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Apple Displays vs Samsung/Sony

M

Mac2004

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Mar 17, 2004
296
43
I'm currently in looking to buy a new monitor for my new dual 1.8 G5 computer.

Which monitor should I buy for my new system??

New Apple 20" Display
New Apple 23" Display
Old Apple 23" Display
Samsung monitor (please specify model for this one)
Sony Trinitron monitor (please specify model for this one)

Is the new 23" Apple Display worth the extra $600???? What is the difference between the 20" and 23" that makes the price difference so big?

Will the old Display work on my G5?

How much are the old Apple Displaays going for and where do I get them if I go that avenue?
 
I say either the 20" or 23" Apple displays because they are so sexy and match the G5 :D The differences between the 20" and 23"? 3 inches :p The 23" is a little brighter than the 20", but not much. Everything else is the same except for the resolution (of course).
 
I have all three. hehe. 20" "older" Cinema for the Mac, pair of Sony 18" and Samsung 17" and a Dell 19" (rebadge Samsung). The Sony has the best detail, the Samsung the least.

You should stick with the Cinema for your Mac, Samsung uses software OSD now, which is only available for the PC, so you can't adjust anything if you hook it up to a Mac. Sony is overpriced, so you might as well get something that's both overpriced and made for Mac, a Cinema.
 
I'd get an Apple because it's widescreen and pretty. :) Actually, if Sony's LCD specs were the same or better than Apple's, and was widescreen size, then I'd get the Sony if it was cheaper. Basically, just go with the specs. I'd get the widescreen LCD with the best contrast and brightness for your money. If it's Apple, and the competitors are similarly priced, I'd be all over the Apple. If not, then get something else. Your LCD doesn't have to match your desktop tower. My mom wouldn't even care about matching your LCD to your system, so I don't even know why all these guys do.
 
Price

I would like the 23" Apple monitor but I'm not sure its worth $700 more than the 20" monitor. Perhaps I should get the older 23" one.
 
Samsung 213T

It does *not* use software OSD and is fully mac/pc/linux/whatever compatible! It's 21" and 1600x1200. It's *much* bigger than the apple 20" cinema (being 21" with a regular 4:3 aspect ratio) and not much smaller than the 23". If you've got a card that will support it (like a Radeon), the monitor can pivot to to become a portrait monitor.

At ~$1000 (in black or silver), It's also way cheaper than any Apple display. A friend of mine has this monitor on his linux workstation and it's absolutely stunning.

Of course, the Apple screens are also stunning, but they're so much more expensive, it's hard to justify the cost.

-vga4life
 
2A Batterie said:
One difference between the 20" and 23" (aside from the obvious) is that the 23" has HD
Click to expand...
Also, 3" is not a big difference in size, but if you measure by pixels, the 23" has 30% more pixels that the 20".
 
Cost

I just cannot see spending $700 more for 3 more inches..... I may look at the Samsung.

What company makes the Apple monitors?? Samsung or Sony??
 
The 23" is more future-proof, relative to the 20", in that it can display high-def content natively. HD-DVDs will be out next year, and in the mean time you can get high-def content on most digital cable and satelite systems.
The extra $700 gets you 30% more workspace, 3 more diagonal inches on the display, and the ability to watch unscaled high definition video - the way it was meant to be watched. I think it's worth it.
 
Dell 2001FP

I just bought a Dell 2001FP for my PowerBook and I really love it. Only $689. 1600x1200. 16ms response time. 3 yrs parts labor & backlight. And it pivots if you can find software to pivot your screen but I don't know of any.
 
Greetings!

My first post here, though I've been reading the forums for some time. I'm a slowly switching switcher, currently on my second iMac (an 800MHz flat panel). The new G5 iMac is enticing, but I'm giving some thought to a dual G5 PowerMac instead. The iMac basically meets my needs as a digital video/photo hobbiest, but I find myself wanting to upgrade every couple of years and the only real upgrade path for an iMac is a new computer.

So... I'm thinking about getting a PowerMac next to allow for an easier, and hopefully less expensive, future upgrade path. A few questions concerning Apple's flat panel displays:

  1. How long do they last? I won't have it on all day, every day. Part of my upgrade strategy would be to buy a display I can "take with me" when I eventually upgrade to a new system. Do flat panel displays last that long (say 5 to 10 years)? Are Apple's displays any more long lived than those from another vendor?
  2. Does anyone have any experience with Apple's refurbished displays? Is buying one of these a wise choice? (I'm seriously considering buying a refurbished PowerMac when the time comes, based on positive feedback I've seen on these forums.) Or am I more likely to get a display with bad pixels? How willing is Apple to swap out a refurbished display if it has bad pixels?

My apologies for the long, multi-question post, but it seems to fit well in the current discussion. Your responses will certainly help me in my decision making process when choosing my next Mac.

Thanks in advance!
Gary
 
I am posting this from my work computer using my NEW HP L2335 LCD monitor. This Panel is 23", and from what I can tell is pretty much exactly the same quality panel as my 23" Alu Apple. The build quality is is not up to par with that of Apple's, but Apple is a hard standard to live up to. The L2335, is by no way "cheap", it's just has all platic casing.

Here are the pros and cons of the HP L2335

Pros:
Same quality LCD as Apple
Has built in s-video, component and composite imputs
Has picture in picture capability
3 years warranty standard
Only $1499 with $100 dollar rebate good untill 10/04

Cons:
Build quality not as good as Apple's (but great for a PC LCD)
Not as smooth to adjust as Apple's
Plastic enclousure, not Alu
No Firewire and USB ports

Basically, for the price the HP is a great LCD, just as good as Apple's as far as Panel quality, just doesn't have the WOW factor and beauty of Apple's. In summary, I would highly recomend the the HP L2335 as the "poor man's" 23" LCD


Here is a review of the HP L2335



l2335large.jpg
specstop06282004.jpg
 
vga4life said:
Samsung 213T

It does *not* use software OSD and is fully mac/pc/linux/whatever compatible! It's 21" and 1600x1200. It's *much* bigger than the apple 20" cinema (being 21" with a regular 4:3 aspect ratio) and not much smaller than the 23". If you've got a card that will support it (like a Radeon), the monitor can pivot to to become a portrait monitor.

At ~$1000 (in black or silver), It's also way cheaper than any Apple display. A friend of mine has this monitor on his linux workstation and it's absolutely stunning.

Of course, the Apple screens are also stunning, but they're so much more expensive, it's hard to justify the cost.

-vga4life
Click to expand...

That is the one I got for my PC, hooked it up to my 12"PB just for giggles...works fine. I really like the thin frame and it has got a great stand that lets you adjust the height. There is a little glow in the corners when the screen is all black, but it is not noticable the rest of the time. I was going to get a cinema display first (because they look so neat) but this was the more reasonable choice for me.
 
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