Dual Display

[MacCurry]

I'd like to get a 2nd ACD. Right now I have a 20" ACD bought in late Aug 06 with my Mac Pro, and now that I enjoy using the MP for photo/video editing, I'd like a 2nd display.

Should I get another 20" ACD or a 23" ACD? Certainly I would have like to have gotten the 23" ACD to start with, but didn't have the money or the sense to do it right the first time.

What are peoples opinions here as I have several thousands of photos and like to use Aperture and iMovie?

 

[jsw]

Get the 24" Dell Widescreen.

Yeah, it's not as sexy as the ACDs, but it's a great monitor and gives you 24" for roughly the price of the 20" ACD. I have a 20" version (bought well over a year ago), and love it.

I know appearances matter, but the Dell's are pretty attractive.

 

[rfoap]

If it were me, I would stick with another 20", simply because having two monitors of the same size ends up working better (for me) than having two different sizes.

At work I have a 15" and a 19", and it's annoying because the resolutions aren't (read can't ... cheap Dell laptop). At home, my PowerMac has two 19" LCDs connected and it's very nice to have the same resolution / size. Besides, you'll save a few hundred dollars and really won't miss 3". Just my 2 cents.

 

[MacCurry]

I thought about that, but the 24" Dell has the same resolution of the 23" ACD and in order to cover the same area, the pixels are larger. It may look a bit odd, would it not?

Both the 20" & 23" ACD have a pixel pitch of 0.258mm. If I use the standard video card in the MP, I can't change the resolution on each of the monitors.

If I didn't get the 23" ACD, then the Samsung 244T Silver Color is a better monitor. Priced around $800.

 

[jsw]

I thought about that, but the 24" Dell has the same resolution of the 23" ACD and in order to cover the same area, the pixels are larger. It may look a bit odd, would it not?

It might, but keep in mind that you're talking about a very small difference in apparent size, and there's going to be an inch or more between screens (the border of each monitor, even if they're touching), so I doubt you'd ever see it.

The Samsung is also a nice monitor, but it's over 10% more than the Dell. Still, perhaps not a bad premium to get something that's closer in appearance to the ACD.

Of course, if you'll spend your time wishing you had the ACD, you might as well just buy it. Or sell the 20" and get the 30". One big screen is so much better than two small ones....

 

[MacCurry]

I thought about sticking with the 20" ACD.

From what little I know, its about maintaing the same resolution with a fixed pixel size. In this case the limiting factor, is 0.258mm.

I get that with the 20" & 23" ACD.

20"/23" ACD 0.258mm
24" 2407Dell 0.270mm
24" Samsung 244T 0.270mm

I think I would notice pixel pitch when editing photos from a digital SLR.

 

[MacCurry]

If I deceided to get rid of the ACD, how much would a 20" that is 4-weeks old and a recent build get me?