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Get a new Dell Monitor or a used Apple display?

L

Luigi239

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Hey everybody, I am in the market for a new display. I was thinking about getting a new dell one, but then again I love the looks of the Apple studio and cinema displays. Do you think it would be a mistake to buy a used Apple display, so long as it is in good condition? I have about $150-200 to spend

Thanks
 
What Apple display do you plan to get for $200? Even used, I've never seen a 20" Cinema Display for anywhere near that low. Assuming you're looking for about a 20" for under $200, your best bet is probably something like this (the Acers are actually really good budget displays, and have a reasonably clean design too).
 
mrogers said:
What Apple display do you plan to get for $200? Even used, I've never seen a 20" Cinema Display for anywhere near that low. Assuming you're looking for about a 20" for under $200, your best bet is probably something like this (the Acers are actually really good budget displays, and have a reasonably clean design too).
Click to expand...

Get the apple. Looks DO matter.
 
Kaiser Phoenix said:
Get the apple. Looks DO matter.
Click to expand...

Wow aren't you a little pretentious. And so helpful. For someone on a budget, an Apple display isn't really an option.

I have a 20" Cinema Display at work, and I love it. I have a 20" Dell 2007wfp at home, which uses the same LG S-IPS panel as the Cinema Display, and I also love that; it is more adjustable and has more inputs, and has the same quality image (this is usually the 20" display I recommend, if you can swing about $300). However, both of these displays are way more than $200.

You could, as you point out, buy an old Apple display. However, to get one for $200 it would have to be pretty old, and would be far inferior in terms of brightness and contrast ratio to pretty much any modern monitor available. If I were spending $200, I'd get the Acer or a similar quality budget display. It's not worth it to get some older, dimmer display just because it has an Apple logo on it, and I dare say you'd have a hard time finding an Apple LCD for $200 anyway.
 
A used 20" ACD isn't rare on eBay for $350 (including s/h). If dropping that extra $150 isn't an option for you, looking into Dell & Samsung is the way to go 🙂
 
If you can get a 20" ACD for the price you're looking for then I highly recommend to do so. As a digital artist I can definitely see the difference between an ACD and the others.
 
Like others have mentioned, if you're limited to $200, an Apple display is pretty much out of the question, and even a Dell (one line of which uses the same panel as the Apple ones) is going to cost a little more. Refurbished Apple displays even aren't that low, and I don't think any used one in decent condition on eBay or anywhere would be, either.

The 20-in Acer monitor someone else suggested on NewEgg.com is a really good deal. I just bought one myself (because I am also on a budget!), and I like it--plus, you'll even have a bit of money left over. 😎 It accepts both DVI and VGA inputs (if you can, DVI would be the better connection to use) and comes with both kinds of cables (some monitors will only come with one, usually the one you don't need 😛), so just get the right adapter if you need one and you'll be good to go (e.g, the MacBook and Intel iMacs have mini-DVI out, thus necessitating a $20 mini-DVI to DVI adapter, some older Macs have mini-VGA out which can be used with either a mini-VGA to VGA adapter or mini-VGA to DVI adapter, and some computers like the Mac mini and the MacBook Pro just have a regular ol' DVI port with no adapter necessary).
 
While shopping recently for a new 22" display, I looked 83 different displays from just about every brand out there (a few of which I had never even heard of before)

I finally narrowed it down to 17, bought 3 at a time and took them home to try out for ~5 days, so I could compare them side by side.

I looked not only at the actual picture quality, but also the overall design, color scheme, build quality, amount of plastic & metal, inputs, and every other little detail.

In EVERY case, Acer was at or near the bottom of my pile! Yes there were a few worse ones, but not many...........

In the end, I chose the HP W2207 and could not be happier !

Bottom line: Cheapo monitors SUK 😱 If you can't afford a GOOD display now, save up until you can. Your eyes & brain will thank you down the road!
 
mrogers said:
What Apple display do you plan to get for $200? Even used, I've never seen a 20" Cinema Display for anywhere near that low. Assuming you're looking for about a 20" for under $200, your best bet is probably something like this (the Acers are actually really good budget displays, and have a reasonably clean design too).
Click to expand...
Thanks everybody for the input. I really actually do like this display, but the quality that I'm hearing about kinda throws me off.

Does anybody else have an opinion on Acer Monitors? I'd like to get some more input before I make my decision.
 
I'm not sure about Acer monitors, but their computers sure don't have a good rep...

You might want to check out this Dell monitor. It's just within your budget (199 ...you might also want to Google Dell coupons) and its silvery looks approximates the Apple Cinemas. I have a similar (black) one that I bought a couple years ago and I'm quite happy with its performance with college work (papers, presentations) and gaming.
 
I'm also considering buying a Apple display, though would be willing to buy new, i've done a litte research into it (not the most tech savvy when it comes to displays and the various connections) but does anyone know if i could connect it up to my Xbox 360 as i only really have room in my room for one TV, disconnecting and connectiing different cables isn't a problem just wanna know if it's possible

Thanks 😀
 
Jack Flash said:
They use the same LCD panels as Dell
Click to expand...

And as a digital artist who prints a lot of my work (on calibrated equipment) I can tell you (having used a Dell) that what you see on screen is not what you get in print as opposed to an ACD. I guess there's good reason why one costs less than the other.
 
Just wanted to add one more thing. If you do decide to get a used ACD monitor, make sure it's backed up by a strong (preferably store) warranty and try to inspect it beforehand. All sorts of things can go wrong with 2nd hand monitors (use your imagination), especially if you're buying sight-unseen and with dubious warranty from online auction sites, etc.
 
You're going to have it for years. Get the one you prefer, be it an ACD or a Dell. To me, price aside, the Apple is just about perfect. Simple, elegant, beautiful, and a gorgeous screen.
 
Bern said:
And as a digital artist who prints a lot of my work (on calibrated equipment) I can tell you (having used a Dell) that what you see on screen is not what you get in print as opposed to an ACD. I guess there's good reason why one costs less than the other.
Click to expand...

You're generalizing. Some Dells do not use the same panels as Apple, but some do. I own a Dell 2007wfp with an S-IPS panel built by LG, which is identical to the LG S-IPS panel in my 20" ACD. They are most definitely the same, they look the same, the panels have the same serial number, and so no there is no reason why the Apple costs more in that case other than the logo on the front. Get your facts straight.
 
mrogers said:
You're generalizing. Some Dells do not use the same panels as Apple, but some do. I own a Dell 2007wfp with an S-IPS panel built by LG, which is identical to the LG S-IPS panel in my 20" ACD. They are most definitely the same, they look the same, the panels have the same serial number, and so no there is no reason why the Apple costs more in that case other than the logo on the front. Get your facts straight.
Click to expand...

Not to mention, anyone doing print should be calibrating, in which case you could calibrate the displays to be the same if they have the same panel.
 
mrogers said:
You're generalizing. Some Dells do not use the same panels as Apple, but some do. I own a Dell 2007wfp with an S-IPS panel built by LG, which is identical to the LG S-IPS panel in my 20" ACD. They are most definitely the same, they look the same, the panels have the same serial number, and so no there is no reason why the Apple costs more in that case other than the logo on the front. Get your facts straight.
Click to expand...

There IS more to a monitor than just the LCD panel, although that is the first consideration. The quality of the other internal components can vary widely, and will make a lot of difference in the overall display quality...........

With my recent research, I can attest to this fact 4 sure 🙂 Even though I feel like I got an excellent monitor by choosing the HP, if I could afford an ACD, I would get one in a heartbeat 🙂

Repeat from earlier post...............

***Bottom line: Cheapo monitors SUK 😱 ***
 
There IS more to a monitor than just the LCD panel, although that is the first consideration. The quality of the other internal components can vary widely, and will make a lot of difference in the overall display quality...........
Click to expand...

If the choice is between a brand new Dell with the SAME screen and a used ADC monitor, I'd take the Dell any day. There are a lot of risks inherent in purchasing a used monitor, and I'm not sure if any supposed differences between a Dell vs. ACD (especially with the same screen!) is worth the risk. Of course, ultimately this decision is the OP's.
 
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