Previously reserved for its top-end devices, Apple has now made the nano-texture display available on more of its products.

Apple’s nano-texture display is designed to significantly reduce glare, but considering it usually comes at an additional cost on top of the product’s RRP, is it really worth the investment? 

We explain the technology behind a nano-texture display, including how it works and how it compares to a standard screen. We also list the products that offer the option to upgrade to a nano-texture, plus the devices that come with the screen as standard.

Otherwise, visit our round-up of the best Macs, best laptops and best tablets. 

What is a nano-texture display?

Apple explains that although both standard and nano-texture glass are “engineered for extremely low reflectivity”, a nano-texture display goes that bit further at reducing reflections and glare.

First introduced with the Pro Display XDR, a nano-texture display is etched into the glass at the nanometer level and “scatters light” to minimise reflections. It’s designed for those who work in challenging lighting conditions, such as bright sunlight. 

Is a nano-texture display worth it?

Whether a nano-texture display is worth the investment will depend mainly on your working conditions. If you work in a bright environment, say with lots of natural sunlight or particularly bright overhead office lighting, and find you struggle with glare and reflections, then a nano-texture display is worth the investment. 

During their time reviewing the MacBook Pro M4 with the nano-texture screen, our reviewer found the reduction in glare gave them the freedom to work comfortably in more environments – especially as they work in a bright room. In addition, the matte finish felt easier to look at for longer periods, and even felt “more like paper” rather than a screen.

Having said that, it’s worth noting that we also spent time with the MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR display – but the version a nano-texture display. Even without the premium add-on, we found the screen was more resistant to reflection than before.

With this in mind, we’d recommend choosing the nano-texture display if you work in bright environments, or if you’re ever likely to. As you can’t upgrade the display at a later date, it might be worth investing in now to future-proof your device.

Is nano-texture display better for your eyes?

As touched upon earlier, as a nano-texture display has a matte finish, we’ve found that it’s easier to look at for longer periods compared to a standard gloss display. Even so, it’s worth noting that Apple doesn’t state that the nano-texture display is specifically designed to reduce strain on your eyes.

Nano-texture vs standard

The biggest difference between a nano-texture and standard display is that the former is designed to significantly reduce reflections and glare. However, we have found that the nano-texture display does come at the expense of contrast, as we noted videos and images look slightly washed out on the pricier panel compared to a standard iteration. 

In addition, the nano-texture display is usually more expensive than the standard option. For example, you can upgrade the latest MacBook Pro series to sport a nano-texture display for an additional £/$150, while upgrading the iMac M6’s display will cost an additional £/$200. 

Alternatively, the Apple Studio Display and Studio Display XDR with nano-texture glass starts at £/$300 more than the standard iterations. Finally, nano-texture displays are reserved for the larger storage models of the iPad Pro and iPad Mini, which means they cost considerably more than their standard iterations.

Which devices have a nano-texture display?

At the time of writing, the following devices come with the option to upgrade to a nano-texture display:

In addition, the iPhone Duo has a nano-texture cover layer on its inner display – though this comes as standard.