LCD displays are impacted by three different major performance factors: the panel, the driver circuitry, and, the backlight. While the widescreen Dells and the Apple displays use the same panels, each company uses its own unique driver circuitry, and their own CCFL backlights. And frankly Apple's utterly smokes the junk driver system in the Dell displays.
I bought one of the 20-inch Dells and have compared it side by side with both 20 and 23 inch Apple units. There are a variety of subtle but quite noticeable differences between the two. The colors are more washed out on the Dell. The contrast and black depth are visably inferior. Max brightness is lower on the Dell. All of these differences are, admittedly, very subtle on brand new units. However, the price differences between the Apple and Dell displays aren't from Dell's charity or Apple's stupidity. The prices reflect extreme cost cutting decisions that Dell made in the design of their product.
In economics, there is an age old principle that goes, "There Is No Such Thing As A Free Lunch." Anybody silly enough to think that they are getting a "deal" on one of these Dell displays is just being irresponsible with their cash, similarly to people who think they are getting a "bargain" when buying a $39 DVD player at Wal-Mart. Brand new performance is okay. But, you look back 2 or 3 years later and wonder how you could have been so stupid to have tried to save those few dollars... as you recall the day your "bargain" spit its guts out and died... or, as you suffer with horribly degraded performance.
In electronics products, there is a reason why premium brands charge premium prices, and junk brands charge junk prices. I would have thought anyone experienced enough to be participating on this forum would have long since learned that lesson.
When I invest in an LCD display (and, personally and through my company, I own about 20 of them), I expect to enjoy top notch performance from that product for several years into the future. My Apple displays have reliably delivered on that expectation.
Spend your money any way you wish. But, for the love of Pete... please realize the trash you are buying when you spend it on a junk price product from a discount brand like Dell.
