There are several display technologies available in the market. From organic LED displays or OLEDs and the different types of liquid crystal displays such as twisted nematic LCD and in-plane switching LCD, as well as newer generation techs such as quantum dot, QLED, and microLED displays.
Note that there are also more specific choices based on the type of material used in the backplane thin-film transistor or TFT of a particular display technology. Some examples include IGZO TFT, amorphous silicon or aSi-TFT, and low-temperature polysilicon or LTPS.
However, there are also two broad options based on display surface: matte display and glossy display. Choosing between the two depends on the preference of the consumer, particularly the specific use case scenarios.
Matte Display vs Glossy Display: Advantages and Disadvantages
The difference between matte display and glossy display are generally simple: The former has reduced reflectivity and thus, the images and color they produce appear dull while the latter is reflective, thereby appearing more glossy or shiny.
Key advantages of matte displays include better outdoor visibility or better usability in lighting conditions with direct light sources facing the display screen. On the other hand, glossy displays have key benefits to include more saturated colors, deeper blacks, brighter whites, and sharper images and colors.
Of course, the two displays have their respective disadvantages and limitations. Matte displays produce images and colors that do not appear as sharp or bright as their glossy counterparts. Glossy displays can create distractions or may be hard to view when used outdoors or within bright lighting environments.
Another disadvantage of glossy displays is that prolonged exposure to glares and other visual disturbances from light reflections can have mild to severe health effects according to several studies. Reflected light compels human users to focus on the reflected image rather than the actual image displayed on the screen.
Matte displays are also easier to clean and maintain. Glossy displays tend to pick up smudges from fingerprints and grease. Matte surfaces are also ideal for people who are prone to eyestrain. However, they are usually a little bit expensive than glossy ones.
Choosing The Best Display Surface: Use Case Scenarios for Matte Versus Glossy
Both matte display and glossy display have their strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, there are actually no better option between the two because they have their respective use case applications.
Take note of the following applications of matte displays:
• Ideal for professionals who do a lot of imaging and color correction because images and color reproduction are usually more accurate than glossy displays.
• Printers also take advantages of these displays because of their better color accuracy, thus ensuring that the images printed on a paper would be as close as the images displayed on the screen.
• A matte surface also reduces the visibility of images from a certain distance, thereby making it ideal for use cases involving confidential information indoors.
• Better outdoor visibility makes these displays also suitable for outdoor devices to include industrial-grade equipment or durable computers.
Meanwhile, the following are the ideal applications of glossy displays:
• The sharp and vivid images and color of glossy displays make them ideal for content consumption, such as viewing photographs, watching films, or playing video games.
• Graphic design and video editing professionals can also benefit from having better color intensity and contrast ratios, especially if they are disseminating their contents for electronic use and via the Internet.
• Of course, there is also reduced visibility due to the highly reflective nature of a glossy surface, thereby making it ideal for keeping information confidential to a certain extent, especially when used outdoors.
• Showrooms and trade environments can take advantage of having more saturated colors, deeper blacks, brighter whites, and sharper images and colors. Images look more presentable, engaging, and thus, attractive.
