I can not sleep on planes. So I’m one of those annoying people who always pulls out the laptop to do some work. My problem (besides fighting for elbow space on the arm rest) is that the lack of privacy on my laptop screen makes me uncomfortable.
I try my best to convince myself that no one is watching and that no one cares about the information that may be blocked from my screen. But I also know that I often can’t help but look at the bright screen of the other person next to me on the plane. It’s the same feeling when I work in a busy coffee shop or other public place.
I always knew I had to try a privacy screen for my laptop. I finally did, and now I’m listing some of the best MacBook accessories you can buy.
No Meeting Required
Photo: Luke Larsen
Privacy screens have been around for decades, but I never thought they were mine. I’ve never liked the idea of permanently (or even permanently) changing my laptop’s display because of the adhesives used. The last thing I want to do is pay for the MacBook Pro’s glowing Mini-LED display to block it by sticking a plastic sheet over it. And in the case of the privacy screen, that’s not a feature I’d always need anyway. Sometimes I search so I can see my laptop at an angle.
But I came across the magnet option, and that intrigued me. Unlike the kind that stick to your laptop screen (kind of like a regular screen protector), this one didn’t use any adhesives at all. This means—in theory—that it’s easier to open and close. And when I tried it, I was sold.
The internet is full of different versions of this, and they all work the same. But the one I used I tried the Targus 4Vu Magnetic Privacy Screen for my MacBook Pro. You need to find something that fits the screen size of your device perfectly, and you really want to make sure it’s magnetic. Because the MacBook Pro now has built-in magnets at the top and bottom of the screen to help close the lid, this solution works very well. But be careful: Some “magnetic” privacy screens still require attaching thin strips of adhesive to the bezels of your laptop screen.
Targus
4VU Magnetic privacy screen
And once it’s on, bam—it works like magic. You may have seen this in the wild, be it on a phone, laptop, or monitor, and it’s often used in a hospital or bank.
The idea is simple: The technology significantly reduces viewing angles, typically by 30 degrees on each side. So, if someone is sitting to your left or right, the screen content is blurred. This particular privacy screen doesn’t make things completely invisible on your screen—though this depends on your brightness levels. On the MacBook Pro, if it’s at 50 percent or more, the side view is as low as it gets. If you really want your content to be hidden from nearby people, you need to reduce the brightness to 25 percent or less.
In the Real World
When I don’t have a flight coming up, I’ve been bringing this to coffee shops with me. And while someone sitting directly behind me could still see my screen, I found a new freedom in doing my work in public when I had this on my laptop. One thing that worried me at first: How easy it would be to store such a thing. Accidentally bending the screen in a bag can really spoil the experience. Fortunately, Targus offers a small storage folder.
Another big surprise when using this privacy screen is how subtle the effect is when looking directly at it. As soon as I smoothed it out, I saw a slightly similar effect. But after a few minutes, I completely forgot it was there. As it turns out, it’s something I don’t mind leaving on my MacBook Pro for long.
