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I'll get a new ACD this month, but need your final advice :)

F

FrenchPB

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Sep 15, 2005
389
0
Guys, I've been following the monitor situation closely over the past few months and finally made up my mind. I have a BlackBook (2Ghz, 2Go RAM) on which I watch a lot of sports video (mostly American sports, full games at a max resolution of 1280x720, but more often around 720x480).

I'd like to add a 2nd display next to my BlackBook, to watch those videos full screen while doing other things on my laptop screen like surfing, chatting, ...

My desk is not too big and I won't sit more than one meter away from the screen. Besides, it will mostly be used to watch those games whose resolution is DVD-like at best.

Finally, because ACDs might be updated next year, I thought I wouldn't invest too much on one this year in case I'd like to change next year and put the one I will buy this month in an other room or at my parents' place...

Based on all of that, do you advise me to get a 20" or a 23" display. With the student discount, the 20" is 550€ and the 23" is 800€. I'm not sure I have a real need for the bigger display, even though it's always nice to go bigger. What is your opinion on my situation ?

Thanks, I appreciate this community for its good advices and recommendations.
 
If you are going to use your display for watching videos, etc, there are a lot of great 20 to 23" displays that cost a lot less than the ACD's.

I like the ACD's for graphics and photo work however due to their S-IPS panel.

You might look at a nice 20 to 23" HP.

If you think you might get a new ACD later, why not get a 20" now and put your future cash towards a larger ACD.
 
Those prices either the 20 or the 23 are much too high for just watching videos. If you are going for the looks only, you may want to rethink your purchase.
 
I want a stylish display next to my MacBook, not a black plastic PC monitor... is there any other good alternative ?

I think I'll go for a 20" ACD, which I'll use for watching videos and doing casual stuff like browsing, emailing, writing docs... I spend a lot of time on my MacBook, so it won't only be for watching videos.

If not an ACD, which way should I go ?
 
HP W2207 is an AMAZING monitor and I dont care wtf these people say it looks better than and ACD.
I have noth and the HP looks better.
 
I recently bought the 20" ACD to use with my MBP C2D. I previously had a 19" Envision, which was OK (I was using it periodically when I needed access to my headless server). Aside from the higher resolution of the ACD, there's no comparison - much crisper (not just the res difference) and better color (I never could get a good calibration out of the Envision).

I can control brightness from either the MBP or external BT keyboards and it has built-in powered USB/Firewire hubs.

Oh, and it looks great (which is a factor I'm willing to pay for).
 
amd4me said:
HP W2207 is an AMAZING monitor and I dont care wtf these people say it looks better than and ACD.
I have noth and the HP looks better.
Click to expand...

You're tell me that:

hp_01.jpg


Looks nicer than:

apple-cinema-23-i1.gif

:confused:
 
a different angle

Another way to look at this which hasn't been mentioned yet is the value proposition.

You are thinking of this monitor based on what you want to do with it *now* but in fact it will likely be around for a long time. It's an old tech truism (that I have also found to be true), that you can't go wrong dropping cash on "top of the line" peripherals. Especially monitors. It pays in the long run to go with a quality monitor that will end up having a variety of uses over the time you own it.

I have had dozens of computers over the last fifteen years or so (not including the pre-GUI days stuff like Commodore, DOS computers etc.), but I have only had 2 monitors. If you buy an excellent high-quality monitor like an ACD, there is no reason it can't last you for years and years.

You should be thinking of things like what you might use the monitor for later, and will you ever get a desktop system, and will you be using this for a TV in the bedroom at a later date, and stuff like that.

For that reason, if you are going with the ACD at all, I would go for the 23". It's only a bit more money up front and it will give you many years of enjoyment. Buying some cheap-ass BenQ monitor to save money now will only lose you money in the long run.
 
gosh people are giving bad advice here.

the ACD has one input and no scaling.

yes, the color is accurate, but it isn't the fastest display in the world, so with sports video, he's likely to see some ghosting., even on the 20".

If you're worried about the aesthetics of the monitor's case, and that's your primary concern, then get the apple display, but you will never be able to hook up a set-top box or a media player of any kind to it, which would be possible if you got something with component inputs.

You would also get usb ports and probably even card readers.

Some displays now come with pretty advanced scaling processors that will make even a TV-sized signal look good in HD resolution.

The ACDs are great displays for image editing, video editing, and layout/design applications. They provide excellent color out of the box and a wide, consistent viewing angle.

But they have no other features at all, and they cost a lot more than almost any other display on an inch-per-inch basis.

some 22" displays to consider:

Samsung 225BW - $400 USD

Dell SP2208WFP - $320 USD

Dell UltraSharp 2208WFP - $350 USD

There are tons of 20" displays under 300 bucks, and lots of 24" displays in the 400-800 dollar range.

Note that Apple's displays are now 1.5 years old without a refresh. That means new ones are coming soon, and probably that the new ones will be better AND cheaper. It's a bad time to buy an ACD. You could wait till January, because they will probably release new displays then.
 
I would definately recommend the 23''; I bought the 20'' and almost immediately returned it for the larger model.
 
OK, if you guys really advise me not to go with the 20", I think I'll wait 'till January and go for a 23" if they're updated. Since it will be a bigger investment for me, I might as well wait a little more.

If nothing is unveiled in January, I might have to consider other displays, 20" or 22".
 
I was going to get a 23" ACD to go with my 20" iMac ALU and Macbook Pro 2.4 SR. I ended up getting a $130 Dell 19". With the money I saved, I got my wife and I 2 iPods with the touch. I don't regret it. Don't spend the dough for the ACD if you have to "save" for it.
 
amd4me said:
The HP has a better panel. End of story.
Click to expand...


Your story, perhaps.

The HP has a great low end TN panel for its intended audience.

The ACD's S-IPS panel is more color consistent and accurate.

End of professional story -- And yes, we have both here in our Creative Producer's Group.
 
dante@sisna.com said:
Your story, perhaps.

The HP has a great panel for its intended audience.

The ACD's S-IPS panel is more color consistent and accurate.

End of professional story -- And yes, we have both here in our Creative Producer's Group.
Click to expand...


Your opinion perhaps. The specifications on the HP are better. The ACD uses a two year old panel. Whatever I cant be bothered with this crap any more.
 
amd4me said:
Your opinion perhaps. The specifications on the HP are better. The ACD uses a two year old panel. Whatever I cant be bothered with this crap any more.
Click to expand...

And most people can't be bothered with specs. A few numbers on a piece of paper don't really mean anything in this case- these people are looking for quality imaging and that's something you can only perceive and see on your own..not by looking at HP's website.
 
You guys have your heads so far up apples arse. They could crap something out and sell it for 3000$ and you idiots would buy it. It has to be good because it says apple.:rolleyes:
 
Dream On

amd4me said:
You guys have your heads so far up apples arse. They could crap something out and sell it for 3000$ and you idiots would buy it. It has to be good because it says apple.:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Not.

The Specs don't lie. The ACD has the Superior Static Print Graphics Panel.

The HP has the superior connections and a better panel for gaming.

You're just looking for a fight in place of understanding, logic, and facts.

I'm not bitin' -- just reciting the truth about the specs

AND I have BOTH of these panels in my studio so I speak from hands on experience as well and have cultivated a good sense of judgement after 18 years working in these areas

Repeat and Return.
 
amd4me said:
You guys have your heads so far up apples arse. They could crap something out and sell it for 3000$ and you idiots would buy it. It has to be good because it says apple.:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Before you go spouting off about "people having heads up asses," you might want to take the time to read this review and the graphs on your HP Display:

http://www.anandtech.com/displays/showdoc.aspx?i=3054&p=10


Anandtech is a highly respected independent testing group and show no love for Apple. While they do not compare the ACD's to your display in these tests, they do have some pretty harsh things to say about the HP overall.

Take this statement for example:
Color accuracy was at best average among LCDs. The w2207 placed near the bottom of the charts in all of our Delta E results, before or after calibration. We still feel most people could live with the color accuracy, but the real question is whether they're willing to pay this much for a 22" LCD that comes with a one-year warranty. At a base price of $360 and $110 more to get a three-year warranty, we would be far more inclined to upgrade to one of the 24" offerings. You get a better LCD panel technology (S-PVA instead of TN+film), a larger display size, and an increased resolution. On some of the 24" LCDs like the Dell and Gateway offerings, you also get multiple inputs that would allow the display to function as an HDTV, or something that could be used with a gaming console.

Notice that they say that the Superior displays use S-PVA panels and not TN like your HP? Well now consider that that the ACD's use an S-IPS panel which is far superior to TN and to S-PVA for color accuracy.

I rest my case.
 
amd4me said:
The HP has a better panel. End of story.
Click to expand...

you don't understand. I meant, the ACD is a better looking piece of equipment. End of story. I willing to pay $200 more for something that looks great. It cost me $700 but UK is more expensive all round.
 
He wants an ACD. Why does everybody with a Dell or HP feel a need to step in and "save" him from Apple.

My ACD has great colour consistency and works very well for photo and video editing. If you don't like what he wants to buy, just move on for goodness sake.

He ain't askin' to be saved.

As for the OP's question, get the 23".
 
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