ACD 30" vs HP LP3065

So I'm going to go to B&H tomorrow or Wednesday to look at monitors, as I think i have finally made up my mind on what display to pair with my upcoming MacPro (yeah, I'm one of those in the 'waiting club).

If I end up liking the way a 30" display looks (and am not totally overwhelmed by the size) I'm leaning towards the HP LP3065 over the ACD 30". Both have S-IPS screens and while they are different kinds, the contrast and response rates seem better for the HP and it's gotten some great reviews. And it's $1200 versus $1600, so...

Is there any reason to not get the HP vs. the ACD? While I'm aiming towards its handling of Final Cut Studio work, it does have to be more than a little 'multi-purpose' (especially given the price). And aesthetic reasons (ie: 'it will look better with the MacPro') are not valid.

I'm used to the 24" ACD from work (so may end up deciding that I really don't need all that extra screen space) and may end up breaking down and getting another one of those. Was looking at the Samsung, but grudgingly deciding that the S-IPS screens are worth the couple of extra hundred bucks (although the extra inputs would be nice...)

Well, went to B&H yesterday. Still torn. On the plus side, they had the Samsung 305T and the HP LP3065 monitors side by side showing the same slide show and man the HP blew the Samsung out of the water. Even disregarding the probability of calibration differences, the HP gave a richer, deeper image - deeper meaning it looked like there was more depth to the image. Much more detail. It took my breath away.

Then went to the ACD 30" and it too looked wonderful. My initial reaction was that the HP looked like it had more screen real estate and was a bigger monitor, due to the color and size of the bevels.

Then the trouble began. Asked the folks at B&H for opinions on which was better. All said without hesitation the ACD. Problem is two of the people had no clue the specs of either model (one actually told me he liked the ACD because it had a certain je ne se qua...forgive the spelling...and blanched when I said 'yeah, but what about the difference in contrast ratio and refresh rates? And while the HP's more vivid color gamaut makes it less ideal for photography, is it better for NTSC specs?').

Luckily the third person actually seemed to know video editing sensibilities and he steered me towards the ACD because even though it was a little out of date (the screen being the same as the HP), the color and response just looked better in the hundreds of monitors he had seen (at least those in the same price point and lower...we didn't talk LaCie or Eizo).

So here's hoping Apple updates the ACD in the next two weeks (or less if they ship my MacPro before the 13th)

mojopixel said:

mate, pick whatever screen YOU LIKE the best, after all you will be sitting infront of it for a large chunk of your day.

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I know, I know...obsess much Driving my partner crazy...

Unfortunately wasn't able to see anything on the HP display other than a still image (they didn't have it set up for anything else, damn them!)...hence a portion of my angsting

mavherzog said:

I own the HP LP3065 (have it paired up with my 15" MBP) and absolutely LOVE IT! Multimedia turned me on to it about a day before I was going to pull the trigger on a 30" ACD. He owns one himself and is far more picky than I am.

The THREE dual-link DVI-D inputs is what sold me.

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I have to admit to a visceral 'wow' when I saw the HP LP3065...I just wish I was able to have seen it in action with video (plus I like how it is height adjustable, whereas the ACD is stuck on one height).

Do you use it for video editing? if so, how does it look (and how much calibration did you have to do)

B&H doesn't sell Dell (and I don't think that model is at Best Buy or any place in the city, and I'm not wanting to buy one online...want to be able to return it easily

well, mavherzog, thanks in no small part to you (and dante and everybody else who talked it up) I broke down and bought the HP LP3065 (even got a B&H guy who was enthusiastic about the display...or the commission...) Divorce averted (if my partner had to endure one more 'but what about this display' conversation....).

Now all I need is the Mac! Have 8GB of RAM, 2 Samsung 750GB internal hard drives, speakers, sound board and display...just need the frickin' computer to run them on...