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Best Laptop Screen for Sunlight & Outdoor Usage

Best-laptop-screen-for-sunlight
Written by Ehsan Batt

I know it is quite painful, for some, to read the full article to get the answer to a simple question, Therefore, I am adding here a one-line answer. 

Find a laptop with a matte screen. All your worries will be gone.

If you want my help to find one, skip through the content to the end to find a list of the Best Laptop for sunlight and outdoor usage.

To know why I am recommending you a matte screen, keep reading. Hopefully, you will know more than enough once you finish the complete article. 

To start with, let’s explore the evils that trouble you while using your laptop in direct sunlight or an extremely bright room.

The two highly faced problems while using a laptop in sunlight:

Reflection or glare: It is basic physics. The sunlight bounces off a shiny surface due to a phenomenon called ‘reflection’. You might have heard about it in elementary school science. In layman terms, it is called glare and it really stinks(read it ‘su*ks).

The glare brings you unnecessary pain and might even lead to low productivity when working outside.  

Low brightness: It is no secret that manufacturing companies cut corners to keep the product price low. One particular area is screen brightness. 

In laptops, just like in TVs and PC monitors, screen brightness is measured in nits. A low-end laptop has a screen that could go up to 200 nits at maximum. It will perform well indoors, but simply fail to deliver when exposed to extremely bright conditions. 

Apart from these two, I could not find any plausible reason that can compel users to look for a laptop that doesn’t make them squint

What is the most practical solution to tackle this?

It goes without saying that the most practical solution is far away from the best solution. 

As pointed out by Tim MOYNIHAN, the best solution is to get a laptop with a Quantum-dot display. In his own words,

“Quantum-dot displays use a wider color gamut to boost contrast, slightly curved screens that eliminate reflections from the sides, and new anti-reflective screen coatings based on the properties of a moth’s eyes.”

The above solution is impractical as Quantum-dot Displays are expensive, and you don’t have to spend a fortune just because you can’t deal with the glare in sunlight.  

The most practical solution is to get a laptop with a matte display, synonymous with an anti-glare display, as compared to a glossy one. What’s the difference? Let’s find out.

Matte vs Glossy laptop screen?

Well, this may not be the most comprehensive answer to the asked question, but it surely is enough.

Despite the same LCD panels, the glossy and matte screens are remarkably different. The glossy displays rich in color and contrast, thanks to the special coating finish applied on the screen. Matte screens, in contrast, may seem dull but they are highly resistant to glare.   

 

Now that you know the difference between the two, it is pertinent to point out that you will have to make a trade-off while preferring one screen over another. 

Apart from the screen type, you are required to consider the laptop brightness. With a high brightness limit, even a glossy laptop screen can do fine in sunlight.  

The other, and the most economical, solution is to find an anti-glare screen protector for laptop usage in sunlight.

What does an anti-glare screen protector do?

An anti-glare screen protector performs the same function as the pre-coated matte screen does: it effectively dampens down the reflection. 

One of the many advantages of an anti-reflection screen protector is that it protects the screen from scratches. Plus, a few one of them can effectively reduce the accumulation of dust on the screen.

Last but not least, they can effectively prevent fingerprints left by sweaty fingers on the screen, and therefore, can maintain the aesthetic appeal of the laptop. 

 

Below, I have added the top 10 best laptops with the matte, and anti-glare, screens that won’t disappoint you even while operating in direct sunlight. 

10 best Laptops with Matte, and anti-glare, screens

Matte Screen Laptops
$184.00
$279.99
in stock
34 new from $170.65
10 used from $91.75
as of March 3, 2024 7:14 am
Amazon.com
$424.99
in stock
2 used from $268.23
as of March 3, 2024 7:14 am
Amazon.com
$619.00
$649.00
out of stock
4 new from $619.00
4 used from $419.00
as of March 3, 2024 7:14 am
Amazon.com
$154.99
$177.00
in stock
13 new from $154.99
as of March 3, 2024 7:14 am
Amazon.com
$1,387.00
$1,498.88
in stock
3 new from $1,387.00
as of March 3, 2024 7:14 am
Amazon.com
$1,429.77
in stock
3 used from $599.00
as of March 3, 2024 7:14 am
Amazon.com
$1,750.00
in stock
2 new from $1,750.00
1 used from $1,079.34
as of March 3, 2024 7:14 am
Amazon.com
out of stock
as of March 3, 2024 7:14 am
Amazon.com
Last updated on March 3, 2024 7:14 am

About the author

Ehsan Batt