Anti-glare filter for glossy laptop screen?

For some reason (technical? fashion?), just about every laptop today comes with a glossy screen, which makes them pretty much unusable when there's any light in the backgound.

I have a 13.3" 16:9 1366 x 768 pixels screen (horizontal 29.5cm x vertical 16.5cm).

Google returned information on the following filters that can be laid down on a glossy screen so as to soften the glare and provide some privacy by making it difficult to see the screen from sideways:

Photodon MXT
Radtech ClearCal
3M Vikuiti

I'd like some feedback from people who have tried those products or any not in this list.

Thank you.

OverTheRainbow

Posted 2009-08-26T11:14:41.533

Reputation: 5 153

Why closed? This is absolutely on-topic. This is a very generic issue---how to work around glossy displays---, and I would like to contribute a very generic answer (not vendor-specific), but I can't. – landroni – 2014-02-22T15:19:10.657

Answers

I don't have experience with the specific filters mentioned, but regarding products not on this list, The "laptop compubody sock" springs to mind.

Casual inspection of the literature suggests that this thing would be quite effective in cutting out all screen glare.

The problem would perhaps lie in being hit in the back of the head with a baseball bat, for looking like such a chump.

laptop compubody sock

Leon Bambrick

Posted 2009-08-26T11:14:41.533

Reputation: 391

Looks like Ms Motoko Kusanagi hacking something while trying to look unconspicuous. – David Tonhofer – 2017-07-11T14:48:28.193

1Might be a bit hot, Leon! – doekman – 2009-08-27T13:49:43.247

I leik! hilarious! – Maxim Zaslavsky – 2009-09-13T01:44:17.390

> The problem would perhaps lie in being hit in the back of the head I wouldn’t do any CPU/GPU-intensive computing like that either. – Synetech – 2012-03-23T19:23:37.110

1-1. The answer is funny, but not useful. – landroni – 2014-01-29T16:14:11.057

I have not seen any filter that is thin enough or basically not get in your way.

Also, I have no problem with my (glossy screen) laptop with sunlight, try messing around with backlight / contrast settings.

That being said, you could always void your warranty and go to a laptop parts supplier and purchase a non glossy screen and fit it yourself - it is a pretty simple job to do. Only downside is your 13.3" is not a standard (15.4, 17.1 e.t.c.) every day size, so it may be a lot more expensive in comparison.

I remember when glossy screens were new and everyone wanted one and even replaced standard ones for it. I personally never saw the benefit or the reason why everyone wanted one - I don't hate mine or anything, but I don't know why it is better than a standard one. To me the only difference is when it's turned off.

William Hilsum

Posted 2009-08-26T11:14:41.533

Reputation: 111 572

1I assume you never used your laptop in proper sunlight (living somewhere cloudy all the time?) Go to a hot country with proper sunshine and you can't even see the screen of your Android – Dr. Evil – 2011-06-05T23:10:32.987

1@Dr. Evil - Turn around slightly and use your phone in your shadow! This works for me! – William Hilsum – 2011-06-05T23:11:43.480

When I was in Fry's Electronics the other day I overheard an employee tell a customer that there only exist filters to go from matte to glossy but not the other way around. Of course this answer assumes that Fry's Electronics employees know what they're talking about.

soldier.moth

Posted 2009-08-26T11:14:41.533

Reputation: 428

1I ended up ordering a 3M Vikuiti filter. It forces the user to increase brightness (hence less battery time) when using the laptop with too much light above/in the back, but it does reduce glare significantly while providing privacy (can't read screen from sideways).

As to why mfg's don't provide a removable filter with their laptops with glossy screens... – OverTheRainbow – 2009-09-14T11:27:27.763

They probably don't know what they're talking about. :) – landroni – 2014-01-29T16:16:32.003