A glossy display is an electronic display

Display device

A display device is an output device for presentation of information in visual or tactile form...

 with a glossy surface. In certain light environments glossy displays provide better color intensity and contrast ratios than matte displays

Matte Displays

A matte display is an electronic display with a matte surface. Matte displays feature a light scattering anti-glare layer, which reduces glare at the cost of decreased contrast and color intensity under dimly lit conditions.-References:...

. The primary disadvantage of these displays is their tendency to reflect any external light, often resulting in an undesirable glare.

Technology

Most glossy LCDs use an optical coating

Optical coating

An optical coating is one or more thin layers of material deposited on an optical component such as a lens or mirror, which alters the way in which the optic reflects and transmits light. One type of optical coating is an antireflection coating, which reduces unwanted reflections from surfaces, and...

 to reduce the amount of external light reflecting from the surface without affecting light emanating from the screen.

Advantages

In controlled environments, such as darkened rooms

Darkroom

A darkroom is a room that can be made completely dark to allow the processing of light sensitive photographic materials, including photographic film and photographic paper. Darkrooms have been created and used since the inception of photography in the early 19th century...

, or rooms where all light sources are diffused glossy displays create more saturated colors, deeper blacks, brighter whites, and are sharper than matte display

Matte Displays

A matte display is an electronic display with a matte surface. Matte displays feature a light scattering anti-glare layer, which reduces glare at the cost of decreased contrast and color intensity under dimly lit conditions.-References:...

s. This is why supporters of glossy screens consider these types of displays more appropriate for viewing photographs and watching films.

Disadvantages

Because of the reflective nature of the display, in most lighting conditions which include direct light sources facing the screen, glossy displays create reflections which can be distracting to the user of the computer. This can be especially distracting to users working in an environment where the position of lights and windows is fixed, such as in an office, as these create unavoidable reflections on glossy displays.

Adverse health effects

The image of light sources reflected in the screen can cause the human visual system to focus on that image which is usually at a much farther distance than the information shown on the screen. This competition between two images that can be focused may cause headache and other severe disturbances.

See also

• Anti-reflective coating
  Anti-reflective coating
  An antireflective or anti-reflection coating is a type of optical coating applied to the surface of lenses and other optical devices to reduce reflection. This improves the efficiency of the system since less light is lost. In complex systems such as a telescope, the reduction in reflections also...
  
  
• Optical coating
  Optical coating
  An optical coating is one or more thin layers of material deposited on an optical component such as a lens or mirror, which alters the way in which the optic reflects and transmits light. One type of optical coating is an antireflection coating, which reduces unwanted reflections from surfaces, and...
  
  
• Matte Displays
  Matte Displays
  A matte display is an electronic display with a matte surface. Matte displays feature a light scattering anti-glare layer, which reduces glare at the cost of decreased contrast and color intensity under dimly lit conditions.-References:...
  
  
• Glossy Display Branding
  Glossy Display Branding
  Most display manufacturers label their glossy screens under a variety of brand names:...
  
  

External links

• Matte vs Glossy Screens, Laptops, Monitors and other Computer Accessories : a report of user experience, published Sep. 7, 2009.

• Glossy versus matte: fight! : From the News Desk at Ars Technica: a report of a Lenovo poll on matte vs. glossy LCDs by Jeremy Reimer, published Oct. 18, 2006 (note: the Lenovo poll is no longer available on the Lenovo web site).