Expert rating
Benefits
- Reduces viewing angle beyond 30 degrees from center
- Magnetic attachment; removable
- Glossy or matte finish
- Does not interfere with closing the MacBook
Our Verdict
The StarTech.com Laptop Privacy Screen (Black Magnetic Filter) does a good job of reducing viewing angles while still providing clarity while you work. It is easy to install it on the screen and remove it when you need it, and you can leave it on, and it will not interfere with closing the MacBook.
I usually work from home, but I like to go to a local cafe and work there while I eat lunch. When I go to the office, it’s an open space. In both situations I feel a little exposed because people can easily see what I’m doing on my MacBook screen. We’ve all had that case where we caught someone peeking at the screen you’re working on – it’s embarrassing, even if you want to be discreet about what you’re working on.
You can keep some of that privacy on your MacBook by using a screen overlay that reduces the MacBook’s viewing angle. I use the StarTech.com Laptop Privacy Screen and it has helped me feel less exposed and more comfortable in these open situations.
With the Privacy Screen on a MacBook’s screen, the viewing angle is reduced to 30 degrees left or right of center. Go beyond that and the angle of the screen farthest from your view will be distorted. For example, when I’m centered in front of the screen, everything on the screen is clear, but as I move to the right, the view on the left side of the screen becomes distorted, and the more I moves, the greater the distortion. towards the center and right of the screen. I’ve been using the Privacy Screen for over 50 hours and from the start I’ve had no problem with it interfering with my own viewing experience.
If you need to allow viewing from wide angles, you can simply remove the privacy screen. The version of the Privacy Screen featured in this review has a magnetic strip at the top to attach to the MacBook, and the overlay sits flat on the screen. It has a notch so as not to interfere with the FaceTime camera and provides full screen coverage.
The privacy screen is also reversible, with a glossy side and a matte side. The matte side affects the vibrancy and sharpness of colors, but it also reduces reflections. If you’re doing image or video work, you’ll want to use the glossy side which preserves the integrity of the screen.
The filter is thin enough to leave on the MacBook and doesn’t get in the way when you close it. StarTech provides an envelope to store the filter, as well as some adhesive strips and a cloth to wipe off the dust.
StarTech.com claims that the Privacy Screen reduces blue light emissions from the screen by 51%. I have no way of measuring this, and I generally don’t experience eye strain or fatigue after prolonged computer use. But that seems like a nice side benefit of layering.
StarTech.com makes privacy screens for the iPad Pro, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro. The privacy screen I reviewed is part of the company’s line of black magnetic filters. The more affordable Black Standard line of filters uses adhesive strips instead of magnets. Gold Standard filters also use adhesives but also have a glossy side that has a mirror-like gold finish to block the view.
The StarTech.com Laptop Privacy Screen (Black Magnetic Filter) does a good job of reducing viewing angles while still providing clarity while you work. It’s easy to install it on the screen and remove it when you need it, and you can leave it on and it won’t interfere with closing the MacBook. It’s a bit expensive ; The one for the 16-inch MacBook Pro in this review costs $61.99/£55.19, but you may be able to find it at third-party retailers such as Amazon for a lower price. Considering its build quality and operation, the price is worth it in exchange for a little privacy.
