I am trying to figure out which monitor would suit me better. I can spend about $800-$900. The dell 2405FPW is very tempting, the only two things I don't like about it is its a dell, and its black. The Apple 20" is around the same price and has an awesome titanium look. The downside is it has less features and is 4" smaller. Which one of these choices am I better off with? I will be using it for internet, music production, videos etc.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Stuck between ACD and Dell Monitor
- Thread starter marKz1
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Well I don't know about the 24" Dell but I have the 20"W and besides it saying Dell on it, I love it.
So far this monitor has been awesome with no regrets.
So far this monitor has been awesome with no regrets.
I use the Apple 20" at work. Very nice monitor. I recently purchased the Dell 20" for my home. I wanted the Apple one, but I figured I'd save some money this way. I do light graphics work on both and I cannot tell the difference is when looking at the screen. Here are my advantages of both (in no particular order)
Apple:
1. Looks. It looks so much better than the Dell. 'nough said.
2. Closed case. The case does not require vents to allow heat to escape like the dell has. This keeps dust out and might even extend the life of the monitor. I doubt I'll keep it that long though.
3. Firewire. The Dell does not have firewire ports on it.
Dell:
1. Maneuverable. This is nice. Up and down. Left and right. Flip it 90 degrees. This comes in handy and is my favorite feature.
2. Connections. I have my laptop connected to DVI. I have my desktop connected to VGA. I have my PS2 connected to Composite Video. I have my TiVo connected to S-Video. Much better than Apple's, but this is why the Dell needs the vents for cooling.
3. Split screen and Picture in Picture. I watch TV and work on my computer at the same time. The screen can get small, but its useful at times.
4. Price. Its just a better value.
5. Versa mounts. I don't use it, but you could if you want to.
If I had to do it again, I'd choose the Dell hands down (never thought I'd say that
). I know I'm comparing the 20" to the 20", but I hope this helps anyway.
Apple:
1. Looks. It looks so much better than the Dell. 'nough said.
2. Closed case. The case does not require vents to allow heat to escape like the dell has. This keeps dust out and might even extend the life of the monitor. I doubt I'll keep it that long though.
3. Firewire. The Dell does not have firewire ports on it.
Dell:
1. Maneuverable. This is nice. Up and down. Left and right. Flip it 90 degrees. This comes in handy and is my favorite feature.
2. Connections. I have my laptop connected to DVI. I have my desktop connected to VGA. I have my PS2 connected to Composite Video. I have my TiVo connected to S-Video. Much better than Apple's, but this is why the Dell needs the vents for cooling.
3. Split screen and Picture in Picture. I watch TV and work on my computer at the same time. The screen can get small, but its useful at times.
4. Price. Its just a better value.
5. Versa mounts. I don't use it, but you could if you want to.
If I had to do it again, I'd choose the Dell hands down (never thought I'd say that
). I know I'm comparing the 20" to the 20", but I hope this helps anyway.
i'm also thinking about the dell 24" or the apple 23". most people recommend the dell because it's cheaper and as good as the apple. so i'm leaning towards the dell.
what i never understand:
the dell 24" is 1920x1200 pixel 16:10 ratio,
the apple 23" is 1920x1200 pixel 16:9 ratio.
how can that be? one screen must be slightly distorted or am I missing something?
what i never understand:
the dell 24" is 1920x1200 pixel 16:10 ratio,
the apple 23" is 1920x1200 pixel 16:9 ratio.
how can that be? one screen must be slightly distorted or am I missing something?
marKz1 said:
I feel that both displays are easy on the eyes. Some people says the Apple is better, but after using both I don't agree. Both monitors are silent. PIP allows one picture to to be full screen, but the other picture is small and covers up the top right corner (don't know if you can change the location, I never tried). Split screen shrinks both images to probably about a 13" screen.
Unless for some reason you have to have the apple to keep some sort of theme or something or just cant stand the looks of a black monitor that has Dell on it, get the Dell hands down. Price is just to good on it. Performance is just as good as the apple. You can find deals on them almost weekly now for pretty cheap.
&Z
&Z
andiwm2003 said:i'm also thinking about the dell 24" or the apple 23". most people recommend the dell because it's cheaper and as good as the apple. so i'm leaning towards the dell.
what i never understand:
the dell 24" is 1920x1200 pixel 16:10 ratio,
the apple 23" is 1920x1200 pixel 16:9 ratio.
how can that be? one screen must be slightly distorted or am I missing something?
I don't know about your question, but I was choosing between the Dell 24" and the ACD 23" - and went with the ACD.
Why?
1) Not needing analogue components, I didn't want the heat and unreliability they imply (all parts have a chance of failure; the more systems, the most chances you have to lose)
2) the ACD is sealed thanks to its lower heat output (and thus lack of a need for active cooling). This means no dust etc
3) Unity of Warranty - Apple services both computer and display, one less entity to deal with
4) Dell service - I had a dell laptop 2001-2004, and I kept having to send it back to them to fix LCD-related problems. I realise that there is a low chance that the Dell 24" would have the same problems, but I have a firm belief that if it did, Dell would give me the same runaround, and would not be able to solve the problem on the first try (or the second, or the third...)
5) local service options - There are 3 (soon to be 5) Apple stores within 15 miles of me. I can take the display there to be serviced rather than needing to ship it to some flyover state, with no assurance of a warranty response.
All in all, I'm well satisfied with the $350 margin between the two for the benefits I get out of it. (ACD 1299 (edu) vs Dell 950)
-RS
That's funny, 'coz caution was the reason I went for the 24-in Dell - Check out:quidire said:
http://reviews.cnet.com/Apple_Cinem...tml?tag=srthlpfl&ord=opinionQualityScore+desc
gabriel_uk said:
The 23" ACD used to have a pink overtone problem, but to my knowledge it has ceased to be an issue with more recent production batches. Even when it was around, it was a very subtle thing.
Anyway, I'll be able to speak to this more convincingly in about 5 hours, when the ACD arrives
-RS
You are probably right, and will get a great display.quidire said:The 23" ACD used to have a pink overtone problem, but to my knowledge it has ceased to be an issue with more recent production batches. Even when it was around, it was a very subtle thing.
Anyway, I'll be able to speak to this more convincingly in about 5 hours, when the ACD arrives
-RS
This CNET review appeared in mid-February:
"Color consistency is very poor. 2-3 inches on the left and right side, color is washed out and very uneven (very visible with solid-colored backgrounds). Not good for color-critical work."
Pixels are not always square. So yes, one is likely a tad distorted to get the different ratio. Which one is right though?andiwm2003 said:i'm also thinking about the dell 24" or the apple 23". most people recommend the dell because it's cheaper and as good as the apple. so i'm leaning towards the dell.
what i never understand:
the dell 24" is 1920x1200 pixel 16:10 ratio,
the apple 23" is 1920x1200 pixel 16:9 ratio.
how can that be? one screen must be slightly distorted or am I missing something?
Also, the apple has a higher ppi so that is why it is the same resolution, but smaller physical viewing area.
Go with the Dell. Cheaper. Better color. At least 2x the nit brightness.
And black is always better than beige...
andiwm2003 said:i'm also thinking about the dell 24" or the apple 23". most people recommend the dell because it's cheaper and as good as the apple. so i'm leaning towards the dell.
what i never understand:
the dell 24" is 1920x1200 pixel 16:10 ratio,
the apple 23" is 1920x1200 pixel 16:9 ratio.
how can that be? one screen must be slightly distorted or am I missing something?
Both screens have a 1920x1200 resolution. therefore both are 16:10.
andiwm2003 said:
vashim66 said:
Agreed. andiwm2003, where are you getting those aspect ratios from?
sw1tcher said:
Yeah, but for some it's more than a matter of quality and/or price. It's a matter of financially supporting a company with other business practices / attitudes they disagree with.
dejo said:
they advertize HDTV television screens with 1920x1200 (e.g. samsung) with a 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio. i faintly remember that apple said their displays had the perfect match for the HDTV widescreen aspect ratio. i tried to find that quote but couldn't so maybe i'm wrong.
it would just mean that you can't use the full screen for widescreen movies. but thats not a problem for me.
andi
andiwm2003 said:
1) HDTV's max resolution is 1920x1080 (hence 1080i or 1080p)... Apple simply means it can display HDTV natively. (Ditto w/ Dell obviously)
2) Movies aren't necessarily 16:9; they can be 1.85:1, 2.55:1, even 2.66:1 (16:9 = 1.777...:1). Movies will still have small letterboxes... just smaller ones. No one releases displays in wider aspect ratios than 16:10 (1920x1200 and its analogues) or 16:9.
3) pixels can be anamorphic - for CRTs. The Dell and the Apple LCDs are identical in their aspect ratios; the Dell is just less sharp/larger by a small margin.
-RS
quidire said:
1.85:1 and 2.35:1 I've heard of. But 2.55:1 or 2.66:1? Do you know of any examples?
dejo said:
Not off the top of my head, and I'm about to head home, so I'd rather look it up later...
The point being, almost all movies are wider in aspect ratio than the HDTV/display standard "widescreen".
Which isn't that big a deal; one should just rest assured that all "widescreen" displays have the same aspect ratio: 16x9 for TVs, 16x10 for computer screens.
-RS
quidire said:
thanks, that clears it up. so it doesn't matter if i get a dell or a ACD from that perspective.
andi
I know very little about Dell as a company. What kind of business practices / attitudes are we talking about?dejo said:
Well I got home - and the 23" ACD was waiting for me. I'm using it now...
WOW!
It's just beautiful. Perhaps my perceptions are shaped by having a 12" PB for so long (running off the PB now; the PM won't arrive for another week) but ... this is an amazing amount of room.
As for dead/stuck pixel, one pixel doesn't have green. (so it's 1/3 dead) Without PiXel Check I can't find it. That's it, in the 2.5 million pixels (7.5 million subpixels), just one subpixel is dead - and I haven't tried "healing" it yet.
-RS
WOW!
It's just beautiful. Perhaps my perceptions are shaped by having a 12" PB for so long (running off the PB now; the PM won't arrive for another week) but ... this is an amazing amount of room.
As for dead/stuck pixel, one pixel doesn't have green. (so it's 1/3 dead) Without PiXel Check I can't find it. That's it, in the 2.5 million pixels (7.5 million subpixels), just one subpixel is dead - and I haven't tried "healing" it yet.
-RS