently specing a mbp out. seems that the consensus was matte.
any word from people who own glossy and have seen the matte and prefer that (or had problems with that in clubs / low light situations?)
I have the unibody mbp with a glossy screen and i love it. it definitely comes down to preference. i use mine for graphic design and visual effects as well as djing. i was a bit worried about glare but the screen is so bright that i can even use it outdoors in direct sunlight without too much trouble. i would suggest getting the glossy screen and if you have problems just purchase an anti glare overlay that sticks to the screen which is basically what apple will to if you do go for the matte option, except if you do it yourself its nowhere near as expensive.
regards dave
dave, thanks for the extremely fast reply! much appreciated.
I have a glossy MB. Wanted matte, but I couldn’t pass up a deal. But I’ve never had an issue with any kind of lighting situation, so I’m satisfied.
I got a macbook air with a glossy screen before I started DJing but recently bought a second hand old macbook pro which has much better spec for DJing… Anyway I was forced to use my macbook air in the club a month or two back when my macbook pro broke… Obviously there were loooads of problems (not having enough USB ports so having to use the keyboard, constantly worrying it would crash under the pressure at any point etc) but I have to say that glare from the lights wasn’t one of them… In fact I hadn’t even considered it as a problem at the time.
In my opinion go for glossy (on a decent and practical macbook!) if the only reason stopping you is the worry of glare… At the end of the day you can always get the anti glare overlay but I don’t think it will even come to that… Just my opinion. People will (and have) said the complete opposite to me but I didn’t come across any problems myself
Rant over!
i find the glossy unbearable. matte all the way.
i wanted to buy a new mbp this summer, but they dropped the pci express on the 15", which i need for my 4 port usb2 card 
Mines glossy. If lights reflect on it, I tilt the screen about 2 degrees and the problem is solved. I would only expect problems if I used it outside during a blinding afternoon
you guys are awesome – thanks so much for everyone’s advice!
Ok… I had a matte on my old MBP 15"… when i switched to the new unibody MBP 13" the option of matte wasn’t available so i was forced to get the glossy. Honestly its not an issue with glare, I don’t notice it at all… I am an avid mac user and all the older versions of the Macbooks/ibooks were always matte so I thought needed it, now though, my glossy screen is just fine, i like it!
I’ve got a MacBook Pro 17" with a matte display, and I had a iMac 24" (which has a similar glass ‘glossy’ display I think?) and tbh I don’t think it makes as much difference as people worry about
Personally I prefer mine matte though, well worth an extra £35
im still rocking the macbook w/a glossy screen and I dont have any complaints!
id rather have glossy, matte looks cheap I reckon! I know theres a practical side to it but iv never had any glare issues.
as a digital photographer and television calibration technician, I will say that the new mac book screens (glossy) are capable of recreating much more accurate color saturation and black levels than the older matte screen. I have seen them both tested in comparison. Its not my opinion, its measurable on my calibration equipment.
if your a day warrior and your mbp is going to be your main workhorse, then the glare might cause a few instances of annoyance. the glossy screens have a much better viewing angle horizontally and vertically so, tilting it up or down a few degrees will solve your problem.