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Quality of 30-inch Mac Display for Mac Pro?
- Thread starter kat.hayes
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I have a 30" Cinema display. I also have a LG 4K both connected to my MacPro vie gtx 980Ti. For video, get a 4K monitor. I'm using my 30" as a secondary. Once you've worked with a 4K, nothing else compares. The resolution is so much better.
Are you referring to a model called A1083 from 2010? They are probably alright but monitors from those days do age - the backlight in particular. Also I do not know that particular device but back then screens still got quite warm and consumed a fair amount of electricity - no comparison with modern displays. Better check what's what with that screen.
Seeing as these do still fetch quite some money - at least over here - I'd simply go with a new Eizo instead. NEC are another art department favourite. Both are pretty similar in quality and in that their office range will suffice for this type of work, they're honestly pretty good out of the box. Obviously if you have the equipment to calibrate - all the better but no real need to spring for the highest end color sync model ranges.
What these monitors do not have however is the Apple-look nor connectivity beyond the absolute basics.
LG's are alright, I've got one here as well on my Mac Pro but that's because I wanted that 34-inch curved screen. My several years older Eizo 27-inch blows it out the water in terms of color reproduction and evenness of backlight.
Seeing as these do still fetch quite some money - at least over here - I'd simply go with a new Eizo instead. NEC are another art department favourite. Both are pretty similar in quality and in that their office range will suffice for this type of work, they're honestly pretty good out of the box. Obviously if you have the equipment to calibrate - all the better but no real need to spring for the highest end color sync model ranges.
What these monitors do not have however is the Apple-look nor connectivity beyond the absolute basics.
LG's are alright, I've got one here as well on my Mac Pro but that's because I wanted that 34-inch curved screen. My several years older Eizo 27-inch blows it out the water in terms of color reproduction and evenness of backlight.
I have a 30" ACD in daily use, and agree with the above comments. It generates a lot of heat which you can feel on your face whilst working, the display has yellowed, and the resolution is too low for graphics and video work compared to modern displays. They were amazing displays at the time but are just too dated now.
I'm only hanging on to mine because I'm in limbo with hardware purchases like most people here. I can't wait to get rid of the 30" for something more modern, but don't know what my next work computer will be (Mac/iMac/PC/Laptop) until the new Mac pro is announced.
I'm only hanging on to mine because I'm in limbo with hardware purchases like most people here. I can't wait to get rid of the 30" for something more modern, but don't know what my next work computer will be (Mac/iMac/PC/Laptop) until the new Mac pro is announced.
At the time they were quite good. Some have panels that are yellowing over time, they're as old as the Mac Pros themselves and unlike a Mac Pro where faulty components are swapped, tracking down a new panel and rehousing it is a pain for a dated display.
While more expensive (on the budget end of professional), if you're looking for massive real estate, something on the order of the BenQ PD3200U 32 is on the order what you're looking for, as it has the entire SRGB color space mapped and tends to get quite a few good reviews from various sites. There's plenty others but that'd be my starting point. Also avoid any TN panels as you'll get massive color shifting when you move you head.
I use the 30" ACD daily. It's still a pretty decent display, though a 4K one will of course be much better. The biggest issue I've had with mine is that it isn't HDCP compliant. That means no watching iTunes stuff, and you have to use workarounds for Hulu/Netflix. If it's one of the newer ones, they do work, but if you get one from around 2005-2006, you'll bump into that problem.
Your should try using something like a Dell 27" UltraSharp in the $500 range.
I'll wager that after one day with 4K you'll send the ACD to eWaste.
Seller of my 5,1 tossed-in a {pristine} 30" ACD for 'free' (e.g., "I don't have the apace for that thing, anymore"), and it's a great 2nd Disp for my MBP . . .
. . . my SO mostly uses it with her Surface, and it's, er, something short of Fantastic for that application
Regards, splifingate