Apple LED Cinema Display

[nope7308]

I'm looking to buy an external monitor in the near future and I need some buying advice! I really like the new LED Cinema Display - it's bright, it works seamlessly with the MacBook, and it has minimal cords. That said, I'm not stupid enough to drop $1,000 on a monitor (even if I could afford it). So, with that said, here are my questions:

1) Is it possible to buy Apple displays refurbished? If so, is this advisable?
2) What is the best alternative to the LED Cinema Display? I would like something with comparable looks/functionality (if possible).
3) Any other buying advice?

This monitor would essentially function as my TV and I prefer a bright, glossy display for that reason only. I'm guessing that I'll eventually get into HD movies if that's any help. My tentative budget is $500 and I want this thing to last at least 5+ years.

Finally...
Why, oh why, is the LED Cinema Display $1,000? I understand that Apple products come with a premium, but this is just plain ridiculous! Is there something about LED technology that increases manufacturing costs? It just seems odd that the display designed for the MacBook costs almost as much as the computer itself...

Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[Tallest Skil]

The display isn't $1,000... oh... Canada.

Yeah, the LED Cinema Display is 400 American dollars less than any other H-IPS LED display on the market, plus the speakers, plus the microphone, plus the camera. So it could be more and people would still buy it. It's an incredible deal.

Second, there hasn't been any time to get refurbs up on the store yet. People are JUST getting the displays as new. Give it a month or so.

 

[shoopaman]

1. not yet, you won't see them for another 6 months. perhaps longer. Apple will not release "new product" refurbs even if they have pile of them sitting in their refurb/house.
2. there really isn't, if you want the same features and quality. especially if you want LED back lit. Glossy, not too many manufacturers make glossy displays, well they do, but it's limited, not yet, at least, I think HP makes them, don't quote me on that. visit, DELL/HP sites, you'll pretty much see what's out there. I would stay away from generic brands... 3. it's the design, brand, your macbook, you could've had same spec for much less... but you bought the macbook, why? that's right... that is why 24" L.C.D. cost that much and people will buy them. can't keep them in stock... It's a product for "to each his own". got to ask yourself, why is making money during this "hard times" "to each his own..."

what is; "worth it" to me, maybe be a ****** deal for someone else...
if you think it's worth it, you buy, if not, you buy something else.

I've found some links for you to get started (check out specs vs $ first) before registering you $:
http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/category.aspx?c=us&category_id=6761&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&~ck=mn

http://www.shopping.hp.com/product/display/display//3/storefronts/GM712AA%23ABA

and then you can go to 6ave.com / bestbuy.com/ frys.com/ amazon.com to do price comparison... sometimes they have specials that are not posted on those pricegrabber sites... good luck!

p.s. I would never buy refurbs or used LCD/TV/PLASMA, anything that is depended upon light based projection. All light sources have life span, you don't know how many hours the units have been used...

I'm looking to buy an external monitor in the near future and I need some buying advice! I really like the new LED Cinema Display - it's bright, it works seamlessly with the MacBook, and it has minimal cords. That said, I'm not stupid enough to drop $1,000 on a monitor (even if I could afford it). So, with that said, here are my questions:



1) Is it possible to buy Apple displays refurbished? If so, is this advisable?
2) What is the best alternative to the LED Cinema Display? I would like something with comparable looks/functionality (if possible).
3) Any other buying advice?

This monitor would essentially function as my TV and I prefer a bright, glossy display for that reason only. I'm guessing that I'll eventually get into HD movies if that's any help. My tentative budget is $500 and I want this thing to last at least 5+ years.

Finally...
Why, oh why, is the LED Cinema Display $1,000? I understand that Apple products come with a premium, but this is just plain ridiculous! Is there something about LED technology that increases manufacturing costs? It just seems odd that the display designed for the MacBook costs almost as much as the computer itself...

Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[nope7308]

The display isn't $1,000... oh... Canada.

Yeah, the LED Cinema Display is 400 American dollars less than any other H-IPS LED display on the market, plus the speakers, plus the microphone, plus the camera. So it could be more and people would still buy it. It's an incredible deal.

Second, there hasn't been any time to get refurbs up on the store yet. People are JUST getting the displays as new. Give it a month or so.

Can you please explain what an H-ISP LED display consists of? I'm a complete noob when it comes to displays. Also, can you recommend any other comparable displays?

I'm probably going to buy the display a few months from now anyway, so I'm looking for general advice/feedback when it comes to buying refurbished from Apple.

 

[nope7308]

1. not yet, you won't see them for another 6 months. perhaps longer. Apple will not release refurbs even if they have pile of them sitting in their refurb/house. I would, personally never buy refurbs... but that's just me...
2. there really isn't if you want the same features and quality. especially if you want LED back lit. Glossy, not too many manufacturers make glossy displays, not yet, at least, I think HP makes them, don't quote me on that. visit, DELL/HP sites, you'll pretty much see what's likely out there. 3. it's the design, brand, your macbook, you could've had same spec for much less... but you bought the macbook, why? that's right... that is why 24" L.C.D. cost that much and people will buy them. stores, , can't keep them in stock... It's a product for "to each his own". got to ask yourself, why is making money during this "hard times" "to each his own..."

what is to me; "worth it", maybe be a shetty deal for someone else...
if you think it's worth it, you buy, if not, you buy something else.

I've found some links for you to get started:
http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/category.aspx?c=us&category_id=6761&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&~ck=mn

http://www.shopping.hp.com/product/display/display//3/storefronts/GM712AA%23ABA

and then you can go to 6ave.com / bestbuy.com/ frys.com/ amazon.com to do price comparison... sometimes they have specials that are not posted on those pricegrabber sites... good luck!

Well, I can't say I fully understand everything you have written, but I do appreciate the effort. For the record, I'm not an Apple fanboy - I bought my MB primarily for the build quality and OS. Personally, design is nice, but not at the cost of functionality (or extreme debt).

I like the Apple display because it has the best functionality/compatibility with the MB. For my needs, I think it's a perfect fit (unless someone can convince me otherwise). That said, I simply cannot stomach the $1,000 price tag - I could buy a half-decent HDTV with that kind of money!

I'm asking these questions now because I'm in the research phrase. Truthfully, I think I'll have to wait until the summer before I can buy a monitor.

P.S. That HP display looks pretty darn similar... I wonder what the quality is like? Argh, I feel like I need to do a side-by-side comparison with these displays - stats mean nothing to me!

 

[gwihannom]

Well, since the new LED Cinema Display was just released, they won't have refurbished items on their online store. Not always, but usually refurbished items for a certain model is available when that model is due for an update. So you won't see it anytime soon.

Personally, I love buying refurbished products. Some think it's "used" and are "defective." To me, all manufactured products come with a small chance of defectiveness. Refurbish factories make sure that they FIX the damn thing to be available for sale. It's manufacturer's last chance to make a profit, so I think refurbish items go even more testing than new ones.
And remember, people sometimes just return it because they didn't like it, or opted to go with something else. So when these items are taken to the refurbish process, there really isn't anything wrong with it except for it being made that way in the first place.

If you want different options for different monitors, I think it really depends on what you'll do with it. A lot of people use Dells, Samsungs, LGs, or even Acers at the professional level and have no problem with them. If your uses require you to have more color sensitive work, then go with the new Cinema Display. If you just want a second monitor to extend your display, then cheaper LCD monitors are an option for you.

And since you'll be using it mainly as a TV, maybe you might want to consider getting one of the HDTVs and hook it up to your computer. Those 42-inch Samsung HDTVs come at the similar price range to the Cinema Display. But then, the design won't match...

I went to an Apple store to buy the monitor, but my friend convinced me to wait until Macworld 2009 in January. Since LED Cinema Display is currently just for the new notebooks, maybe there will be some revisions before the display is released to retailers. Currently you can only get the display from Apple.com or Apple Store. They're not available at the Best Buy or other online stores like Amazon.com.

I have no evidence to my guess, but I think they might be waiting for retailers to clean out their stocks of previous Cinema Displays. And also I think they might want to bring 20, 24, 30, all together. Macworld 2009 looks like they will announce new iMac, Mac Pro, Mac Mini. So probably for them to release a new line of LED Cinema Displays with mini display port didn't make much sense, since all current models don't have mini display ports.

Wait one more month. I think you'll be able to make a better decision.

 

[shoopaman]

Gateways 24" glossy isn't bad either and it's much cheaper

Well, I can't say I fully understand everything you have written, but I do appreciate the effort. For the record, I'm not an Apple fanboy - I bought my MB primarily for the build quality and OS. Personally, design is nice, but not at the cost of functionality (or extreme debt).

I like the Apple display because it has the best functionality/compatibility with the MB. For my needs, I think it's a perfect fit (unless someone can convince me otherwise). That said, I simply cannot stomach the $1,000 price tag - I could buy a half-decent HDTV with that kind of money!

I'm asking these questions now because I'm in the research phrase. Truthfully, I think I'll have to wait until the summer before I can buy a monitor.

P.S. That HP display looks pretty darn similar... I wonder what the quality is like? Argh, I feel like I need to do a side-by-side comparison with these displays - stats mean nothing to me!

 

[dal20402]

Finally...
Why, oh why, is the LED Cinema Display $1,000? I understand that Apple products come with a premium, but this is just plain ridiculous! Is there something about LED technology that increases manufacturing costs? It just seems odd that the display designed for the MacBook costs almost as much as the computer itself...

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Because nothing is quite comparable to it.

LED backlighting gives faster startup times, a wider range of possible brightness settings (max brightness is comparable, but min brightness is much lower, which is good in a dark room), less flicker, much longer life, and possibly slightly better color depending on the exact nature of the LEDs used.

If the panel is in fact H-IPS (which at least one MacRumors poster's panel is), those are the best panels for color and viewing angle. Comparable S-IPS or H-IPS panels without the MagSafe or the LED backlighting typically cost at least $600-700 US. See, for example, the HP L2475w which is usually at $650, or the Samsung SyncMaster 244t typically at $700 US.

Until the Apple display came out, the combination of LED backlight and IPS was only found in pro monitors costing $2000 or so US.

The $400-500 24" displays littering the landscape are mostly TN, an inferior panel technology notable for horrible vertical viewing angles. (Some may be PVA or MVA, technologies that are slightly better but are susceptible to horizontal color shift and input lag.)

 

[nope7308]

Awesome replies! Thanks for the help.

I had a hunch that there was some technology behind the new Cinema Display that accounted for the cost. I know Apple charges a premium, but I usually think that premium is within reason (sort of). I wouldn't consider myself a professional by any means, but I am pretty demanding with displays. I will hopefully have a student ID by mid-summer, but is there any other way to knock the price down? Any Black Friday deals mid-summer? haha

Concerning the HDTV, thanks for the suggestion but I don't think it fits my needs. I'm looking for a display that doubles as a computer monitor and something to watch movies on. I really good 24" display seems to fit that bill - anything bigger would take up too much desk space.

Concerning Macworld 09, yes, I would expect Apple to release a few additional displays geared toward their desktop line. I would also assume that all the refreshes come equipped with the mini display port. That said, I don't think it's going to make much difference to the current Cinema Display; the price will definitely be the same. I already know that I want a 24" display, so I'm not sure if Apple would release anything that is of interest to me. In your case, it was probably a good idea to wait though!

Concerning refurb products, I know computers are a safe bet because they're put through more rigorous testing than the new machines. However, I have no idea what the protocol is for displays - would minor scratches be acceptable? Minor wear-and-tear seems a little more unnerving when it involves displays.

Again, thanks for the responses and keep the advice/info coming!

 

[gwihannom]

Consider this; Currently LED Cinema Display works only/best with MacBook notebooks.

At Macworld 2009, there "should" be an update to iMac, Mac Pro, Mac Mini. Steve Jobs stated that all of their future products will include mini display port.

My guess, again with basing on no definite information, they will upgrade Cinema Displays to fit with their new desktop line as well. The desktop line do not need MacSafe and for them to hang loose would be pointless.

So I think they might have a replaceable cable, who knows. Since you own a new MacBook, it won't make much difference.
But just in case in the future, what if they upgrade the MacSafe port as they did from Powerbook to MacBook line.

Since you plan on using the display longer than your computer as I would, the cables coming out of the LED display COULD be obsolete with product upgrades. If it was replaceable, you can switch as your needs change.

In 2009/2010 you might see USB 3.0 coming out, maybe you might switch to a desktop or other brand of computers, you never know.

The LED Cinema Display is DESIGNED to work with your current MacBook and other MacBook line notebooks only. Or at least for the moment.

Apple shouldn't be so stupid to design display monitors to only work with their product line. Some people purchase just the Cinema Displays to work with their PC. They will come out with a display that's more "universal" if it makes sense.

 

[drichards]

This monitor would essentially function as my TV and I prefer a bright, glossy display for that reason only. I'm guessing that I'll eventually get into HD movies if that's any help. My tentative budget is $500 and I want this thing to last at least 5+ years.

Buy a TV. Vizio has 22 and 24in "720P" tv's that are actually 1680x1050 monitors in disguise, for about the same cost as a comparable Samsung monitor. Or buy a 1080P compatible monitor for a few bucks more...

 

[jjahshik32]

Consider this; Currently LED Cinema Display works only/best with MacBook notebooks.

At Macworld 2009, there "should" be an update to iMac, Mac Pro, Mac Mini. Steve Jobs stated that all of their future products will include mini display port.

My guess, again with basing on no definite information, they will upgrade Cinema Displays to fit with their new desktop line as well. The desktop line do not need MacSafe and for them to hang loose would be pointless.

So I think they might have a replaceable cable, who knows. Since you own a new MacBook, it won't make much difference.
But just in case in the future, what if they upgrade the MacSafe port as they did from Powerbook to MacBook line.

Since you plan on using the display longer than your computer as I would, the cables coming out of the LED display COULD be obsolete with product upgrades. If it was replaceable, you can switch as your needs change.

In 2009/2010 you might see USB 3.0 coming out, maybe you might switch to a desktop or other brand of computers, you never know.

The LED Cinema Display is DESIGNED to work with your current MacBook and other MacBook line notebooks only. Or at least for the moment.

Apple shouldn't be so stupid to design display monitors to only work with their product line. Some people purchase just the Cinema Displays to work with their PC. They will come out with a display that's more "universal" if it makes sense.

I agree on most of what you said but I think usb 3.0 wouldnt really matter in the future since you would probably buy a new mb/mbp or even a mp that has usb 3.0 built in and dont need one on the cinema display (but it would be nice to have it on the newer cinema displays by then).

One reason I'm kind of holding out on the new cinema displays is that the brightness could be upgraded sometime next year, like spec bump.

 

[skyline r34]

Any Info....

Does anyone has any info or idea on when Apple is going to bring out the LED 20 and 30 inch displays for Desktops? are they waiting for the refresh Mac Pro's to be release, i've been waiting for a year for this display and nothing yet, I look at the Mac Rumors buyers guide and it said not to buy now, I manage to put away $4500 that's way more enough for the current 30 inch that I wanted but I do not want to regret it if I buy the current ones, and do you guys think that Apple will keep the price the same for the 20, 30 inch displays.