Switched from 24" to 20"-very happy

[docprego]

I just picked up a 20" 2.4GHzto replace the 2.4GHz 24" that I had originally purchased. The 24" was just too big for my desk. I had to sit so far away from it that I was very uncomfortable using the mouse and keyboard. It was a FANTASTIC machine, it just didn't fit my situation.

When I took the new 20" out of the box the screen looked very washed out. I did a quick search on this forum and found a profile to calibrate the monitor that someone had made. It worked miracles. I feel that the 20" screen looks great now, I am just as pleased with it as I was with my 24". One definite improvement I noted on the 20" is that the backlighting is much more even than on the 24". I guess illuminating that big panel is not so easy compared to this 20".

For me making this change to the 20" was a great move, I am so much more comfortable now. I know others will think I am crazy but in the end I am much happier with the 20".

I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have comparing the two.

[thumper]

Thats some really helpful information there.

i wish you had some pics. there are no apple stores where i
live so i cant see them in person. i just have to cross my fingers that
its a good size.

is there really a huge differance between the 20 and the 24?

[docprego]

Thats some really helpful information there.

i wish you had some pics. there are no apple stores where i
live so i cant see them in person. i just have to cross my fingers that
its a good size.

is there really a huge differance between the 20 and the 24?

There is a significant difference between the 20" and the 24". In the store it is hard to tell. But here at home I had to put the 24" all the way back against the rear of my desktop. Even then I felt it was overwhelming. There was also the issue fo heat because the machine was now sitting back in the desk where there was a covered area above it and the rear wall of the desk directly behind it. With the 20" I can keep it just a few inches off the front edge of my desktop and it is a nice size to work with. Also it is now not in the enclosed area towards the rear of my desk. Obviously not everyone has my desk so this was a problem unique to my situation. Still I feel that the 20" would give anyone more placement felxibility than the 24".

I really cannot tell any reduction in quality on this dsiplay from the 24". Like I said at first it was clearly washed out and I was sort of horrified. But that profile I got on this forum made it look terrific. Not sure why Apple would want to ship the machine with this inferior profile but it is an easy fix. Maybe if I had the machines side by side a difference would be detectable, but looking at the 20" alone is highly satisfying.

[epiphany]

Would you mind pointing us to the calibration post? I got 400 results when I did the 'search forums'. :confused:

[docprego]

Would you mind pointing us to the calibration post? I got 400 results when I did the 'search forums'. :confused:
I used the perfect one in this thread:

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=340698&highlight=calibrate

[zap2]

Glad to here, Apple makes great products

[docprego]

Glad to here, Apple makes great products

They really do. It is somewhat surprising to hear all the positive buzz about the Mac and then when you get it, it actually is that good. With most things I get the hype exceeds the actualy quality of the product.

Perfect example, I "downgrade" and I am completely thrilled about it.

[rainydays]

Glad to hear that you are happy with your iMac :) I don't think you are crazy to want a smaller one. I actually think there's several people who would prefer a 17" over the 20".

I would personally have problem going back to something smaller than 22", but even if I had to, I would adjust pretty well. I was very happy with the 24" in terms of size, just wish it didn't have the yellow tint. I hope my replacement is free from that.
I looked at the 20" at the store the other day and I have to say that for my needs it's not good enough, but it's certainly not as bad as many people on this forum say it is. I think most people will be more than fine with it.

[Alloye]

I went the other way... From 20" to 24". The issue for me was pixel count. I was used to 1920x1200 at work and found I missed the extra space at home.

Anyway, I agree the 20" has better backlighting that the 24". (More even. Less bleed.) But the 24" has better viewing angles and better color reproduction. It sure would be nice to have all these qualities at the same time, but trade-offs are the norm when it comes to LCD displays.

[docprego]

I went the other way... From 20" to 24". The issue for me was pixel count. I was used to 1920x1200 at work and found I missed the extra space at home.

Anyway, I agree the 20" has better backlighting that the 24". (More even. Less bleed.) But the 24" has better viewing angles and better color reproduction. It sure would be nice to have all these qualities at the same time, but trade-offs are the norm when it comes to LCD displays.

I am at a loss to understand the importance of viewing angles as they relate to a computer display. I sit in front of my iMac, not off at any angle. What am I missing here? Also the colors look great on my 20". I couldn't be more pleased.

[flopticalcube]

I am at a loss to understand the importance of viewing angles as they relate to a computer display. I sit in front of my iMac, not off at any angle. What am I missing here? Also the colors look great on my 20". I couldn't be more pleased.

Sharing, showing, communicating, other people...

[docprego]

Sharing, showing, communicating, other people...

Fair enough I hadn't thought about that.

I just discovered another difference between the 20" and 24". My 20" runs much cooler. The top edge of the 24" was so hot I could not comfortably leave my hand on it. This 20" is warm but not hot.

[flopticalcube]

Fair enough I hadn't thought about that.

I just discovered another difference between the 20" and 24". My 20" runs much cooler. The top edge of the 24" was so hot I could not comfortable leave my hand on it. This 20" is warm but not hot.

Fear not, my sons will each be receiving 20" iMacs from Santa this year. They won't have to share. :D

[-brian-]

Fear not, my sons will each be receiving 20" iMacs from Santa this year. They won't have to share. :D

*hugs Daddy*

Thanks!

[flopticalcube]

*hugs Daddy*

Thanks!

They get to play their new machines right after we get back from Disneyland...

[Foxglove9]

Glad it all worked out. I just got to see the new iMacs at Best Buy for the first time today. And wow, they are amazing looking. Much much better than online photos I've seen. They actually had the old white 17" next to it and the new models were just much nicer looking. The keyboard, eh, not so much.

I was blown away at the size of the 24". I thought to myself "where the heck would that fit on my desk?". So I can understand where you are coming from. The 20" seems like a nice step down in size. Very impressed and wanting one right now!

[-brian-]

Glad it all worked out. I just got to see the new iMacs at Best Buy for the first time today. And wow, they are amazing looking. Much much better than online photos I've seen. They actually had the old white 17" next to it and the new models were just much nicer looking. The keyboard, eh, not so much.

I was blown away at the size of the 24". I thought to myself "where the heck would that fit on my desk?". So I can understand where you are coming from. The 20" seems like a nice step down in size. Very impressed and wanting one right now!

Both are gorgeous thats for sure. Enjoy your new mac.

[docprego]

Glad it all worked out. I just got to see the new iMacs at Best Buy for the first time today. And wow, they are amazing looking. Much much better than online photos I've seen. They actually had the old white 17" next to it and the new models were just much nicer looking. The keyboard, eh, not so much.

I was blown away at the size of the 24". I thought to myself "where the heck would that fit on my desk?". So I can understand where you are coming from. The 20" seems like a nice step down in size. Very impressed and wanting one right now!

After using my 20" all night I have no regrets at all. I thought I might miss the extra space but in reality I feel like I am actually using the computer now rather than having an excess of unused space. I know that is just me, some people like all the real estate. I had a hard time adjusting to it, the 20" feels more natural to me.

Don't dismiss the keyboard. It's style is a matter of personal preference but I have never typed on anything that I enjoyed more. It is a great keyboard. Now the mouse, that is another story......

[AlexisV]

I am at a loss to understand the importance of viewing angles as they relate to a computer display. I sit in front of my iMac, not off at any angle. What am I missing here? Also the colors look great on my 20". I couldn't be more pleased.

Can you not see how the top of the screen is dark and the bottom of the screen is pale? You have the new 20" right?

[docprego]

Can you not see how the top of the screen is dark and the bottom of the screen is pale? You have the new 20" right?

Yes, new 20". But since installing the new profile it looks great, I do not have those issues.

[DemNoir]

The profile posted by Alloye worked for me also. The 20" can look great and DVD's are stunning.

There is a slight shift in color intensity form top to bottom, you can see it if you slide a sticky up and down. But, in normal use, it's not an issue.

[bimmer10]

I use to have a 19" LCD on my PC and decided to go for the 24", why? Hmmm. I just wanted the biggest one they had :)

[pimmie]

I switched the other way 'round. Got the 2.4Ghz 20" iMac, but the screen quality wasn't anywhere near what it should be for professional graphics work. Switched it for the 24" 2.8 model and I'm happy now. The 23" Cinema Display I've attached has an overall better image quality though.
After having used "pro" Macs for the last 15 years, I'm incredibly happy with the near-total silence of the iMac.

[revenuee]

you made the switch down?

before my promotion the department I ran was mac based --- and we had 20 inch iMacs --- I bought the 24 inch for home a few weeks ago and when i go down to visit my friend who took over the department i sit at the 20 inch iMacs and they seem so small

I love the 24 inch

BUT i can appreciate your want is different

[Hecklerdanny]

This thread has me a little bit worried. My 24" iMac is on it's way in the mail right now, as I type this. I'm upgrading it from a 20" iMac. In my office I have a 23" Cinema Display that I don't think is "too big" at all! Is this a common problem people are having? That their 24" iMac is "TOO BIG"!? I hope not. Like I said, I love sitting in front of my 23" Cinema Display, so I don't think it will be a huge dramatic step up size-wise, but it does make me a little bit cautious. Anyone else use a 23" Cinema Display as well as a 24" iMac and can give me a little bit about the size difference? I mean, shouldn't it just be...well....One inch bigger?

[Alloye]

I am at a loss to understand the importance of viewing angles as they relate to a computer display. I sit in front of my iMac, not off at any angle. What am I missing here? Also the colors look great on my 20". I couldn't be more pleased.

It wasn't my intent to knock the 20" display. I actually thought mine was quite good once calibrated. I was just pointing out that the 24" does do some things better.

Viewing Angles: If you're the only person sitting in front of your computer, this probably isn't an issue. But better viewing angles do come in handy when you're working with others.

Color: The 20" iMac uses a TN LCD panel. This type of panel can only display 262,144 colors, which corresponds to an 18-bit palette (6-bit RGB). In order to approximate the remaining colors from a 24-bit palette, a technique called Frame Rate Control (FRC) is employed. In a nutshell, FRC switches rapidly between two or more neighboring colors in order to simulate an RGB value that the panel is unable display natively. Modern panels actually do a very good job of this and are able to achieve excellent color fidelity with only a minimum of flickering, banding, and other artifacts.

The 24" iMac, on the other hand, uses an H-IPS LCD panel. This type of panel can display 16,777,216 colors (8-bit RGB) without the FRC trickery. The result is more accurate color, especially in the dark end of the spectrum.

[suneohair]

Viewing angles are important whether or not you sit directly in front of the display. Even a slight shift can change the color on a TN, I am talking a slight shift of the head upward or downward.

For people who do graphic work they look at other things, for example I like to jot down font and color ideas as I work on things, i lean down at times to write and being able to look up and see the same color i was seeing dead on is important.

Or, say I am rolling over to my bookshelf, it is nice to look back and see the same thing I was seeing. That is not possible on a TN.

Plus, in my situation I sleep on a japanese style bed (a futon there), so when I am watching movies with my fiancee we lay on the bed, which is on the floor, on a TN I wouldn't be able to see diddly. Well, I would see stuff but it would not be accurate.

Of course this isn't important for everyone, but everyone can benefit in some way from having good viewing angles.

[heswa]

With your calibration on your 20", how does the color shift
look using the solid color images from this post?

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=340129

When I used those on a 20" at the Apple Store, the shift was quite significant.

[fireworkz]

With your calibration on your 20", how does the color shift
look using the solid color images from this post?

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=340129

When I used those on a 20" at the Apple Store, the shift was quite significant.

Yes I'd like to know that too.. Im gonna be heading to a bestbuy to try it out..too..

[pimmie]

Anyone else use a 23" Cinema Display as well as a 24" iMac and can give me a little bit about the size difference? I mean, shouldn't it just be...well....One inch bigger?

Probably because of the black bezel it looks quite a bit bigger, but why would that be a problem? Personally, I like the dot pitch of the 24" iMac better than that of the 23" ACD. This is why I made the iMac my main screen, whereas I was planning to make the ACD my main screen.
Here's a pic to see both next to eachother:

http://pimz.com/pub/biggerisbetter.jpg

As you can see, the ACD looks as if it's tiny in comparison. BTW, the iMac is going on a VESA arm as well, but I'm still working out the details per:

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1104359&tstart=0

[Foxglove9]

How do you know the screen is a TN vs an H-IPS? I can't seem to find those stats. Same goes for LCD's but other manufacturers too. Seems like something the consumer should know?

[heswa]

How do you know the screen is a TN vs an H-IPS? I can't seem to find those stats. Same goes for LCD's but other manufacturers too. Seems like something the consumer should know?

We know from the teardown at:

http://210.157.201.118/~kodawarisan/imac_2007_mid/imac_2007_mid_01.html

that the 20” screen is a LG Phillips LM201WE3

We know it’s a TN because the large color shift is characteristic of TN screens as well as the smaller viewing angle compared to the 24”.

At this site, you can see that right next to LM201WE3 they have "(TN)"
http://www.lgphilips-lcd.com/homeContain/jsp/eng/prd/prd200_j_e.jsp

Click on "Digital Catalog" at that link to get the stats

[docprego]

With your calibration on your 20", how does the color shift
look using the solid color images from this post?

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=340129

When I used those on a 20" at the Apple Store, the shift was quite significant.

I have to say it was major. I am starting to really see the shortcomings of the 20" display compared to the 24".

I think there are 2 things which make the 20" inferior to the 24"

1.The display has a dramatic color shift from the top to the bottom of the display. If I drag a window from the top to the bottom, the border at the top of the window starts as gray at the top of the screen but looks almost white at the bottom. It was so pronounced that the texture which appears like a brushed metal in this border virtually disappeared when the window was dragged to the bottom. I noticed similar shifts in web pages from top to bottom, for example a light blue web page looking almost white towards the bottom. The color shift is really atrocious when viewing those solid colors mentioned above.

2.The infamous viewing angles. It is absolutely true. When looked at head on the 20" looks great, but take your head slightly off center and the image deteriorates rapidly.

So now I am faced with a dilemma; I can't fit the 24" with a great display, the 20" fits great but the display is turning out to be inadequate. The only option I see remaining is to get a 20" ACD paired with either a Mini or Mac Pro. The size will be right and I don't think anyone has any issue with its image quality.

My Mac saga doesn't seem to want to end....

[Dustman]

I have to say it was major. I am starting to really see the shortcomings of the 20" display compared to the 24".

I think there are 2 things which make the 20" inferior to the 24"

1.The display has a dramatic color shift from the top to the bottom of the display. If I drag a window from the top to the bottom, the border at the top of the window starts as gray at the top of the screen but looks almost white at the bottom. It was so pronounced that the texture which appears like a brushed metal in this border virtually disappeared when the window was dragged to the bottom. I noticed similar shifts in web pages from top to bottom, for example a light blue web page looking almost white towards the bottom. The color shift is really atrocious when viewing those solid colors mentioned above.

2.The infamous viewing angles. It is absolutely true. When looked at head on the 20" looks great, but take your head slightly off center and the image deteriorates rapidly.

So now I am faced with a dilemma; I can't fit the 24" with a great display, the 20" fits great but the display is turning out to be inadequate. The only option I see remaining is to get a 20" ACD paired with either a Mini or Mac Pro. The size will be right and I don't think anyone has any issue with its image quality.

My Mac saga doesn't seem to want to end....

Apple.. MAKE A FRIGGEN MID TOWER ALL READY! Jeeeze. Not everyone wants 16 terabytes and 8 core processors.

[docprego]

Apple.. MAKE A FRIGGEN MID TOWER ALL READY! Jeeeze. Not everyone wants 16 terabytes and 8 core processors.
A mid tower would be my dream come true. I would be willing to pay up to $1800 for a quad core (possibly even dual) core Mac that I could expand to my hearts content. The Mac Pro is just huge and I do not need 8 cores, I am sure the whole Mac Pro line will be octo after the next refresh. What would be great is if Apple redesigned the Mac Pro in a slightly smaller case and offered quad and octo core options. Then they could drop the entry price to somewhere around my limit; $1800.

But I do not think a mid tower is ever coming. Apple is content with the iMac being their mid level machine. The fact that it has an integrated display only helps their sales once you need to upgrade.

So unless a lower end Mac Pro is unveiled it will be a Mini for me.