Buying a new 30" display. Was hoping Apple would update theirs, but NOPE. Any ideas?

[jb60606]

probably not the answer you're looking for, but I picked up a perfect "refurbished" 30" ACD from Apple's webshop for $1450 and couldn't be happier.

I needed a new, large & professional quality replacement LCD after my old EIZO died, and I couldn't wait for Apple to introduce their new 30-inchers - especially not knowing if they would be much of an improvement over the old.

The only downside was paying sales tax on it.

 

[DaveTheGrey]

Sell the 23" on eBay and buy a 24" LED instead. Now you have the iSight you want.
Besides that, buy the 30" you like the best from apple or another vendor.

 

[BG-Mac]

I've been holding out for the 30 for some time but ended up biting on a 24 Apple LED today on Ebay. I had a 10% coupon that expired today and Bing cash back at 8%. Ended up getting a GREAT deal. Can probably sell it for what I payed for it and upgrade to the 30 once it's released.

 

[Tripppletrouble]

It is always some thing LOL
now I see on applestore that they have a separate expensive EVGA GeForce GTX 285 graphics card. except its only there as a separate item & not as a choice for the BTO cards on the Mac Pros
at least yet?

I know there will always be something bigger & better soon after buying a computer. been through that every time. But this new EVGA card looks like it really has a LOT better specs compared to the other 2 ones that you can get right now when ordering the mac pro

and I really don't want to order the mac pro with the base geforce & also spend a big amount more at the same time to order this EVGA card for $ 449.95
that is a big amount of money to spend. I don't see why apple hasn't added it as a option?

I know nothing is certain with apple but does any one have a clue maybe with past experiences like this, I mean do you think they will add it as an option instead of those 2 cards listed now, soon?
it just seems weird that they list it to buy separately & yet their 'PRO' computer doesn't even have an option to have it installed right off the bat.

because really it has 2X the RAM of the other cards available in the pro options as of now. and other things. so it seems to be like I said before, HUGELY superior to even the upgraded ATI card that they have as the only other option

 

[UMHurricanes34]

I whole-heartedly recommend the 30" ACD. It's the greatest Apple purchase I've ever made and still makes me drool to this day. Having a 23" and a 30" should not be awkward in the slightest as, as previously stated, they are at the same height level.

Here's my beef with the LED display (and the potential for a new 30" (or 28", whatever))...the glassy displays just are not good for your eyes. The reflection puts strain on your retinas and the higher saturation just makes my eyes ache after extended use (I'm pretty careful about these kinds of things...my mother was an optometrist). It's the reason I ditched my aluminum iMac for work and grabbed a MP and 30"

As a designer, I need to be able to stare at my screen all friggin day, and with the glass displays I just can't. So when Apple finally updates the big daddy display, I'll grab a second 'old' ACD for cheaper and have dual displays so I can have a secondary display. Nothing is quite like running CS4 full screen, but it's a pain with needing to reach secondary windows.

Oh, and in regards to graphics cards: From the options available on today's Mac Pro's (I have an early 2008 model, 3.2Ghz, 18GB RAM, 2TB, and 8800GT) the ATi cards outperform the NVIDIA cards in Pro applications, but the NVIDIAs outperform in gaming. It's all up to you, but the ATi cards have come a long way and I'm looking to upgrade my 8800GT to one of the new HD4XXX cards.

 

[zer0tails]

they dropped the refurb prices on the ACDs. The 30" is much more affordable now

 

[Tripppletrouble]

I whole-heartedly recommend the 30" ACD. It's the greatest Apple purchase I've ever made and still makes me drool to this day. Having a 23" and a 30" should not be awkward in the slightest as, as previously stated, they are at the same height level.

Here's my beef with the LED display (and the potential for a new 30" (or 28", whatever))...the glassy displays just are not good for your eyes. The reflection puts strain on your retinas and the higher saturation just makes my eyes ache after extended use (I'm pretty careful about these kinds of things...my mother was an optometrist). It's the reason I ditched my aluminum iMac for work and grabbed a MP and 30"

As a designer, I need to be able to stare at my screen all friggin day, and with the glass displays I just can't. So when Apple finally updates the big daddy display, I'll grab a second 'old' ACD for cheaper and have dual displays so I can have a secondary display. Nothing is quite like running CS4 full screen, but it's a pain with needing to reach secondary windows.

Oh, and in regards to graphics cards: From the options available on today's Mac Pro's (I have an early 2008 model, 3.2Ghz, 18GB RAM, 2TB, and 8800GT) the ATi cards outperform the NVIDIA cards in Pro applications, but the NVIDIAs outperform in gaming. It's all up to you, but the ATi cards have come a long way and I'm looking to upgrade my 8800GT to one of the new HD4XXX cards.

hello:
TKS 4 all that!!
I tend to agree about the glassier new look that they are going for, but would have assumed even with an update that if it is a major negative (besides the quick store-glance making people think its so nice & shiny ) that Apple would maybe keep the larger 30" or new 30+ PRO display the same matte type but just update the specs of it to be more in line with what the competition has available regarding brightness & contrast & all that stuff we care about

personally I have never had a glassy one like the LCD and last macbook/pros' screens. but can definitely see from just looking at them in the bright apple store that they are very reflective & seem some what annoying.


FOR THE GRAPHIC CARD:
I have had bad bad luck with ATI cards over the years. I know they 'are' a good company overall but my own set of bad cards + apple shoddy drivers for them. most notably the radeon X1900 which is pretty quick yet is basiclly trash for real world use if you get a bad one. and from forums around & my exp. & even 4 out of 5 friends that actually have this exact same Mac pro (we all updated about the same time) with the X1900 have had horrible display issues with it (a couple were lucky enough to bug apple enough to exchange it for a new one. but even the replacement overheats like crazy & offers up kernel panics with the driver under Leopard many times a day usually)
The other guys I know who have nvidia ones in the Mac love them. That doesn't say that all of nvidias cards are going to be bugfree & apple's driver support will be 10 times better. but does say something I think.

Also nvidia's cards, especially that new EVGA one I was asking about says it supports 'PhysX'. since I don't play many games, which would I'm sure look really cool with that support, I am working on some development stuff more & more these days that supports the PhysX APIs if you have the hardware to use them. I think there are more advantages as well with the GPU offloading support with the nvidia cards than with what ATI offers, at least as of right now. ISN'T THERE? I know just enough about some of this to probably be more dangerous and make stupid decisions than if I didn't know any thing at all LOL

sorry to keep this thread going so long. its probably boring to most but unless any one objects I would really love to hear more thoughts on the stuff I just talked about. Please feel free to point out my inaccuracies & misunderstandings about any of it, because I am sure there are lots.
But I would really like to know more facts & learn about the details!

 

[capn00]

they dropped the refurb prices on the ACDs. The 30" is much more affordable now

I noticed this as well, does this reinvigorate the debate for or against the 30" ACD? Is it better than the Dell 3007WFP-HC? The new pricing puts it in that category now that the refurb is $1,299? I was really looking at going with 2 24" monitors, but a 30" would actually work better on the desk I am using based on the overall width of 27" vs. 45".

Main use would photo editing and basic design work.