What is the difference between matte and glossy screens and which one should you choose?

While matte laptop replacement screen coating effectively reduces reflections, it also makes the display image quality slightly more dull and hazy. Glossy laptop screens, on the other hand, have a more vibrant and intense picture quality, but a very reflective screen.

Since neither coating is flawless, the choice mostly depends on personal preference. You can replace the matte screen to glossy, and vice-versa (on the same model of a laptop) as they are identical in their technical specifications, but are different in terms of functionality and image transmission. It all depends on what you're using your laptop for.

Glossy screens allow for more vivid colors and expressive contrast, but under heavy sunlight reflection or too bright room lighting, they can become mirror-like and not very pleasant to use.

The matte finish monitors, on the other hand, include an anti-glare treatment, which eliminates the issue of reflections. However, the image quality is more grainy and less clear.

Other benefits of matte-coated monitors are that dust is less visible, and they’re better for your eyes as you don’t have to look through the reflections like you would with glossy displays.

Matte vs Glossy – Which Should You Choose?

In the end, the disadvantages of both options can be neglected depending on what kind of environment you’ll be watching the screen in.

For instance, if you’re looking for a laptop for outdoors, a matte screen laptop is the obvious choice, whereas if you spend most of your computer time in a dim-lit room, you will benefit more from a glossy screen.

As none of the screen coating types are perfect, manufacturers are working on improving them. So far, there are certain semi-glossy and light matte screen finishes that deliver an in-between and more balanced result. All of these are essentially matte coatings, but with lesser light diffusion and thinner layers.

In the end, The panels with the lighter matte surface may preserve image quality more than the common matte finish does, but not as effectively as glossy ones.

You’ll also find glossy screens with anti-glare (low 1-4% haze) or anti-reflective treatments. These are a bit less reflective than the standard glossy screens, but still not nearly as efficient at mitigating glare as matte coatings.