3M Privacy Filter- 3M PF14.1W Widescreen Laptop privacy screen (16:10)
- Keeps private info private, prying eyes see only a dark screen when viewed from the side but user sees clearly–no blurring or image distortion
- Reversible feature gives privacy protection with either a glossy or matte screen finish
- Easy on, easy off attachment; filter stays in place when laptop is closed
- Fits and protects valuable widescreen laptop screens from scratches and damage
- One-year warranty
PF 14.1W fits widescreen Notebook computers with a diagonally measured 14.1″ viewable screen; actual filter dimensions are 7.50″ high x 11.99″ wide. This filter is designed for widescreen laptop computers with screens that appear more rectangular than square. Notebook privacy filters keep confidential and private information private. Utilizes 3M(TM)’s microlouver privacy technology so only persons directly in front of the monitor can see the image on screen; passersby see only a dark screen.
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(out of 160 reviews)
List Price: $ 77.16
Price: $ 25.00
Review by Robert Lee for 3M Privacy Filter- 3M PF14.1W Widescreen Laptop privacy screen (16:10)
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I’ve owned this product for about a month now and purchased it because I was frustrated with seatmates on airplanes looking at my notebook screen for the whole flight, trying to figure out what I was doing. This screen works wonders in deterring others from taking glances at my private information. In fact, most people think I’m crazy, typing away on a computer with a blank screen, or so they think.
There are some disadvantages with this screen though. Your seatmate directly next to you will be able to see through the filter to your screen partially, because they are within the viewing angle of the screen with the filter on. But move over any farther and the screen is not visible, nor is it visible across the aisle (if sitting in an aisle seat). About the only other place that it is visible is if someone is standing directly above you, one row back. Turning down the brightness of your screen also helps immensely in blocking people from viewing your screen through the filter at any angle.
(Please note, having this filter installed screens out about half of the light coming out of the screen. If you have poor eyesight with dim lighting and have trouble with computer screens, this product may not be for you.)
Additionally, the clear plastic tabs included with the filter adheres to the plastic border around the notebook LCD screen to keep the filter in place. It works, but blocks about a 1/8″ of the screen at 6 points, especially noticeable around the bottom of the screen where the start bar is located.
You’ll also notice a large “3M PF14.1W” printed in the top right hand corner of the filter. It’s used to help in determining whether the filter is facing the right direction, but it’s quite distracting at times. The height of the lettering is equivalent in size to the window bar at the top of any program.
This filter is also very dust, lint, debris, and smudge attracting. You’ll find yourself wiping the filter often.
Overall, this filter does its job. Great for those who need to comply with HIPPA or other privacy regulations. But as an individual consumer, I wonder if the high price is justified for the benefits it provides.
Review by for 3M Privacy Filter- 3M PF14.1W Widescreen Laptop privacy screen (16:10)
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I saw this at a small local computer store for dirt cheap so I decided to pick it up. The fit on my Toshiba laptop is perfect. Looking right at it, you can clearly tell that it is there as it has a dark tint and you can see the thin lines in it, but everything on screen is still readable and enjoyable, except for the annoying, non-removable “3M PF15.0” logo near the bottom right of the filter that blocks off some of the text in the taskbar. It probably won’t hinder daily use, but just the fact that it’s there is annoying.
For the screen to actually appear black, one would have to stand at a rather extreme angle where the screen wouldn’t even look all that clear to them in the first place. It will block somebody from reading any text, but for the most part they will still be able to tell what you are doing.
Also, once you get dust on the back side of the filter, forget about getting it all off. I can spray it with compressed air all day and wipe it with my microfiber dust clothe as much as I want, but there is still some dust on it.
In short, it does *NOT* make on-screen data visible only to the person directly in front of the monitor. I suggest that if you can, try one out first to see if it fits your needs. Maybe somebody at your local computer store will let you put one on a monitor and you can test out the angles to see if it is worth the price for you.
Review by Michael B. for 3M Privacy Filter- 3M PF14.1W Widescreen Laptop privacy screen (16:10)
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I’m a consultant who travels weekly. Lots of time on flights makes a privacy filter important to me. Being something of a perfectionist and the fact that I look through it for hours each week, I ordered both the ViewGuard and the 3M filters to compare them. I kept the 3M and returned the ViewGuard. Why?
The image clarity of the 3M filter was significantly better (note that I work with small fonts, spreadsheets, etc. and wear glasses) Yes, ViewGuard, I removed the protective film before making the comparison! Two things bugged me about the ViewGuard: (1) its polarization cuts run diagonally (the 3M run vertically), which is distracting, and (2) the image through the ViewGuard is a tiny bit blurry/hazy compared to the 3M. 3M seems to have a more clear film that they use. A colleague of mine did the same side-by-side and agreed with me.
Both products do what they claim, and both fit my notebook well, although I also prefer the optional vertical mounting strips that come with the 3M product (both come with mounting ‘dots’, but 3M supplies an alternate mounting mechanism as well).
Let’s face it: $50 for a piece of plastic seems expensive, but there’s no alternative if you want to work on client (or your own financial) information on a plane. Thanks, 3M, for making a quality product. (And no, I don’t work for 3M!)
Review by Wolfram Bosch for 3M Privacy Filter- 3M PF14.1W Widescreen Laptop privacy screen (16:10)
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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.
Review by chaostheorem for 3M Privacy Filter- 3M PF14.1W Widescreen Laptop privacy screen (16:10)
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The 3M Privacy Filter for 15.4″ screens is pricey, but does give you a measure of protection on information that could be revealed to wandering eyes (innocent or otherwise). If you are involved in high-security detail, or work for tech firms and need to keep the IP where it belongs, this screen might be just the thing you need.
Installation is simple: you either use the double-sided tape or holding tabs (both types are included) to keep the filter attached to your monitor. The screen itself is very thin (yet rigid), and seamlessly layers over your screen. The filter itself has two sides: a glossy side to face your screen (and keep the screen in good shape) and a matte side to keep other peoples’ eyes off your screen.
Two things I should note: 3M has taken the liberty of adding a permanent mark to their filter (with their logo and model number, with text at about 1mm high), and it sits on the upper-right side (mostly away from on-screen items). This is a bit annoying but you get used to ignoring it. Secondly, there is a small notch cut-out on the top of the filter, to allow you to pull the filter out if necessary. This is annoying as it disturbs the look of the filter, but you may also tend to ignore this after time.
So how does it function? Not bad at all. Any angle past 90 degrees and you will start to see the screen fade to black. Sitting right next to the screen or even about 30 degrees off the center, and you still won’t see anything (this is just about the angle you might find that many snooping watchers at, such as on an airplane and just one or two rows behind you, opposite your aisle.)
I use an HP Pavilion dv4170us notebook at the moment, and it fits like a glove. This notebook has an exceptionally bright screen though, and the brighter your screen is, the more that will show through the filter. If this is a concern for you, I suggest learning how to turn down the brightness of your monitor.
Like I said though, this product is high-priced. But given the alternative of having thousands of dollars worth of stolen information whisked away because you failed to take precautions and shell out about $100, isn’t something you probably want on your conscience.