If you’re still looking for a Mac with a matte display, the only remaining option is the pre-Retina display 15” MacBook Pro, built with a $100 factory matte screen customization. The 17” model is gone, and none of Apple’s other notebooks or desktops offer the anti-glare finish. We’ve covered Power Support’s Anti-Glare Film before, but the $35 asking price may be prohibitive for some users, especially since you only get one shot at installation.
One of the reasons we’re intrigued by ClearCal’s Anti-Glare Film is it costs only $20 for any size of MacBook. The company even offers anti-glare film for the MacBook Pro with Retina display.
ClearCal is the only company we’ve come across so far offering any sort of anti-glare solution for the Retina MacBook Pro, and even offers films for iMacs and Cinema Displays/Thunderbolt Displays.
We can’t imagine that installation is terribly easy, but the price is low; if you get it right, you might be very happy with the results. A word of warning: it’s been our experience—and ClearCal openly notes—that anti-glare films can cause a prismatic effect on screens of devices, especially ones with Retina displays. Keep this in mind before making the investment.
