30" Cinema Display or iMac?

[SPNarwhal]

I'm thinking about getting either a 30" Cinema Display or an iMac this christmas.
Which do you think is a better deal?

I doubt I would get the new iMac, since it's pretty expensive.
I'd buy a used one off craigslist, maybe the 24".
But with the Cinema Display, I have a 17" uMBP that I would just use with it.
Though, I would still have to buy the mount and everything for it.

I'm assuming that both of these would cost similar amounts in the end,
except with one I am getting a whole 2nd computer, opposed to just a display.
And with the other, I get a wider display.
I'd rather the extra computer function, but I want some opinions on what to do.
I'm not really sure how much a Cinema Display costs, or the mount for it.
iMacs I know I can get for about 1,200 or so.

 

[thegoldenmackid]

Do you have a use/need for a second computer?

 

[SPNarwhal]

kind of, that way i can be without my laptop if needed.
there's plenty of times i'd like to leave my laptop at someone's house but i can't be without it, since my PC right now is a 5 year old dell.
it would help a lot.

 

[300D]

The 30" Cinema Display is a terrible deal. Its 5 years old and had only its price changed in that time.

Its FAR overdue for an update.

 

[mrsir2009]

The 30" Cinema Display is a terrible deal. Its 5 years old and had only its price changed in that time.

Its FAR overdue for an update.

Oh yeah, the 30" ACD hasn't changed since it came out 5 years ago lol... How much is it?

 

[300D]

Oh yeah, the 30" ACD hasn't changed since it came out 5 years ago lol

http://www.everymac.com/monitors/apple/studio_cinema/specs/apple_cinema_display_30.html

"The Apple 30-Inch Cinema Display (Aluminum), designed to aesthetically complement the previously introduced Power Macintosh G5 and PowerBook G4 models, features a 30-inch (29.7 inch viewable) wide-format (2560x1600) active-matrix LCD display and dual FireWire "400" and dual USB 2.0 ports."

I was wrong about only the price changing in that time though, Apple increased the brightness and contrast ratio in 2006.

 

[Techhie]

The 30" Cinema Display is a terrible deal. Its 5 years old and had only its price changed in that time.

Its FAR overdue for an update.

Far overdue for an update of both aesthetics and price. Seriously, I can buy an equivalent 30" panel on ebay for half the price.

 

[RaceTripper]

A better deal yet is the Dell 3008WFP 30" display. It's $1399 (incl. 3 year advanced replacement warranty) when it goes on sale (which is frequently), it supports Displayport, so you don't have to spend an extra $99 for the overpriced Apple mDP to Dl-DVI adapter that the ACD 30 requires (and that a lot of people day doesn't work right). The Dell uses a newer S-IPS LCD panel and looks fantastic.

The Apple 30" Cinema Display is $1799, plus another $99 for the mDP->DL-DVI adapter, and it only gets 1 year warranty. A refurbished ACD is $1299, so when you factor in the required crapdapter that's a whole $1 less than a brand new Dell 3008 with 3 year warranty. The mDP->DP cable you'll need for the Dell is less than $5 from Monoprice and works great.

I've had mine for about 2 weeks, and it does have an issue where it needs a warm-up period of 15-30 mins. before the color stabilizes, but Dell is sending me a brand new one to replace it.

As much as I hate Dell for their craptops I had in the past, I think this is a much better way to go than the ACD.

 

[silverprince]

I'm thinking about getting either a 30" Cinema Display or an iMac this christmas.
Which do you think is a better deal?

I doubt I would get the new iMac, since it's pretty expensive.
I'd buy a used one off craigslist, maybe the 24".
But with the Cinema Display, I have a 17" uMBP that I would just use with it.
Though, I would still have to buy the mount and everything for it.

I'm assuming that both of these would cost similar amounts in the end,
except with one I am getting a whole 2nd computer, opposed to just a display.
And with the other, I get a wider display.
I'd rather the extra computer function, but I want some opinions on what to do.
I'm not really sure how much a Cinema Display costs, or the mount for it.
iMacs I know I can get for about 1,200 or so.

I think it depends on what you're using it for.

I've seen the iMac 27 next to a 30" Cinema Display.
And the iMac's colours looked so much more brighter.
But having said that, I know a lot of designer friends who can't stand the glossy screen. They don't bother me......it's a personal preference.

The Cinema display's also don't have a WebCam....if that's important to you.
And as mentioned in the above posts, it's 5 years old.

Is Apple going to introduce new Cinema Displays next year?

 

[zerohp]

Personally I'll never buy another LCD with a CCFL back light. That's the real advantage of the new iMac, its LED (also part of why the colors look so much better).