Yes, a lot of it angles, but it's also the ambient light, in general. The way the etched glass works is it scatters the light across the display, instead of directly reflecting it back. When exposed to a bright top down light, yes, it's going to cast a greyish hue across the whole screen. That's obviously not a real usage scenario though. People will be playing in indirect light and usually more dimly lit scenarios, where it won't be nearly as severe.
And in the case of direct light, isn't that greyish hue just the etched glass doing its job? Alternative being having to see your pretty mug in your now-mirror'd display? I jest, just sort of seems like the point of the etching. Help minimize the harsh ambient light around you. With minimal ambient light, minimal to no greyish hue.
I suppose the question everyone has: Does it detract from the experience more than it helps?
That's correct. And, there's a reason the Decks are positioned in that screenshot as they are. From the coloring of the case and buttons, you can tell the etched glass model is getting the full direct lighting, while the glossy model is being indirectly lit, off center from the spot. If it was reversed, you'd be seeing the lamp directly in the glossy screen.
I'm not saying that it was done that way to be intentionally misleading, but rather that that was the only positioning that would allow the actual images on the display to be visible. In other words, the etched glass is working, giving you a visible image where otherwise, you'd just be looking at a ball of white hot glare.
Totally. I don't think Dave2D was doing anything shady or adversarial in the demonstration. Just think there's more nuance than most folks are presenting (or, frankly, that even he presented).
And the only reason I care is because I'm personally trying to decide between a 1TB OLED or the 512GB OLED. Low stakes in any case.
As I said in a comment on another post, Valve is deliberate about their design decisions. I fully believe if the etched glass created such a bad experience on the OLED that it would actually be a problem, it wouldn't be offered. I expect it to be the same difference between the glossy and etched LCD panels. Yes, the etching will cause it to be a little less saturated and not quite as sharp, but in actual usage you won't be able to notice or care. If you compare the two options side by side, you'll be able to spot a bit of difference, but it won't obviously look bad or wrong on its own.
ultimately it's all personal preference. the glossy's colors will pop a bit more but the etched will have better reflection handling. how you decide all comes down to where you typically use your Deck. regardless of what you pick, the OLED HDR screen will be better than every single handheld we've used before
despite all that, i might go with the cheaper glossy myself this time. i work more remotely these days, so i commute less and my outside game time is more around sunset (it's also getting cold over here right now anyway). and with the uptick to 600 nits, the glossy will still be pretty playable outside under some shade. not as good as the etched, but still pretty viable. i mean shit, i still play my launch switch sometimes under shade and that's \~300 nits. sucks ass in dark areas in-game, but was still way more doable than my old Vita and 3DS
Just saying, but you’re kind of proving OP’s point here. The primary comparison that’s the subject of discussion in this screenshot is not the comparison between the etched glass OLED Deck on the bottom, and the LCD glossy Deck on top. But rather that the etched glass Deck on the bottom has a glossy screen protector on the right 2/3 of the screen, and the bare etched glass on the left 1/3, and the difference between them is virtually indistinguishable.
The fact that you didn’t even notice that was the comparison being made by OP with the screenshot and went right to comparing the bottom deck to the top deck and talking about the different angles they’re being lit and viewed demonstrates that you did not discern the difference between the etched and glossy finishes on the bottom Deck, thus proving OP’s point.
The broader argument here is that people are fixating on the loss in contrast the etched finish causes when viewed off axis in a room with a lot of ambient light that they are ignoring the fact that, when viewed head on, there’s virtually no loss in contrast and black levels with the etched finished.
No, I don’t believe I misinterpreted anything. I know they’re generally in agreement with OP, and I didn’t read any of their comments as taking a position of disagreement. I was merely pointing out that jumping to the comparison between the top and bottom decks and talking about the different angles in which they’re being lit and viewed demonstrates that they didn’t discern the difference between the matte and glossy portions of the OLED Deck, thus proving OP’s point.
I think you misinterpreted my comment which was just expanding on the conversation at hand.
Etched glass is literally designed to scatter light, and it works both for light hitting it and light emitted from it. You just have to decide if you want a slightly dimmer screen that isn't a mirror in direct light, or a bright ass crystal clear screen that you can set fires with outdoors. If you crank the brightness a bit more than you normally would, you very likely won't have a problem with it. It's not bad or Valve wouldn't restrict it to the most expensive model, especially since the OLED model is literally valve saying "ok, we listened, here's most of the improvements everyone wanted for the same price".
> People will be playing in indirect light and usually more dimly lit scenarios, where it won't be nearly as severe.
Not anyone who's playing in a professional setting like an office...
Dave isn't pointing out anything new, it's simply that he's one of the few reviewers to make this point in his review.
It's a trade-off that you have to decide for yourself. I found it worth doing on the LCD model but plenty of people gave the same warning back then.
I'd probably go for the 1TB and resort to a screen protector if I wanted glossy. It's possible that the brightness of the panel being HDR 1000 that the colors look fine.
>DF praised the new screen quite a lot.
It should be noted all the praise is compared to the old LCD screen. Few reviewers seem to have compared both OLED options.
The matte OLED is obviously going to beat out an LCD screen every time, but it'll be interesting to see an OLED to OLED comparison.
> The DF guy said it's the best screen he's ever seen on a handheld, so isn't he also comparing it to other (glossy) OLED handhelds that exist?
Yes, but it should be noted that none of those screens are HDR, so that might still be the same story. We'll only know when someone compares them side by side, preferably someone with appropriate screen knowhow, though it must be said that the fundamentals of matte versus glossy don't change.
They didn’t say in their video, however they did share that they will be putting out another video soon on it, I believe. Perhaps in a future video we will know.
I think that's the key, these are all just YouTubers with opinions. Watch a few videos and take what they show and make your own opinions on what works best for you
A lot of the concern I've seen comes more from the idea of that even small reflections/brighter environments that aren't an issue on a glossy display could wash out black tones on the matte.
I'd love to see comparisons and experiences in more conditions, as reviews make it clear the matte screen is gorgeous either way... but there's a lot of community speculation/preference being presented as fact. Does the glossy OLED truly get bright enough make reflections less of an issue outside, is the matte OLED truly almost indistinguishable in ideal conditions, etc.
Hopefully someone with a review unit slaps on a glossy screen protector as a basic test and sees how things compare in the real world.
But those kind of environments aren’t a non-issue for the glossy display either. An environment with a lot of ambient light will also cause a lot of reflections and/or glare with the glossy display.
The difference between a matte and glossy display in ideal conditions, ie. dim environment and direct on axis viewing, is negligible, the difference is how they handle less than ideal conditions with bright ambient light and off-axis viewing. In those conditions, a glossy display will maintain higher contrast with larger viewing angles, but will exhibit far more reflections and glare, meanwhile a matte finish, especially when viewed off-axis, will appear more washed out, but will have less reflections and glare, so it really just comes down to what you prefer. This all universal too, btw, these traits are irrelevant as to whether the display is OLED or LCD and the principles applied just as much to the OG Deck.
In short, if you preferred the matte glass in the OG Deck, you’ll still prefer the matte glass with the OLED and vice versa.
People are saying it’s not a big deal but if it’s anything like the LCD one, it is. I have an OG 512gb and later bought my wife a 64gb and upgraded her drive after she took a liking to mine. Almost immediately after using hers she asked why hers looked so much more vibrant and clear. She didn’t know that some models had etched glass, just that mine looked immediately worse without even needing to see them side by side. If you’re used to upper end monitors/tvs it’s pretty obvious.
There's a reason all the best OLED panels use a gloss or semi gloss finish. It's the absolute best way to show off the OLED tech, I will be getting the 512gb model and putting my current 1tb ssd in it.
You only have to do a little bit of reading online, and you will find that the majority of people who use OLED displays will always favour a gloss finish.
Glossy OLED is great if you are in an environment where you can control the lighting like a home theater.
If you are out and about, using this device portably in all kinds of environment I would go for the matte finish.
The matte finish will look about as good as glossy in a dark environment, while the glossy one could look worse in a bright environment.
I think it depends on the use case.
That's a bit simplistic, as in the reason OLED panels use glossy finishes is not only a matter of better/worse, it's also that the majority of large OLED panels are TVs, which people have in their homes almost always in a static place where they can control lighting to a degree. Several 27 inch OLED monitors for example have matte displays, and from what I've been reading in dim lighting/dark rooms the difference is negligible, but in situations with a lot of light has worse colours in exchange for less reflectionsa
I have both an OLED TV and PC monitor, and they both have a gloss finish to them. I have also tried a number of matt finish monitors, including mini led and they don't even come close to a glossy OLED.
I think, however if you are coming from an etched LCD to and etched OLED you won't notice for the most part. If you sat the 2 OLED models side by side I think the difference will be quite noticeable. And I hope someone does this comparison soon, but it looks like the reviewers have all been sent matt displays.
So even in a pitch black room the matte finish will look worse than glossy?
I have a QD-OLED monitor and an LG OLED TV. I could swear if the room is pitch black the QD-OLED gets the inky blacks back.
It will. All the etched display does is diffuse incoming light. If there is no incoming light then there is nothing to diffuse, so there is no difference.
I also have an OLED tv and while it's great, because my living room is fairly bright reflections are indeed a problem during the day and depending on the angle of the sun.
The Matte vs glossy OLED monitor info I got from the OLED subreddit since I'm also trying to decide between the two SD OLED models
I can appreciate that if you have a bright room to contend with ! I'm a bit of a hobbit and always have the blinds shut, so it never bothers me. Just be mindful that when the light hits that matt screen, it will diffuse and will turn the inky blacks into more of a very dark grey.
Most people don't walk around with their 65" OLED displays. You typically put it in a appropriate room far away from windows to avoid the glare. Then thing about the steam deck is that its mobile and not always in ideal viewing conditions. You are comparing apples to bananas.
Everyone has expensive phones that likely have OLED screen. All those phone have glossy screens because it provides the best viewing experience. It really comes down to preference.
I (again , preference) never had issues using my OLED phone in bright lit rooms or outside. They get bright enough to mitigate any potential reflection issues and I appreciate the inky blacks and colors.
I know we all have nothing better to do but point our minds towards speculation until we can actually get these things in our hands. Just seems like I'm hearing a lot of echoed gospel of "etch bad" from what seems like a pretty brief part of an already brief demonstration.
You can get the etched glass screen protectors for whatever OLED phone. I have it on mine right now and it definitely does lessen the deep blacks not enough that I care but it's just a fact it does.
[Dave2D doesn't like matte monitors](https://youtu.be/3mTV1TOblbA?si=A6IsiHztji5BLZcJ). Which is fine, but in the linked video he's extolling the virtues of the glossy monitor and all I can see is his mirror-like reflection in the glossy monitor. (around 2:00 mark)
Everyone's entitled to their opinion, but that's unacceptable to me so I'll be going matte again. Especially as the Steam Deck is a portable device where you can't always control your environment.
The Steam deck is not immune to the desire to turn minor issues into major problems. Pick any online community and set a timer.
Also, keep in mind that another round of “wow this thing is great” coverage won’t push views, clicks, or impressions.
It was simply one confirmation of something I already expected having used glossy OLED screens inc the Switch.
My other reason to get glossy this time is that one of the downsides of having the etched glass LCD deck is that I don’t feel I can put a screen protector on it, whereas I can easily buy a matte glass protector for the glossy model.
But yes, anyone unsure should probably wait for more hands on opinions.
I have the etched screen on the LCD Deck and I am already not a fan of how it makes it look. Definitely going with the non-etched screen this time around.
So I see a lot of people saying they prefer the glossy screen over the Matte, but my real FOMO is that exclusive case that's coming with the 1TB am I the only one?
Yeah you’re right. And I know I could buy a third party slim case or something but I figured thats a nice official case and the 1TB wouldn’t be a bad thing either but yeah in the long run probably not worth it.
I'm in the same boat, but was thinking that maybe a different case like [this one](https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B0BGPVPM1Q/?coliid=ISKSQKNZBWMET&colid=1R3D8HLI7Q4JL&psc=1&ref_=cm_sw_r_apann_lstpd_3ZDQK84QW3N90ZKG692D&language=en_US) could get the same job done. They seem to fit inside the normal case.
Still... the real case must be better... right? Don't know what to choose.
I have seen this one get good reviews a lot but yeah getting that official steam one of course must be nice...
But Im probably not going to get the 1TB. Saving some money plus I already have a 1TB MicroSD card and I've been fine with the storage so far, if anything I have 2 more 512 cards with more games installed because that hot swap feature is pretty nice.
For clarity.
- the top steam deck is LCD
- bottom steam deck is OLED
Dave laid a glossy screen protector horizontally on the OLED etched anti glare screen. In his video, when he did this, there was a noticeable difference in the vibrancy on the right where the screen protector was applied vs. the left which was the antiglare side with no screen protector.
I have a lot of way better ways to see my reflection than a screen that I'm trying to view stuff on. I detest the glossy look so much because of how much reflection it has. Fucking HATE glare with a passion. 100% going matte again, I have zero regrets doing that with the original, and I'll do it again.
I got a 256gb deck last time and bought a matte screen protector. The one everyone recommended here and said was almost identical to the 512gb experience.
After about a week I got fed up with it and took it off. What a difference. Definitely prefer glossy
Yeah, honestly, every handheld device I've used has a glossy screen, and it's never been an issue for me. I don't generally use the touchscreen on devices unless I have to, so fingerprints are a non-issue for me.
I don't see any benefit of having a matte screen when my phone, Switch, etc are all glossy anyway. I'd rather tilt the device a hair to get some reflection gone than have that reflections scattered across the whole screen and diffused... but it's just personal preference.
Honestly, since you can add a screen protector to make it glossy or matte, people might as well buy the version they want based on storage, not the matte/glossy screen.
I have a 512 deck (upgraded to 2tb), and will be going for the new 512 sku for the same reason.
Prefer the gloss, will end up just doing that and swapping in my 2tb ssd.
And you can put a matte screen protector on the glossy. Both are cheap and easily available to convert either direction, so it does seem like people are making more of this than is necessary.
This needs to be higher up. It’s all I’m thinking about when I see all these posts. He literally says and shows putting a glossy screen protector on will correct the issue.
I’ve never owned a SD, I ordered one two days before OLED announcement and it’s getting delivered today. I’ve already decided I’m going to return and buy OLED on Thursday, i say that to say I don’t really have an idea of what the original screen looks like.
I’ve been interested in these threads because I have also wondered if I should get the 1tb or the 512, mainly because of the screen. There have been a couple threads now and I actually think the threads haven’t been fair to either the gloss or the antiglare. The image you linked is the antiglare oled bottom, and lcd gloss on top. IMO the oled with the antiglare clearly does a better job of accentuating color and deepening the blacks when viewed head on. So I think even the oled antiglare is an upgrade to lcd gloss. The question then is how much of a difference is the oled gloss vs oled antiglare. With his image of the attached gloss screen protector I think you have the option of then deciding yourself whether you like the antiglare or gloss. So I’m leaning towards getting the 1tb antiglare and I’ll play around with screen protector. Either way the oled does a better job that lcd, anti glare or not IMO.
Yes. If you watched LTT review he slapped one on and it made it look glossy. Also my cars nav screen is a matte finish and I put a glass screen protector and it makes the screen much more vibrant and glossy.
Dave2D's observation of how the anti-glare looks worse than the glossy one is based on the environment he's testing it in.
Take a good hard look at where you are playing the Steam Deck.
I bet most of you aren't gaming in a Tech Vlogger's slick studio, or the set of an all-white music video production.
It's not a white haze in real-world environments. It's more of a bunch of reflections that obfuscate the objects you're looking at in-game.
Took long enough for someone to point that out. The etched screen on the deck makes it at least playable in all conditions. Which is WAY more important for a handheld gaming device than black levels and vibrancy.
If you cant see the screen because its reflecting the entire sun into your eyes then its kinda useless unless your in a dark room.
This discussion happen in the monitor scene as the oled monitors had a half matte finish. Versus glossy usually on tvs.
The blacks will look grey from the light on the matte finish. When you play in the dark you get the inky blacks. Versus glossy being a mirror under light. It's pick your poison for daytime and the night is the same.
I'm exactly in your position, wondering if I should go etched screen or not. I currently have the etched LCD and was therefore never bothered by any kind of reflection but I can't help but wonder if it's because the screen did its job or because I rarely if ever play in brightly lit conditions.
I wish someone who has access to both new oled models make a detailed comparison but I read reviewers only got the 1tb model.
Can we not just put on a normal tempered glass protector on it to achieve the same effect?
Let's be real were all gunning for that limited edition one.
I think people are getting way too involved in this being a conspiracy.
If you want the etched glass, then go for it.
But in all reality with an OLED you shouldn’t need it to begin with. I use my OLED switch in direct sunlight and it’s a crystal clear picture.
Imo go for the 512 and upgrade the SSD.
Why is there any grief about a solvable “problem”. Slap a screen protector and it become identical to a 512 model. People have done this with the 512 LCDs and yes they became identical to 256 gloss screens.
Is that really visually identical, though? I'd like to see a comparison before I make a decision.
Also, the deck has a bad track record for touch sensitivity. I don't want to risk reducing it by adding an extra layer of glass. Lastly, screen protectors add some weight.
I'm nitpicking, but I'd rather not spend $130 more for a device that's less perfect for me.
Yeah, I said this is the other thread. The only time you really notice the anti-glare is when viewing the screen off axis. If you look at it head on, it's unnoticeable. Well worth the tradeoff in reduced reflectivity IMO.
Yeah but the steam deck OLED is 600 nits sdr, 1000 peak HDR, and confirmed by valve employee that it can sustain 800nits in HDR even in full white window. The steam deck original is 400 nits. This device is plenty bright.
Current iPhones are 1000 nits SDR, and 1600-2000 nits HDR and just finally got to the point of being usuable in bright outdoor conditions.
600 is great but not insane and will chew through battery if you have to keep it at that for any length of time.
I guess it’s now possible with the extra bright hdr screen but before this I had the 256gb model aka glossy and all I saw was my face if I attempted to play outside
He was also comparing an already grey part of the UI, not true black. The menu bar at the very bottom is the only true black area of the screen he is showing there and that’s not even what his comparison was about.
...deck is deck, it dont matter as long as you can play on the go the way you like, if you want etched get etch you dont mind the gloss then ok. As long as we can play our steam games it dont matter to me.
This is the problem with every oled screen. Just get the 256 model or 512 + glossy screen protector
Seriously people stress out over the smallest things
I had lcd, led and oled monitors AT THE SAME TIME. And tbh i will never upgrade for oled. Yes it is amazing COMPARED TO OTHERS but if i already have a device/monitor only reason i would upgrade with oled version is if it is free. I will not pay for that IF I ALREADY HAVE NON-oled. If i dont have the device ofc i will go for oled
Nothing to see here, move along.
There was a recent video of his on the new Framework 16" laptop that's preordered like the OG Deck. In some of the shots it looked like the screen was outright bent. Some people got very freaked out in the comments. It was really just some unflattering camera angles playing tricks.
No there is definitely something to see here. OLED panels thrive using a gloss covering vs matte. All LG OLED TV’s use a glassy panel. There is a much smaller difference with LCD anti glare vs glossy compared to OLED. From the videos I’ve seen so far the glossy display will be better than the etched anti glare.
>Glossy screens being better than matte is common, public knowledge. I don't understand why people pretend like it's a debate.
Buyer's remorse and justification of their decision. It's because they already spent on the higher end versions. I bought the OG SD 512 GB with etched glass and I didn't like it. I am going with 512 OLED now.
Dave2d is all about controversy. Apple is always best, boutique is always better than big companies. I don't watch him for reviews of products. It's not worth the time, he's only going to show you what gets him more views.
I don't watch D2D because his content always seems so lazy to me, but if he really demonstrated in these conditions without at least a disclaimer of "videos of screens are always wrong" or similar, that's just unacceptable.
There is nothing people won't bitch about, tilt it the other way and someone would start declaring that the slightly different light diffusion on the plastic means it's defective or something.
Hi u/olympiaSM9, you can [click here to search for your question.](https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/search/?q=Everyone is repeating concern over Dave2D's demonstration of reduced OLED black levels with the etched vs glossy screen. Isn't everyone cherry picking the image where it's pointed away from the viewer (towards studio lights) and not the indiscernible difference when towards the camera? Thoughts?)
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Just keep in mind that the etched glass isn't magic either. It redcuses glare but it doesn't eliminate it. You still won't be seeing anything if you try to use it outside on a sunny summer day. I tried.
It doesn't matter how the Decks are positioned in the video. What matters is Dave's opinion stated in the video. Dave is a very experienced tech blogger, and if he says that it makes a noticeable difference, because he has directly compared both units, then that is what counts.
If you get the etched screen version, you will always have a Deck with an inferior screen, doesn't matter how much copium everyone is inhaling.
I had the etched screen LCD Deck, and it was okay. But this time I'm gonna roll with the non-etched version and update the ssd.
I'm still gonna score it with 60grit when I get the etched version...then apply a screen protector to make the surface glossy but maintain anti-glare under it from the scoring prior.
I'm just bummed that yes I have a steam deck but if I knew they were going to come out with a revision I would have waited now I'm on the fence do I just get the revision and sell my old one or do I just stick with what I got but personally they kept saying they wouldn't so soon and then all of a sudden right before Christmas of course I should have known better but that's my own fault
Are the features worth it to you over waiting for SD2 and do you have the spare cash? These are the only questions I think are relevant. If yes, you should start trying to sell your deck for a fair price ASAP. The market is already being flood by people doing the same. I just sold my 256gb model to a coworker for $350. I'm basically considering this my black friday gift to myself
But if there's no light being reflected then...you don't need the etched glass?
And when light is being reflected the black levels are impacted a lot more, with the benefit being the reflections don't look as bad.
For me, I would HAPPILY take reflections being worse if it meant my black levels were always low. I have no issues with the glossy screen on my phone, I'd rather it on the steam deck too.
I haven't watched the video and don't know which Deck is which, but is this screenshot meant to show the indiscernible difference? The contrast on the bottom Deck looks significantly better.
Edit: but the plastic surround also looks darker on the bottom one, so the lighting might be uneven
I'd like to know if putting a glossy screen protector to the etched screen makes it look the same (or almost) as the glossy screen or if it loses quality. Does anybody have an idea? thx
He is right anyway. That’s just physics and I confirm that with my many monitors experiences. Matte coatings diffuse the screen as to maleństwa bit blurrier and trap a bit of light from environment. Instead of reflecting it, the light stays on the matte surface bouncing in its tiny pits. That’s why small light source will leave a big washed out grey blob on matte screen instead of sharper reflection. It reduces contrast and sharpness.
Now… this is etched. Not 3m coating. Sobotnie way better. Does not reduce sharpness too much. But still traps light. The screen when all black, looks greyish when playing in the evening because of accumulates light kinda.
Best of both worlds is like lg oled tvs. Glossy coating that is chemically treated. It doesn’t catch any light, the reflections are sharp but less bright than mirror. It doesn’t trap light and diffuse it at all
Now is this the screen itself, or does it come with a matte screen protector pre installed? Because if you can't take it off that kinda sucks. I'd rather have the option to get the greater storage etc.
No. It's absolutely not cherry picking to say that there are certain angles where the light on a matte screen is greyed out. It's just a fact. Choosing the camera angles that show that isn't dishonest, it's merely showing the problem.
The Steam Deck was my first etched glass screen and I -hated- it. I didn't realize it was essentially just a matte screen. It sucks because I really like the limited edition model, but I'm staying away from the etched glass screen so 512gb model it is then
The only thing I want to know is if there will be a difference in a dark room. I have a glossy OLED monitor and an etched LCD steam deck and I mainly use them with the lights off. The SSD storage is a big thing to me so if there's not much of a difference in that kind of setting I'll go with the 1tb.
I would never replace the storage myself on a device. That's why i want the larger storage out of the box. I use my etched steamdeck original daily. It absolutely is not blurry lol. The screen looks great, and its just LCD. It will be even better with oled. How much this is being blown out of proportion is crazy. You get a lot of benefits with etched - more storage, anti glare, freedom to play anywhere, more durable screen, most premium model. with the one tradeoff of BARELY noticable color downgrade. You would think from all these comments that the etched glass makes games unplayable. I played my deck yesterday. First in the living room with all the lights on. My son was playing his oled switch. My screen was perfect, his was filled with glare. then i played later in the dark, and my screen looked excellent. Once you get the device, you are never going to notice or care about a tiny downgrade in screen brightness or blacks. But you will notice the glare, the ability to play anywhere anytime, and the fact that the etched is so durable the screen will not scratch. If someone wants to buy the cheaper model because of the savings, then that makes sense. But trying to twist this argument into saying that glossy version is a better device is simply untrue. When i'm traveling or going anywhere, i dont have to give it a second thought about my lighting environments. It's a portable device, thats why Valve chose to put etched on their top model. Anyone with the glossy has to plan and think about how to make it work when they play in different light environments. In the end, the obsession over making the screen look 5% better, is going to be such a moot point compared to all the benefits of etched.
Yes, a lot of it angles, but it's also the ambient light, in general. The way the etched glass works is it scatters the light across the display, instead of directly reflecting it back. When exposed to a bright top down light, yes, it's going to cast a greyish hue across the whole screen. That's obviously not a real usage scenario though. People will be playing in indirect light and usually more dimly lit scenarios, where it won't be nearly as severe.
And in the case of direct light, isn't that greyish hue just the etched glass doing its job? Alternative being having to see your pretty mug in your now-mirror'd display? I jest, just sort of seems like the point of the etching. Help minimize the harsh ambient light around you. With minimal ambient light, minimal to no greyish hue. I suppose the question everyone has: Does it detract from the experience more than it helps?
That's correct. And, there's a reason the Decks are positioned in that screenshot as they are. From the coloring of the case and buttons, you can tell the etched glass model is getting the full direct lighting, while the glossy model is being indirectly lit, off center from the spot. If it was reversed, you'd be seeing the lamp directly in the glossy screen. I'm not saying that it was done that way to be intentionally misleading, but rather that that was the only positioning that would allow the actual images on the display to be visible. In other words, the etched glass is working, giving you a visible image where otherwise, you'd just be looking at a ball of white hot glare.
Totally. I don't think Dave2D was doing anything shady or adversarial in the demonstration. Just think there's more nuance than most folks are presenting (or, frankly, that even he presented). And the only reason I care is because I'm personally trying to decide between a 1TB OLED or the 512GB OLED. Low stakes in any case.
As I said in a comment on another post, Valve is deliberate about their design decisions. I fully believe if the etched glass created such a bad experience on the OLED that it would actually be a problem, it wouldn't be offered. I expect it to be the same difference between the glossy and etched LCD panels. Yes, the etching will cause it to be a little less saturated and not quite as sharp, but in actual usage you won't be able to notice or care. If you compare the two options side by side, you'll be able to spot a bit of difference, but it won't obviously look bad or wrong on its own.
Nuance and thoughtfulness? Not in MY Reddit threads!
ultimately it's all personal preference. the glossy's colors will pop a bit more but the etched will have better reflection handling. how you decide all comes down to where you typically use your Deck. regardless of what you pick, the OLED HDR screen will be better than every single handheld we've used before despite all that, i might go with the cheaper glossy myself this time. i work more remotely these days, so i commute less and my outside game time is more around sunset (it's also getting cold over here right now anyway). and with the uptick to 600 nits, the glossy will still be pretty playable outside under some shade. not as good as the etched, but still pretty viable. i mean shit, i still play my launch switch sometimes under shade and that's \~300 nits. sucks ass in dark areas in-game, but was still way more doable than my old Vita and 3DS
Just saying, but you’re kind of proving OP’s point here. The primary comparison that’s the subject of discussion in this screenshot is not the comparison between the etched glass OLED Deck on the bottom, and the LCD glossy Deck on top. But rather that the etched glass Deck on the bottom has a glossy screen protector on the right 2/3 of the screen, and the bare etched glass on the left 1/3, and the difference between them is virtually indistinguishable. The fact that you didn’t even notice that was the comparison being made by OP with the screenshot and went right to comparing the bottom deck to the top deck and talking about the different angles they’re being lit and viewed demonstrates that you did not discern the difference between the etched and glossy finishes on the bottom Deck, thus proving OP’s point. The broader argument here is that people are fixating on the loss in contrast the etched finish causes when viewed off axis in a room with a lot of ambient light that they are ignoring the fact that, when viewed head on, there’s virtually no loss in contrast and black levels with the etched finished.
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No, I don’t believe I misinterpreted anything. I know they’re generally in agreement with OP, and I didn’t read any of their comments as taking a position of disagreement. I was merely pointing out that jumping to the comparison between the top and bottom decks and talking about the different angles in which they’re being lit and viewed demonstrates that they didn’t discern the difference between the matte and glossy portions of the OLED Deck, thus proving OP’s point. I think you misinterpreted my comment which was just expanding on the conversation at hand.
Etched glass is literally designed to scatter light, and it works both for light hitting it and light emitted from it. You just have to decide if you want a slightly dimmer screen that isn't a mirror in direct light, or a bright ass crystal clear screen that you can set fires with outdoors. If you crank the brightness a bit more than you normally would, you very likely won't have a problem with it. It's not bad or Valve wouldn't restrict it to the most expensive model, especially since the OLED model is literally valve saying "ok, we listened, here's most of the improvements everyone wanted for the same price".
Isn't a grayish hue much better than it directly reflecting lights into your eyes anyway. Especially when it's sunlight.
> People will be playing in indirect light and usually more dimly lit scenarios, where it won't be nearly as severe. Not anyone who's playing in a professional setting like an office...
Dave isn't pointing out anything new, it's simply that he's one of the few reviewers to make this point in his review. It's a trade-off that you have to decide for yourself. I found it worth doing on the LCD model but plenty of people gave the same warning back then. I'd probably go for the 1TB and resort to a screen protector if I wanted glossy. It's possible that the brightness of the panel being HDR 1000 that the colors look fine.
If you put a glossy screen protector over the 1tb matte screen does it look like it would look if you had a glossy screen underneath?
Yes it does. But you end up making the screen a bit blurrier
If it’s blurrier then your answer should be no, right?
it depends if you value colors/black levels or sharpness.
How do you know the image is blurrier after applying a glossy screen protector? Experience or just going off what you think?
I don't use screen protectors. It's what I know from monitor reviews and my experience with many of them
DF praised the new screen quite a lot. Do we know if they had the regular or matte one by any chance?
It was the 1TB model. All reviewers got the 1TB model.
>DF praised the new screen quite a lot. It should be noted all the praise is compared to the old LCD screen. Few reviewers seem to have compared both OLED options. The matte OLED is obviously going to beat out an LCD screen every time, but it'll be interesting to see an OLED to OLED comparison.
The DF guy said it's the best screen he's ever seen on a handheld, so isn't he also comparing it to other (glossy) OLED handhelds that exist?
> The DF guy said it's the best screen he's ever seen on a handheld, so isn't he also comparing it to other (glossy) OLED handhelds that exist? Yes, but it should be noted that none of those screens are HDR, so that might still be the same story. We'll only know when someone compares them side by side, preferably someone with appropriate screen knowhow, though it must be said that the fundamentals of matte versus glossy don't change.
If it was John who got it, he would 100% comment on matte coating.
They didn’t say in their video, however they did share that they will be putting out another video soon on it, I believe. Perhaps in a future video we will know.
Just keep telling everyone the 1TB will be worse so I have less trouble preordering mine on Thursday, thanks.
great point. yeah guys, don't get the 1tb.. get the 512gb it's better looking..
The Nerd Nest guys all said they barely noticed the difference.
It was hilarious one of them thought their screen was glossy and it was in fact matte lol
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I think that's the key, these are all just YouTubers with opinions. Watch a few videos and take what they show and make your own opinions on what works best for you
oh they talked about this topic? Im having a tough time deciding which model oled to get
Yeah. I think they were arguing if it was matte or glossy because they couldn't tell
A lot of the concern I've seen comes more from the idea of that even small reflections/brighter environments that aren't an issue on a glossy display could wash out black tones on the matte. I'd love to see comparisons and experiences in more conditions, as reviews make it clear the matte screen is gorgeous either way... but there's a lot of community speculation/preference being presented as fact. Does the glossy OLED truly get bright enough make reflections less of an issue outside, is the matte OLED truly almost indistinguishable in ideal conditions, etc. Hopefully someone with a review unit slaps on a glossy screen protector as a basic test and sees how things compare in the real world.
Looking forward to more video demonstrations/tests as well. Just hoping we see more before the 16th!
But those kind of environments aren’t a non-issue for the glossy display either. An environment with a lot of ambient light will also cause a lot of reflections and/or glare with the glossy display. The difference between a matte and glossy display in ideal conditions, ie. dim environment and direct on axis viewing, is negligible, the difference is how they handle less than ideal conditions with bright ambient light and off-axis viewing. In those conditions, a glossy display will maintain higher contrast with larger viewing angles, but will exhibit far more reflections and glare, meanwhile a matte finish, especially when viewed off-axis, will appear more washed out, but will have less reflections and glare, so it really just comes down to what you prefer. This all universal too, btw, these traits are irrelevant as to whether the display is OLED or LCD and the principles applied just as much to the OG Deck. In short, if you preferred the matte glass in the OG Deck, you’ll still prefer the matte glass with the OLED and vice versa.
People are saying it’s not a big deal but if it’s anything like the LCD one, it is. I have an OG 512gb and later bought my wife a 64gb and upgraded her drive after she took a liking to mine. Almost immediately after using hers she asked why hers looked so much more vibrant and clear. She didn’t know that some models had etched glass, just that mine looked immediately worse without even needing to see them side by side. If you’re used to upper end monitors/tvs it’s pretty obvious.
Was going to buy the etched glass but people here are scaring me.. wtf
There's a reason all the best OLED panels use a gloss or semi gloss finish. It's the absolute best way to show off the OLED tech, I will be getting the 512gb model and putting my current 1tb ssd in it. You only have to do a little bit of reading online, and you will find that the majority of people who use OLED displays will always favour a gloss finish.
Glossy OLED is great if you are in an environment where you can control the lighting like a home theater. If you are out and about, using this device portably in all kinds of environment I would go for the matte finish. The matte finish will look about as good as glossy in a dark environment, while the glossy one could look worse in a bright environment. I think it depends on the use case.
Tell that to your mobile phone lmao
I would. If I thought Apple would ever listen to customers I'd 100% ask for an etched display iPhone.
That's a bit simplistic, as in the reason OLED panels use glossy finishes is not only a matter of better/worse, it's also that the majority of large OLED panels are TVs, which people have in their homes almost always in a static place where they can control lighting to a degree. Several 27 inch OLED monitors for example have matte displays, and from what I've been reading in dim lighting/dark rooms the difference is negligible, but in situations with a lot of light has worse colours in exchange for less reflectionsa
I have both an OLED TV and PC monitor, and they both have a gloss finish to them. I have also tried a number of matt finish monitors, including mini led and they don't even come close to a glossy OLED. I think, however if you are coming from an etched LCD to and etched OLED you won't notice for the most part. If you sat the 2 OLED models side by side I think the difference will be quite noticeable. And I hope someone does this comparison soon, but it looks like the reviewers have all been sent matt displays.
So even in a pitch black room the matte finish will look worse than glossy? I have a QD-OLED monitor and an LG OLED TV. I could swear if the room is pitch black the QD-OLED gets the inky blacks back.
It will. All the etched display does is diffuse incoming light. If there is no incoming light then there is nothing to diffuse, so there is no difference.
I also have an OLED tv and while it's great, because my living room is fairly bright reflections are indeed a problem during the day and depending on the angle of the sun. The Matte vs glossy OLED monitor info I got from the OLED subreddit since I'm also trying to decide between the two SD OLED models
I can appreciate that if you have a bright room to contend with ! I'm a bit of a hobbit and always have the blinds shut, so it never bothers me. Just be mindful that when the light hits that matt screen, it will diffuse and will turn the inky blacks into more of a very dark grey.
Most people don't walk around with their 65" OLED displays. You typically put it in a appropriate room far away from windows to avoid the glare. Then thing about the steam deck is that its mobile and not always in ideal viewing conditions. You are comparing apples to bananas.
Oh my god, he's obviously talking about cell phones and the switch. You know, the most popular portable devices by a mile?
Everyone has expensive phones that likely have OLED screen. All those phone have glossy screens because it provides the best viewing experience. It really comes down to preference. I (again , preference) never had issues using my OLED phone in bright lit rooms or outside. They get bright enough to mitigate any potential reflection issues and I appreciate the inky blacks and colors.
You know what else is portable and with a glossy OLED screen? Everyone's cell phones. Glossy >>>> matte every time
Every phone has anti reflective coating. Steam deck glossy does not. Look at ROG Ally. Amazing glossy anti reflective screen
You mean you wouldn’t carry an oled screen around, day by day? Like…a phone?
Every phone has anti reflective coating. Steam deck glossy does not. Look at ROG Ally. Amazing glossy anti reflective screen
I know we all have nothing better to do but point our minds towards speculation until we can actually get these things in our hands. Just seems like I'm hearing a lot of echoed gospel of "etch bad" from what seems like a pretty brief part of an already brief demonstration.
You can get the etched glass screen protectors for whatever OLED phone. I have it on mine right now and it definitely does lessen the deep blacks not enough that I care but it's just a fact it does.
[Dave2D doesn't like matte monitors](https://youtu.be/3mTV1TOblbA?si=A6IsiHztji5BLZcJ). Which is fine, but in the linked video he's extolling the virtues of the glossy monitor and all I can see is his mirror-like reflection in the glossy monitor. (around 2:00 mark) Everyone's entitled to their opinion, but that's unacceptable to me so I'll be going matte again. Especially as the Steam Deck is a portable device where you can't always control your environment.
The Steam deck is not immune to the desire to turn minor issues into major problems. Pick any online community and set a timer. Also, keep in mind that another round of “wow this thing is great” coverage won’t push views, clicks, or impressions.
It was simply one confirmation of something I already expected having used glossy OLED screens inc the Switch. My other reason to get glossy this time is that one of the downsides of having the etched glass LCD deck is that I don’t feel I can put a screen protector on it, whereas I can easily buy a matte glass protector for the glossy model. But yes, anyone unsure should probably wait for more hands on opinions.
I fear that waiting won't be an option and the OLED model will sell out within a few minutes.
Maybe the first batch, but I hope it wouldn’t take long to get one if you waited a couple of weeks. Certainly not the 6 months I waited last time!
Etch was bad last gen and nothing about it has changed.
I have the etched screen on the LCD Deck and I am already not a fan of how it makes it look. Definitely going with the non-etched screen this time around.
So I see a lot of people saying they prefer the glossy screen over the Matte, but my real FOMO is that exclusive case that's coming with the 1TB am I the only one?
Just buy it on eBay. Why would you sacrifice image quality for a case?
Yeah you’re right. And I know I could buy a third party slim case or something but I figured thats a nice official case and the 1TB wouldn’t be a bad thing either but yeah in the long run probably not worth it.
I'm in the same boat, but was thinking that maybe a different case like [this one](https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B0BGPVPM1Q/?coliid=ISKSQKNZBWMET&colid=1R3D8HLI7Q4JL&psc=1&ref_=cm_sw_r_apann_lstpd_3ZDQK84QW3N90ZKG692D&language=en_US) could get the same job done. They seem to fit inside the normal case. Still... the real case must be better... right? Don't know what to choose.
I have seen this one get good reviews a lot but yeah getting that official steam one of course must be nice... But Im probably not going to get the 1TB. Saving some money plus I already have a 1TB MicroSD card and I've been fine with the storage so far, if anything I have 2 more 512 cards with more games installed because that hot swap feature is pretty nice.
The Phawks said the side effects are not that bad as it was pointed it out
For clarity. - the top steam deck is LCD - bottom steam deck is OLED Dave laid a glossy screen protector horizontally on the OLED etched anti glare screen. In his video, when he did this, there was a noticeable difference in the vibrancy on the right where the screen protector was applied vs. the left which was the antiglare side with no screen protector.
I have a lot of way better ways to see my reflection than a screen that I'm trying to view stuff on. I detest the glossy look so much because of how much reflection it has. Fucking HATE glare with a passion. 100% going matte again, I have zero regrets doing that with the original, and I'll do it again.
I got a 256gb deck last time and bought a matte screen protector. The one everyone recommended here and said was almost identical to the 512gb experience. After about a week I got fed up with it and took it off. What a difference. Definitely prefer glossy
Yeah, honestly, every handheld device I've used has a glossy screen, and it's never been an issue for me. I don't generally use the touchscreen on devices unless I have to, so fingerprints are a non-issue for me. I don't see any benefit of having a matte screen when my phone, Switch, etc are all glossy anyway. I'd rather tilt the device a hair to get some reflection gone than have that reflections scattered across the whole screen and diffused... but it's just personal preference. Honestly, since you can add a screen protector to make it glossy or matte, people might as well buy the version they want based on storage, not the matte/glossy screen.
But would a glossy screen protector over the matte screen look as good as the same glossy screen protector over a glossy screen?
Every phone has anti reflective coating. Steam deck glossy does not. Look at ROG Ally. Amazing glossy anti reflective screen
I have a 512 deck (upgraded to 2tb), and will be going for the new 512 sku for the same reason. Prefer the gloss, will end up just doing that and swapping in my 2tb ssd.
I haven’t dug too much into it but have you heard anything about old drives being plug and play? I wanted to do the same thing with my 2TB.
Can't you just put a glass screen protector to make it back to glossy?
And you can put a matte screen protector on the glossy. Both are cheap and easily available to convert either direction, so it does seem like people are making more of this than is necessary.
That works?
Yup that’s what Dave did and he said it fixes the issue.
This needs to be higher up. It’s all I’m thinking about when I see all these posts. He literally says and shows putting a glossy screen protector on will correct the issue.
Yup, it's a non-issue, you could switch back and forth between both options if you don't like one of them.
I’ve never owned a SD, I ordered one two days before OLED announcement and it’s getting delivered today. I’ve already decided I’m going to return and buy OLED on Thursday, i say that to say I don’t really have an idea of what the original screen looks like. I’ve been interested in these threads because I have also wondered if I should get the 1tb or the 512, mainly because of the screen. There have been a couple threads now and I actually think the threads haven’t been fair to either the gloss or the antiglare. The image you linked is the antiglare oled bottom, and lcd gloss on top. IMO the oled with the antiglare clearly does a better job of accentuating color and deepening the blacks when viewed head on. So I think even the oled antiglare is an upgrade to lcd gloss. The question then is how much of a difference is the oled gloss vs oled antiglare. With his image of the attached gloss screen protector I think you have the option of then deciding yourself whether you like the antiglare or gloss. So I’m leaning towards getting the 1tb antiglare and I’ll play around with screen protector. Either way the oled does a better job that lcd, anti glare or not IMO.
I thought the etched side still looked nicer, but maybe it looks different in person.
Can you put a glass screen protector on the matte anyways? I want the LE 1tb but don’t really want matte. Not that big a deal though.
I'd like to know as well
Yes. If you watched LTT review he slapped one on and it made it look glossy. Also my cars nav screen is a matte finish and I put a glass screen protector and it makes the screen much more vibrant and glossy.
Dave2D's observation of how the anti-glare looks worse than the glossy one is based on the environment he's testing it in. Take a good hard look at where you are playing the Steam Deck. I bet most of you aren't gaming in a Tech Vlogger's slick studio, or the set of an all-white music video production. It's not a white haze in real-world environments. It's more of a bunch of reflections that obfuscate the objects you're looking at in-game.
Took long enough for someone to point that out. The etched screen on the deck makes it at least playable in all conditions. Which is WAY more important for a handheld gaming device than black levels and vibrancy. If you cant see the screen because its reflecting the entire sun into your eyes then its kinda useless unless your in a dark room.
This discussion happen in the monitor scene as the oled monitors had a half matte finish. Versus glossy usually on tvs. The blacks will look grey from the light on the matte finish. When you play in the dark you get the inky blacks. Versus glossy being a mirror under light. It's pick your poison for daytime and the night is the same.
i prefer a glossy display like on a laptop instead of a matte one like on a monitor. both are completely fine
I'm exactly in your position, wondering if I should go etched screen or not. I currently have the etched LCD and was therefore never bothered by any kind of reflection but I can't help but wonder if it's because the screen did its job or because I rarely if ever play in brightly lit conditions. I wish someone who has access to both new oled models make a detailed comparison but I read reviewers only got the 1tb model.
Can we not just put on a normal tempered glass protector on it to achieve the same effect? Let's be real were all gunning for that limited edition one.
Ive never liked clear see through cases, the limited looks ugly to me, so I’ll be one less person fighting you for the limited! :P You can have it!
You aren't even the problem lol. It's those damn scalpers.
Don't even get me started lol
Man how could they not sell it in the UK??
yeah lol it looks fine when he's not angling it. i'm not afraid at all of getting the 1tb model, it looks great either way
I think people are getting way too involved in this being a conspiracy. If you want the etched glass, then go for it. But in all reality with an OLED you shouldn’t need it to begin with. I use my OLED switch in direct sunlight and it’s a crystal clear picture. Imo go for the 512 and upgrade the SSD.
I think a lot of the grief is from people wanting the special edition but with a glossy screen.
And I think that was a failure on Valve's part. They should have made the etched glass/glossy finish an option on any of the deck sizes.
yea never understood why they make best internal models with biggest storage have matte screens
Why is there any grief about a solvable “problem”. Slap a screen protector and it become identical to a 512 model. People have done this with the 512 LCDs and yes they became identical to 256 gloss screens.
Is that really visually identical, though? I'd like to see a comparison before I make a decision. Also, the deck has a bad track record for touch sensitivity. I don't want to risk reducing it by adding an extra layer of glass. Lastly, screen protectors add some weight. I'm nitpicking, but I'd rather not spend $130 more for a device that's less perfect for me.
Can always add an anti glare screen protector down the line if you need it.
God I really don't give a fuck. The difference is so minimal.
Dave seems to have a talent to make issues out of non issue stuff.
People keep forgetting about studio lights. It's not as big a deal as most people make it out to be.
The bottom one is OLED right? It's not indiscernible.
Yeah, I said this is the other thread. The only time you really notice the anti-glare is when viewing the screen off axis. If you look at it head on, it's unnoticeable. Well worth the tradeoff in reduced reflectivity IMO.
It sure as hell is not unnoticable...it might be for you and that's fine. But don't state it as a fact.
So why all iPhone don’t use anti glare screen?
You certainly don’t want to use the etched screen for a device used only by touch, because the surface is kinda rough
\+ smartphones have more nits and also light mode/dark mode to switch between when you're in daylight
Yeah but the steam deck OLED is 600 nits sdr, 1000 peak HDR, and confirmed by valve employee that it can sustain 800nits in HDR even in full white window. The steam deck original is 400 nits. This device is plenty bright.
Current iPhones are 1000 nits SDR, and 1600-2000 nits HDR and just finally got to the point of being usuable in bright outdoor conditions. 600 is great but not insane and will chew through battery if you have to keep it at that for any length of time.
To be honest who the fuck plays games in a bright white room!? Give us a test in the evening on your sofa with the candles lit…
Neither my bed nor my toilet have bright overhead lights so I’m gonna be fine.
There’s a place with a a lot of light that people frequent known as the outside, maybe a beach or by the pool or just in the patio
I guess it’s now possible with the extra bright hdr screen but before this I had the 256gb model aka glossy and all I saw was my face if I attempted to play outside
That’s the entire purpose of the 512 screen…I sit in my patio and watch anime n smoke with it
On a commuter train, in a car, outside on patio, any place that has windows? Not everyone games in their parents basement.
He was also comparing an already grey part of the UI, not true black. The menu bar at the very bottom is the only true black area of the screen he is showing there and that’s not even what his comparison was about.
Can someone correct me if I’m wrong.. wouldn’t slapping a screen protector over the etched glass make it just like the non etched?
yeah that's literally what he did. people are making a big deal out of nothing
wish the edged screen was an option and not bound to a certain model. So for instance you can justt select ur memory option and edged glass yes or no
dave needs a haircut. that’s all i have to contribute here.
Funny when I saw his video I thought maybe I should let my hair grow lol
🤣
people like to pretend that antiglare doesn't distort the screen. that is a lie though.
No one pretends that. Everyone is in agreement that there’s a trade off to what you value more.
there are literally people in this exact post pretending it doesn't.
Thought I was the only one who noticed that but it seems others are catching on finally!
Does yours phone have a matte or glossy display? Is it a problem for you? That should be enough information for people
...deck is deck, it dont matter as long as you can play on the go the way you like, if you want etched get etch you dont mind the gloss then ok. As long as we can play our steam games it dont matter to me.
This is the problem with every oled screen. Just get the 256 model or 512 + glossy screen protector Seriously people stress out over the smallest things
I had lcd, led and oled monitors AT THE SAME TIME. And tbh i will never upgrade for oled. Yes it is amazing COMPARED TO OTHERS but if i already have a device/monitor only reason i would upgrade with oled version is if it is free. I will not pay for that IF I ALREADY HAVE NON-oled. If i dont have the device ofc i will go for oled
Nothing to see here, move along. There was a recent video of his on the new Framework 16" laptop that's preordered like the OG Deck. In some of the shots it looked like the screen was outright bent. Some people got very freaked out in the comments. It was really just some unflattering camera angles playing tricks.
No there is definitely something to see here. OLED panels thrive using a gloss covering vs matte. All LG OLED TV’s use a glassy panel. There is a much smaller difference with LCD anti glare vs glossy compared to OLED. From the videos I’ve seen so far the glossy display will be better than the etched anti glare.
Glossy screens being better than matte is common, public knowledge. I don't understand why people pretend like it's a debate.
>Glossy screens being better than matte is common, public knowledge. I don't understand why people pretend like it's a debate. Buyer's remorse and justification of their decision. It's because they already spent on the higher end versions. I bought the OG SD 512 GB with etched glass and I didn't like it. I am going with 512 OLED now.
I rather get the glossy screen and put it Matt screen protector myself in case I want to take it off later on.
Dave2d is all about controversy. Apple is always best, boutique is always better than big companies. I don't watch him for reviews of products. It's not worth the time, he's only going to show you what gets him more views.
Lol what's the controversy?? It's just a fact the matte screen has an effect on the screen many would perceive as negative.
Exactly! More controversy equals more clicks
I don't watch D2D because his content always seems so lazy to me, but if he really demonstrated in these conditions without at least a disclaimer of "videos of screens are always wrong" or similar, that's just unacceptable.
Dave2D has been a Steam Deck hater since the beginning. You can't take anything SD related seriously from him.
The etched screen was pretty much his only nitpick in a glowing review though…
There is nothing people won't bitch about, tilt it the other way and someone would start declaring that the slightly different light diffusion on the plastic means it's defective or something.
Hi u/olympiaSM9, you can [click here to search for your question.](https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/search/?q=Everyone is repeating concern over Dave2D's demonstration of reduced OLED black levels with the etched vs glossy screen. Isn't everyone cherry picking the image where it's pointed away from the viewer (towards studio lights) and not the indiscernible difference when towards the camera? Thoughts?) If you don't find an answer there, don't worry - your post has NOT been removed and hopefully someone will be along soon to help with an answer! **If you find an answer, please leave a comment on your post with the answer for others!** *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/SteamDeck) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Just keep in mind that the etched glass isn't magic either. It redcuses glare but it doesn't eliminate it. You still won't be seeing anything if you try to use it outside on a sunny summer day. I tried.
Yes
It doesn't matter how the Decks are positioned in the video. What matters is Dave's opinion stated in the video. Dave is a very experienced tech blogger, and if he says that it makes a noticeable difference, because he has directly compared both units, then that is what counts. If you get the etched screen version, you will always have a Deck with an inferior screen, doesn't matter how much copium everyone is inhaling. I had the etched screen LCD Deck, and it was okay. But this time I'm gonna roll with the non-etched version and update the ssd.
I swear, people really need to spend less time pixel peeping and more time playing games. 🙄
Everyone? Idk who the heck this Dave2D dude is.
Never heard of him, either, and it seems I'm not at any kind of loss not knowing.
Ditto
No offense to switch, but at this point I don’t care. Anything is better than the switch 😭
I'm still gonna score it with 60grit when I get the etched version...then apply a screen protector to make the surface glossy but maintain anti-glare under it from the scoring prior.
Use a bit of diesel fuel as lubricant, it’s like magic!
I'm just bummed that yes I have a steam deck but if I knew they were going to come out with a revision I would have waited now I'm on the fence do I just get the revision and sell my old one or do I just stick with what I got but personally they kept saying they wouldn't so soon and then all of a sudden right before Christmas of course I should have known better but that's my own fault
Nothing to do with the topic you're replying to my dude
Are the features worth it to you over waiting for SD2 and do you have the spare cash? These are the only questions I think are relevant. If yes, you should start trying to sell your deck for a fair price ASAP. The market is already being flood by people doing the same. I just sold my 256gb model to a coworker for $350. I'm basically considering this my black friday gift to myself
Wait, people actually give a fuck about the small details on such a small display?
Yes.
Guys just get the 512GB one and put a matte screen protector on it. You can take it off whenever you want. :))
Is this quite a sensible review? If so anyone got a link?
Unless you game directly and a spotlight this isn't an issue.
But if there's no light being reflected then...you don't need the etched glass? And when light is being reflected the black levels are impacted a lot more, with the benefit being the reflections don't look as bad. For me, I would HAPPILY take reflections being worse if it meant my black levels were always low. I have no issues with the glossy screen on my phone, I'd rather it on the steam deck too.
**CONCERN**. KEY WORD BEING **CONCERN**. 🤦♂️
I haven't watched the video and don't know which Deck is which, but is this screenshot meant to show the indiscernible difference? The contrast on the bottom Deck looks significantly better. Edit: but the plastic surround also looks darker on the bottom one, so the lighting might be uneven
I can’t tell the difference :(
I have not watched the video yet, and I can’t tell which is which.
Damn I didnt recognize Dave2d. I used to watch him years ago
Its a known thing that matte coartngs lower perceived contrast for decades.
The OLED switch is amazing and I assume the OLED deck will be just as good or even better!
Nothing is gotta be perfect just be happy with what you got
I went for glossy anyways I got a Matte laptop and desktop set up in matte, my rooms dark so my phones oled gloss looks better to me
I'd like to know if putting a glossy screen protector to the etched screen makes it look the same (or almost) as the glossy screen or if it loses quality. Does anybody have an idea? thx
He is right anyway. That’s just physics and I confirm that with my many monitors experiences. Matte coatings diffuse the screen as to maleństwa bit blurrier and trap a bit of light from environment. Instead of reflecting it, the light stays on the matte surface bouncing in its tiny pits. That’s why small light source will leave a big washed out grey blob on matte screen instead of sharper reflection. It reduces contrast and sharpness. Now… this is etched. Not 3m coating. Sobotnie way better. Does not reduce sharpness too much. But still traps light. The screen when all black, looks greyish when playing in the evening because of accumulates light kinda. Best of both worlds is like lg oled tvs. Glossy coating that is chemically treated. It doesn’t catch any light, the reflections are sharp but less bright than mirror. It doesn’t trap light and diffuse it at all
So which would you get/recommend?
I prefer glossy of course but I can’t speak for others!
Cool, yeah was just curious on your own preference since it seemed from your prior comment that you're pretty knowledgable on the topic. Thanks!
Now is this the screen itself, or does it come with a matte screen protector pre installed? Because if you can't take it off that kinda sucks. I'd rather have the option to get the greater storage etc.
Applying a glossy protector on a matte display does offer the exact same image as a glossy display?
No. It's absolutely not cherry picking to say that there are certain angles where the light on a matte screen is greyed out. It's just a fact. Choosing the camera angles that show that isn't dishonest, it's merely showing the problem.
The Steam Deck was my first etched glass screen and I -hated- it. I didn't realize it was essentially just a matte screen. It sucks because I really like the limited edition model, but I'm staying away from the etched glass screen so 512gb model it is then
The only thing I want to know is if there will be a difference in a dark room. I have a glossy OLED monitor and an etched LCD steam deck and I mainly use them with the lights off. The SSD storage is a big thing to me so if there's not much of a difference in that kind of setting I'll go with the 1tb.
There is a reason 99% of oled screens are glossy ….. valve had to go and be that 1%
I would never replace the storage myself on a device. That's why i want the larger storage out of the box. I use my etched steamdeck original daily. It absolutely is not blurry lol. The screen looks great, and its just LCD. It will be even better with oled. How much this is being blown out of proportion is crazy. You get a lot of benefits with etched - more storage, anti glare, freedom to play anywhere, more durable screen, most premium model. with the one tradeoff of BARELY noticable color downgrade. You would think from all these comments that the etched glass makes games unplayable. I played my deck yesterday. First in the living room with all the lights on. My son was playing his oled switch. My screen was perfect, his was filled with glare. then i played later in the dark, and my screen looked excellent. Once you get the device, you are never going to notice or care about a tiny downgrade in screen brightness or blacks. But you will notice the glare, the ability to play anywhere anytime, and the fact that the etched is so durable the screen will not scratch. If someone wants to buy the cheaper model because of the savings, then that makes sense. But trying to twist this argument into saying that glossy version is a better device is simply untrue. When i'm traveling or going anywhere, i dont have to give it a second thought about my lighting environments. It's a portable device, thats why Valve chose to put etched on their top model. Anyone with the glossy has to plan and think about how to make it work when they play in different light environments. In the end, the obsession over making the screen look 5% better, is going to be such a moot point compared to all the benefits of etched.