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Apple LED display 24in VS. DELL 2709W 27in

E

effnine

macrumors newbie
Original poster
May 19, 2009
3
0
Just but bought the Dell 2709W to go with my new Mac Pro, after unsure about Apple LED 24in display's short cords, lack of hdmi connections, glossy screen, etc.

But now I am having serious second thoughts about maybe i could live with having my tower on the table, and what a joy it would be to use that power cord for my MBA, video ichat. This and the Apple display just looks so damn good (appearance and picture- glossy i can live with)

should i cancel my order to DELL? ugh... it saved me $200 and it's a bigger screen with great specs. but i have always been a pathetical apple loyalist. WHAT SHOULD I DO

:cool:
effnine
 
I had the same dilemma and as another very loyal apple fanboy I had to go with the ACD LED, I was looking at the dell 2408wfp but even with the additional connections offering I couldn't bring myself to hit the checkout button lord only knows I tried. I love the aesthetics of the ACD but most of all the simplicity of hooking it up to my uMB not to mention the built in iSight etc
 
vito said:
I had the same dilemma and as another very loyal apple fanboy I had to go with the ACD LED, I was looking at the dell 2408wfp but even with the additional connections offering I couldn't bring myself to hit the checkout button lord only knows I tried. I love the aesthetics of the ACD but most of all the simplicity of hooking it up to my uMB not to mention the built in iSight etc
Click to expand...

i will be using it for a Mac Pro and my MBA. It took me a long time to decide on the Dell. It was painful in fact. Saving $200 after spending crazy loot on the new tower was appealing. but now I wonder if I should just bite the bullet. anybody have a dell they use with their mac pro - and really wish they had the isight and connections?
 
The Dell, despite the bigger screen, is identical resolution to the ACD. In layman's terms, basically the exact same picture as the 24" ACD, just enlarged onto a 27" screen, no increase of quality.

Also, that particular model is a TN or SPVA panel. The ACD is a H-IPS panel (and LED), a much higher quality panel.
 
I own the Dell 2709, and it really comes down to what you are doing with it.

It is a S-PVA panel, and it looks gorgeous for movies, the contrast ratios are brilliant.

Since I need the extra inputs (I use the monitor for my PS3 and Wii), I couldn't get the ACD. Also, I got the Dell for $550 CAD, which is almost half the price of the ACD.

As for the resolution, sure I'm not getting more space than a 24" technically, but my bad eyes are a bit relieved because of the slightly higher dot pitch.
 
DeusInvictus7 said:
I own the Dell 2709, and it really comes down to what you are doing with it.

It is a S-PVA panel, and it looks gorgeous for movies, the contrast ratios are brilliant.

Since I need the extra inputs (I use the monitor for my PS3 and Wii), I couldn't get the ACD. Also, I got the Dell for $550 CAD, which is almost half the price of the ACD.

As for the resolution, sure I'm not getting more space than a 24" technically, but my bad eyes are a bit relieved because of the slightly higher dot pitch.
Click to expand...

I got a refurb for $599. so it isn't a bad price. but i already have an LCD TV for VG's and TV. I will be working a lot with web development, reading/writing code, image manipulation, general endless tedium of staring at a screen all day. more real estate is desirable.

ALSO- before i cancel my order and if I get the ACD instead

I have windows facing my desk so will the glare of make me want kill myself - if i do decide to watch a movie on my screen how bad will it be? come on people i know you love this apple crap.

:cool:
effnine
 
Stick with the Dell. I have your exact setup, it's fantastic. I don't have to worry about such things as "where the window faces", thank god.

Apple Cinema display = far too limiting. If losing matte finish, adjustability and half a dozen input methods and a card reader for the sake of a smaller mirror with mic and speakers is worth it to you, by all means cancel the Dell....

nick9191 said:
The Dell, despite the bigger screen, is identical resolution to the ACD. In layman's terms, basically the exact same picture as the 24" ACD, just enlarged onto a 27" screen, no increase of quality.
Click to expand...

Such comments NEVER take into account the benefit of a bigger screen for say, movies and video games. The kind of uses a multi-input monitor such as this is for... y'know? I currently have my Mac Pro, Nintendo Wii and PlayStation 3 hooked up to this one display. I could still connect a 360, a secondary computer, a digital TV box, and still have ports left over... a great space-saver. Any Apple display necessitates a two display setup if you need the display for more than just running one computer (ESPECIALLY the new ACDs, which require a new Mac as well as a new display.. incredible)

In that case, "so what" if some other screen carries the same res, when not only is it smaller and so less enjoyable for certain tasks, but offers less, too??

Also, that particular model is a TN or SPVA panel. The ACD is a H-IPS panel (and LED), a much higher quality panel.
Click to expand...

No way is this TN
 
I have 2 24" Apple LED displays, and they blew the Dell I had out of the water. They are definitely brighter, and my home office is a "studio" environment, so no need to worry about reflection. Not to mention, LED backlighting won't fade nearly as quickly as the backlights in the Dells and older ACDs. So whites remain whiter, colors remain brighter...longer! (That sounded like an ad for Tide...) :cool:
 
I have the LED Cinema Display and while it's a good monitor I'm starting to doubt my purchase.

For one thing it's ugly. No two ways about it, compared to the previous generation Cinema Displays this thing is like the unlucky duckling. Black rim with metal. Yuck.

But then, I didn't buy it for its looks. Performance is good, I'm surprised that despite its high response time I've not had any ghosting and the colours are incredibly vibrant. Viewing angle is great too.

However... I was hoping that by this time more companies would be announcing support for miniDP. They aren't. nVidia have shunned it and plan to release a graphics card for Mac Pro with only DVI connectors. I'm worried that in future I'll not have the opportunity to connect it to anything but Apple branded hardware.

For this reason alone I say go with the Dell. The main reason I bought the Cinema Display was the price - I got a good student discount which brought it in significantly cheaper than the 24" Dell. If you care about using the monitor in a few years or want to upgrade your machine... get the Dell.
 
MovieCutter said:
I have 2 24" Apple LED displays
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That fact alone that you can afford to own two displays unusable on any other device but new Macs indicates you don't seem to have any money concerns comparable to the OP.

I mean, the only setup that will even run two new displays is a Mac Pro with two graphics cards... consider the OP's perspective and the Dell is the right choice.
 
jnc said:
That fact alone that you can afford to own two displays unusable on any other device but new Macs indicates you don't seem to have any money concerns comparable to the OP.

I mean, the only setup that will even run two new displays is a Mac Pro with two graphics cards... consider the OP's perspective and the Dell is the right choice.
Click to expand...

if the op had money concerns then they'd be getting the dell and not asking on this forum. The op has a system that can run the two displays they are looking at. I don't see where you get off. I was offering my opinion on the led display like the op was looking for. My lack of budget concerns doesn't factor into it.

On top of that, some of us plug our Wiis, PS3s, etc into our TELEVISIONS and have no need for a dinky 27" computer monitor with 30 inputs. I don't see the op expressing a need for such a setup so what does it matter?
 
neiltc13 said:
However... I was hoping that by this time more companies would be announcing support for miniDP. They aren't. nVidia have shunned it and plan to release a graphics card for Mac Pro with only DVI connectors. I'm worried that in future I'll not have the opportunity to connect it to anything but Apple branded hardware.
Click to expand...

nVidia are shunning the miniDP because Apple is the only company shipping a LCD with miniDP. Actually, they are only selling half of their LCD models with miniDP.
I think that if Apple would have updated the 30"ACD to include miniDP, then the new nVidia cards might include it too.

Unfortunately, after the new nVidia cards start shipping, then Apple will probably update the 30" ACD. This seems to be the way Apple has been doing things in the past.
 
MovieCutter said:
On top of that, some of us plug our Wiis, PS3s, etc into our TELEVISIONS and have no need for a dinky 27" computer monitor with 30 inputs. I don't see the op expressing a need for such a setup so what does it matter?
Click to expand...

Oh, you mention televisions as if they're prerequisites. You have one? Ooooh, nice and big, is it? Great, a cookie for you. Seriously, go take your "dinky" e-wang somewhere else, no one here could give a wet fart

Try reading, like "some of us" do. This guy owns two Macs and wants an HDMI connection. I'd have figured a display with multiple inputs would be preferable, while saving him some money, which appeared to be a concern of his - but I guess that could come off as confusing to someone with no common sense.

Now then, as you were.
 
jnc said:
Oh, you mention televisions as if they're prerequisites. You have one? Ooooh, nice and big, is it? Great, a cookie for you. Seriously, go take your "dinky" e-wang somewhere else, no one here could give a wet fart

Try reading, like "some of us" do. This guy owns two Macs and wants an HDMI connection. I'd have figured a display with multiple inputs would be preferable, while saving him some money, which appeared to be a concern of his - but I guess that could come off as confusing to someone with no common sense.

Now then, as you were.
Click to expand...

Yes, I have a big 52" LCD. The OP mentioned they have one as well, and I see no mention of need or want of an HDMI port, merely mentioning that the 24" LED has a lack of one. Just going by what the OP actually says...I'm out.
 
nick9191 said:
TN or S-PVA according to a quick Google. It's a bit of a lottery with Dell, they like to arbitrarily mix and match panels. Either way, it's inferior to IPS.
Click to expand...

It is certainly not a panel lottery on that model. They all use the same samung S-PVA panel. Also, S-PVA kills ips in black levels, contrast, transmittance, and Video Playback. And as far as viewing angles go they aren't far behind and in many cases can look better than ips when dealing with video/ photos. IPS has its places, but until LG improves their quality control, Samsung/Sony have my business.
 
blackhand1001 said:
It is certainly not a panel lottery on that model. They all use the same samung S-PVA panel. Also, S-PVA kills ips in black levels, contrast, transmittance, and Video Playback. And as far as viewing angles go they aren't far behind and in many cases can look better than ips when dealing with video/ photos. IPS has its places, but until LG improves their quality control, Samsung/Sony have my business.
Click to expand...

Thank god someone said it. PVA panels are SUPERIOR to IPS in contrast levels and response time. Color reproduction is slightly better in IPS, yes, but that will only matter in truly color critical work, and I can get damn good prints coming from my Dell 2707W, which is S-PVA. And to the person who said that it is a panel lottery, it's not, the Ultrasharp line uses S-PVA for the 2408WFP and 2709W, S-IPS for the 3008WFP, and an e-IPS in the newer 2209WA.
 
i am having the same problem with the decision between ACD LED 24 and dell 2709w.....

this thread is evenly divided on this issue. I know i will not regret buying the apple, but it is pretty limited comparatively.

where do you find extensions for you miniport display??
 
I'd go with the 2709w. Your saving money and getting way more as far as inputs/size. You can also use it on any computer(even 10-15 year old ones) rather than just one.

I don't know why apple refuses to load their monitors with inputs or atleast pick atleast one industry standard for it. There monitors should look like this.

thisaloneisenoughtomake.png
 
blackhand1001 said:
I'd go with the 2709w. Your saving money and getting way more as far as inputs/size. You can also use it on any computer(even 10-15 year old ones) rather than just one.

I don't know why apple refuses to load their monitors with inputs or atleast pick atleast one industry standard for it. There monitors should look like this.

thisaloneisenoughtomake.png
Click to expand...

A picture is worth a thousand words. This picture is why I'd go for the Dell over the Apple LED Display any day of the week, and twice on Sundays.
 
ravenvii said:
A picture is worth a thousand words. This picture is why I'd go for the Dell over the Apple LED Display any day of the week, and twice on Sundays.
Click to expand...
My understanding is that you need Mini Display port to watch HD movie content although without it you will get standard definition.
 
nick9191 said:
The Dell, despite the bigger screen, is identical resolution to the ACD. In layman's terms, basically the exact same picture as the 24" ACD, just enlarged onto a 27" screen, no increase of quality.
Click to expand...

This is one of the reasons why I got the Dell - I don't need the real estate so much as I do not want to squint reading small text at the monitor's native resolution.

BTW, the thing I hate about the Dell is that there are no physical buttons. I hate having to feel around hoping it finally registers my attempts to try to turn the thing on.
 
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