3M Privacy Filter PF14.1 Notebook Privacy Filter for 14.1" Screens Reviews

• ineffective, with drawbacks

  
  By AE6A8TS8DBTCD on 2006-02-16
  Three big disappointments. Biggest is the viewing angle is WAY too wide. It darkens at 45 degrees, but you can still clearly see what someone's up to, even if it's *kind of* harder to read precise text. It doesn't blacken until your near a 90 degree viewing angle. Pretty lame.
  
  Also, though it's "matte" it's a lot more reflective than a regular LCD flat screen. Maybe it's less than an old glassy CRT, but the reflectivity is terrible compared to an LCD. You can actually make out your own face and highlights in the screen, even highlights coming from a side window (which I was hoping would be reduced by the microlouvre, not increased). Bright environments are 5 times harder to work in than they would be with a regular LCD screen.
  
  And lastly, looking at it straight in, it darkens the screen enough to be distracting and eye-straining. So it's the worse of both worlds - it darkens too much for the user, and not enough at odd angles.
  
  The method for sticking the frameless kind on clutters your screen with cheesy plastic adhesive disks.
  
  Plus, it's pretty expensive for a sheet of plastic.
  
  Wait until the tech gets better. Or decent, at least.
  
  
  

• Exactly what I needed, but pricey

  
  By A1SU01FL4513RE on 2006-02-26
  Pro's
  Exact fit
  Fairly narrow viewing angle
  Good solution for what I needed
  
  Con's
  Pricey for a thin piece of plastic
  Cheesy plastic tabs to hold it on the screen
  Doesn't protect so well in the dark
  
  This is something I had been wanting for some time now. I do a lot of flying, and hate it when the person next to me reminds me that the red eight plays on the black nine. A year or so ago, these were in the $60 price range. Woah, too steep for my blood. When I saw the price drop, I ordered. It showed up quickly, and installed easily. They send two types of tabs to attach the filter to your screen. One method (the one I ended up using) are plastic tabs that extend from the frame outside of the screen in that kind of "catch" the filter if it tries to fall off, and the other are a few pieces of what appears to be thick double stick tape. I wasn't impressed with either one of them.
  
  I found the viewing angle to be adequate, but somewhat wider than what I expected. When I move my head to the side, I can start to see the edge of the screen darken, but part of the screen remains visible until almost a 45 degree angle.
  
  Can the traveler in the seat on the plane next to me see what I'm doing? well, sorta yes and mostly no. Unless it is nearly pitch black, at best all the person next to me could see was vague outlines, however when all the lights were out, the screen was *VERY* dim but still visible. He couldn't read what was on the screen when I had my email up, but images with a lot of contrast were identifiable.
  
  Overall, this was a good solution for what I wanted it to do. I would have given it a 5 had the viewing angle been a bit narrower, and the protection been better in dark environments.
  
  

• Very valuable laptop accessory

  
  By A2CV33795L4KHH on 2006-04-26
  I do a lot of work on my laptop while traveling on planes, and it's typically confidential material. While you hope that the average person sitting next to you is *not* working for a competing company and watching your every move, you never know. Paranoia aside, it's information that we don't want the general public to know, and all it takes is one person to write something on their blog. Anyway, my confidentiality concern is assuaged with this privacy filter. Depending on how cramped your airline seats are, you may not get 100% filtering with this. The person next to you may still be able to see some images of what's on your screen. However, I think it's sufficient to protect your privacy. I think this is a great innovation. I agree with some of the other reviewers that it seems a bit pricey, and I'll be interested to see if the sticky tabs that hold the filter in place last for very long. Overall, though, I'm quite happy with this filter. And by the way, it was cheaper through Amazon.com than anywhere else I checked!
  
  

• great product

  
  By A1SZDJU6IWXYFI on 2006-03-19
  the privacy filter does what it says. although it doesn't totally black out your screen from an angled view, it is dark enough not to be able to tell what you're doing. the only minor drawback is that it decreases the brightness of your screen. otherwise, a great product.
  
  

• Increases glare

  
  By A23KWIWWA5YRRX on 2006-03-19
  On an Inspiron 8000, this product actually manages to increase the glare both indoors and especially out. Different viewing angles and flipping it over doesn't improve the situation.
  
  
• Best sollution for to get some privacy
  By AJD21QSOTSE5H on 2006-03-17
  no matter where, (airplain, meeting, office) ther are allways some people watching interesting at your screen.
  The filter gives you some more confidence no one is watching you.
  
  I can recommend it
  
  
• Good Product - Pricy
  By A19HEGPBNMPHFG on 2006-07-09
  Amazon has the best value for this product. Other vendors wanted nearly twice as much for the product. It works well for people who travel. However, 3M should consider pricing this more reasonabally. It is just a film you put over your screen, which at $45 to $90 is pricy. I do wish the product came with more adhesive things that hold it on the screen. Sometime it is necessary to switch laptops.
  
  
• Very Poor Product Description
  By A28UMICZPX0GBA on 2006-01-29
  I never did manage to order the correct size of screen for my computer screen. Why couldn't 3M provide a length and width dimension in their product description. It would have helped a knucklehead like me. After ordering and returning this product twice, I decided I had wasted enough time on this item.
  
  
• Good glare protection - not great privacy protection.
  By A3MS81R0U2G0Y7 on 2006-12-26
  I have a very glossy laptop screen. This filter really cut down on the reflections. But I agree with the other reviewer who pointed out that the filter doesn't really provide blackout privacy until the viewer is at an extreme angle. Someone sitting next to you might have some difficulty seeing the exact text you are keying, but they can definitely see the layout and graphics of the page you are working on. The original TV commercial for this product led me to believe that nobody would be able to see anything on your screen unless they were directly in front of it. That is not the case with this product.
  
  
• Privacy Filter
  By A3KWJHJU4FNT4A on 2007-05-12
  Excellent product. Allows you to work in public forums like on an airplane without the person next to you reading your screen. Tried to order from Dell, but too long of a lag time. Amazon got it to me quickly. Very happy with both product and service, and recommend it, especially if you have to work on corporate/client/personal matters in public forums.
  
  
• A great tool to keep private business private
  By A66DSQ500G09X on 2007-01-04
  After sitting on a flight home where the lady next to me corrected a typo in my expense report spreadsheet, I decided it was time to get this filter. I don't really keep truly sensitive data on my laptop, but every once in a while, I'll get a sensitive strategy document that a client would rather keep confidential. The privacy filter really helps do that. The first time I used it, the guy next to me thought my laptop was off and asked if I had the filter. It does dim the screen a bit and provide a bit more glare if you had lighting shining at you from behind, but you quickly get used to these conditions. The tabs that hold the filter in place are a little ugly, but my laptop is a business tool, not a precious object of art, so it's okay with me. If you have sensitive documents that you work on during a flight, you need this.
  
  
  
• Excellent privacy solution when flying
  By A18KSRQRJWDH06 on 2007-05-17
  I decided to buy this product after a recent flight. I was watching Team America - World Police and had to scramble to close my laptop when a couple of puppets started to do the wild thing. Who knew? I didn't want my seat neighbor to think I was some kind of perv with a puppet fetish.
  
  Now that I have the screen I always use it on the plane and in airports. It frees me to work on everything from sensitive business documents to my own creative writing without worrying about prying eyes.
  
  The screen has such a narrow line of sight that it even works in coach where you are almost sitting on your neighbor's lap.
  
  
• Doesn't Stop Prying Eyes
  By A1JMLZGR9KLWBB on 2007-06-29
  This product doesn't blacken out the screen at an angle like it says it does. You can clearly still see what's going on on the screen unless you're practically 90 degrees on the side...almost parallel to it. So, if you're on a plane, people sitting next to you on either side will still be able to clearly see what you're doing on the computer and what you're typing. This is really disapointing b/c I was expecting it to do what it says it does.
  
  Also the price is wayyyyy too much for this product. Even if it did what is said it does, it's too much money.
  
  I would still get this product, however. The reason is b/c there's isn't a better or cheaper product like this that I know of. And eventhough people can still read your screen and you don't have privacy...you do make it harder for them and it is not as easy for them to read or look at. It is better than nothing...but if someone really wants to snoop, it won't stop them.
  
  
• Really disappointed with the quality
  By A97IJW5UCHIY9 on 2007-07-17
  All this filter does is gather dust and make my eyes water by acting as a real obstruction on the laptop screen. Nothing more. The viewing angle needs to be >90 degrees for this piece of plastic to work. Honestly wish I hadn't been lazy enough to return this awful product and get my money back:(
  
  
• I don't like this product
  By A1ICLF3LFKLDAW on 2006-02-20
  It works slightly when someone is next to you but not completely. I m not crazy about it. I may return it.
  
  
• The product seems to be great,..
  By A1A137K4DUSZVQ on 2006-11-07
  It seems to be a a great product, but it was not specified if it is widescreen or not and I bought a wrong size and since I live in another country it would be very expensive to change the product. I still think that the product has a very high price. It would be a little less expensive.
  
  
  
  
  
• 3M Privacy Filter PF14.1 works!
  By A3W47SXHJMA683 on 2007-01-03
  I was a little skeptical at first about the product because of the price but after using it at customer sites I find it a marvelous product. It does darken the screen a little bit but it keeps prying eyes from reading my information.
  
  I would buy another if/when the occasion arises.
  
  
  
• Awasome!!
  By A3LC3VFQIGRD4B on 2007-01-09
  The screen works perfectly! If you take your laptop everywhere, this is a must have... even going into meeting at work.
  
  It does get dusty rather quickly which just mean that you have to wipe it more. Not something to stop you from buying it!
  
  
• Good Vendor
  By A43ZPA89YDN31 on 2007-03-08
  Screen arrived ahead of time and was well packed. I have no complaints
  
  
  
• privacy filter
  By A17X8ASH46XNMZ on 2007-05-07
  Overall, pretty good. I find it particularly useful to keep away
  prying eyes when I am on a flight or at a conference.
  The only thing that I do not like is the ugly tape at the edges.
  A better clip-on would have been preferable. Plus that would have
  made it easier to just remove the filter in small group discussions.
  
  
• Great product, great delivery service
  By A35DR2DVDYZ59C on 2007-07-26
  I ordered this product for use on my business trips.
  I just went to Kyoto, Japan and the privacy screen did what I expected it to do.
  I can see through the screen well and the next seat neighbors showed less curiosity of what I am doing during the trip.
  
  The delivery service was prompt. I got the product before the date that was communicated.
  
  All in all, a great experience!
  
  
• Excellent Product, but...
  By AX62B2Z5OQ3VC on 2007-08-23
  It is an excellent product but over priced.
  Also, you may need to have sufficient light in some cases.
  
  
  
• Great Product just end the glare
  By A3Q2LGOX2BRIHF on 2007-08-27
  The screen works great! Stops people from look at your screen as soon as they are at much of an angle. On the plane the person right next to you can still see about half your screen but it blocks enough to make it hard for them to really see what you are doing. There are only two things I do not like about it. It collects dust pretty fast (not a big deal and is easy to wipe off). It also causes you screen to have glare off it which is a bit annoying. If it did not give off a glare I would give this a 5.
  
  
• Must have for business travelers
  By A2RF3I5VPGIXU4 on 2007-09-03
  If you travel a bit and ever wonder if someone is looking at your screen - they are...trust me ;) A friend of mine was using one of these and I thought ok - I shall too...until I saw the cost...make work buy it for you - it's a simple investment in better security & privacy (make sure you have your other must have security products installed as well.) It installs quickly and the only bad thing I can say about it is that the tabs you use to hold it in place collect dust. Overall though it doesn't take much getting used to, it works quite well even at brighter settings and it also comes out quickly if you need to provide someone a better view of your screen.
  
  
• awesome product
  By A1Z5Y6DIU6ETCI on 2007-09-10
  Only thing is the Price, but one has to be careful and try to use all the stickies to keep this in place
  
  
• Very Nice!
  By A22NLGBY3ZSC11 on 2007-10-17
  I purchased this for my T43 IBM ThinkPad. It fit nicely. The screen holders look slightly flimsy, but I don't take the screen off. I leave it on even when I shut down. I find it very nice for travelling. I don't have to worry about someone 2ft away from me viewing my desktop. Although it does not completely shut out prying eyes, it does limit. Your neighbors will be able see what you are viewing, but not very clearly. I was hesitant about the purchase but now that I have it, I find that I am less reluctant to work when someone is next to me.
  
  
• Love it, great for nosey clients.
  By AMTJYJMOR0E4F on 2008-02-21
  If you are a consultant and you have nosey clients. YOU NEED THIS.
  If your clients require you to share a cube. YOU NEED THIS.
  If you travel and need to work in busy places. YOU NEED THIS.
  
  Just sayin, you need this.
  
  Sometimes the filter slides out of place. I wish they provided more filter holders but other than that a great product.
  
  
• lacks privacy
  By AFB623GUNNI5S on 2008-02-22
  the product is not that good. only blocks views from the extreme sides.
  I wish i could return it. it's really not worth the price
  
  
• Doesn't fit my laptop
  By AF6D8R9WGYATA on 2008-04-11
  I ordered this for my IBM laptop. Didn't fit since the computer is wide screen. Returned it and got my money back.
  
  
• Great for sensitive data!
  By A1PH728Q37TOPF on 2008-04-28
  This filter has been invaluable! With little to no diruption to my normal vision I don't have to worry about any seeing anything with sensitive content. The bad part though, is that when trying to work collaboratively with someone it doesn't always work out well.
  
  

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