Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

what lcd?

T

trainguy77

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Nov 13, 2003
3,567
1
I am looking at buying a LCD to go with my new mac pro when I order it. I am trying to keep it cheap for right now. So I am looking at under $400 cdn.
I have thought of a couple things, I think I will go with a widescreen. I was thinking a Acer AL2016W. However it only has VGA. Will this cause a problem with quality, it looks like it has lots of good reviews. Any other recommendations under $400 cdn?
 
DVI, in my opinion, is critical. There is no reason you shouldnt be able to get a DVI monitor for $400 CAD.

Here is a list of monitors from newegg.com(don't think you can order but you can look up the models on a canadian site).

They are sorted between $300 and $400 USD ($400CAD = $355 USD)

There is even a pretty inexpensive 22" Acer in there, it might be priced similarily in Canada. It also has DVI.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...14219&Subcategory=20&description=&srchInDesc=

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16824009094

Here is that Acer at a canadian retailer, i dont know if they are credible (I think the are). http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=19543&vpn=ET.2216B.0D0&manufacture=Acer
If you wanted to go with a higher quality screen you could go with a smaller Samsung: http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=18705&vpn=LS20HAWCBQ/XAA&manufacture=Samsung


They also have some open box ones at nice savings!


Ok last edit, really. They Viewsonics are nice monitors. They have one under $400 and and open box for $331. I would highly recommened thinking of that. http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=18096&vpn=VX2025WM&manufacture=ViewSonic
 
No offense to the OP, but I love people who will shell out $3,000 for a system and can't afford $400 on a decent display...it's amusing...:D

P.S. If anything, I opt for the higher display, getting much more productivity out of the extra few hundred bucks spent on more real estate, better colors, contrast, & resolution and refresh rate (for my gaming ) than the extra $200 for a .17 ghz bump in processor speed or a one-tier upgrade on video card...
 
There's no substitute for a good display when you're working on creative material. The 20" ACD is down to $699, and even that size, I find, is a little tight on screen real estate for my liking. I can't live without my 23" display (1920x1200). If you do a lot of Photoshop/Flash/Dreamweaver type work, you're better off cutting back on your MacPro a little somewhere and springing the for the Apple display... or at least spend a little more on another display and get something with plenty of resolution, good contrast ratio, etc.

Screen real estate is INCREDIBLY, UNBELIEVABLY important. It's right up there with processor and memory, but (far too often) gets overlooked...
 
Veritas&Equitas said:
No offense to the OP, but I love people who will shell out $3,000 for a system and can't afford $400 on a decent display...it's amusing...:D
Click to expand...
I love you too!:) lol its a football thing.......anyway I guess my thinking has been I am a student so i am pushing the budget right now, but I want a decent system to game on, I am not a heavy video editor, but I love to multi task. So I have used the new imac and they just are not fast enough for what i want to do with them. However I am going from a 17" CRT, so I was thinking a 20" wide screen will be just fine. I was also thinking once I get more money down the road to through at this thing I can by a second monitor and more ram. My budget can't go any higher so should I go for the base video card instead of the x1900? Gaming does not need a 20" + monitor I am fine with a 19 or 20 for right now. Thats just my thoughts.......Maybe I am mistaken.
 
I say go for the Dell 2007wfp and use a 20% off coupon from eBay, bringing the price down to $320 (360 CAD). I did this with my 2407wfp and got it for $640!

Buuuut.. might be a hitch with you being from Canada. One, I noticed you guys pay a lot more than we do for the monitors, and two, I don't know if eBay's coupons will be applicable to the Canadian store.
 
trainguy77 said:
I want a decent system to game on, I am not a heavy video editor, but I love to multi task. So I have used the new imac and they just are not fast enough for what i want to do with them...should I go for the base video card instead of the x1900? Gaming does not need a 20" + monitor I am fine with a 19 or 20 for right now. Thats just my thoughts.......Maybe I am mistaken.
Click to expand...
Truthfully, if that's your goal, the MacPro is probably the most overpriced gaming rig in existence. Essential to gaming:
1. Processor (MacPro = Good)
2. Memory (MacPro = Probably good assuming you get enough)
3. Video card (MacPro = horrific)

The video card on the stock MacPro is considered a low-to-barely-scraping-mid-range card. You won't even be able to play current games at the level you should for a $2300 rig. If you are getting the system for gaming, I suggest getting something completely different. You say you want to game and multitask, yet the MacPro's are NOT meant to be gaming boxes (for the price anyway) and if you want to multitask I'd get something entirely different as well.

I'm sorry to suggest it, but if I were in your shoes, I'd get a nice PC with a big @$$ lcd for $500 less than even just the MacPro without a display.
 
Yeah I would agree that maybe you should rethink your decision to buy a Mac Pro...
 
Veritas&Equitas said:
The video card on the stock MacPro is considered a low-to-barely-scraping-mid-range card. You won't even be able to play current games at the level you should for a $2300 rig. If you are getting the system for gaming, I suggest getting something completely different. You say you want to game and multitask, yet the MacPro's are NOT meant to be gaming boxes (for the price anyway) and if you want to multitask I'd get something entirely different as well.

I'm sorry to suggest it, but if I were in your shoes, I'd get a nice PC with a big @$$ lcd for $500 less than even just the MacPro without a display.
Click to expand...
Well I was planning on going with a x1900. Also I don't game enough to go with a PC. I am sure that I want the mac pro so please don't try talk me out of that. I am just trying to decide on a monitor. I was talking to some friends and if I can get a legal copy of XP from some friends for cheap I will have another $100 or so I can through into the mix.
 
trainguy77 said:
Well I was planning on going with a x1900. Also I don't game enough to go with a PC. I am sure that I want the mac pro so please don't try talk me out of that. I am just trying to decide on a monitor. I was talking to some friends and if I can get a legal copy of XP from some friends for cheap I will have another $100 or so I can through into the mix.
Click to expand...

Did my suggestions help at all?
 
I don't know if they ship to Canada but this viewsonic is a 19" widescreen for $199.99US. I've never had a Viewsonic but that seems like a great deal to me.
 
suneohair said:
Did my suggestions help at all?
Click to expand...
Sorry, yes they did. I think I have printed off a couple sheets for different LCDs. What I am going to do is go to one of the best buys here in Calgary and look at what they got, as they have lots of selection last time i was there they had a good 40+ different models. I will look at them in person and pick one out, but now i know I want to go with widescreen and DVI. I also have some in mind now so i can look at those in person.:D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back