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30" Apple Display: Concerns about buying now

I too was one of many hoping for new displays at macworld, but today I decided to take the plunge and fork out for a sparkling new 20" ACD, and boy am I glad I did! Ever since I got one of these at work I've been craving for one of my own.

What I was hoping for with the updated displays was led backlighting, for a brighter image, but now that I've spent some time with them in my music room with modest lighting, I think any brighter would make my eyes sore. Right now the lights are fairly dim and I've had to dim the brightness to about half to keep it comfortable.

I had almost made up my mind to play the waiting game again but after careful thought I considered these pros and cons of updated displays, all based on personal wishful thinking ofcourse. The arguments I fed myself to punk up and buy a current model are between parentheses:

The pros:
  • led backlighting for a brighter display (but they're so bright already!) and for a more even color dispersion (but they're industry standard for color accuracy already!)
  • built in isight (But do I really ever use it? Can't I just use my macbooks when the need is there?)
  • Slimmer form factor (Yeah okay, talk about being a spoiled little brat..)

The cons:
  • New design (I for one find the new macbook air quite ugly, and am a bit scared at the silver/black bezel thing apple has going on. The current ACD's are so damn beautiful, I would regret having not bought one if the new displays turned out to be more of the new apple style.)

So there go my thoughts on the whole waiting game issue, maybe this will help some of you with similar wishlists decide on whether you really need the things you wish for. Many thanks to "supercooled", who's last comment: "Buy and enjoy. Live in the moment." helped me take the plunge! Cheerio! ;)
 
Also waiting ...

I am also ready to upgrade to the new Mac Pro and would like to move from my 23" to a 30" display. Color accuracy is important to me. I know the ACD is great, but agree that it's older technology. This week at Mac World, NEC introduced a new 30" (MultiSync LCD3090WQXi) with a customer target base toward graphic design, photography, print production, and CAD/CAM industries.

But it won't be shipping until the first week of March. List is higher then the current ACD, at $2199. Key aspects are the color spectrum (98% of the Adobe scale), the color calibration solution, the ability to tilt to landscape or portrait and the four year warranty. I would also like to see it in person, and that may be difficult.

more info at: http://www.hdtvorigin.com/hdtv/nec-multisync-lcd3090wqxi-monitor-introduction/

Has anyone looked at this?
 
artbiz said:
Color accuracy is important to me. I know the ACD is great, but agree that it's older technology.
Click to expand...

Who says that the ACD is older technology. It uses the LG.Philips LG.Philips LM300W01 panel which is about the best there is. It has likely gone through revisions since the original release. I think the 30" though is not as good a deal as the 23".
 
macgruder said:
Who says that the ACD is older technology. It uses the LG.Philips LG.Philips LM300W01 panel which is about the best there is. It has likely gone through revisions since the original release. I think the 30" though is not as good a deal as the 23".
Click to expand...

Yep -- Exactly. That LG Panel is still very current and has received upgrades.

I think both the 30" and 23" are good deals.

The 23" is so unique, one of a kind really -- almost no one makes an S-IPS panel in 24" size with that type of panel and refinement.

At the refurbished price of $799 it is value.
 
Video playback on 30" ACD

I had decided to jump from Windoze to a MAC PRO and had set a few clear objectives last year being OSX 10.5 and on the new Penryn. The MAC buyers guide seems to say wait on the 30" ACD.

I've been lurking on this thread and many people have given great advise being that the ACD is quite state of the art and what do I expect of the 30" ACD anyway.
I certainly want the increase in real estate the screen can offer. I'm not using it for print quality; However I certainly will be playing and editing video material.

Besides an HDMI output that would be nice does anyone have any comments on the video playback quality to a 30" ACD? There was a post on the 16ms refresh rate that disturbed me. At the moment I have a 19" (not ACD) that has an 8ms grey-grey response time which I find choppy at times.
 
ztalbot2000 said:
I had decided to jump from Windoze to a MAC PRO and had set a few clear objectives last year being OSX 10.5 and on the new Penryn. The MAC buyers guide seems to say wait on the 30" ACD.

I've been lurking on this thread and many people have given great advise being that the ACD is quite state of the art and what do I expect of the 30" ACD anyway.
I certainly want the increase in real estate the screen can offer. I'm not using it for print quality; However I certainly will be playing and editing video material.

Besides an HDMI output that would be nice does anyone have any comments on the video playback quality to a 30" ACD? There was a post on the 16ms refresh rate that disturbed me. At the moment I have a 19" (not ACD) that has an 8ms grey-grey response time which I find choppy at times.
Click to expand...

If you are not doing print work and want a wider color gamut and better refresh rate then there are far better choices currently than the ACD 30"

I really like the HP LP3065 that we bought for our studio a month ago. Fantastic Display. The Samsung 30" is great also from what a colleague of mine says.

I have no experience with Dell but rumor has it they make a decent panel albeit sometimes lacking in consistency, etc. But they are affordable.
 
ztalbot2000 said:
Besides an HDMI output that would be nice does anyone have any comments on the video playback quality to a 30" ACD? There was a post on the 16ms refresh rate that disturbed me. At the moment I have a 19" (not ACD) that has an 8ms grey-grey response time which I find choppy at times.
Click to expand...

Bearing in mind the Dell 3007WFP-HC 30-inch is selling for $1039 right now and it is the same LG.philips S-IPS panel as the 30" Apple ACD which costs over double then I think that is a serious bargain. This is a limited time offer from Dell so it could stop anytime. In Japan, the same offer stopped suddenly without warning a couple of days ago. For me the 30" Dell is too big and I want a S-IPS monitor so I feel the ACD 23" is a good price, but if I want a 30" I think the Dell is a real good deal right now.
 
Despite my better judgement, I just bought a 23" Apple LCD with my new Mac Pro. I really, really wanted new ones to come out, but I also really need a new monitor for my computer. My guess is that Apple will come out with new ones that resemble the iMac style with the black border ... but that is just a guess. I know I got kind of ripped on the price for what I am getting in terms of technology and all but oh well. As long as the new ones don't come out like three weeks after I get mine I won't be too upset. I kind of doubt new ones will be around before summer.
 
c073186 said:
Despite my better judgement, I just bought a 23" Apple LCD with my new Mac Pro. I really, really wanted new ones to come out, but I also really need a new monitor for my computer. My guess is that Apple will come out with new ones that resemble the iMac style with the black border ... but that is just a guess. I know I got kind of ripped on the price for what I am getting in terms of technology and all but oh well.
Click to expand...

No you didn't. Feel good :)

Search for a 23" or 24" S-IPS LG.Philips panel for less that $1000 and the ACD is about the only one you'll find.

Compare the NEC which is $1100. The ACD has had incremental upgrades during its lifetime to the panel, so it is not old technology. A monitor based on the new H-IPS panel (like the iMac) would be nice but the 23" is still a good deal.
 
macgruder said:
No you didn't. Feel good :)

Search for a 23" or 24" S-IPS LG.Philips panel for less that $1000 and the ACD is about the only one you'll find.

Compare the NEC which is $1100. The ACD has had incremental upgrades during its lifetime to the panel, so it is not old technology. A monitor based on the new H-IPS panel (like the iMac) would be nice but the 23" is still a good deal.
Click to expand...

Yep Exactly: despite what many on these forums will shout, the ACD 23 is a great monitor at a fair price. It is hard to find 24" S-IPS panels for the $800 to $900 price range of the ACD.

You did not get ripped off -- You spent a lot of money for a great monitor with a fair price.
 
dante@sisna.com said:
Yep Exactly: despite what many on these forums will shout, the ACD 23 is a great monitor at a fair price. It is hard to find 24" S-IPS panels for the $800 to $900 price range of the ACD.

You did not get ripped off -- You spent a lot of money for a great monitor with a fair price.
Click to expand...

Oh, well in that case I feel very good about my purchase! The monitor is arriving tomorrow but my Mac Pro won't ship for another four weeks (because of 8800GT :( )
 
zmunkz said:
I have a similar dilemma... I am looking to sell my current ACD 23" and turn around and purchase a new ACD 30". Do you guys think an upgrade like that is also questionable given the age of the product, or do you think it is not as bad since selling the 23" should get me a couple hundred to put towards it?
Click to expand...

Hey ZmunkZ from 2 years ago. Go ahead and buy the damn thing. Apple won't touch the product for at least 2 years.

Bah.

Posted through my 23" ACD.
 
I have a queasy feeling that the 30" display might not be coming any time soon. If Apple are trying to match their current lineup's look that is. I haven't heard too much about 30" LED panels. We know they have 27" ones though.

Here's hoping!
 
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