Etched glass

Overview

Etched glass on a drawing tablet, means the glass has a slight texture. It is not completely smooth like normal glass. The amount of of this etching varies depending on the exact process used to create the etching.

Physical properties

The etching is a very subtle texture created on the glass usually through the means of some acid that has eaten away a little bit of the surface.

Benefits

The texture gives two benefits. First, it helps the glass avoid feeling slippery as you draw. That slippery feeling is a very common complaint for some devices like an iPad. Second, that texture also disperses light that is coming from the room and this dispersion will reduce glare. So the etching is often referred to as an anti glare treatment.

Potential disadvantages

One negative aspect of the etching is that it can create an effect called anti glare sparkle. Sometimes the anti glare sparkle is very subtle but sometimes it is extremely strong and people do not like it. More here: Anti-Glare Sparkle.

Users may also see a little bit of "softness" to the pixels. Where the etches of pixels are not as crisp as you would normally expect. This is due to the light from the display panel being diffused because of the eching.