20" Monitor: Calibrate or go IPS?

[briantology]

I recently purchased a Dell 2009W monitor to go with my MacBook Pro and I have not been able to find a calibration/setting that I'm happy with. I've watched movies/played games on it and it was fine, but when I use it as an external monitor, the color difference between it and my MBP drives me crazy. I've tried googling and searching and calibrating and adjusting using software, but to no avail. So should I:

A) Get a Spyder or EyeOne and try to color match the two displays

or

B) Sell the 2009W and look for a 2007WFP with an IPS panel or 20" ACD (had one once... loved it)

Any ideas?

PS: I'm looking to stay at 20". The 2209WA seems good, but I don't want a 22" with 1680x1050.

 

[KnightWRX]

You'll have the same problem with a IPS panel. Not 2 screens are really alike. The LED ACD had much more vibrant colors out of the box than my Macbook display.

You'll just be wasting money to essentially end up right where you started.

 

[Lava Lamp Freak]

I have a 2007WFP and it is a lot dimmer than it was two years ago. I gave it to my dad but borrowed it to use on my MacBook for a couple weeks. It was painful using it because of how dim it is. So, keep that in mind when considering the older display, even though it is IPS.

 

[striatedglutes]

You'll have the same problem with a IPS panel. Not 2 screens are really alike. The LED ACD had much more vibrant colors out of the box than my Macbook display.

You'll just be wasting money to essentially end up right where you started.

This is what color calibration is for. OP might want to go check the deltaE measurements on calibrated displays that he is looking at buying, or check it on your current displays and see how close he can get them before buying a calibrator.