Please advice regarding 30" ACD purchase

[suburbia]

Just need some quick advice :

Need a new display, and looking to get the 30" ACD. I know a refresh/new model is coming-- but it's probably going to be glossy-only.

So, I have two options when it comes to price: One is a few years old, no longer under Applecare and will cost me $1,200 CDN. The other is under Applecare until 2012, and will cost me $1,600 CDN.

Before everyone tells me that I can get it for less, I am in Canada-- not the US, so shipping and Customs will be pretty steep, thus I'd like to stick with local dealers.

Which one is the better option? Thanks in advance!

 

[GoCubsGo]

For $400 more I'd get the one with a warranty. Hard to justify spending the cash on the display though today.

 

[Transporteur]

Keep in mind that the 30" got an update in late 2006. So the display that's already a few years old might be the old revision. The newer ones are brighter and have better contrast ratios.

I'd definitely go with the display that's still under warranty. Not only are you covered agains panel or inverter board failures (which are rare but do happen with all displays), the more important thing is that CCFL displays loose their brightness over the years. It's not dramatical, but if you place a 3 year old CCFL display besides a brand new one, you will definitely see the difference on full brightness.

 

[techound1]

Does the apple canada refurb store have them in stock? That's an intra-CAN option...

 

[suburbia]

Thanks for the advice everyone

The Canadian Apple refurbished store does have the 30" ACD, but it's $1,499.00 + 13% in taxes. The US refurb is only $1,299.00, and with the US-CDN exchange rate the same, why do Canadian sellers not match their US counterpart?

Canada + good deal is an oxymoron.

 

[alphaod]

Have you considered looking into other brands like Dell? Right now you can get a Dell 27" (U2711); from the specs it's probably the same panel used in the 27" iMac, except this one is matte, costs only $1249 CDN, a myriad of input options from DisplayPort to DVI to HDMI. I mean I don't know what anyone would choose the Apple 30" other than the fact that the Dell is made of plastic and the Apple is made from aluminium. Dell also offers accidental protection and they're warranty service for monitors are excellent.

 

[suburbia]

Have you considered looking into other brands like Dell?

I've only had experience working on the ACD, so just sticking with what I'm familiar with.

BTW, both 30" ACD refurbs are gone from both the Canadian and US stores. When do they generally show up again?

jessica.: Your avatar is the funniest. For some reason, I thought it was a messed-up violin when I first glimpsed at it...

 

[techound1]

BTW, both 30" ACD refurbs are gone from both the Canadian and US stores. When do they generally show up again?

Most things will resurface within a day or two; 6-8 at the most (unless it is something like the blackbooks that were replaced years ago).

 

[tflournoy95]

Sorry but why would spend that much on a display? Cuz it says apple on it? Get one that isn't acd and doesn't cost so much.

 

[suburbia]

Transporteur Do you know exactly when the ACD were refreshed to a brighter display back in 2006? Was it in September? Anybody know?


tflournoy95: I'm not going with the ACD because it has the Apple logo on it-- I am the last person on this board that would buy anything just because of the Apple logo. I need color-accuracy for my job.

 

[mattyb240]

Sorry but why would spend that much on a display? Cuz it says apple on it? Get one that isn't acd and doesn't cost so much.

Do you know what a quality IPS display is? But I must agree I would look at the Dell range, as long as you make sure to get a quality IPS panel, you won't go far wrong. Plus a calibration device will help your monitor no end.

Hope this helps.

 

[suburbia]

Thanks for your advice mattyb240. I know that there are some really good displays out there that rival Apple's ACD in quality--perhaps not in design, and at a much more competitive pricing, but I do like the ACD having worked on it, so it's simply a matter of familiarity-- not brand loyalty. And I just don't have the time or inclination to try out the other displays at this point.

 

[mattyb240]

Yeah the design aspect is true, but familiarity I personally don't think has much to do with it when considering monitors, as long as it is a high quality photography panel you don't have a lot to worry about. There a plenty of reviews out for the main top end alternatives which would be very informative. You would get the same results if you bought the ACD or equal equivalent.

 

[RaceTripper]

For what it's worth -- since you said you want color accuracy -- the Dell 3008 is less than the Apple 30, and it has built-in RGB controls. If you use a colorimeter that takes advantage of using RGB adjustments (I use the Spyder3 Pro) you can get very accurate color. I thought long and hard about getting the 30" ACD, but have been very glad I went with the Dell. Not to mention I don't have to worry about using the expensive & flakey mini Displayport to Dual-link DVI adapter the Apple requires -- a $5 miniDisplayport=>Displayport cable does the trick. I can also hook up my PS3/Xbox360 simultaneously to the HDMI port, so that's a bonus.

 

[Transporteur]

Transporteur Do you know exactly when the ACD were refreshed to a brighter display back in 2006? Was it in September?

That might well be, but I just wanna remind you to get the display with AppleCare.

This is what happened to my 30" two days ago. I bought the display in September 2007 including AppleCare (covered till September this year), which cost me 100€. I'm very glad I bought the protection plan cause Apple is going to replace the whole display.
So I get another 3 years out of a display I bought three years ago. Covered till 2013.

 

[RaceTripper]

That might well be, but I just wanna remind you to get the display with AppleCare.

This is what happened to my 30" two days ago. I bought the display in September 2007 including AppleCare (covered till September this year), which cost me 100€. I'm very glad I bought the protection plan cause Apple is going to replace the whole display.
So I get another 3 years out of a display I bought three years ago. Covered till 2013.

AppleCare doesn't start over when you get a replacement under warranty. I think if you're close to the end of AppleCare you get that or 90 days, whichever is longer.

 

[Transporteur]

AppleCare doesn't start over when you get a replacement under warranty. I think if you're close to the end of AppleCare you get that or 90 days, whichever is longer.

Crap! They didn't tell me that on the phone.

So the new display will only be covered till September this year?
That sucks.

 

[RaceTripper]

Crap! They didn't tell me that on the phone.

So the new display will only be covered till September this year?
That sucks.

And your replacement will be a refurbished unit (not necessarily a bad thing).

 

[suburbia]

Thanks again everyone. Went ahead and copped the ACD with AppleCare. Needed-- not wanted, a new display and $1,500 isn't so bad, especially after seeing a coat that cost $300,000 USD-- before tax

Transporteur: What exactly is wrong with your ACD?

 

[Transporteur]

And your replacement will be a refurbished unit (not necessarily a bad thing).

What makes you think that? Apple definitely told me I get a brand new display.
I don't see why they would send me a refurbished unit.
The display should arrive at the end of this week.

Transporteur: What exactly is wrong with your ACD?

Look at the picture I attached a few posts earlier. Quite obvious what's wrong.

 

[RaceTripper]

What makes you think that? Apple definitely told me I get a brand new display.
I don't see why they would send me a refurbished unit.
The display should arrive at the end of this week.

Let us know what you get. It's not unusual for warranty replacements to be refurbished.

 

[Transporteur]

Let us know what you get. It's not unusual for warranty replacements to be refurbished.

Yes Sir, will do.
I called them again yesterday about the AppleCare and I got another 3 years on the new display I'll get. They said that they could transfer the existing AppleCare to the new Display, or that I could get a little refund for a new protection plan. Guess what I did?