What Is An Anti-glare display? Pros And Cons Explained

Last Updated on 22 January, 2023 by Sourav Roy

Have you ever been irritated trying to read a screen under direct lighting? You’re only one of many people I’ve come across that have dealt with such a thing. The problem is even worse when using laptops. They’re important for on-the-go work, but many models are hard to read outdoors. If you’re planning to get a laptop and don’t want to deal with such issues, you must look for options with Anti-glare Coating. This post contains accurate and detailed information on the feature- including how it works. I’ll also discuss the pros and cons of Anti-glare displays for your convenience.

Let’s dive in and see what this cool feature is all about.

What Is An Anti-glare display?

Anti-glare displays use a special coating that reduces the amount of light hitting the screen while still keeping it bright and easy to read. As a result, everything is easier to read, even under direct sunlight or other sorts of harsh lighting environments. This makes the feature perfect for outdoor use.

Pros Of An Anti-glare display

Fingerprints and smudges don’t stick directly to glass, so the screen is easier to maintain.
Ensures a lower amount of dust and grease on screen alongside a lower amount of light, providing better gaming and movie-watching experience.
Darker colours appear more vibrant, ensuring good entertainment while reducing eye strain significantly.

Cons Of An Anti-glare display

Not ideal for people doing illustrations or any sort of editing because of inaccurate colour representation.
Only available amongst higher-end laptops.
Smudges are easier to clean off, but they appear more often.

Alternative: Anti-glare Screen Filters

Anti-glare displays only come built into laptops. If you already own a laptop without such a display or use a desktop computer, then screen filters are a good option. You can buy them separately- though they’re a little harder to find and aren’t always of good quality. They don’t cost much, though, so they’re still a viable purchase. The same pros and cons apply, except for the aforementioned issues with quality.

Should You Get An Anti-glare display?

It all boils down to your preferences and what you need to use your device for. For the casual user who enjoys a good amount of entertainment, Anti-glare displays are perfect. The same is the case for people who like to work on the go- as long as the work doesn’t include anything related to visuals. If your profession is geared towards such a thing, you’d likely be better off going for a glossy screen. You’ll be trading outdoor visibility for better results.

Frequently Asked Questions

This part will address any possible confusion you have regarding the subject. I’ll answer some of the questions you might have.

Are anti-glare displays similar to LED displays?

No, the latter is an entirely different technology. Anti-glare displays simply use a special coating to help the user in certain cases. You can refer to this article of ours for more comprehensive details on LED displays. The article is primarily focused on TVs, but the basics, along with the pros and cons of LED displays, apply to laptops as well.

Do I need to consider size when purchasing a 3rd Party filter?

Yes. You need to consider your screen size.

Is it alright to have an Anti-glare display if I do UX Design?

It’s not. UX Design relies on visuals, so you might have problems getting good results.

Does every modern laptop come with an Anti-glare display?

No, most of the mid-range and some high-end laptops don’t have such a display.

Why do Anti-glare displays have problems showing visuals?

They do so because they change how light colours look.

What's the difference between high quality and low quality anti-glare displays?

High-quality Anti-glare displays, which normally come built into laptops, generally have a much thinner coating, so they don’t affect images as much. They still block out reflections very well, though.

Conclusion

There you go; a detailed explanation of the pros and cons of Anti-glare displays. I’m sure you can now see how incredibly handy this feature can be, despite how simple it sounds. All in all, there’s not much of a downside to getting a laptop with such a display. Either way, it’s all up to you. I’ve given you all the info you need to make a proper decision. Good luck. I wish you a very good day.

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Abir B.

Product Analyst at Homeliness

Abir is an expert with electronics that more frequently used and interacted with. Computers and Smartphones, to be more specific. However, his expertise also extends to categories like Audio Equipment, which are some of the things he’s done jobs for over the years. In fact, at 34 years old now, he’s been working professionally for the earlier fields for plenty of years and has built up a large repertoire of knowledge.