Apple reinstates matte display option on 15-inch MacBook Pro, charges $50 for it
By Darren Murph 
posted August 11th 2009 5:24AM
posted August 11th 2009 5:24AM
[Thanks, Pascal and Khattab]
posted August 11th 2009 5:24AM
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My new MacBook Pro has only just been delived, damn you Apple.
You can simply return it and request a new one with the anti-glare display, no questions asked.
ARRRRGH I just got my MBP YESTERDAY akslg;jfasdljfsa
sike na im fine with the glossy screen, I'd just hate a glossy desktop monitor
I actually quite liked the look of my Inspiron 1525.
http://chazclout.co.uk/1525.jpg
You should see the Dell Inspiron 1545. Now there's ugly. It's black all over (unless you change the lid color). Besides the Macbook uses a satin white finish so it looks attractive.
Black is beautiful. Think of all the brilliant looking ThinkPads...
Maybe you should take into consideration the Dell Inspiron you're talking about starts at $379, the MacBook with the "satin white" finish starts at $999.
Great news! Finally! Buying a replacement for my old MBP (late 2006) finally becomes an option with this step! Thanks a lot, Apple! If you really release the iTablet in October and do a good job there, as well, it will be a f***g expensive holiday season for me this year.
I wish they would still have a black bezel with the matte screen. I think black is always better than silver because it makes color stand out more.
This is utter thievery.
It's so crook.
Have they fixed the hinge yet or is it still loose and floppy? It's impossible to use this mbp in any odd angles on the couch or in bed. See fixthehinge.com
The AntiSnap Hinge costs an extra 50 bucks too.
Excellent news. I had been considering downgrading from my current 17" MBP to a 15" for various reasons but the thing that was preventing that was the glossy display. Now that this barrier has been removed I simply need to wait for the new processors and enough cash to actually buy one. Sounds like another trip to the post office with a sawn-off...
I Don't know about all you lot, but I actually really like my glossy display - and no I'm not just trying to convince myself, it actually isn't all that bad. I was initially skeptical as well, especially when I read just how much of a bid deal Engadget were making it out to be during their reviews, but to be honest, when put head to head with the older Macbook Pro matte screens, the Glossy screen seemed to me the clear winner. It's far brighter at the highest brigthness settings, and movies on this panel look absolutely gorgeous.
If you've had a proper play around with the glossy screens, then fair enough, you're entitled to your opinion just as much as I am. But i've been using this screen since January, and I have never complained. In a weird way, the slight reflection actually gives it a nice effect.
Anybody who says the Macbook Pro keyboard is shit, is clearly retarded.
And no, I'm not a mac fanboy by any degree.. I've never owned a mac before.. So responders, think of something more witting when bashing.. thanks ;)
I agree. I was apprehensive when I got my mac, but I haven't had a single issue with it. Any time I have noticed the glare I just turn up the brightness and it's fine.
Most of the people bitching are the same mac haters boo-hooing because they can't afford it.
While I'm not an MS, or Linux fanboy, this is exactly why I dont use Apple products. If i need something, it has to come from up on high, delivered by Mose...er Jobs, and it is usually at his discretion alone:
Want a two button mouse? Use a third party one and wait for Apple to finally release there "me-too" two button mouse(nods to Jubei).
If I want copy-paste on my Ipod Touch, well I have to wait until after its released in the IPhones third iteration, and then I have to pay for it.
If I want a standard numpad on my keyboard like 99.9% of all other keyboards out there, It's offered as an Option....
Apple may be fine for people who arent as technically involved with there hardware as I am, but today I plan to switch my Intel Core Duo, to Quad on my W7 rig, for about $260. Is this even a possibilty in the limited line of Macs?
Also, I forgot to add, if you notice all the Mac users who are happy about having this option now, its a little funny: Being thankful for a option release.
Amun - Thank the lord.
Kelmon - Excellent news... I had been considering downgrading from my current 17" MBP to a 15" for various reasons but the thing that was preventing that was the glossy display.
David - Great news! Finally! Thanks a lot, Apple!
I can't speak for the Mouse thing because I was a MS user until about a year ago, and have always had a Mighty Mouse, but most Mac users I know who have always had them have the two-button mode turned off and use keyboard shortcuts instead.
Copy/Paste on the iPhone, I can't understand why everyone moaned about it. I have never used copy/paste on a phone. Ever. Mind, I'm also still using a Samsung D500. (https://www.samstores.com/_images/products/SAMSUNGd500_00.jpg)
you know what i find funny? older laptops came with matte type screen as the default option...
What is wrong with you guys??
People whined for months about this, they finally get it, ad barely a comment on the screen itself, instead 500 comments accusing Apple of thievery!!
Don't you know anything about manufacturing? Any deviation from the stock adds additional costs. It isn't the same as when they were selling both matte and glossy.
They were 2 SKU's each coming off their own lines...
But hey, the in's and out's of production are kind of mundane, and it's much more fun to accuse Apple of being heartless thieving bastards!!
:-)
they did the same thing with iphone os 3.0, everyone bitched for months about no copy/paste, no mms, etc etc, it finally gets it and they still complain
apple switched to glossy to appeal to the mass market, they get discounts in bulk purchasing, the minority that will want/need matte screens doesn't justify the same bulk orders, thus cost per unit is higher along with possibly different manufacturing processes, they just passed that incremental cost along to the end user, not difficult to understand
@ Josh
Are you joking about the minority? I suggest you go use the search function on Apple Insiders, Apples Forums, or MacNN and see how many ppl wanted. Stop drinking the Kool-Aid, dawg.
listen "dawg" you are an idiot if you believe that...being generous, all of those sites combined have probably around 1-2M non-duplicated users, apples sells like 10M computers/year, even if every single forum user wanted a matte screen (and they don't), that's still only 10-20%, not even remotely close to a majority. apple switched to glossy screens because it added to demand and lowered their costs, the majority of the users wanted the "prettier" screen...plain and simple
Wow, kinda glad I didn't order on sunday. But I'm gonna have to play with a display version first. I really like the look of the black bezel and I've honestly really never had much of a problem out of my MB's glossy screen, granted I don't normally use it in high light area's. Do they even have a antiglare on display at the stores? I never look at the 17s, just always lust after my 15s, very soon though.
Also the dvi, vga adapters are like $29, could be worse. And i've hardly ever used my remote on the MB, with the iphone its alot better.
Wow. All the complaining over 50 dollars. You guys complain when there is no matte option, and then complain when there is a matte
option. For your information the glass in the glossy MacBook Pro is part of the screen assembly and design. Therefore Apple had to machine a whole new lid for the matte display. Which in turn explains the 50 dollar charge.
Can you Paypal me $50 then if it isn't an issue?
iloveappleyesido@mac.com
Kthxbai!
now how long do we need to wait for the 13" to get this option........ trying to get a new notebook before school is the hardest thing I've ever had to do
Apple has always chosen form over function...and it has always came at a ridiculous price. I have a MBP 13, the design are really nice. I am not a big fan of the nvidia chipset choice. It has problems and runs extremely hot!! In both Mac and Windows! In bootcamp it gets extremely hot and it has massive driver issue all of which apple still to this day blames on Microsoft even though they provide bootcamp and write their own drivers. Their tech support is expensive, offers no accidental damage protection, no next day on site service, their call centers are contracted (not apple owned or trained), and they are not even 24x7x365. I also found the support smug and lackluster. Spoke with 3 separate techs and they all didnt know how to browse a workgroup from within the macos. Seriously...the iCult recruited me and I feel swindled! If you are considering buying a macbook or a mac in general for boot camp I seriously would talk you out of it. Reconsider something else!!! The touchpad is over sensitivity for the drivers are written horribly along with the wireless and dont get me started on the audio. Dont believe me go to discussions.apple.com there is one post alone that is 21 pages deep and has been viewed over 30,000 times. You think there might be a problem? This is one of many related to hardware problems. All the other post are generally related to people just not knowing what they are doing when it comes to windows. But the hardware related one are massive!! This is a problem apple has taken no effort to fix. I am a computer and network tech and I am yet to deal with any company that offer an option...such as bootcamp, includes it on their dvd, write the driver for it but then denies supporting it furthermore blames Microsoft for all the problems experienced with the hardware not working properly because of poorly written driver that havent been update in several months. Buyer beware!!! If you are going to use the mac as a mac you are fine...for boot camp steer far away. Remember there is more to this then just drivers. The Macbooks lack a true right click the two finger right click isnt fully functional. There is no "delete" key...the delete key on the mac acts as a backspace key in bootcamp...you need to hold the fn+delete to actually make it delete. No home, end, page up/down...once again use the fn key plus another key to use them. The sad thing about this is the pc community envies the hardware...it is beautiful!! But beauty is skin when it comes to bootcamp. Oh and no Hard drive lock in the bios...if you can even find the bios, no fingerprint scanner for security, Battery life in bootcamp is weak, and no HDD light to see if the hard drive is even doing anything. Simple easy things to implement to make this a stellar product but the smug factor continues to hold it back from being more than just the best of both worlds! Apple makes more money on the hardware then they do on the software...why the hell not market it better towards your pc counterparts...if they did it right they could sell a ton of these laptops! With Windows 7 coming apple needs to step it up...yes it is that good. We have tested it seen we received the first dev kit...and it is that much improved!! Till then let a mac be a mac...its no more than an overpriced windows wanna be using bootcamp!
**ignores wall of text**
Paragraphs, mothafucka, do you speak them!!!!!?
So you basically bought a mac for windows? Why? There are alot cheaper options to run windows. I have a Early 08 MB with 2Ghz C2D and 4GB of ram. I run bootcamp occasionally to run engineering programs such as Solid Modeling programs and run FEA. I have the crap Intel graphics and it does okay with intel driver updates. I don't monitor the temp on windows side but encoding HD programs from my DVR my CPU will run 200F for an hour or more. Yes I hate doing it, but this was my secondary computer that got thrust to my primary.
So thats why i'll be upgrading to a 15" MBP with dual graphics, hopefully less heat and more horsepower for engineering work. Also apples tech support has been nothing but good for me. My MB was 6 months out of warranty and they fixed my cracked palm rest free of charge.
If mac is so great how come your return key is bust.
this is amazing news. matte should always remain an option with mbp's. period.
I am an Apple fan but they should not be charging for this option.You should have the choice as in
pictures glossy or matte end of story Apple stop being so GREEDY
i really love the glossy screen. it always depends on where you use it. i mostly use my book in my flat.
you are talking about a $1700 laptop (minimum), $50 is 3% premium, get over yourselves, sales tax is more than that, yet half of you probably wouldn't think twice about buying it in a store
does anyone know the old sony vaios with the glossy screens? the screen glass was a little bit blue and non-reflecting. why can´t apple invent displays like non-reflecting eyeglasses?
Man, if they extended this to the 13", I'd be a bit sad. Why?
Because I bought a 13" MBP as a hold-over while my matte-finished 15" early 2008 was in for warranty service. If waiting a couple of months could have landed me *two* matte-finished screens, I'd be quite pleased.
This glossy screen (typing on the 13" right now) is friggin' awful.
Oh, and $50 is *just fine* for this. It's a non-standard finish, and I've said before that I would have shelled out $150 on this 13" for it. $50 to correct a stupid design choice is fine.
Might I add, that $50 to correct a stupid design choice (I call it oversight to be fair to Apple) that you didnt make isnt all that fair.
it's ONLY $45 dollars with your educational discount :-P
Literally just bought the glossy version. Can it be swapped?
No 13" Macbook Pro love? Damn.
Yes. Great news.
So much for Apple's sense of style.
So, how long until the 13" Macbook Pro gets the Matte display option? I've been waiting until Snow Leopard came out to get my Macbook but by the time that happens, it most likely wont be long until another refresh with better specs and graphics comes along... Must take the plunge sometime.. but when?! And then there will probably be iLife '10 in Jan so another couple months wait...