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Best Monitor For Macbook Pro At This Price.. What Do You Think!

M

MorganID

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 25, 2015
20
4
USA
Hello guys

I'm using Macbook pro early 2011. I need a 27 inch monitor for my workspace "Editing & coding". I'm looking for something similar to my macbook pro display or better. I would like to spend around $200. There are many options. It is so tricky to find something for me yet. I would like it to be IPS. Do you recommend a used Dell S2715H 27-Inch screen led-Lit monitor? I like small bezel :)

I would like to find what I'm looking for and buy it! I highly appreciate your input!

Thank you very much..
 
MorganID said:
Do you recommend a used Dell S2715H 27-Inch screen led-Lit monitor?
Click to expand...
- No, definitely not. 1080p is much too low a resolution for 27".
To be honest, a good IPS monitor in a 27 inch size is unrealistic at $200. Go a little higher in price and a little smaller in size and get the 1440p U2515H.
 
JT wrote:
"- No, definitely not. 1080p is much too low a resolution for 27"."

I strongly disagree.

I've been using a ViewSonic VX2770SMH-LED 27" 1080p monitor for a couple of years now.

Yes, the pixel pitch on this one is "larger than normal", with "normal" being a 24" display.

But -- for my older eyes, it's great.
Colors are good, too.
I realize that for young eyes, it might appear "grainy" -- but my eyes ain't young any more.

OP:
If you're searching for IPS-based displays, I suggest you take a few minutes by browsing this list:
Comprehensive List of S-IPS/H-IPS/e-IPS and other IPS Based LCD Monitors
 
I thought that any 1080p display is better than my macbook pro early 2011! because it less than full HD.
 
MorganID said:
I thought that any 1080p display is better than my macbook pro early 2011! because it less than full HD.
Click to expand...
- Well, that's certainly true, if you're only looking at the number of pixels and not their density.
I know that my 2560x1440 25" suits me nicely in terms of density. To then have nearly half the pixels in a larger 27" monitor would be strange.
As I also mentioned, I would consider 1080p too low at any size for an external monitor when you have the option of getting a 1440p. But it's all down to preferences.
 
After searching and going everywhere to see monitors and comparing their prices, I believe I'm going with Dell UltraSharp U2515H.
 
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MorganID said:
After searching and going everywhere to see monitors and comparing their prices, I believe I'm going with Dell UltraSharp U2515H.
Click to expand...
I think that's a good option. Although it's two inches smaller than what you wanted, the resolution is quite higher, which results in a much bigger density.
 
garirry said:
I think that's a good option. Although it's two inches smaller than what you wanted, the resolution is quite higher, which results in a much bigger density.
Click to expand...

To be honest it is hard for me to decide between 27 or 25 inch, but I think 25 inch for me is good enough and less expensive. I have my 15 inch MBP so I think they will perform good together because of the aspect ratio, i think. I went to a store and they didn't have a 25 inch, but they have a 24 inch which I prefer 25 inch between both of them. A 27 inch is good, but I don't want to move my eyes a lot. This is because I tried a 27 inch before and I find it really tricky when you move your eyes or maybe it's not for me!

thx Garirry..

I'm still open for any suggestions guys!
 
Fishrrman said:
JT wrote:
"- No, definitely not. 1080p is much too low a resolution for 27"."

I strongly disagree.

I've been using a ViewSonic VX2770SMH-LED 27" 1080p monitor for a couple of years now.

Yes, the pixel pitch on this one is "larger than normal", with "normal" being a 24" display.

But -- for my older eyes, it's great.
Colors are good, too.
I realize that for young eyes, it might appear "grainy" -- but my eyes ain't young any more.
Click to expand...

Just because you tolerate a cheap display with awful resolution for its size it doesn't mean the OP should throw money away on something subpar as well.

If the OP can get better, they should do so. Giving them the advice of settling for mediocrity (and that's being generous) just because you do is irresponsible, and I'd go as far as calling it mean spirited in this case.

As far as "young eyes" go, lower resolution displays tend to cause significantly more eye strain than higher resolution in the same size. You may not have these "young eyes" anymore, but that's no reason to punish the ones you have in their place. Treat yourself to a screen that's better looking and better for your eyes as well rather than perpetuating the masochism that is a 27" 1080p budget monitor.
 
I choose to go with Dell ultra-sharp, but I discovered that the aspect ratio for 25 inch is 16:9 and the 24 inch is 16:10 which I prefer rather that 16:9.

What do you think?
 
MorganID said:
I choose to go with Dell ultra-sharp, but I discovered that the aspect ratio for 25 inch is 16:9 and the 24 inch is 16:10 which I prefer rather that 16:9.

What do you think?
Click to expand...
- I assume the 25" you're referring to is the U2515H I suggested. Which 24" are you referring to?
 
To address some of the concerns about resolution and or quality - the OP expressed that he would like to stick to a budget of around $200 and therefore that means we limit our options. Some of the monitors in the Dell S2XXX line is a perfect match of quality, price, and design, given the OP's requests.

I am typing this response on a 27" Dell S2715H that I bought on Amazon (on sale) for $250.
http://www.amazon.com/Dell-S2715H-2...id=1462993796&sr=1-2&keywords=dell+27+monitor

This is an amazing monitor for the cost, and I (along with many other Amazon buyers) give it 5 stars.

It has crisp, rich color, a sturdy base, and a great brightness - all relative to its $200 price point of course. Clearly it doesn't compare to a 4k, $1000 monitor, but from my understanding that's not what the OP is looking for.
 
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
MorganID said:
The U2415..
Click to expand...
- Okay. Keep in mind it also has a pretty low 1920x1200 resolution. It's certainly better than 27" in 1080p, but I'll stick to my recommendation not to go lower than 1440p. It's up to you of course.

aaagat111 said:
To address some of the concerns about resolution and or quality - the OP expressed that he would like to stick to a budget of around $200 and therefore that means we limit our options. Some of the monitors in the Dell S2XXX line is a perfect match of quality, price, and design, given the OP's requests.
Click to expand...
- Well, I disagree. The OP didn't mention resolution at all, which is perhaps the most important factor for the usability of a monitor, so that's what a lot of us chose to advise on in order to provide a more full basis on which to make a purchasing decision. And when asked specifically about that S2715H, we recommended against it due to the low resolution.
Providing purchasing advice doesn't just mean staying strictly within the parameters set by the person seeking advice; it also means making that person aware of important factors he or she may not have considered or known about.
 
matt wrote above:
"As far as "young eyes" go, lower resolution displays tend to cause significantly more eye strain than higher resolution in the same size. You may not have these "young eyes" anymore, but that's no reason to punish the ones you have in their place. Treat yourself to a screen that's better looking and better for your eyes as well rather than perpetuating the masochism that is a 27" 1080p budget monitor."

In my case, text -clarity- is less important than text -size- to make it readable to me.

Makes no difference how highly-resolved small text is -- I can't read it.
It just needs to be larger.

It was for this reason I deliberately chose a 1080p-sized display with a pixel pitch of about .031mm.

I can now run this in native resolution and keep text in a "normally-proportioned" font size and still have it readable.

How old are you?
What's your vision like?
 
Fishrrman said:
matt wrote above:
"As far as "young eyes" go, lower resolution displays tend to cause significantly more eye strain than higher resolution in the same size. You may not have these "young eyes" anymore, but that's no reason to punish the ones you have in their place. Treat yourself to a screen that's better looking and better for your eyes as well rather than perpetuating the masochism that is a 27" 1080p budget monitor."

In my case, text -clarity- is less important than text -size- to make it readable to me.

Makes no difference how highly-resolved small text is -- I can't read it.
It just needs to be larger.

It was for this reason I deliberately chose a 1080p-sized display with a pixel pitch of about .031mm.

I can now run this in native resolution and keep text in a "normally-proportioned" font size and still have it readable.

How old are you?
What's your vision like?
Click to expand...

Fun fact, you can scale up text so that you can have your cake and eat it too. Font sizes are very easy to adjust, and would mean you not only have the larger font you need, but higher resolution as well, giving you less strain on your eyes.

You don't need to settle when you have much better options that are quite simply better for your eye health, and won't make you sacrifice anything.
 
THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE WHO LEFT A COMMENT HERE TO HELP.

I'M WRITING THIS FORM THE U2515H :)

I JUST PLUGGED 20 MINUTES AGO. I'M REALLY HAPPY.. AFTER 5 YEARS FINALLY!

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU .. AND IT'S FRIDAY!
[doublepost=1463196642][/doublepost]The only annoying thing that when I closed my MBP display, I can't use some keys like sound, play, or pause. This is because I have been using windows keyboard. I would like to map all MBP keys to work on window keyboard.. how can I do it?
 
Last edited:
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MorganID said:
THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE WHO LEFT A COMMENT HERE TO HELP.

I'M WRITING THIS FORM THE U2515H :)

I JUST PLUGGED 20 MINUTES AGO. I'M REALLY HAPPY.. AFTER 5 YEARS FINALLY!

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU .. AND IT'S FRIDAY!
[doublepost=1463196642][/doublepost]The only annoying thing that when I closed my MBP display, I can't use some keys like sound, play, or pause. This is because I have been using windows keyboard. I would like to map all MBP keys to work on window keyboard.. how can I do it?
Click to expand...

So check the Keyboad Viewer in you Mac, OS X using the Keyboard Viewer. This way you can see what the Windows Keyboard keys are being pressed!
 
satcomer said:
So check the Keyboad Viewer in you Mac, OS X using the Keyboard Viewer. This way you can see what the Windows Keyboard keys are being pressed!
Click to expand...

I can see that I'm pressing f1, but it does nothing. I want f1 to turn the the volume up or down on my windows keyboard which I'm using on mac.

to make simple, I want the top row of my mac keyboards to remap them to work on my windows keyboard which I'm using on mac system.

I searched almost everywhere with no solution! Do you have a way to do that?

Thanks satcomer for replaying..
 
Thanks for all the comments here.
Just bought the U2515H
Dell Canada had a discount so C$450
Now the waiting until it arrives
 
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