MacWhispers said:
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.
Anandtech seems to disagree with you. So, who do I believe: some random Apple-lover on some forum, or objective reviewer at Anandtech?
While the image-quality between the two seems similar (different yes, but neither is really any better than the other), the Dell-monitor does have superior inputs and lower price.
The contrast and black depth are visably inferior. Max brightness is lower on the Dell.
According to Anandtech, Dell is a bit brighter and ACD is. And while ACD has darkerk darks than Dell does, the Dell has whiter whites. All in all, the contrast was slightly better on the Dell. They mentioned that ACD looked a bit more "washed out" in movie-playback than the Dell did. So I guess it's safe to say that you are talking out of your ass.
In economics, there is an age old principle that goes, "There Is No Such Thing As A Free Lunch."
Maybe Dell simply has lower margins on their display when compared to Apple? They might cost more or less the same to make, but Apple might be trying to bring in mor profit from each unit, and that explains the higher price. It might not necessarily be due to Apple being better.
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.
Why do I get the feeling that your way of thinking is "It's made by Apple, so it MUST be better!"?
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.
Yes, the Apple-displays are good, and I don't think anyone here has been disputing that. Question has been whether the Dell unit is as good or better. According to reviews, the two have similar image-quality. But the Dell does have lower price and better inputs. Of course, Dell doesn't have that cool aluminium-casing, but that doesn't really make the display "better" as such.
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.
Could you at least try to be a bit more objective? "It's Dell, so it must be crap! Anything Apple makes must be good!"
