# Why Did They Have to Change the iBook/MacBook Screen Display?



## Amie (Sep 13, 2006)

My parents just bought a new black MacBook (thanks to me and my persuavive powers in illustrating why a Mac would be a better choice--they were considering Toshiba!  ). Anyway, it's a fantastic machine, but the only thing I HATE about it: Apple took away the nice, matte finish of the iBook G4's LCD screen and replaced it with the new MacBook's ugly glare that resembles the old CRT screens.

Now WHY did Apple go and do something so foolish? 

Also: I didn't know this (until after my parents bought their MacBook), but apparently Apple is charging $150 more for the  black MacBook than the white one. Sorry, Apple, but that's a rip off. I can see a *little* more ... but not 150 bucks more. No way.


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## mdnky (Sep 13, 2006)

They did the screen replacement because a large quantity of people wanted the glossy display.  When you look at it from a business standpoint, it only makes sense then (both from demand and from a supply stand-point [i.e. since the majority of laptops now use glossy LCDs, they're cheaper than the matte finish ones]).  Luckily the machines made for professional use (MacBook Pro) allow the choice between glossy and matte at no cost.


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## nixgeek (Sep 13, 2006)

What I've noticed is that laptops with the glossy display tend to display better in sunlight.  Think about when you take your laptop somewhere in the day, and there's a hotspot somewhere.  What good is it if you can't even see the display because of the sunlight?  Granted, there might be some reflection from the sun with the glossy, but you wouldn't be sitting at an angle that the sun would directly reflect from it.

I don't know about the latest matte screens, but the one on my HP laptop from work shows nothing when in sunlight.  Of course, it could be that this laptops is just a POS (not Point of Sale, mind you ) and that it has a crappy display.  My wife's Dell Inspiron E1705 has the glossy display and it displays beautifully even with lots of sunlight.


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## Amie (Sep 14, 2006)

mdnky said:


> They did the screen replacement because a large quantity of people wanted the glossy display.  When you look at it from a business standpoint, it only makes sense then (both from demand and from a supply stand-point [i.e. since the majority of laptops now use glossy LCDs, they're cheaper than the matte finish ones]).  Luckily the machines made for professional use (MacBook Pro) allow the choice between glossy and matte at no cost.



That's just silly. Who would want a glossy screen that shows horrible glare when they could have a nice LCD matte finish with no glare whatsoever? That's insane.


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## Mikuro (Sep 14, 2006)

Amie said:


> That's just silly. Who would want a glossy screen that shows horrible glare when they could have a nice LCD matte finish with no glare whatsoever? That's insane.


A lot of people. The thing with glossy screens is that they offer _much_ greater brightness and color saturation. My father has a glossy LCD for his new Mac Mini, and I have to say, every time I use it, I feel jealous. It's just _so gorgeous_. It's like looking at a moving photo.

Unfortunately, it has a glare like a photo, too. I'm honestly not sure if my next monitor will be a glossy one, but I would _definitely_ consider it.


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## davebz (Sep 14, 2006)

I have a love/hate relationship with the glossy display.  I like the improved color saturation, but the default calibration is way off from what it should be.  I recently got a Spyder 2 made by datacolor and that fixed the problem.  If you are working with photos or video, D65 (6500 degrees kelvin) is the critical white point and should also be carried throughout the grayscale.


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## Amie (Sep 14, 2006)

Mikuro said:


> A lot of people. The thing with glossy screens is that they offer _much_ greater brightness and color saturation. My father has a glossy LCD for his new Mac Mini, and I have to say, every time I use it, I feel jealous. It's just _so gorgeous_. It's like looking at a moving photo.
> 
> Unfortunately, it has a glare like a photo, too. I'm honestly not sure if my next monitor will be a glossy one, but I would _definitely_ consider it.



Yeah, I see what you mean about the color saturation. That's the only improvement. The other two things that you mentioned--the brightness and the glare? Well, they just give me headaches. I honestly don't think I could handle staring at a screen that looks like a glare-y CRT display. I'd be popping Advil all day.


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## Trip (Sep 15, 2006)

I love the glossy screan. Finally I can work outside/at a café/anywhere without worrying about the lighting conditions.


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## Esquilinho (Sep 15, 2006)

I don't have one, but I've played with  some MacBooks at the local store, and frankly, I didn't even notice any glare... Mayb it was because I wasn't sitting down...


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## Amie (Sep 16, 2006)

Trip said:


> I love the glossy screan. Finally I can work outside/at a café/anywhere without worrying about the lighting conditions.



And all that glare doesn't give you a headache?


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## Viro (Sep 17, 2006)

Amie said:


> Also: I didn't know this (until after my parents bought their MacBook), but apparently Apple is charging $150 more for the  black MacBook than the white one. Sorry, Apple, but that's a rip off. I can see a *little* more ... but not 150 bucks more. No way.



It isn't merely a colour difference. There is a difference in the surface of the laptop as well, as the black one is made to be more 'grippable'.


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## fryke (Sep 17, 2006)

There was tons of information on the new MacBooks back when they were released. Both about the 150 dollar premium for the black finish and the gorgeous new screens which give you much more brightness and the ability to work in sunlight outside. Please use the search feature.


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## Amie (Sep 18, 2006)

I (my parents) have a black MacBook. I don't see any differences between that and the white one. "Grippable"? Not sure what this means... lol


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## Esquilinho (Sep 19, 2006)

if you look at the technical specs on Apple hardware page, you'll notice that the black macbook has a bigger HD than the white one. 
Now does that justify the price difference? Well, you (your parents) bought it! Maybe you should have thought it over!


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## Amie (Sep 19, 2006)

Esquilinho said:


> if you look at the technical specs on Apple hardware page, you'll notice that the black macbook has a bigger HD than the white one.
> Now does that justify the price difference? Well, you (your parents) bought it! Maybe you should have thought it over!



Nope, says it's all the same. Even the people at the Apple store said they were exactly the same except for the finish and screen. 

And I didn't buy it. My parents did. Trust me, I'd have looked into it more thoroughly if it were my decision.


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## Esquilinho (Sep 20, 2006)

Amie said:


> Nope, says it's all the same. Even the people at the Apple store said they were exactly the same except for the finish and screen.


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## Amie (Sep 20, 2006)

Well, I'll be! Apparently, Apple employees are as clueless as my parents! Gonna tell them that they didn't pay $150 just for the color.


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## Esquilinho (Sep 21, 2006)

Amie said:


> Well, I'll be! Apparently, Apple employees are as clueless as my parents!



And I thought that only happened in Portugal!


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## Amie (Sep 21, 2006)

Esquilinho said:


> And I thought that only happened in Portugal!



No. Evidently, it's a worldwide epidemic.


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## xsulux (Nov 5, 2006)

Amie said:


> Well, I'll be! Apparently, Apple employees are as clueless as my parents! Gonna tell them that they didn't pay $150 just for the color.



Actually yes. Your parents pay 150 bucks only for color.
The black macbook with 80gb is USD1,499.
The white macbook with 60gb is USD1,299.
The difference is USD200.

Now you upgrade the white macbook with the 80gb hdd for only USD50.
Thus there is no difference in the specs between the black macbook and the white macbook. Same processor, same hdd, same screen, same ram, same bt and wifi and isight, etc. 

Only the color is difference and the price is still difference for USD150 from the USD200 - the USD50 for upgrading the hdd to be 80gb.

So we get charged for the black color.


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## TuckerdogAVL (Apr 5, 2007)

davebz said:


> but the default calibration is way off from what it should be.



So it's not just me? I got a MACBOOK three days ago and I couldn't understand why everything was so "nuclear." I shouldn't have to be setting color display calibration already should I? I found that in the first "expert" setting the left slider has to be ALL THE WAY OFF THE BOTTOM and it's still not right. 

This ain't right for $1250. 

Guess I'll have to call.....


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