January 10th, 2009
MWSF09 Best in Show: TechRestore matte finish MacBook screen
One of the trickest upgrades I found on the Macworld Expo show floor is the matte finish screen replacement ($199) for the 15-inch uniboby MacBook Pro from TechRestore. Apple’s glossy screen is pictured on the left and TechRestore’s anti-glare screen is on the right.
I’m no fan of glossy notebook displays (as readers of these pages know all too well) and TechRestore is providing a service that Apple does not: anti-glare MacBook Pro 15’s that I can actually use outside on sunny days.
While Apple did announce an anti-glare screen option ($50) for the brand, spankin’ new 17-inch MacBook Pro, Apple representatives that I spoke to in the booth said that the company wouldn’t commit to offering the anti-glare option for its 15 or 13-inch MacBooks. Whether or not they will eventually offer a matte option is up for debate, but I’m not waiting for Apple to make up its mind.
TechRestore does its magic by removing the glass surface and a layer of glossy material under it that’s glued to the MBP15 screen. It then replaces it with a protective anti-glare surface that cuts glare by about 80 percent in my unscientific estimate. TechRestore’s matte screen option comes with a black bezel which looks much better than Apple’s anti-glare MBP17 which has an aluminum bezel.
The TechRestore matte finish MacBook screen is an O’Grady Best in Show because it sells for only $199 with 3-5 business day turnaround and free return ground shipping. Even faster overnight service and shipping options are available for an additional fee.
Jason D. O'Grady is the editor of PowerPage.org, which has been publishing daily mobile technology news since December 1995. For disclosures on Jason's industry affiliations, click here or to view Jason's full profile click here.
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