17" MBP "MATTE" in the flesh from Macworld

Hi all, just got back from Macworld and got pics of the new 17", both glossy and matte. The matte version is indeed the same matte finish as the previous 17" MBP. It's not a glossy with an anti-glare coating, it's a plain matte screen with the same bezel as the Macbook Air.
I took pics of both the glossy and the matte side by side for comparison. The glossy adds a higher contrast to the screen but the matte has a more natural look. Notice how the Dock looks natural on the matte and too saturated on the glossy. Both screens were at maximum brightness. Sorry if the matte screen pics are a bit fuzzy.

 

Thanks for the pictures! Wow that matte does look very nice! If I ever decide for the 17" mbp I'd get the Matte again.

I noticed though the side by side picture the glossy's white looks really really bright.

 

Yes, I asked the Apple guy about that and he said it was due to the glossy producing a higher contrast.

 

I really wish Apple would offer matte for the 15" MBP as well, what a mistake it was to remove that option.

 

is it me or matte looks better?

 

It just isnt you, I agree that the matte looks much better. The colors look more natural, I just love that look.

Now I'm starting to look into the 17" mbp with the matte display.

 

^still,it is very difficult to judge by the picture!you have to see it in person!

 

Looks great.

 

Wow -- Kind of a Nostalgia moment here looking at the "Old Style" frame around the matte screen. I am SO glad they have realized the need for a matte screen option. Maybe if the sales of 17" matte versions are robust, they will filter it down to the 15" !!
You'd think maybe Apple woke up listened to people.

I am however wondering why they went with the "Old School" matte option instead of a "Anti Glare Coating" on the glossy screen. You'd think this would be more cost effective to keep the same basic parts and coat them ----- Maybe it couldn't be done effectively without issues.

 

I have a feeling the "matte" option will only be for the 17" mbp as professionals need it in the feed with the hi definition display.

 

Well, itd be nice if they let the 15" get matte displays later on down the line. Though I think if I got one, I'd airbrush the frame to be black, it just looks out of place as a silver frame.

Though, I have no idea if by the time i need to replace my mbp if anyone will still offer matte displays. Right now, its getting pretty tough, a lot of companies are releasing glossy displays. But I guess thats a while away, unless I come into a lot of money really soon ;p

Thanks for the pictures, I hadnt seen any of the major sites showing any pictures of the matte, so its good to finally see it.

 

the matte lcd lid has that ugly gap around the bezel where glass should fit into. it seems there is no additional structural re-inforcing, that (apple claim) the glass supposed to do.

the matte screen usually looks more natural. colour wise.
when it comes to printing. it actually beneficial to have similar type of paper and screen. glossy paper print will look more similar to glossy screen and matte paper will look more similar to matte screen.

if i were to but the 17MBP now. i will still stick with the glossy glass one.
for the reason below:
the casing is made to be used for additional glass layer.
Easier to clean.
Scratch resistant.
more reinforcement.
More easy to read text.
no need to pay extra.

hey, i just realised that maybe the weight actually decrease with the exclusion of that glass layer.

 

Actually the weight was the same between the glossy and the matte.

 

Come on, one picture?

Give me the glass please. Your last pick showcases exactly why I don't like matte screens. That same reflection in a glass screen wouldn't really interfere with anything, it would be very visible but it is easier to look past it with a reflective glass display I think.

Both look perfectly fine though.

And as far as printing goes. . .as someone with A LOT of experience using many different computers and high-end color accurate displays. No matter how much calibration, printer profiling, and whatever else you may do, you won't get a 1 to 1 translation from screen to paper, or canvas, or transparency, or whatever else you are printing on, an it is just physics, it makes sense. So in my brutally honest opinion the only advantage over a glass panel screen is your own piece of mind that you have a matte display.

But again, personal preference always wins out, and that is ok. Did you get a chance to test the rigidity of the matte display? I would doubt it could be as strong as the glass panel.

 

It gets annoying looking at a glossy screen in a classroom.

 

http://www.techrestore.com/xcart/product.php?productid=18467&cat=273&page=1

They charge $199 for matte screens for the 15" unibody mbp.

 

^who would pay 200$ more?lots of people think that base MBP is hugely overpriced,so I doubt that this will be a bestseller!

 

Professional photographers/graphics designers would do it if they dont want to spend extra $$ for the 17" mbp.

 

The silver bezel looks much better to me

 

I on the other hand have surprisingly got use to the "New" glass screen with the black trim.

Thought I would never say this but now I like it better than the old plastic silver trim ---- who'd have thunk that !!!!

 

Second that..looks sooo nice!

 

The matte looks nice, but I prefer the glass panel.

 

Such a big deal about Glossy vs. Matte. At First I was very against glossy

But now I am use to it since it provides better colors more Vibrant colors and deeper blacks.


I would not turn back to Matte. it ends up looking dull.

 

I know its nitpicking, but there were never any major plastic parts on the previous macbook pro. The bezel around the screen was metal just like the rest of the case.

 

Wow love the matte just wondering if the female population would go for the matted ones since they won't be able to see their own reflection they will have to revert back to the mirror and the bathroom

 

Not nit picking --- my bad if it was

After over a year of owning the SR model, I always assumed the bezel was a plastic material like the material around the edge of the base

 

hope apple would provide the matte option on 15' macbook pro