Monitor Recommendations

bobw

bobw

The Late: SuperMacMod
Will be buying a Mac Pro near the end of this year.

What monitors do you prefer and why? (17' to 20")

Thanks
 
Hands down get the Cinema display from Apple. Just plug it in and it works.

It's really not that expensive and it will most likely still be usable after you retire your new Mac Pro. I looked at Dell DVI enabled monitors for example and realized that the DVI cable is an extra for nearly $100.
 
The Apple 20" display is $100 cheaper ($599) if you get one while they're in stock at the refurb. store. The 23" is only about $200 more.
 
i love my viewsonic 17'' lcd. as far as 17 vs 20, as long as the 20 has a higher res, and same or faster responce, then it would be better.
 
bobw said:
Will be buying a Mac Pro near the end of this year.

What monitors do you prefer and why? (17' to 20")

Thanks
Click to expand...

You're already spending at least $2500 on a Mac Pro, it seems like a shame to get such a small monitor (or not to buy a cinema display). I'd strongly recommend (at least) the 23" cinema display, which is the smallest HD display Apple offers. My boss uses one with his PowerBook G4, it looks incredible and is IMO big enough for anything you'll ever need. He paid nearly $2,000 for his, though. The 23" has since been marked down to $999 – roughly the same price as the original 17" cinema display (which wasn't HD). The price drops are really incredible, and if you're already willing to shell out the big bucks for a Mac Pro, now's as good a time as ever to get a cinema display. A computer is nothing without a good monitor, and having used several cinema displays, I can safely say that Apple makes some great monitors. Skimping on a monitor for a computer like the Mac Pro would be like buying a Mercedes and not getting leather seats: it just doesn't make any sense.

One other word of advice, regarding the video card: upgrade to the ATI Radeon X1900 XT if at all possible. Admittedly, Apple cut corners quite a bit again in the graphics department, using an old, underpowered GeForce 7300 GT in the standard Mac Pro config. Ars Technica specifically recommends this, you can read their full review of the Mac Pro here.

If money is an issue and you feel you can't afford the upgrades I'm suggesting, I'd implore you to wait until you've got the needed cash. By that time, the Rev B models may well be out, and by getting one of those instead of Rev A, you'll end up with a computer that is faster, and with fewer technical flaws. I speak from personal experience: I currently own a 600MHz iMac G3 that I'm looking to upgrade to a Mac Pro.
 
sinclair_tm said:
i love my viewsonic 17'' lcd. as far as 17 vs 20, as long as the 20 has a higher res, and same or faster responce, then it would be better.
Click to expand...

Of course, you could always get the cinema display and use it with the ViewSonic in a dual monitor configuration. I have a similar setup at work, the smaller monitor is great for displaying things like tool palettes in Photoshop and Illustrator, when I don't want them cluttering up my primary monitor.
 
I've seen nice 20" widescreen displays here in Switzerland much cheaper than Apple's. I'd go look at a local electronics store, might be something around. Make sure it does DVI, then you're set. Any display: Test it at the store at least.
 
There's always a cheaper display. Apple displays are up to Apple standards, which means that they are higher quality than most displays (There's a lot more to compare than just size when buying LCDs), and they have unmatched support via Applecare - up to 3 years with the Applecare package. If you're lucky enough to have an AASP nearby, repairs are as easy as bringing it to the provider. They have ports built into the side for easy access, especially useful if the Mac is below-desk. LCD displays will likely outlive your computer, so don't cut corners and get something that you'll regret for 10 years.
 
eric2006 said:
There's always a cheaper display. Apple displays are up to Apple standards, which means that they are higher quality than most displays (There's a lot more to compare than just size when buying LCDs), and they have unmatched support via Applecare - up to 3 years with the Applecare package.
Click to expand...
After looking at the others and never finding anything I really “respected” I finally bought the Cinema Display. Compare in a store and you'll see what I mean. It just outclasses anything else, especially on the usability side.

And as to fryke's comment, look for the DVI but make sure you check the cost of getting that DVI connected. As I mentioned above, the DVI cable may not be included in the price with some monitors. With the Cinema display it is (it's not detachable from the monitor).
 
I've been looking at other monitors. I have two Apple Cinema displays that are great.

I just setup a Dell for my sister and was playing with the flat screen she got with it and it looked pretty nice until I started playing some of the screen savers. (Couldn't talk her into switching)

I'll be going with two Apple 20" displays and upgrade the video card to the ATI Radeon X1900 XT.

I'm not in a hurry, and money isn't a factor. Was planning on waiting till Rev 2 comes out anyway.

Total from the Apple store, with the 160GB drive (will add another from a different vendor) and two optical drives, two 20" displays and AppleCare comes to $4421.00.

Will also buy more memory from a different vendor.

Thanks
 
bobw said:
I've been looking at other monitors. I have two Apple Cinema displays that are great.

I just setup a Dell for my sister and was playing with the flat screen she got with it and it looked pretty nice until I started playing some of the screen savers. (Couldn't talk her into switching)

I'll be going with two Apple 20" displays and upgrade the video card to the ATI Radeon X1900 XT.

I'm not in a hurry, and money isn't a factor. Was planning on waiting till Rev 2 comes out anyway.

Total from the Apple store, with the 160GB drive (will add another from a different vendor) and two optical drives, two 20" displays and AppleCare comes to $4421.00.

Will also buy more memory from a different vendor.

Thanks
Click to expand...

Good choices.

Fryke and Simbalala also made some good points. A lot of people get caught up in size and price with LCD displays, and overlook important details, like whether or not it's DVI, and what the refresh rate is. There are a ton of really cheap, big LCD displays out there that might look nice on store shelves, but really aren't that good. Many of them are VGA, and/or have crappy refresh rates (18 ms sucks) that make doing things like gaming or watching TV/movies impossible without ugly ghosting effects.
 
I'm in the land of monitor woes at the moment. I bought an HP 2335 23" flatscreen 10 months ago (on Macworld's recommendation, plus positive reviews out there) and have had nothing but trouble.

The first one showed up with a stuck red pixel right in the middle. The second one looked like it had been bashed, and when you viewed full-screen white, had noticeable pinkish and blueish areas in different parts of the screen. The third one was beautiful until the digital input just died (after only a few days of use). The fourth one (which I still have) showed a bit of the pinkish/blueish cast, but I was sick of exchanging monitors so I decided to live with it - even though it makes reds look different depending on where they are on the screen (I'm a web developer/designer/photographer so I'm looking for both big screen (for coding) and good color (for image work)).

Now I'm seeing what looks like dirty vertical streaks - like it got a bad cleaning - only they aren't on the surface. They seem to be behind the front surface somehow, and they really show up on certain colors. I suspect something inside is off-gassing and leaving residue - or I don't know what.

Anyway, I'm going to talk to my nice regular rep at PC Mall on Monday and see if I can just return the thing, and get...I don't know what.

I was actually thinking of getting a CRT - like one of the LaCie Electron monitors - but I see they don't make them anymore. I want something that has a good reputation for color accuracy, but I'm spoiled by the 23" size.

The Apple Cinema display sounds pretty nice, but I read/heard that Apple and HP were using the same panel supplier for their monitors, which makes me nervous (though I would definitely get Applecare and I live only a few miles from an Apple store).

I wonder what color pros like? Any idea where can I find decent reviews or comparisons of some of what's out there? Any thoughts on CRTs?

Thanks,
Bob
 
Well, PC Mall won't let me return the thing, so it's back to HP for number 5 (geez). Guess I'll keep pounding on them until the warranty runs out - or I get a good one.
 
After looking at the others and never finding anything I really “respected” I finally bought the Cinema Display. Compare in a store and you'll see what I mean. It just outclasses anything else, especially on the usability side.
Click to expand...

Two days ago, I decided to buy a Samsung SyncMaster 215TW. While I like the Apple Cinema Displays design wise (I have an Apple 21'' -metal- cinema display at home) they lack input options IMO.

The Samsung has component, composite, s-video, vga and DVI inputs. Picture in picture function and for every video input there is an additional audio input. So, if you use several devices and connect a speaker system to the audio out of the monitor, you don't need any audio/video switch at all.

The display quality of both screens (apple, Samsung) is nearly equal. The cinema is a bit brighter and the background illumination is a bit more even. Additionally the Samsung screen has a pivot function which lets you rotate the screen 90°.

One warning: The mac mini G4 doesn't play well with the DVI input of the Samsung. But I have noticed a lot of DVI related anomalities with the mac mini (the mac mini's video output is crap, maybe thats the reason Apple silently replaced the graphic chipset in a later revision) - VGA input works fine with the mac mini while providing nearly the same quality.

BTW the SyncMaster 215TW 21'' costs around 540 EUR.
 
As I'm fairly isolated in my small world of eMacs and CRT's, I'm extremely curious as to just how much better a new LCD would look versus my eMac. I built a graphics studio with a relative last summer and installed software on their 20" iMac, which I had for about a week. I remember the difference between the two screens was so great that I found myself squinting going back to my eMac.

If it was that different a year and a half ago, what's it like now?
 
Just got HP 2335 replacement number 4 (or the 5th monitor in total, counting the original). This one has a pinkish cast on the left side, and bluish cast on the right. Tonally it's pretty good overall, with no serious dark or light areas (number 4/replacement 3 has less color cast but the left side is a good bit brighter than the rest of the monitor).

Spoke to tech support and number 6 (replacement #5) is on the way. After this I think it's money-back time, and I'll buy an Eizo - from what I've heard/read, the graphics pros seem to like them.
 
Qion said:
As I'm fairly isolated in my small world of eMacs and CRT's, I'm extremely curious as to just how much better a new LCD would look versus my eMac. I built a graphics studio with a relative last summer and installed software on their 20" iMac, which I had for about a week. I remember the difference between the two screens was so great that I found myself squinting going back to my eMac.

If it was that different a year and a half ago, what's it like now?
Click to expand...

the 20" is still lovely. the 30" is still jaw dropping.
 
More on the HP 2335 woes: number 6 (replacement #5) is bluish on the left, pinkish on the right, and has a stuck red pixel.

HP tells me they have a "no-refund policy".

Great.

I guess all I can do is say "hey people, do NOT buy an HP 2335 monitor, and whatever you DO buy from HP, realize that you're stuck with it (or a replacement copy)."

Maybe my credit card company can help me out...
 
No - Mac/PC Mall (who also won't give me my money back, and said "talk to HP").

_possibly_ some light at the end - got the issue escalated at HP and perhaps someone will be nice...

Realized yesterday that the current monitor actually has 6 stuck pixels - 4 greens, a red and a white. I think this one (#6) was a refurb or return. I still have #4 which is the best one so far (not counting #3, which was perfect until the digital input failed).

Am salivating lightly over an Eizo CE240W ($1700 version of my $1000 HP, more or less - with a much better rep for consistency and quality). If I can get my dough back I'll give it a closer look.
 
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