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Best monitor for Mac Pro?

Dell U2410's not as good as Apple 24" LED after all :(

I take it back. I got the two Dell U2410's. I spent two days color calibrating them along with the 24" LED, and the Apple display was crisper, smoother, and one of the Dell's had dead pixels. Sucks as I was exited, so I think I'm going to take back the two Dell's and stick with 2 24" LED displays. Shame.
 
jjahshik32 said:
I recommend the NEC EA231WMI, excellent IPS monitor.
Click to expand...

I was able to get two refurbished Apple 24" LED LCD's from the online store for $599. About $125 more than the Dell's, but as both had bad pixels and CCFL LCD's that weren't as bright or color accurate as the Apple displays, I'll gladly pay $250 more.
 
bedifferent said:
This may have been posted and addressed already. I have an 08 Mac Pro with the ATI Radeon HD 4870, one MDP and one DVI. I am running the 24" LED LCD on the MDP and a 7 year old 23" ACD on the DVI. The 23" Apple display is crapping out, burn-ins and yellowing, so I grabbed another 24" LED from Apple as they're being discontinued and I didn't want to diff displays with diff specs.

Any thing I'm missing? I read most of the thread but I'm too slammed with work to read 250+ posts.

Thanks!!!
Click to expand...

Buy a GT 120
 
kellen said:
Buy a GT 120
Click to expand...

Thanks, I did just that. Now I'm wondering if I should hold off as the new 5870 and 5770 that shipped with the 2010 Mac Pro's have been tested and work 100% with the 2008 AND 2006 Mac Pro's. I could sell my 4870 for $275 or so, buy the 5770 for about ~$200 with my discount, and return the unopened GT 120. So I'd be saving money and getting a new card (even if the benefits of the 5770 aren't as apparent compared to the 4870, it's cheaper and would only require one power cable).
 
Hey guys,

For the life of me monitors are something I know nothing about. I'm a mixing/mastering engineer so as long as it's reliable it's something I pay no attention to!


Saying that I want to get a second monitor for my home MP setup. (I currently have a Samsung 226BW). I'd like to get a second to have more screen real estate, and something to plug a games console into (so it needs HDMI ports)

Past that I have no idea what to get, I'd like it to be 22" (to match the size of my other one, I think it'd be weird to have 2 different sizes)

Price wise I'd like to spend under £150 ($250) and certainly no more than £200 ($300). Colour neutrality doesn't bother me, in fact I'd like a "Larger than life" image for gaming.

My price range is probably way under everyone here, but do any of you have an idea of what I should look at? (no pun intended)
 
bedifferent said:
I take it back. I got the two Dell U2410's. I spent two days color calibrating them along with the 24" LED, and the Apple display was crisper, smoother, and one of the Dell's had dead pixels. Sucks as I was exited, so I think I'm going to take back the two Dell's and stick with 2 24" LED displays. Shame.
Click to expand...

Dell has a no-dead-pixel policy, so you can just swap it. I personally can't deal with the Apple Uber-Gloss, so I went with a 30" Dell. Not one hot/dead pixel, thankfully.
 
bedifferent said:
I was able to get two refurbished Apple 24" LED LCD's from the online store for $599. About $125 more than the Dell's, but as both had bad pixels and CCFL LCD's that weren't as bright or color accurate as the Apple displays, I'll gladly pay $250 more.
Click to expand...

I've owned the 24" LED ACD since the first day it was released but sold it off 4 months ago.

Since the price drop of the 24" LED ACD to $799 I picked one up at my local Apple Store 3 weeks ago but it had 2 stuck pixels. I exchanged it for a new one and the new one had another stuck pixel. I went for it for the 3rd time but lo and behold another stuck pixel.

Anyways, I gave up with the 24" LED ACD and I know how great it is (brightness is awesome) but I just couldnt get ahold of one without any stuck pixel.

The NEC 23" that I've ordered looks very similar to the 24" LED ACD's panel, although its an e-IPS panel, I cant tell any real big difference. On the plus side it has a matte screen which I am very fond of compared to the 24" LED ACD's glossy display. The glossy display never really bothered me anyways (except when viewing a movie or webpage in total black, too much reflections!).

For $329 with free shipping, no backlight bleeding whatsoever (very very uniform), matte *clean* display, excellent IPS panel, colors pop very nicely and ultimately not a single stuck/dead pixel!

Right now I'm heavily contemplating taking my 17" i7 macbook pro back for the 3.2GHz quad mac pro and picking up another one of these NEC monitors to run it in dual setup.
 
i guess its rather obvious to say that people have different experiences with their monitors..

i think ill just count myself lucky that i have virtually perfect U2311H's... there is minor backlight bleed near the upper left corner of the one i'm using as the main monitor though - sorta funny when i can't see any bleed on the one im using to the right of it... can't be bothered swapping them... especially since its in the upper left corner - where the menu bar is..

i don't have a hardware calibrator but i did use the suggested settings found here and it looks perfect to me with both monitors pretty much being identical - if there is any difference between the two. i dont think its something noticeable with the naked eye ;)
 
jjahshik32 said:
I've owned the 24" LED ACD since the first day it was released but sold it off 4 months ago.

Since the price drop of the 24" LED ACD to $799 I picked one up at my local Apple Store 3 weeks ago but it had 2 stuck pixels. I exchanged it for a new one and the new one had another stuck pixel. I went for it for the 3rd time but lo and behold another stuck pixel.

Anyways, I gave up with the 24" LED ACD and I know how great it is (brightness is awesome) but I just couldnt get ahold of one without any stuck pixel.
Click to expand...

That's REAL bad luck, sorry mate :eek: LG makes the panels for the Apple displays. Interestingly, I read so many threads (my head hurts) that related some news. Dell uses LG for their panels as well, but apparently Apple has first pick of the panels, and Dell gets the rest, based on contractual agreements. I've read this on many sites, which shocked me as I can't believe a company would allow such an agreement.

Dell's have been notorious for dead pixels and banding issues. Google the U2410, you'd be surprised how many have exchanged their displays with Dell for many reasons and ultimately giving up and buying LG or NEC displays (and if you have the cash, EIZO displays). I've read some Apple displays have had a few issues, but based on CNET, Consumer Reports and other reviews, Apple has had strong marks ever since their CCFL ACD's (and even the older studio LCD's) have been on the market (with the 30" CCFL ACD still one of the best).

The 24" LED I have had for a year has been going strong. I just don't want three of them, but at this point you're the first person I've encountered who has had that experience with Apple displays (I do know that the iMac displays had yellowing issues that were fixed). In the end, hopefully the two refurbished 24" displays coming from Apple will be in good shape (strongly knocking on some serious wood). :eek:
 
strausd said:
I have had one problem regarding my monitors, but I'm pretty sure its not the u2311h's fault. I have an ATI 5870, 24" Apple display, u2311h, and a TV. I was planning on putting all of those into the 5870. The Apple display is MDP (of course), the TV is HDMI to MDP (so that takes care of the 2 MDPs), and the u2311h single link DVI. So the config when looking at the MP from the back right to left is Apple display (MDP), TV (MDP), and u2311h (Single link DVI).

With all three plugged in, the u2311h never got a signal, so I was like what the heck is going on. So I tried unplugging everything and plugging it back in and nothing, tried a restart, nothing. At the time, only the Apple display and the TV showed up. The Apple display was in the middle, TV to the left, and the u2311h was going to be on the right, but I wasn't able to position it yet in system prefs. So I decided to unplug the TV and the second I unplugged the TV, the u2311h came up with the Snow Leopard background. I changed the position to be to the right and went to see what would happen if I plugged the TV back in. The second I plugged it back in, the u2311h went blank and the TV showed a Snow Leopard screen, but it kept the position on the left.

So it looks like the 5870 recognizes three different displays, but not if they are all plugged in at once. Would anyone know how to fix this?
Click to expand...

Did you ever get this issue resolved?

I just got off the phone with Apple support regarding a similar issue I'm having with the U2311H. They were mentioning that if you're connecting three displays to the new Mac Pro, there's an extra power cable inside the computer for the graphics card that must be connected in order to drive three displays. This is the first I've heard about this, so I thought I'd pass it along. I don't really know any more than that.
 
Gh0stKiller said:
Did you ever get this issue resolved?

I just got off the phone with Apple support regarding a similar issue I'm having with the U2311H. They were mentioning that if you're connecting three displays to the new Mac Pro, there's an extra power cable inside the computer for the graphics card that must be connected in order to drive three displays. This is the first I've heard about this, so I thought I'd pass it along. I don't really know any more than that.
Click to expand...

Never got it resolved. Buying another cable makes no sense for me, especially since the dual link DVI is for 30" displays and this is only a 23" display. And now I am having issues with my TV having extremely low frame rates, but I think that is because it is a rather long HDMI cable...
 
I've been looking at options over the last few days since I want to eventually have 2 monitors to use with my Mac Pro. The Apple display isnt in my budget, so I'm going to get going with 2 smaller displays that have the screen same size and resolution.

I'll be using the monitors in conjunction with one another for music production, and one of them will be used for a bit of gaming and movie watching as well.


I've been eyeing this Dell SP 23 inch monitor.

http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/...etail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&sku=320-7641

It is intended for gaming, but I'm not entirely sure what that means other than that it is not an IPS display. Here are the disadvantages and advantages I can see at the moment.

+The resolution isnt standard, meaning I effectively get about an extra 1.5 inches of screen space (using 21.5'' and 27'' resolutions as a reference point)
+200$ per monitor isnt a bad deal. I'm not sure if they're likely to have any coupons or drop any lower.

-Not an IPS display
-The resolution isnt standard, meaning that if I put other monitors alongside this one, they wont align properly. I'd need to get 2 of these and stick with them.


Thoughts?
 
So someone showed me this video which convinced me that it might be worth getting an IPS display.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dw0acUxMaKo


For my budget, I'm not really interested in anything other than a discounted U2311h, but then I saw this review:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4Q78-G1xHA


Around 5:10, he shows a black screen in a completely dark room, and the backlight bleed is utterly ridiculous. Is that a fluke? Here is another review where they showed a picture of the black screen in a dark room and it didnt really look like there was any bleed.

http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/dell_u2311h.htm
 
Ravich said:
So someone showed me this video which convinced me that it might be worth getting an IPS display.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dw0acUxMaKo


For my budget, I'm not really interested in anything other than a discounted U2311h, but then I saw this review:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4Q78-G1xHA


Around 5:10, he shows a black screen in a completely dark room, and the backlight bleed is utterly ridiculous. Is that a fluke? Here is another review where they showed a picture of the black screen in a dark room and it didnt really look like there was any bleed.

http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/dell_u2311h.htm
Click to expand...

It's luck of the draw...

I have 2 U2311H's... one has minor backlight bleed at the top, the other has none.
 
strausd said:
Never got it resolved. Buying another cable makes no sense for me, especially since the dual link DVI is for 30" displays and this is only a 23" display. And now I am having issues with my TV having extremely low frame rates, but I think that is because it is a rather long HDMI cable...
Click to expand...

Take a look at this:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4279

It doesn't address how to adapt HDMI to MDP as in your configuration, but it may help you figure out some solution. Too bad there are limitations like this in the configuration of your displays.
 
Why can't Apple just use industry standard connectors. Pro users need to use displays not made by Apple. Apple has always made top quality computers but their displays have always had shortcomings.
OK that's the end of my rant!
 
dimme said:
Why can't Apple just use industry standard connectors. Pro users need to use displays not made by Apple. Apple has always made top quality computers but their displays have always had shortcomings.
OK that's the end of my rant!
Click to expand...

honestly, I've used displays from Eizo to Dell to HP to Apple displays. I recently replaced my 7 year old 23" ACD with two Dell U2410. Both Dell displays had issues; either dead pixels, banding, etc. Dell was GREAT in that they accepted both with a full refund and shipping.

I eventually ordered two refurbished 24" LED LCD's from Apple to compliment the one I already own. No issues, great color, clarity, and no bleeding or dead pixels. Of course I don't need three web cams and built in speakers, and I already have two MDP's, and a MPD to DVI adapter. For everyone who complains about glare (I used to be one of them) it's b.s. Once fired up and running, I've never had an issue. Glare can impact displays without glass fronts (which is what causes "glare", Apple stopped using plastic in a lot of their products), which is why professionals use shields to ensure accuracy.
 
Ravich said:
Around 5:10, he shows a black screen in a completely dark room, and the backlight bleed is utterly ridiculous. Is that a fluke? Here is another review where they showed a picture of the black screen in a dark room and it didnt really look like there was any bleed.
Click to expand...

The backlight bleed in that YouTube review is not that bad. Mine has less than that, but still a little bit on the bottom corners. I've seen WAY worse. Keep in mind, he's changing viewing angles, which makes it look a lot more significant than it is. When you change angles on most monitors (let along affordable ones), it's going to shift like that.

But if you think that much backlight bleed is "utterly ridiculous," you probably need to be saving up for a more expensive monitor or be prepared to keep sending monitors back to Dell.
 
What do you guys think:
Apple Cinema Display 30" or NEC LCD3090wqxi or HP ZR30w or wait for Dell u3011 - use: graphic design, photography, video editing.
 
2contagious said:
What do you guys think:
Apple Cinema Display 30" or NEC LCD3090wqxi or HP ZR30w or wait for Dell u3011 - use: graphic design, photography, video editing.
Click to expand...

the NEC is going to beat them all by a good amount !! get the SV software for it well worth it !!!

the new HP is not as good as the older HP 30 ! the dell ? well its a dell ? not going to be the best for photogs the apple is old and really lacking also


note the new PA series of NEC has a 30 coming out this fall sometime ? but the NEC 30 is a great monitor
 
Honumaui said:
the NEC is going to beat them all by a good amount !! get the SV software for it well worth it !!!

the new HP is not as good as the older HP 30 ! the dell ? well its a dell ? not going to be the best for photos the apple is old and really lacking also


note the new PA series of NEC has a 30 coming out this fall sometime ? but the NEC 30 is a great monitor
Click to expand...

Yeah, I do have a weird feeling about Dell and HP.. never really liked them. I'm more tending towards the ACD 30" or the NEC monitor. Yes, the Apple screen is old (last silent update 2007), but does that make it 'bad'? (I mean even the NEC monitor is from 2008 isn't it?) How do the two screens compare in terms of image quality etc?

What's the PA series? It'll probably be a lot more expensive than the current 30" NEC, no?
 
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