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Pros & Cons: Buy the 30" ACD now or wait for the new 30" LED?

sparkie7

sparkie7

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Oct 17, 2008
2,610
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Trying to weigh up the pros and cons. If Apple bring out a new 30" LED it may be in gloss only and that hideous black bezel. Even if they did bring out a matte option I wonder if they will have the same black bezel as the 24 LED or give us the silver enclosure as the current 30". Given thats what they did with the 17 MBP matte option (with silver bezel)

The other two conundrums is the display connection and I/O options. Will the new 30 LED have FW? and will it have full DVI or the mini-display port..

Save the LED technology, I dont see any real reason to wait for the new 30's as price wise they would I expect be CONSIDERABLY more. So picking up a current 30 might be a wise decision. As they are already dropping in price and quite good value for money. Before they run out, I'm seriously thinking of grabbing another. Lest I be stuck with an ugly glossy black bezel step child.

Any advice, pros/cons gladly accepted

PS unless Apple bring out a 40" matte silver enclosure screen with FW800 ports, HDMI ports, etc, etc!
 
I've heard there's better panels then the 30' ACD. They do are really great, and calibrate friendly, the only problem of the 20, 23 and 30 is that their gamut is lacking in comparison to other newer "pro" panels.

But if you're asking about these screens then I can assume you want an Apple monitor. If I were you I would hold before buying anything. Just see what Apple might release in the next few months. That way you can get 30'' at a lesser price.
 
thanks for the responses guys.

not sure about the NEC. i dont think its SWOP certified. I'd love an Eizo though, but their top line 30's are stratospheric price wise. you could almost get 2-3 30" ACDs for the price of just one Eizo 30"!

any other opinions?
 
The 30" LED Cinema Display will have three USB, no FireWire, power, and Mini DisplayPort out.

It will not work with any Mac Pro prior to the simultaneous Gainestown release.

It will not work with any Mac without Mini DisplayPort.
 
surely there will be a DVI to Mini DisplayPort adapter?
 
Tallest Skil said:
The 30" LED Cinema Display will have three USB, no FireWire, power, and Mini DisplayPort out.

It will not work with any Mac Pro prior to the simultaneous Gainestown release.

It will not work with any Mac without Mini DisplayPort.
Click to expand...

I love the way you always manage to make your guesses sound like facts.

The new Mac Pro will probably use a full size Display Port.
 
no offence, but unless you have inside Apple info, its all postulation and guesses. I think (ie taking a guess) the MacPro will feature a full size display port. so that all those display cards can still be utilised. unless Apple have convinced Nividia and ATi to do special cards JUST for the MacPro.

But all this is just taking pot-shots in the dark :D:D:p
 
hmmm.. ok.. but a mini port? on a MacPro? *ugh* that just seems half-assed.

one thing I'd like to see Apple introduce in the new displays is a portrait rotation feature (with system software which recognises) and a really cool stand capable of vesa mounting
 
Tallest Skil said:
Which they have done since at least 2006.
Click to expand...

Custom firmware is a bit different to a custom manufactured card. I can't see Apple offering a Quadro FX 5800 (or 4800) with only mini DisplayPort, it makes no sense at all. Following on from that I can't see them having some cards with only mini DP while others don't have it. A mix of Dual link DVI and DisplayPort seems most likely with an included DP to Mini DP adapter.
 
sparkie7 said:
one thing I'd like to see Apple introduce in the new displays is a portrait rotation feature (with system software which recognises) and a really cool stand capable of vesa mounting
Click to expand...

News flash: The current displays have supported VESA mounting and screen rotation since they were introduced 5 years ago.
 
sparkie7 said:
no offence, but unless you have inside Apple info, its all postulation and guesses. I think (ie taking a guess) the MacPro will feature a full size display port. so that all those display cards can still be utilised. unless Apple have convinced Nividia and ATi to do special cards JUST for the MacPro.

But all this is just taking pot-shots in the dark :D:D:p
Click to expand...

Of course. It just annoys me no end when people try to make these guesses look more legitimate than they really are.
 
Tallest Skil said:
I'm talking about how the Mac Pro cards in the PC world have S-Video, and Apple's versions don't.

They basically have control over what ports go where.
Click to expand...

Regardless of how easy it is for Apple to add or remove output connections, it still doesn't make sense for them to only offer mini DP, especially with the adapter issues out there. Despite what many believe Mini DP is on the notebooks because of Apple's design ideology, not to F anyone over. There is no reason for it to be on the Mac Pro.
 
30" Acd & 24" Led Acd

I have a 30" ACD (recently purchased, about 2 months ago) and I just purchased a 24" LED display to go with my new unibody Macbook. (I wanted a 17" Macbook pro, but realized a Macbook + 24" display is cheaper and more portable solution). Anyway...

The 24" is nice display, but personally for photography work, the 30" ACD is just soo nice. I mean the colors are not as rich as the 24" but hell, whatever's on that screen comes out of my printer (hardware calibrated with Spyder and printing on Epson R1900). 30" maybe old, lacking card readers, etc, but the USB x2 and FW400 x2 is nice, and the display is just excellent. Not saying a $5000 Eizo 30" wouldn't be awesome too.

I use my Macbook at my office where I do computing programming. Its nice to carry the small device and "dock" into the 24" for the higher resolution. But I would think twice with all the glare generated from the florescent lights using it for serious photo work.
 
sparkie7 said:
thanks for the responses guys.

not sure about the NEC. i dont think its SWOP certified. I'd love an Eizo though, but their top line 30's are stratospheric price wise. you could almost get 2-3 30" ACDs for the price of just one Eizo 30"!

any other opinions?
Click to expand...

Yes, they are SWOP certified. Tis the only reason I recommend them for professional use over most Dells and other display makers.

Not that the others aren't great, just that you KNOW NEC, Eizo, LaCiE have the pro in mind with their panels. I just wish they'd get on the bandwagon to have FW ports.

Umbongo said:
Regardless of how easy it is for Apple to add or remove output connections, it still doesn't make sense for them to only offer mini DP, especially with the adapter issues out there. Despite what many believe Mini DP is on the notebooks because of Apple's design ideology, not to F anyone over. There is no reason for it to be on the Mac Pro.
Click to expand...

The truth is, that it doesn't make any sense for Apple to even offer a mini display port at all. Let alone a 17" $2800 laptop with a built in battery and NO quad core. It doesn't make sense for Apple to do a lot of things.

Even in regards to Tallest's ideas for the new MacPro, I don't get how Apple could ever put MDP on a tower and sell you a monitor made specifically for a Macbook with a power cord hanging out doing nothing but collecting dust.

But right now, I don't put anything past the iPhone crazy Apple. They will do anything to piss off the customers that know better, and to WOW and SHOCK the customers that don't have a F*#(ing clue.
 
Wait for the 30" LED ACD, for two reasons:

1) It WILL get updated very very soon.
2) It WILL most likely be the same price as the current 30" ACD.
 
It is interesting Jobs' total disregard for Blu-Ray and HDMI over the last 18 months. As an early '08 pro owner myself, I don't want to be limited to old display technology when the new Pros are release.
With Display Port in mind though, on a Mac Pro it will be an NVidia or ATI card, possibly with Both? DVI/HDMI and DP? Certainly not Component (lacks HDCP) and What ABOUT HDCP? Is the DP Apple's way of implementing their own "content control" like DRM with Itunes? You think they would've learned that lesson with the latest announcement....

Just seems like they are abandoning a HUGE Video (mass) market when they shun FW 400 (and possibly) DVI with the new LED screens. There certainly will (at least by third party) be an adaptor from DVI, but will it handicap resolution because of lack of HDCP certification?

I live in the video world and am very curious as to what the new display line is (I have a 23"ACD and love it, also a Gateway 24" and Sony XBR panel for post)....but haven't purchased another Apple display because I wanted to wait. I have had my 23" for over a year and I LOVE it! Best display I've ever owned, regardless of it's age! If nothing else, I will buy a second hand or "Overstocked" ACD when the new ones hit....I lust after a 30":)

J
 
I think it's hard to tell where Apple is going with their displays right now.

The new 24" seems such a setback re. usability, I for one wouldn't bet my money on future offerings.

Then again, they threw in a matte option for their latest release, the 17" MBP, so maybe Apple figured not everyone is in it for the home-theater experience only .

My rule: watch for releases closely; if you don't like the new product, be quick to get the former one, unless you want to wait another year+ .
 
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