Cale Hunt
What I’m working on this week: With the unseasonal weather forcing me indoors, I’m excited to begin my Forza Horizon 6 journey. Otherwise, I’m rooting for the last remaining Canadian team in the NHL playoffs.
Microsoft’s new Surface Laptop for Business (8th Edition)aka the Surface Laptop 8 has one defining feature that I think is reason enough for many to look for a generational upgrade.
I’m talking about integrated privacy screenA first for any Surface product and a key tool in the data security professional’s battle.
It’s an optional upgrade that’s only available on the 13.8-inch Surface Laptop 8, but hey, at least it’s something that further separates the “For Business” and regular consumer Surface devices.
Surface isn’t the only brand to offer integrated privacy screens, nor is it the first. Far from it. I go back to when this kind of privacy feature first came to HP and look at how it’s been implemented by some of the big laptop brands in the years since.
What brand had the first integrated laptop privacy screen?
The Surface is far from the first laptop with an integrated privacy screen. HP’s Assured View performed the method Debuting on EliteBook 840 G3 and EliteBook 1040 G3 in 2016and we actually have a hands-on video with the original application that I posted above.
A blast from the past
Best comment 2016 Watch Sure Video sings,”They already have it. This is called screens with bad viewing angles…” Sometimes it’s nice to be reminded of how far display technology has come in the past decade!
Like any good privacy screen, HP’s Sure View was capable of blocking 95% of visible light when viewed from an angle, making the screen impossible to see unless you’re sitting head-to-head like an actual user.
This was not a permanent function, it was only activated by pressing the Fn + F2 shortcut. This is really what sets it apart from alternative, third-party options that stick an extra layer on your screen after purchase. These alternatives, of course, could not be turned on and off.
HP has followed up the original Sure View display with a second-generation version The EliteBook x360 G2 we reviewed in 2018and then Editor-in-Chief of Windows Central Daniel Rubino took a deep dive into the technology.
The second generation version using an off-axis contrast reduction method results in a bright white panel when viewed at an angle.
Rubino pointed out that the Sure View Gen 2 privacy screen has its biggest downsides less battery life (approx 20% difference between always on and always off) and a higher price (about 111 dollars for improvement).
Of course, there were also persistent problems with image quality and poor contrast when Sure View was enabled.
Sure View third generation after the first two generations, it returned to a darker privacy screen that increased security. Sure Look Mirror came later as a fourth-generation proprietary method using copper painting to work better in dark and light environments.
Sure View technology is still available on a wide range of HP professional notebooks today, providing buyers with added protection against visual hacking, which is crucial when working in crowded spaces.
Lenovo Privacy Guard comes to compete with HP Sure View
ThinkPad manufacturer not to be left behind Lenovo presented Privacy Policy A few years after HP’s Sure View debut, the feature; While HP is working on its third generation application. Privacy Guard first came to the company’s first 14-inch ThinkPads, including the legendary T480s.
Privacy Guard essentially worked the same way as HP Sure View, providing users with a shortcut to privacy. The biggest difference between HP and Lenovo was that the latter was more focused maintaining image quality. Regardless, its low brightness output has made some think twice about buying.
The brightness issues were largely resolved in the second-generation Privacy Guard screens, and Lenovo finally folded Privacy Guard into its extensive lineup. ThinkShield a safety toolkit that remains today.
When is this? Privacy Alert got acquainted with the mixture. Lenovo is the first to integrate IR cameras with tracking software to recognize when eyes other than yours are looking at your screen. After delivery, the laptop will activate Privacy Guard or at least give a warning on the screen.
These advances have now become modern Human presence detection It can automatically lock and unlock your computer, alert people who are following you, and more. Of course, Dell and HP have also added these features to many of their laptops.
How does Dell handle privacy screens on laptops?
Dell’s SafeScreen entered 2019 the selected Latitude 7000 was designed for business notebooks, and its implementation was almost identical to that of Lenovo and HP. Just tap the shortcut on your keyboard to activate the privacy screen and continue working.
However, the internals were different from the first Sure View generation. Dell chose to trust completely screen backlight hide image. Although it reduced the viewing angles, it did not reduce the battery life as much, but it also affected the real user sitting head-to-head.
As with HP and Lenovo, Dell’s SafeScreen has been improved to be easier on the eyes and joins other advanced security features to better protect your data when working in public.
What’s different about the new Surface privacy screen?
Image 1 of 2
Our editor-in-chief, Daniel Rubino, was one of the first in the world test the new Surface Laptop 8 used the privacy screen, and he shared some thoughts on why it’s different from other laptop apps.
As Rubino explained, Surface takes a similar approach to what it is Samsung did with him Galaxy S26 Ultra.
Basically, it has wide and narrow view pixels and creates a transition effect between them. As far as I know, this is the first time this has been done on a laptop.
Daniel Rubino
The best part of Microsoft/Samsung’s approach is the privacy screen it does not compromise brightness, color reproduction or contrast.
Rubino tested 100% sRGB, 89% AdobeRGB, and 100% P3 color reproduction using a colorimeter with and without the privacy screen on. He was able to hit the same shot 500 nits privacy is enabled.
The Surface privacy screen isn’t quite perfect … but it’s close
I appreciate how Microsoft has taken the best current privacy technology on the market and applied it to the Surface. It fits into the “boutique” market that Surface has always belonged to, with higher prices reflecting premium design and features. Leave it to the Surface to make the best of it.
However, the price here for the privacy screen upgrade is pretty aggressive with compatible 13.8-inch Surface Laptop 8 models. Starting at $2,549.99. I don’t think it makes sense to not be able to add 5G connection AND privacy screen; wouldn’t those who need wireless data to work everywhere want some extra privacy?
There’s also the issue of screen burnout. Microsoft only offers a privacy screen with one anti-glare layerwhereas those without a filter use it superiorly non-reflective finish.
Finally, the drawback Human presence detection It shows how Microsoft is still settling into the new privacy feature. Maybe this isn’t such a big problem for your world, but for me it’s something I hope will be fixed in the next generation of Surface.
I want to know your thoughts on laptop privacy screens
I had a great time browsing through the extensive Windows Center archives while researching this piece, and I hope it helped bring attention to an often-overlooked laptop feature.
Now I want to know your experience. What type of laptop (and from what year) did you first get an integrated privacy screen? Was it satisfactory?
If you’ve considered using them in the past, what stopped you? Brightness or contrast concerns? Worried about the battery?
Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below!
Join us Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your thoughts and discuss our latest news, reviews and more.
