Anti-Glare Monitor

• The anti-glare monitor is a LCD screen covered with a special polarizing filter. The anti-glare filter has a very fine rough texture. This texture is designed to scatter and diffuse light from outside sources that hit the monitor. This also means, however, that light leaving the monitor can be slightly diffused as well. The filter is also meant to direct the light from the screen straight out, which means that the display will appear dim and fuzzy when viewed at an angle.
  
  

Hi-Res Glossy Monitor

• The hi-res glossy monitor lacks a polarizing filter. Instead, the glossy monitor has a highly polished screen surface similar to glass. This means that light produced by the monitor will pass through the screen with as little disruption as possible. Glossy screens are also visible from a wider angle than filtered screens.
  
  

Comparison

• The glossy screen can deliver an overall clearer and more accurately colored display under ideal conditions because light emanating from the screen isn't dispersed by any filter. The matte screen can still offer a visible display in situations when glare would overwhelm the glossy screen, such as outdoors or under fluorescent lights.
  
  

Choosing

• If much of the work you will do with your MacBook centers around photo editing, design or other visually intense tasks, you may appreciate that glossy screens increased color and focus capacity. If you plan to travel with your MacBook or use it outside often, the anti-glare monitor will save some eye strain. In the end, the decision is between a crisp, rich display under ideal conditions, and a somewhat lower quality display that works in most situations. It may be a good idea to check out each display in person to see which you prefer.