Buying a Notebook - Glossy screen??

Jamie123 · 11-03-2006

I'm in the market for a notebook and am almost set on a Dell Inspiron 6400. I know that some people have mixed feelings about Dell computers but I've never had a problem with them and the price is very good.

Although I'm primarily going to use the notebook for University related work (writing papers at the library etc.) I would also like to use it to work on my scanned negs in photoshop (my desktop pc just can't handle the big files) so the screen is important.

Now here's my dilemma: I can either take the standard non-glossy 1280x800 XGA screen and save some money or I can upgrade the screen to a glossy 1680x1050 SXGA screen for an additional 150$.

The best thing would obviously be a non-glossy 1680x1050 screen but unfortunately that's not an option. So, which one do I choose?

tajart · 11-03-2006

i've heard that some don't care for the glossy screen (on the new intelmacs) because of increased glare and a change in how colors look. i pass this on only from what i heard when i was considering a new laptop...which i haven't purchased yet. it wasn't a problem for others. i don't know if the dell glossy is the same...

ywenz · 11-03-2006

Check out the Dell M1210.. 12", Duo 2 Core, light weight, gorgeous screen.

MacDaddy · 11-03-2006

..and I LOVE it. This is just the standard MacBook 13.3" screen and it's very sharp, colors are reasonably accurate (I DID profile it with a Huey-ya gotta get one of these if you can't afford $250-500 for a full pro system!) and I think it's a better buy than the Dell. No personal prejudice, but Dell's aren't exactly the most reliable systems these days (and before I get flamed, I AM a Dell-certified tech from my salad days in IT). Check out reviews at various sites and you'll find that the Apple system (which allows you to run winderz, if you need it [I'm running XP Pro on this system using Parallels] quite fast) is actually CHEAPER than a similarly equipped Dell.
Just my 2 cents!

Mackinaw · 11-03-2006

I just bought a new MacBook (Intel), that comes with a glossy screen, which replaces my old iBook that came with a matte screen. The overall image on the MacBook's glossy screen seems much more vivid, saturated and contrasty than the matte screen on the iBook. Overall, I like the glossy screen better than the matte.

Jim Bielecki

Jamie123 · 11-03-2006

Thanks everyone for their comments so far!

I actually like the look of glossy screens but I dislike that they're so reflective.

Rob,

Although I'm not a Mac guy, I did consider getting one and running XP on it. However, I simply cannot justify the cost. The cheapest MacBookPro (I want a 15,4" screen so the regular MacBook is not an option) would cost me at least 700-1000$ more than a similarly equipped Dell.

Magnus · 11-03-2006

I have the Mac-Pro 15" with a glossy screen for a couple of days now and I must say that I personally enjoy it more. The blacks are really black and the whites are white, go to a store and check it out. However they are a bummer to clean, and if your in the habit of sneezing whilst using the PC and drinking jack ... it might not be such a good idea, otherwise I'd go for it

Pherdinand · 11-04-2006

i like the glossy. (I too have the small new mac book.) Some say the colours are not that accurate on a glossy screen...I don't think that's true.
A profiling/calibrating with a hardware calibrator device IS useful, in any case.

The reflecting problem is not that serious. Unless there is strong light falling on you or the stuff behind you, it's hardly a problem.

rxmd · 11-04-2006

I must say I did compare before deciding between a MacBook and my present Thinkpad X60s, and I like the non-glossy screen better. I generally don't want to look at how unshaven I am all the time, and I found bright lights behind me to be pretty distracting.