Display Price Drop

[aldo]

*SIGH* yes, there is. Has been since the G4 iMac (Mini-VGA) and the later G3 iMacs (VGA)

The video out is mirrored (not spanned) but there are ways around that. Google it. Note that the video out requires an adapter to standard VGA, and you would then need yet another adapter to connect the DVI Apple monitor. Whether it is worth going through all that is another question entirely. Some third party mini-VGA to DVI adapters might exist, but I was unable to locate any in my exceedingly brief search.

The DVI cable actually carries both an analog and digital signal. You can just pick up an adaptor that 'converts' VGA to DVI for very cheap. I know all my graphics cards that I have bought for PCs over the years that have both a VGA and a DVI port have came with an adaptor.

I still think Apple should of put a VGA port on the monitor, considering it would of increased it's usefulness dramatically.

 

[dnnx]

i Wish they would release a 17" at MWSF, would be nice to complement the minime. I just love the one on my powerbook

 

[wordmunger]

Until you compair it to: A 20.1" Dell Ultrasharp for $674

At which point it starts looking bad. Originally when I was shopping around for a LCD screen I thought Apple's hardware was leet when in actuality its pretty much typical hardware and in some cases below typical in the case of that Dell model. Dell's got a faster response time and a better contrast ratio. But if you are willing to spend $325 more simply for design. More power too ya. Your money - your choice.

Personally after doing the research I'm sticking with a boring 20" CRT for another year. Even $675 is too spendy for a monitor. Maybe by summer.

You've been able to get 3rd party monitors cheaper since the beginning of time. However, this is about as close as Apple has been to the competition pricewise in a long time. As you said, your choice.

 

[wesley.bowman]

I did post this in the rumour of the price drop thread also, but there are other major price changes in the UK store.

List below are reductions on bottom models as example:

iMac G5 1.6 GHz - £919 to £899
iBook G4 12" - £799 to £699
PowerMac G5 1.8 GHz single - £1099 to £999
PowerBook 12" combo - £1149 to £1099

Don't know if US store is the same, or are they reflecting the current exchange rate $ /£

Also I agree with above, would be nice to see at 17" display.

The AirportExpress is also lower now at £88.99 from £99 (I think). I placed a 17" iMac BTO order on Dec. 29 and received an e-mail today stating that I will get a refund to reflect the price difference. The total reduction for the BTO iMac and AirportExpress was £70.02. Thanks Apple!

 

[nylon]

Now all they need to do is increase the contrast ratio on these monitors. I feel they are still too expensive given their technical specifications. You can get monitors from Samung which boast much higher display quality for much less. The only saving grace for the Apple monitors is their enclosure in built in firewire ports.

Don't get me wrong, I love the Apple design philosophy. However, I feel that they don't seem to offer the best technical quality in all their products.

 

[syntrophy]

The AirportExpress is also lower now at £88.99 from £99 (I think). I placed a 17" iMac BTO order on Dec. 29 and received an e-mail today stating that I will get a refund to reflect the price difference. The total reduction for the BTO iMac and AirportExpress was £70.02. Thanks Apple!

not only in uk, in singapore the dual 2.5 g5 also drop from S$5988 to S$5588, thats about US$180 drop in price.

 

[Rod Rod]

The DVI cable actually carries both an analog and digital signal. You can just pick up an adaptor that 'converts' VGA to DVI for very cheap. I know all my graphics cards that I have bought for PCs over the years that have both a VGA and a DVI port have came with an adaptor.

I still think Apple should of put a VGA port on the monitor, considering it would of increased it's usefulness dramatically.

This is mistaken. There is no cheap adapter to convert a VGA signal to DVI, unless you consider $300 to be cheap.

You can go from DVI-I to VGA, such as your experience with PC graphics cards (and incidentally, such is the case with all Power Mac G5s and late model Power Mac G4s). However, you cannot go from VGA to DVI-D. Apple's LCDs require a DVI-D signal.

DVI-I carries both analog and digital. DVI-A is analog. DVI-D is digital. There is no cheap and easy way to go from VGA (analog) to DVI-D.

 

[shompa]

Now all they need to do is increase the contrast ratio on these monitors. I feel they are still too expensive given their technical specifications. You can get monitors from Samung which boast much higher display quality for much less. The only saving grace for the Apple monitors is their enclosure in built in firewire ports.

Don't get me wrong, I love the Apple design philosophy. However, I feel that they don't seem to offer the best technical quality in all their products.

Or Apple could do the same as Samsung:
Just print a higher contrast number.

Always take the specs with a grain of salt. See it for real instead.

 

[ipodmann]

Apple lowered the prices on its line of LCD displays today across the board (as rumored), with the 20" model now falling below the $1000 mark. Pricing is as follows:

* $999 - 20" Cinema, 1680 x 1050 optimal resolution, 16.7 million colors, DVI Display Connector, 2 port USB 2.0 Hub, 2 FireWire 400 ports

* $1799 - 23" Cinema HD, 1920 x 1200 optimal resolution, 16.7 million colors, DVI Display Connector, 2 port USB 2.0 Hub, 2 FireWire 400 ports

* $2999 - 30" Cinema HD, 2560 x 1600 optimal resolution, 16.7 million colors, DVI Display Connector, 2 port USB 2.0 Hub, 2 FireWire 400 ports

This is great news. It is a sign that Apple has overpriced these cools screens from the beginning. The CompuUSA Apple rep at my local store did confirm a couple nights ago that they were selling very few screens. Now Steve needs to drop the prices on those 2.5 machines so I get a new monitor and computer at the same time.

 

[Dahl]

Anyone remember the original prices so we can see "how much" the prices dropped? (US prices)

Nevermind:
Google Cache of Apple Store Displays

I just love to see when price drops appear out of nowhere (at least for me this time around). Displays are always so bloody expensive and it's really nice to see them drop more than $100 for once.

 

[timmyOtool]

Price drops are always welcomed! And this close to the keynote bodes well.

 

[Fredstar]

This is mistaken. There is no cheap adapter to convert a VGA signal to DVI, unless you consider $300 to be cheap.

You can go from DVI-I to VGA, such as your experience with PC graphics cards (and incidentally, such is the case with all Power Mac G5s and late model Power Mac G4s). However, you cannot go from VGA to DVI-D. Apple's LCDs require a DVI-D signal.

DVI-I carries both analog and digital. DVI-A is analog. DVI-D is digital. There is no cheap and easy way to go from VGA (analog) to DVI-D.

I think you can just get a dvi to vga from http://www.lindy.com/uk/productfolder/04/41223/index.php that will just carry the analogue vga signal through to the vga pins in the dvi, i don't think you will be able to use the on board firewire/usb's on the monitor but i think it will work because the dvi input on the 20" is both Analogue and digital...otherwise they would quote the dvi port as 'dvi-d'
Anyone like to comment/has experience using the above?
In the future i may actually buy this to accompany my 20" imac G5 as at £634 (education) it is now very much more affordable and screen spanning is incredible.

also wouldn't it make more sense to drop them before xmas?!?!

 

[Thresher]

Does it have 2 USB2 and 2 Firewire ports? Does it come with an Apple-calibrated color profile? Is it aluminum?

Nope. But it does come with DVI, VGA, S-Video, composite, Picture in Picture, 4 USB 2.0 inputs, and a connector for a soundbar for $674.10 (regular price is now $749).

For $325 less, I'm willing to live without a little aluminum and I can calibrate it myself.

Again, as I mentioned, the situation with monitors is that Apple isn't the only player and needs to be more price competitive. With the aluminum enclosure and Apple's service, I think they can charge a bit more for their monitors, but not $325.

 

[xsnightclub]

Sub $1000

I think it is great that Apple is pricing the 20" at $999.
They are breaking the psychological price barrier,
this will get more people to be interested in the whole line and maybe justify moving up to more expensive model.

There is a lot to be said about psychological barriers, which is why there is a need for a sub $500 machine. It gets people interested in the base product, then they can justify graduating up (spending more money) the line by more/better features/size. Excellent move Apple.

 

[xsnightclub]

Nope. But it does come with DVI, VGA, S-Video, composite, Picture in Picture, 4 USB 2.0 inputs, and a connector for a soundbar for $674.10 (regular price is now $749).

For $325 less, I'm willing to live with a little aluminum and I can calibrate it myself.

Again, as I mentioned, the situation with monitors is that Apple isn't the only player and needs to be more price competitive. With the aluminum enclosure and Apple's service, I think they can charge a bit more for their monitors, but not $325.

That is GREAT, 4, count them FOUR USB2.0 (when the panel goes bad I can use it a USB hub) , Picture in Picture WOW! and S-Video now i can connect my VCR right to the monitor!

Typical of Dull.
(What there is no coax input. I bet Gateway makes one with coax.)

 

[Thresher]

That is GREAT, 4, count them FOUR USB2.0 (when the panel goes bad I can use it a USB hub) , Picture in Picture WOW! and S-Video now i can connect my VCR right to the monitor!

Typical of Dull.

Why would you slam it for having features that Apple lacks? Just because Apple didn't do it first doesn't make it lame. If that's the case, then adding USB and Firewire to the Cinema Display is likewise lame. And yeah, being able to hook my cable box right up to my monitor is pretty sweet, especially when you go PIP.

I don't understand the attitude, a good feature is a good feature whether or not Apple invented it.

 

[xsnightclub]

Why would you slam it for having features that Apple lacks? Just because Apple didn't do it first doesn't make it lame. If that's the case, then adding USB and Firewire to the Cinema Display is likewise lame. And yeah, being able to hook my cable box right up to my monitor is pretty sweet, especially when you go PIP.

I don't understand the attitude, a good feature is a good feature whether or not Apple invented it.

It is tongue in cheek, sorry if you took it as attitude.
The Apple monitors are designed for professional use first. The features you point out are great for people who think it would be neat to watch cable on their desktop (via pip), I agree Apple should come out with a line of Consumer friendly monitors with such features you describe. But do not attach an S-Video PIP to a pro-monitor.

Also, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. What is a good feature to you may be useless to another. Maybe design asthetics and panel quality are of more importance to others. Hence the need for differences in brands, otherwise we would all be getting a Dell Dude. (Take that advertising tag line as who Dell is marketing directly to, Dude.)

 

[Dont Hurt Me]

Consumer is king and votes with the wallet. Apples monitors have been way way overpriced for a long time and the 17" from the cube days is a joke. poor specs and hundreds more then better screens. Maybe our voting is getting through to the high society types that run Apple. Next thing you know they will introduce a headless imac that people can afford and a monitor that isnt priced out of this galaxy.

 

[xsnightclub]

Consumer is king and votes with the wallet. Apples monitors have been way way overpriced for a long time and the 17" from the cube days is a joke. poor specs and hundreds more then better screens. Maybe our voting is getting through to the high society types that run Apple. Next thing you know they will introduce a headless imac that people can afford and a monitor that isnt priced out of this galaxy.

Interesting, especially when you take into account that Wal-Mart is the worlds largest retailer and has recently released their own brand of flat screen TVs, the iLo brand. Keep in mind that the consumer, however misinformed, has made Wal-Mart what it is today. And the consumer most often responds best to mass-market advertising. So if something low-priced and mass-advertised it must be good, I better go buy one now. (I hope it has Intel Inside)

 

[AmnesiacOpera]

It is tongue in cheek, sorry if you took it as attitude.
The Apple monitors are designed for professional use first. The features you point out are great for people who think it would be neat to watch cable on their desktop (via pip), I agree Apple should come out with a line of Consumer friendly monitors with such features you describe. But do not attach an S-Video PIP to a pro-monitor.

As a professional video editor, I have to say I would very much like a PIP option on the Cinema Displays. I could easily eliminate at least 2 preview monitors in my editing suite if this was an added feature.

 

[rhpenguin]

and S-Video now i can connect my VCR right to the monitor!

That feature is whats selling me on the Dell display vs. the Apple unit. And theyre both pro displays based solely on specs, just the Dell display gives me the ability to hook my satellite receievers and xbox up to it too

Just because its aimed at pro users doesnt mean i cant have a little fun with it too

 

[mpw]

I believe that you are correct about apple finally coming out with more upto date currency conversions, I notice that prices on all macs (not ipods) are now lower at the online apple store canada.

Once you take into account import duty and taxes the 20" display is actually cheaper in the UK than in the US!

 

[xsnightclub]

As a professional video editor, I have to say I would very much like a PIP option on the Cinema Displays. I could easily eliminate at least 2 preview monitors in my editing suite if this was an added feature.

That set up sounds like it might work great for your needs. But for our uses the screen size is important, and we do not want any of the real-estate taking away from the primary view window.

 

[loneAzdgari]

No price drop in China. I plan on buying an iMac after MSWF, but I'm having to pay an extra 23% on the 20". I really hope they drop the price of the iMac in China soon.

I assumed it was worldwide after noticing all european stores and canada had lowered prices. I wasn't sure about other currencies and the previous prices... Thanks for the clarification.

 

[rickmac2005]

contrast ratio

I've noticed a few people mention contrast ratio. These are only useful for looking amongst a company's range. Different companies use different ways 0f measuring this so one companies 4000:1 might be another's 1000:1. The only way to truly compare monitors is side by side with your eyes. And in my opinion Apple are easily amongst the best!