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    Screen: Outdoor usage on bright days

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by Gogo1, Apr 4, 2006.

  1. Gogo1

    Gogo1 Notebook Enthusiast

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    I'm looking for a laptop. Ideally I will be using it outside mostly in a country where the weather is very nice all the time. Sunny and bright.

    Last year I was there and had the use of an Acer TravelMate TM4000. This thing was on some kind of special at Newegg and was about $850 if I remember correctly.

    Here is the issue: even when sitting in the shade, I really struggled to see much on the screen. The sun was behind me, but totally blocked by a house. So just the general brightness of the daytime is what gave me a problem. Is this going to be a problem no matter what I get? Or could it have been down to a cheap screen in this cheap laptop?

    I'm hoping the answer is going to be that certain screens now make using a laptop outside a breeze, but I can't find much info. No mention about outside use in Pulp's screen FAQ. I did see a reply in that thread by someone asking about what I'm asking, and mentioning he'd heard something about claims of "outdoor" or "sunlight" readable, but nobody answered.

    Anyone have anything they can tell me? Its important I get this right if one option is going to be preferable over another. Is the glossy v matte thing relevant?

    Thanks.
     
    Gogo1, Apr 4, 2006
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  2. ZaZ

    ZaZ Super Model Super Moderator

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    If the Acer was a matte screen, they tend to do worse outside. A glossy screens generally do better outside.
     
    ZaZ, Apr 4, 2006
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  3. Gogo1

    Gogo1 Notebook Enthusiast

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    Being a cheap laptop, at least a year old, and the screen is 14 inch 4:3, is there one it is more likely to be? I tried looking for the info online but could not find anything mentioning matte or glossy. Regardless, obviously I need the more suitable of the two, so that's glossy.
     
    Gogo1, Apr 4, 2006
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  4. drumfu

    drumfu super modfu

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    neither glossy nor matte are comfortably viewable in direct sunlight. i've used both the v2000 (glossy) and the i6000 (matte) outside here in southern california and you can barely make anything out on either. notebooks (at least for now) just haven't gotten to that point yet.

    you can look for things like privacy 'cowlings' (i've seen some ads in LAPTOP magazine). they're pretty ugly and bulky, but they make a little cover around your notebook so it looks like it might help with the sunlight issue.
     
    drumfu, Apr 4, 2006
    #4