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OK, talk me out of buying an ACD...

P

Photomax

macrumors regular
Original poster
Nov 26, 2007
137
0
Seattle
Hi All,

I have a new Mac Pro and an existing 20" ACD. I just dumped a 17" View Sonic LCD I was using for a second display. The color was awful. I will keep the 20" ACD though.

I am a photographer and do web work as well. I do not play games.

I need more screen real estate to work with so I need a second display. I am leaning towards a 23" ACD. I figure its a good idea to get the same technology that I have. I use a Eye One Match 3 by GretagMacbeth for calibration. Photoshop is my primary app.

Are there any other display candidates worthy of consideration or should I go with another 20" or 23" ACD?

Thanks!

Max
 
Photomax said:
Hi All,

I have a new Mac Pro and an existing 20" ACD. I just dumped a 17" View Sonic LCD I was using for a second display. The color was awful. I will keep the 20" ACD though.

I am a photographer and do web work as well. I do not play games.

I need more screen real estate to work with so I need a second display. I am leaning towards a 23" ACD. I figure its a good idea to get the same technology that I have. I use a Eye One Match 3 by GretagMacbeth for calibration. Photoshop is my primary app.

Are there any other display candidates worthy of consideration or should I go with another 20" or 23" ACD?

Thanks!

Max
Click to expand...

If you can wait a bit, they are due for an update:
https://buyersguide.macrumors.com//#Apple_Cinema_Displays
 
Thank you.

It figures. Anytime I suddenly want to buy new fancy Apple hardware it seems that a new model "is just around the corner..."

Is a one month old 23" ACD for $750 a good deal? I found one for sale locally from someone who changed their minds and went with a new iMac instead. I would get the sales receipt...
 
I'm not going to talk you out of buying the ACD because it's a great monitor. It's an S-IPS panel monitor, whereas many others use inferior panel types (I believe the Dell 2408 is included). The color will match perfectly with the monitor you have already...you seem to like the one you have. I'd buy the ACD.
 
Pronoun said:
If you can wait a bit, they are due for an update:
https://buyersguide.macrumors.com//#Apple_Cinema_Displays
Click to expand...

That is not confirmed. That website is wrong, there is no update in sight. Not until 30" LED displays are the standard - there is still a long way to go for that. Also, the other "updated" LCD's are not updated. They just have brighter cathodes that produce a higher color gamut and slightly higher contrast #'s. This is good for some, but not good for others. The ACD still stands undefeated in my book.

Get an ACD you will not be disappointed. I just got a 30" ACD. It's excellent, I wouldn't go for anything else.
 
Don't do it! :p Well, that's what you asked for, right?

IMHO, apple displays are a bit expensive. However, if you like them, and you need a good monitor since you're a photographer, a 23" ACD might be in your future. If I were you, I'd look around at monitors, on sites like newegg. They have a lot of helpful reviews. Good luck! :D
 
hulkss said:
Get the HP LP3065. Better performance, lower price. Compare them yourself.
Click to expand...

Better performance - how so? Also, what lead you to believe he is looking to save a buck? I think the HP is hideous - but I pay alot of attention to aesthetics. I also think the picture quality is inferior, but that's just me.
 
Interesting...

I have read some of the other "what display should I buy" threads. There are a lot of valid points raised in those discussions. We all know the ACD line is a bit long on the tooth and that there are options out there...

But most of the discussion I have read seems focused on retail specs, price, "screen size for the buck" and how well the displays perform for general use, gaming, frame rate, contrast levels and viewing videos.

My concern is how well a second display would fit in with my color work flow, Photoshop use, calibration system and the existing 20" ACD.

I don't mind spending $700 for a ACD if it fits in best for my system and needs. The only reason I started this thread was to learn if others had a specific display alternative or argument against adding another ACD...

Thanks to all...

Max
 
Photomax said:
Interesting...

I have read some of the other "what display should I buy" threads. There are a lot of valid points raised in those discussions. We all know the ACD line is a bit long on the tooth and that there are options out there...

But most of the discussion I have read seems focused on retail specs, price, "screen size for the buck" and how well the displays perform for general use, gaming, frame rate, contrast levels and viewing videos.

My concern is how well a second display would fit in with my color work flow, Photoshop use, calibration system and the existing 20" ACD.

I don't mind spending $700 for a ACD if it fits in best for my system and needs. The only reason I started this thread was to learn if others had a specific display alternative or argument against adding another ACD...

Thanks to all...

Max
Click to expand...

Add another one, you can't go wrong. The display is not due for an update anytime soon. The newer one will probably be brighter though - as always.
 
I love my twin 20" ACD set-up... (so wouldn’t even try to talk you out of it)

I have been using two 20" ACDs side-by-side for over a year and absolutely love this set-up. It is like a super-duper-wide-screen! I like the fact that they are matching (not just in style, but in height too when next to each other) and that the screen colours and contrast are the same which is great. I could imagine that if you use two different branded displays, their colours, contrasts and reflectivity would be slightly different -- that would be off-putting for me since I am a graphic designer. I think it might be off-putting for you too since you are a photographer and depend on colour accuracy.

My advice is to go for the same ACD range and keep your set-up as one happy family. Even if the new ACD comes out, will having two displays with different styles, colour, contrast and reflectivity (i.e. if the screen is glossy only) bother you?
 
I recently bought a 22 inch Eizo S2231W for $778 before tax and it is stunning in its color reproduction (both before and after calibration). It is also a wide color gamut display (93% of Adobe RGB if I remember correctly). I use it primarily for color balancing large amounts of aerial photography.
 
It really depends on your priorities, but if "I don't mind spending $700 for a ACD if it fits in best for my system and needs" actually means that "I'd rather not pay $700 for an older monitor but if it's the only monitor matching my needs, I will," then you could try buying a non-apple monitor at an electronics store that allows you full refunds on returns within a given time.

Try out something cheaper, bring it home and calibrate it, and if it doesn't match your main ADC color profile or you're just not satisfied, bring it back (or maybe try out another?). You have time until the next ADC updates come out, so why not use it to test out other brands. If those monitors don't work out, you can always buy an ADC.
 
I know there are strong feelings on this topic, but I don't think I could ever use a non ACD display. We have both MP's with ACD's and HP workstations with Dell monitors. The ACD display just seems so much more vibrant to me, and the design of the display itself is second to none, even at this late stage.
 
I went through a similar process a few weeks ago. I wanted to update my old 20" Apple LCD, the pre-aluminum one with the Apple connector (ADC?). I briefly checked out the 3rd party options, but I went with the 23" ACD. Why?

1. I like the extra firewire ports on the back.
2. None of them (including the ACD) has a built in iSight.
3. People who have them seem to love them.
4. I couldn't bear the thought of looking at a Dell or NEC logo on my desk.
5. It's beautiful when it's off.
6. I didn't mind and could afford the Apple premium.
7. My gut told me that updates are not imminent. If Apple really wanted to update and sell a new ACD, they would have released it with the new Mac Pro.

I'm a satisfied customer.
 
I just received my 23" ACD yesterday. The main reason I chose it is because it is a tried and tested product. Since this model was first released, over the years Apple have made and added fixes and improvements. For many it is an expensive monitor, but what I kept thinking was that when Apple release a new monitor, will it also have teething problems like many new models do. Can I risk that?
 
I have just purchased an ACD 23 with my new Mac Pro to go with the ACD 20 I already use. It has always been a problem colour wise when using 2 monitors that are different makes as I only do Photoshop and 3D renderings, so colour is important.

I thought going with 2 ACDs would solve all my problems. Unfortunately there is still a colour difference between the two and Apple have told me this is because the 23 is HD and the 20 is not. The 23 is generally more vibrant, and whilst I thought the 20 was perfect, it now appears a bit dull in comparison. No amount of calibration has solved this problem.

My ACD 20 is also just over a year old and gets used for 12-15 hours a day every day, so possibly it has started to lose its picture quality. If this is the case its a bit disappointing as even the 20s aren't cheap and you expect them to keep their colour for longer than a year.

I would suggest getting either 2 20's or 2 23's so at least they both match from the beginning.
 
I'll talk you into it.

My 30" ACD is a beautiful display. Easy to calibrate. Very consistent across the screen. No dead pixels.

Further, fwiw, it matches my Mac Pro and doesn't uglify the room. Dells and HP monitors, to me, are analogous to getting particle-board furniture with cheap veneers for your living room whereas wood looks and feels so much better. Same with the ACD.

You're going to have it a long time. Buy a monitor that you want to live with.
 
hook the 17" monitor back on your Mac Pro to put your palettes and so on it. Buyers guide is telling not to buy so keep your setup until the long awaited monitor update reaches the apple store.
 
I'd say buy the 23" ACD - unless you need to attach a PC to it ever, in which case I'd buy something else. Why? The 23" ACD doesn't work with a lot of PC graphics cards during boot-up, which renders your PC's BIOS setup screens etc. inaccessible. I've fallen into that trap and now am looking at buying a second monitor for my PC, which while it will pimp my office out further will be an expense I could have done without. :)
 
mattmac said:
I would suggest getting either 2 20's or 2 23's so at least they both match from the beginning.
Click to expand...

Well, after reading through these great posts I will be getting another ACD. Reading MattMac's point makes me pause though. I was leaning towards the 23 but maybe I should get another 20? Side by side the color should be more uniform and it might be better to have the same screen height when zipping across displays?
 
Photomax said:
Well, after reading through these great posts I will be getting another ACD. Reading MattMac's point makes me pause though. I was leaning towards the 23 but maybe I should get another 20? Side by side the color should be more uniform and it might be better to have the same screen height when zipping across displays?
Click to expand...

Have you really used a true dual monitor setup? It seems your 17 was just off to the side, whereas having 2x 20" means there will be the crease right down the middle. Here at work I have 2x19" and the crease drives me crazy. I much prefer using my 23" cinema at home hehe.

If you only want one monitor, I think you should sell your 20 and purchase a 23" or maybe even a 30 :)
 
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