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Dell 24" Widescreen vs Apple Cinema 23"

M

m2gc

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 6, 2005
17
1
Has anyone used both of these? I just recently bought a new C2D Macbook Pro and I am looking for an external monitor.

Dell Pros:
An extra inch
s-video and Component video inputs

Cons:
Dell


Apple Cinema Display Pros:
Beautiful
Apple titanium look to match MBP

Cons:
Almost 300 dollars more than the Dell



Is the Apple worth the extra 300 dollars in your opinion? Anyone have any experiences with either of these?
 
Maxiseller

Maxiseller

macrumors 6502a
Jan 11, 2005
846
1
Little grey, chilly island.
There are sooooooooooo many threads on this topic and EVERYTIME it ends up a war between mac fans - mac lovers and PC lovers all saying each other defends the other brand for it's shortcomings too often.

This is the short and end of it:

Apple = nice, classy, potentially snobby but visually pleasing and more expensive.

Dell = ugly, not classy, lower class (ohhhh I detect a flame) not at all snobby but filled with ports and an extra inch of size.

Your choice.

Fight on people.
 
I

ironjaw

macrumors 6502
May 23, 2006
379
8
Cold Copenhagen
Maxiseller said:
There are sooooooooooo many threads on this topic and EVERYTIME it ends up a war between mac fans - mac lovers and PC lovers all saying each other defends the other brand for it's shortcomings too often.

This is the short and end of it:

Apple = nice, classy, potentially snobby but visually pleasing and more expensive.

Dell = ugly, not classy, lower class (ohhhh I detect a flame) not at all snobby but filled with ports and an extra inch of size.

Your choice.

Fight on people.
Click to expand...

So your the guy from Biiiiiiiiiiiiiirmingham (said with a brummy accent) :D
 
Felldownthewell

Felldownthewell

macrumors 65816
Feb 10, 2006
1,053
0
Portland
If you want to pay $300 for a less real estate but a nicer case, be my guest, but I think that would be stupid. Spec-wise, they are so similar that paying $300 for less is ridiculous.

Unless you are a total mac fanboy incapable of buying anything without an apple logo on it, then go for the Dell. If you have the extra $$$ and want a much sexier computer screen (am I the only one who finds a bit weired to describe a computer screen as sexy? Notebooks I can understand because they can get you admiring or inquisitve looks, but having a sexy computer screen is like having sexy underwear; it makes you feel better but the only time anyone is going to see it is when you've alredy gotten them into your house.) then go for it. If not, then Dell for sure...
 
Maxiseller

Maxiseller

macrumors 6502a
Jan 11, 2005
846
1
Little grey, chilly island.
Felldownthewell said:
If you want to pay $300 for a less real estate but a nicer case, be my guest, but I think that would be stupid. Spec-wise, they are so similar that paying $300 for less is ridiculous.

Unless you are a total mac fanboy incapable of buying anything without an apple logo on it, then go for the Dell. If you have the extra $$$ and want a much sexier computer screen (am I the only one who finds a bit weired to describe a computer screen as sexy? Notebooks I can understand because they can get you admiring or inquisitve looks, but having a sexy computer screen is like having sexy underwear; it makes you feel better but the only time anyone is going to see it is when you've alredy gotten them into your house.) then go for it. If not, then Dell for sure...
Click to expand...

*shakes head*

SEE!!!!

I won't even begin to tell you how much complete and utter nonsense you've just spurted but nevertheless you've just insulted all the ACD owners. Good stuff.

A tiny point: Why do people buy nice cars, nice widescreen TV's, nice leather cradle beds, nice marble topped kitchen surfaces, expensive diamonds...you think they NEED it?

Sometimes it's nice to have nice things. I wouldn't put a fugly dell in my house if you paid me...but I like my office to be chic. it helps my creativity.
 
gekko513

gekko513

macrumors 603
Oct 16, 2003
6,301
1
Add certified for colour accuracy to the pros on the Apple screen. Read this thread and pay attention to ATD's posts to see what color accuracy is about. It's not the contrast ratio and brightness that's most important for color accuracy.

For most people, though, color accuracy at that level isn't very important.

Edit: ATD dug up the interesting tests, not zoran. My mistake.
 
Felldownthewell

Felldownthewell

macrumors 65816
Feb 10, 2006
1,053
0
Portland
Maxiseller said:
*shakes head*

SEE!!!!

I won't even begin to tell you how much complete and utter nonsense you've just spurted but nevertheless you've just insulted all the ACD owners. Good stuff.

A tiny point: Why do people buy nice cars, nice widescreen TV's, nice leather cradle beds, nice marble topped kitchen surfaces, expensive diamonds...you think they NEED it?

Sometimes it's nice to have nice things. I wouldn't put a fugly dell in my house if you paid me...but I like my office to be chic. it helps my creativity.
Click to expand...

It is true, it is nice to have nice things, but the OP is asking opinions. If he needed the best of the best in terms of color accuracy, I would suggest a LaCie with a color calibrator, however, since this does not seem to be the case, the added bennefit of slightly better color in the ACD would not be worth the extra $300.

That is why I said that if he has the extra money he should go for it (okay, so I was a bit more dismissive than that), but if he is on a budget, then the Dell is what he should get. You know what you like, you like chic, so you didn't need help deciding what monitor to get when you got one; you got the ACD. However, the OP is asking for advice because he can't decide which to get. It is pretty d*mn obvious the ACD is prettier, but the dell is better bang-for-buck if you don't care a whole lot about asthetics. Therefore, what I said before stands; if you want to pay $300 for looks, then go for it, if you want to save some money and don't mind a less attractive monitor, then get the Dell...
 
Transeau

Transeau

macrumors 6502a
Jan 18, 2005
869
13
Alta Loma, CA
Not that I want to get into the debate... but I have to toss this in...
Look at the Specs and pick for your self.

Code: 
Specs
		Apple M9178LL/A		Dell UltraSharp 2407WFP
Screen Size	23 Inches		24 Inches
Viewing Angle	178/178			178/178
Brightness	400 cd/m2		450 cd/m²
Contrast Ratio	700:1			1000:1
Resolution	1920x1200		1920x1200
Response time	14ms			16ms
Pixel pitch	.258mm			.270mm


Features
		Apple M9178LL/A		Dell UltraSharp 2407WFP
Power Supply	External		Internal
Video In	DVI			DVI, VGA, SVIDEO, Composite, Component
Ports		2x USB, 2x 1394		2x USB, 9-in-2 Card Reader
Stand		Fixed Height, Tilt	Swivel, Tilt, Height Adjustable, 90º Rotate
Speakers	None			Optional, monitor powered
Warranty	1yr (3yr Opt)		3yr (4yr & 5yr Opt)
Current $	$999			$719
HDCP		*NO*			*YES*

I left out the Apple is pretty and Dell is Ugly... That's a matter of opinion.
As for color quality... I'm sure Apple is better, but by how much I can't tell you.
Personally, I LOVE my Dell 2407. Even though it doesn't match my Mac Pro.
For me HDCP was the deal breaker.
 
Warbrain

Warbrain

macrumors 603
Jun 28, 2004
5,702
293
Chicago, IL
I had to set up some of those 24" widescreen monitors from Dell today and I was amazed at the quality. I would buy one if I had the money.
 
xfiftyfour

xfiftyfour

macrumors 68030
Apr 14, 2006
2,573
0
Clemson, SC
am I the ONLY one that finds the dell monitor sexy? I didn't think the same of the old 05 style, but the new 07 with the alum. trim is much sexier, and DOES match my apples nicely. Sure, ACDs are sexier, but that doesn't mean the Dell's aren't nice looking, too. My 24" Dell is gorgeous - came with no bleed, dead pixels, or any other problem whatsoever.. it's perfect, has great specs, had a great price tag, perfect colors, and is beautiful. I proudly hung mine up on the wall, and I still smile everytime I see it.

I don't care if I'm insulting the ACD owners out there. IMO, if money is even a thought in your mind, then you SHOULD be insulted, because IMO, you were ripped off. Better specs, bigger screen, more inputs and ports, and for $400 less...? uhm, yup. sounds like a rip to me.
 
Veritas&Equitas

Veritas&Equitas

macrumors 68000
Oct 31, 2005
1,528
1
Twin Cities, MN
xfiftyfour said:
am I the ONLY one that finds the dell monitor sexy? I didn't think the same of the old 05 style, but the new 07 with the alum. trim is much sexier, and DOES match my apples nicely. Sure, ACDs are sexier, but that doesn't mean the Dell's aren't nice looking, too. My 24" Dell is gorgeous - came with no bleed, dead pixels, or any other problem whatsoever.. it's perfect, has great specs, had a great price tag, perfect colors, and is beautiful. I proudly hung mine up on the wall, and I still smile everytime I see it.

I don't care if I'm insulting the ACD owners out there. IMO, if money is even a thought in your mind, then you SHOULD be insulted, because IMO, you were ripped off. Better specs, bigger screen, more inputs and ports, and for $400 less...? uhm, yup. sounds like a rip to me.
Click to expand...
xfiftyfour with the most sensible post of the day, as always, couldn't agree more...
 
Maxiseller

Maxiseller

macrumors 6502a
Jan 11, 2005
846
1
Little grey, chilly island.
The trouble is how do you quantify a "rip off"?

Do you argue that in terms of price, the Apple is a rip-off because it's more expensive? Can you say that the reasons behind that are the same that people buy a car by the name of Mercedes?

I Don't know - I'm happy in the knowledge that I didn't mind paying a bit more to get something that isn't necessarily run of the mill.
 
R

rob5

macrumors regular
Oct 5, 2003
107
0
Connecticut
Maxiseller said:
The trouble is how do you quantify a "rip off"?

Do you argue that in terms of price, the Apple is a rip-off because it's more expensive? Can you say that the reasons behind that are the same that people buy a car by the name of Mercedes?

I Don't know - I'm happy in the knowledge that I didn't mind paying a bit more to get something that isn't necessarily run of the mill.
Click to expand...

too bad dell isn't "run of the mill" :)

you have some really weird reasons you're using to try and justify your purchase :)
 
G

Greebazoid

macrumors regular
Mar 20, 2006
116
0
Cape Town
I bought my ACD 23 from a friend who has a PC and was having endless issues with it. She replaced it with the Dell 24" and loves it..

Interestingly, the ACD is *perfect* on my MBP (and the mini before it), where as it was definitely dodgy on her PC..

I strongly suspect (tho I have no evidence) that when an ACD is plugged into a Mac, what gets spoken over the DVI link between Mac and monitor isn't exactly standard DVI speak.
 
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