So I have Mac mini on the way. Should be here Friday. I'm looking to get an IPS display on a budget. Around $200 (CAD) would be good. I'm not into photo or video editing so maybe any monitor would do. But I still would like good colour accuracy and viewing angles. Can be any size from 21" and up. A 27" would be awesome but it'd have to be higher than 1080p. Perhaps 2560 x 1440 like the iMac. Any suggestions or preferred brands? Thanks.
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IPS display for Mac mini. Budget consciousness.
- Thread starter bigpoppamac31
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Don't think too much about color accuracy. IPS panels are generally closer to D65 whites, which are close to the theoretical white point that is implicitly assumed when making adjustments for content to be viewed on a monitor. I don't want to go into a full description today. There aren't any really good options with 2560 x 1440 in your price range. That resolution is essentially exclusive to 27" panels, and at the $200 level you would be limited to 1080 displays. Are the resolution concerns due to potential aliasing in CAD programs?
I don't use any CAD programs. One thing I'm curious about is that for the last two Macs I've own which were macbooks those screens are 16:10 ratio. But a 1080p display is 16:9. Is there anything I'm losing or gaining going from 16:10 to 16:9?
Oh I misread that. You wrote CAD for Canadian dollars, and I'm short on sleep today. I'm kind of with you on 16:10. I prefer it to 16:9. I still have a 16:10 24" display here. Its resolution is 1920x1200. I can see minor aliasing compared to my 17" macbook pro or the newer retina models. It's more noticeable at short viewing distances, and I don't think I could comfortably do 1080 on a 27". Desktop displays were behind notebooks for a long time, because they represent a smaller market at this point.
I know there have been other threads on good budget displays, but I can't think of any approaching 27" in that budget range without going to 1080. Even the off brand grey market ones cost more than that. On a budget I would certainly stick to a smaller size. I will think on it a bit more, but right now I can't think of a solid recommendation.
If you are willing to stay below 27" and 1920x1200 or below, there are several good options in your price range.
AOC i2367fh
AOC i2369v
Dell U2412M (on the edge of your price range, but good refurbs can be found)
Dell S2415H (again at the top, but a very fine monitor per reviews)
Lenovo LI2323s
AOC i2473PWM
LG Electronics EA53 23EA53T
Dell Ultrasharps are pricey but well worth the money if you can afford them.
I have a Dell Ultrasharp U2713HM which is unfortunately way out of your budget but based on it I would definitely recommend one of Dell's 23" 1080p monitors for example.
I have a Dell Ultrasharp U2713HM which is unfortunately way out of your budget but based on it I would definitely recommend one of Dell's 23" 1080p monitors for example.
Thanks for the suggestions. The AOC ones seem really nice and have great reviews from users. I really like the Dell also and I've been eying the U2412M for a while cause it's 1920x1200 plus is it a matte finish and height adjustable. I also like this other Dell as well cause it's also height adjustable but it's 16:9.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00EMB4L0I/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1425389254&sr=8-2&keywords=dell+ips+monitor&dpPl=1&dpID=413NQ9l320L&ref=plSrch&pi=AC_SY200_QL40
I owned a pair of Dell U2412M monitors last year and they are pretty sweet. I traded them when I bought my 34" LG to help defray the cost, but they were excellent and I loved them. You can see my review here on Amaz$n:
http://smile.amazon.com/review/RYO84NGX7QANU/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm
http://accessories.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?c=CA&l=en&s=dhs&cs=cadhs1&sku=320-9803
This is a great IPS display to match with Mac mini, however it is glossy, but great color, viewing angles, etc. Similar to 21" iMac ( LG panel, but not the same LG as the 21.5 iMac). It fits perfectly on the mini and makes the viewing height just right (my opinion).
Just make sure you get DVI version (S2240M) vs HDMI (S2240L) as you will need to override EDID settings to get full RGB output on the HDMI version. Also find a mDP 2 DVI cable on amazon for best results.
This is a great IPS display to match with Mac mini, however it is glossy, but great color, viewing angles, etc. Similar to 21" iMac ( LG panel, but not the same LG as the 21.5 iMac). It fits perfectly on the mini and makes the viewing height just right (my opinion).
Just make sure you get DVI version (S2240M) vs HDMI (S2240L) as you will need to override EDID settings to get full RGB output on the HDMI version. Also find a mDP 2 DVI cable on amazon for best results.
Well if the Mac mini has a HDMI port and the display is 16:9 wouldnt that be the best option?
No because OS X treats it as a TV/YUV monitor so RGB/YUV values are 16-235 or something like that vs, FULL RGB @ 0-255 you need to use this hack
http://embdev.net/topic/284710
https://gist.github.com/ejdyksen/8302862
to get it to work as expected. No need with the DVI version.
BTW you could still use HDMI 2 DVI cable with DVI (S2240M) version without hack and monitor will still be treated as RGB monitor.
OP:
Here's a good list to check when you're shopping for an IPS display:
http://www.pchardwarehelp.com/guides/s-ips-lcd-list.php
In your price range, you might consider a "mid-resolution" 27" display, like the Viewsonic 2770. (actual cost is around $205 USA)
The resolution makes this roughly equivalent to taking the standard resolution of a 24" display, but "blowing it up and out" to fill a 27" form factor.
The pixels are larger. Be aware that a number of younger folks with sharp eyesight -may- look at a display like this and proclaim "That's too grainy for me!"
In that case, a 24" display might serve you better and could probably be found close-to budget...
Here's a good list to check when you're shopping for an IPS display:
http://www.pchardwarehelp.com/guides/s-ips-lcd-list.php
In your price range, you might consider a "mid-resolution" 27" display, like the Viewsonic 2770. (actual cost is around $205 USA)
The resolution makes this roughly equivalent to taking the standard resolution of a 24" display, but "blowing it up and out" to fill a 27" form factor.
The pixels are larger. Be aware that a number of younger folks with sharp eyesight -may- look at a display like this and proclaim "That's too grainy for me!"
In that case, a 24" display might serve you better and could probably be found close-to budget...
So in layman terms what does that mean? Use HDMI to connect to a tv and DVI to connect to a computer monitor? I ask that cause I thought of connecting my Mac mini to my 1080p hdtv.
Sure you can do that, it's just the image might look a little different (limited color range) some people say a little fuzzy. If your TV supports setting the input for a "PC" ( most Samsung and LGs do ) you might want to look into that as it will remove processing from that input and give you a 444 RGB/YUV VS a more limited 420 RGB/YUV input ( better image, text rendering, etc ).
Well I don't seem to have a "PC" setting. But I have a VGA input, PC/DVI audio in, and one of the HDMI inputs supports "DVI + ARC". My TV an Insignia 39" 1080p (NS-39L400NA14).
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If price is a significant factor, you might check out the used market on eBay or Craigslist. I bought an older 23" ACD on Craigslist for $140. Picked up another one with a Mac Pro I bought for cheap. Worth seeing what is out there.
If you want a nice 27" with the same resolution as the iMac, I bought this Monoprice monitor last year and it works great. I like that they guarantee no dead pixels which you don't always get with lower cost monitors.
It is higher than what you wanted to pay, but if you want the 27" higher resolution you will most likely have to move up a little with your price target.
I paid $280 back around Thanksgiving, and it is $318 now on Monoprice's eBay store.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/27-034-IPS-...560x1440-440cd-m2-HDMI-1-4-DVI-/390977814173?
It is higher than what you wanted to pay, but if you want the 27" higher resolution you will most likely have to move up a little with your price target.
I paid $280 back around Thanksgiving, and it is $318 now on Monoprice's eBay store.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/27-034-IPS-...560x1440-440cd-m2-HDMI-1-4-DVI-/390977814173?