Best monitor for Mac Pro?

[derbothaus]

What does this remark mean?

It means buy a colorimeter and call it good. You don't need a freakin Eizo. Waste of money. I can get .2 DeltaE consistently on Dell U series with ColorEyes Pro and a good puck. The colors shift just as much or as little as an Eizo or LaCie etc. Those are welled binned PVA and IPS panels that come with a Color calibration pack from some other manufacturer that you can buy separately, and cheaper.

 

[FluJunkie]

A little bit of an update... So far I love my Dell u2311h. Having it right next to my 24" ACD really makes me wish that it wasn't so dang glossy. The only benefit of a glossy screen is it looks nice when its turned off, but thats obviously not why people buy monitors.

Got the same model I did. I love it, and someday, will be adding a 2nd.

 

[tums]

I've been super happy with my Cinema 24 LED. Good color and balance.

 

[Levina]

I'm shopping for a screen as well and have been looking at the Fujitsu P27T-6 IPS. Prad reviewed it (in German, although I think you can buy an English translation), was very positive except there were some problems with brightness uniformity which cost the screen the top rating so it got a 'good' instead.

I have been reading good things from users as well (and one DOA with bad service from Fujitsu as they repaired instead of replaced it and the buyer now feels he bought a refurbished one...).

Apparently this is the same panel used by Apple and Dell in their 27"s. It sells here for 600 euro (some $ 850), which is the same as the Dell costs.

Anybody here have any experience with this monitor maybe?

 

[strausd]

I'm shopping for a screen as well and have been looking at the Fujitsu P27T-6 IPS. Prad reviewed it (in German, although I think you can buy an English translation), was very positive except there were some problems with brightness uniformity which cost the screen the top rating so it got a 'good' instead.

I have been reading good things from users as well (and one DOA with bad service from Fujitsu as they repaired instead of replaced it and the buyer now feels he bought a refurbished one...).

Apparently this is the same panel used by Apple and Dell in their 27"s. It sells here for 600 euro (some $ 850), which is the same as the Dell costs.

Anybody here have any experience with this monitor maybe?

My friend has a dell 27" and he loves it. I guess part may depend on if you want a matte screen (go dell) or if you don't mind that and want a build in facetime camera (go apple).

 

[kimnjerry]

suggestion for old newbie?

Greetings.

I know this question belongs in peripherals, but I've been reading this entire thread (which seems intelligent and on point), and hope that you can help an older newbie cut through the tech-speak.

I'm buying an MB Pro 13 for my home computer, have old eyes, and am looking for an external monitor to read online, write and grade papers (pivot to portrait mode) and show PPT to my classes. No graphics or games...just text big enough to read and not tire my eyes, and the pivot option. I think a 23" is sufficient (and inexpensive enough). I see a lot of 16:9 monitors; is a different aspect better for me? Is the U2311H (or its successor) my best bet? one of the others initially mentioned by a knowledgeable user? Or another option?

NEC EA231WMi
Dell Ultrasharp 2209WA
HP ZR24w
HP ZR22w
HP LP2475w

I appreciate your help. You folks know more than I do.

 

[strausd]

I know a music teacher who makes her own scores on her MBA. The screen is way too small for her so I suggested a Dell u2311h and she loves it. Reading musical notes is a little different from reading papers, but she hasn't had any problems with it.

 

[FluJunkie]

Greetings.

I know this question belongs in peripherals, but I've been reading this entire thread (which seems intelligent and on point), and hope that you can help an older newbie cut through the tech-speak.

I'm buying an MB Pro 13 for my home computer, have old eyes, and am looking for an external monitor to read online, write and grade papers (pivot to portrait mode) and show PPT to my classes. No graphics or games...just text big enough to read and not tire my eyes, and the pivot option. I think a 23" is sufficient (and inexpensive enough). I see a lot of 16:9 monitors; is a different aspect better for me? Is the U2311H (or its successor) my best bet? one of the others initially mentioned by a knowledgeable user? Or another option?

NEC EA231WMi
Dell Ultrasharp 2209WA
HP ZR24w
HP ZR22w
HP LP2475w

I appreciate your help. You folks know more than I do.

I'm an academic, so most of my life is reading PDF papers and writing them. I use a U2311H, and love it.

 

[HellbergFilms]

What about an Asus PA246Q? Has anyone had any hands on with this guy? It looks very nice on paper for the price... I am thinking of replacing a couple monitors with these... maybe even replace my 24" ACD to have three of the same monitor... So far I have seen pretty good reviews of it, and for only $500, its not too bad at all.

 

[namethisfile]

i recently got the asus pa238q. i was looking for an affordable ips display and this is one of four ips panels under $300. the other three is a viewsonic, hp and nec. the nec and viewsonic were out of stock so i grabbed the asus. and the hp is a 21.5" inch display vs. 23 inch asus.

i am happy with this monitor's uniformity, color and viewing angles. the uniformity and/or black level is so good that i was concerned about the backlight bleed that i notice watching dark scenes in movies and/or have a dark background image but decided to keep the monitor anyway, instead of exchanging it because i am too lazy and/or didn't wanna roll the dice again.

i posted some pictures of the blb on my posts here if you are interested:

https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=13330508#post13330508

 

[schnee]

I have an NEC PA271W.

Amazing monitor. Same screen and internals as an Eizo, half the price.

Comes with a color meter, so I can calibrate it as much as I want. I do color critical work (for licensed brands) so that's important.

Has a sweet hood accessory.

Pivots.

Upstream USB ports, lots of other connectors.

I highly recommend it.

 

[Nostromo]

Yes, the NEC PA-271W would be an excellent choice.

It's all the way on the top of monitors to buy with a Mac Pro.

The cinema display is out of the question for me because of it's mirror surface: I rarely shave in front of my computer.

 

[wikus]

What about an Asus PA246Q? Has anyone had any hands on with this guy? It looks very nice on paper for the price... I am thinking of replacing a couple monitors with these... maybe even replace my 24" ACD to have three of the same monitor... So far I have seen pretty good reviews of it, and for only $500, its not too bad at all.

I got it about two weeks ago.

I'm coming off an LG L246WP (P-MVA) and the difference is pretty big. The LG I had, had a bit of a yellowish tint to it no matter how much i played around with the settings on it. I used it for about 3-4 years before buying my Asus PA246Q.

First impressions;
-its pre-assembled. Nice.
-its swivel from left to right is pretty smooth, the tilt for up and down is also pretty good and so is the height adjustment.

in terms of colour accuracy, I can definitely say the colours REALLY effin' vibrant. its a pretty bright display but I got used to it rather quickly. Blacks appear quite dark. I heard that the Asus PA246Q is using the same panel as the Dell Ultrasharp U2410. A friend of mine has the dell and to be honest, the vibrancy seems pretty on par with mine.

I'm not all that tech-savvy when it comes to colour reproduction, but from a general consumer I'm really diggin this monitor. what sets it apart is the price. its probably one of the less expensive IPS panels, so i would have to say you get the best bang for your buck with it.

oh, and the on screen display of 8x10, 5x7, 8.5x11 etc to measure documents without printing, REALLY COOL. Its kind of weird how nobody has thought of this before.

check out this video, skip to the 8:25 mark to see the coolest feature of the monitor.

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

 

[Macrovertigo]

thanks for all the viewpoints ...

You all really helped me make what for me is an informed choice to replace my "adequate" old monitor that has just done me the favor of giving up the ghost - I just bought a reconditioned 2010 27in cinema display from apple store, and I know it is the right choice not just the right choice. I don't know what I have been waiting for anyway, my Mac Pro has been laughing at the monitor since I unboxed it!

 

[thekev]

First off to the OP, LED is still pretty much shunned for color critical work. Dell, NEC, Eizo, Lacie, Quato, etc. still use ccfl for their top color critical displays.

It means buy a colorimeter and call it good. You don't need a freakin Eizo. Waste of money. I can get .2 DeltaE consistently on Dell U series with ColorEyes Pro and a good puck. The colors shift just as much or as little as an Eizo or LaCie etc. Those are welled binned PVA and IPS panels that come with a Color calibration pack from some other manufacturer that you can buy separately, and cheaper.

If you're suggesting .2 is accurate to any color including greyscale tones you're simply uneducated. Even reference grade devices used to test other devices have a greater margin of error (maybe at the $50k+ range you might get down to .2) .2 DeltaE no matter what manner of calculations they use is beyond the accuracy scope of any manufacturer that makes one of these pucks.

Second it's only for the point you measured and if it's only returning that one number, it's probably based upon deviation from a D65 neutral grey when tracked from white to black. Some of these colorimeters in the shadow areas can be + or - 4 delta E or more. Unless you've got a laboratory grade device there, I'm talking about the one you own. There are only a few sensors out there so far that do a reasonably good job with Adobe 1998 display gamuts as well, so if you're buying a wider gamut display, some research is in order. Dells aren't really terrible if you pick a good model. I haven't personally observed their stability, but new they look ok.

I have an NEC PA271W.

Amazing monitor. Same screen and internals as an Eizo, half the price.

Comes with a color meter, so I can calibrate it as much as I want. I do color critical work (for licensed brands) so that's important.

Has a sweet hood accessory.

Pivots.

Upstream USB ports, lots of other connectors.

I highly recommend it.

I have experience with both as I've owned both. NEC =/= Eizo. NEC used to kind of suck. They would start off nice. Over time the uniformity would worsen. You'd go from having to calibrate it monthly to every two weeks, to every week, and it still wouldn't be the same anyway. NEC also has a harder time getting down to a print white if you're trying to match a viewing booth result. Older NECs under heavy use performed well for maybe a year and a half. Colorcomp also sucked and could get way out of synch with a display as it aged. I've seen this across models. What they had was a cheaper price tag and they were okay were new assuming you didn't get a dud. If you see poor uniformity on an NEC take it back immediately.

Now for the good things about NEC. They've improved quite a bit since the start of the 80s and 90s series displays. The new ones are looking a lot nicer and rumored to last longer. They still really can't beat Eizo for stability. If you're doing that kind of work you're judging off hard copy proofs in the end anyway. If you aren't someone else is.

----------

Yes, the NEC PA-271W would be an excellent choice.

It's all the way on the top of monitors to buy with a Mac Pro.

The cinema display is out of the question for me because of it's mirror surface: I rarely shave in front of my computer.

I've had better luck with Eizo but that is a really nice display. The 27" Eizo definitely costs too much if you just need one. They can make more sense for a larger company that requires greater inter display uniformity.

 

[derbothaus]

If you're suggesting .2 is accurate to any color including greyscale tones you're simply uneducated. Even reference grade devices used to test other devices have a greater margin of error (maybe at the $50k+ range you might get down to .2) .2 DeltaE no matter what manner of calculations they use is beyond the accuracy scope of any manufacturer that makes one of these pucks.

Well that is the number it gives after calibration and I have used this package across multiple screens and it does deviate based on the quality of panel.
Whether the manufacturers SW result of accuracy is "technically" right may be a debate and I obviously can't answer this for you as I don't work for any of these companies. But looking (with same limited tools) at a PVA that can get down to "alleged" 0.4 and a Dell IPS at .29 and then run it on the company Eizo and get .32, would you not conclude that in at least one area of the display (where the puck was) the Dell is more accurate? Whether this holds up in a lab is not my concern as all the other manufacturers have the same tools at their disposal. And I am just looking at possible display capabilities.
Either way a puck will get you better results than the factory profile every time. My point was you can save some money and get great results much cheaper. If you have a problem with colorimeters that is fine but it is the extent of cash I was willing to throw at color accuracy. They are a standard. Not sure how that makes me "uneducated". We are talking 300.00 for Dell vs. 3000.00 for Eizo.

 

[thekev]

Well that is the number it gives after calibration and I have used this package across multiple screens and it does deviate based on the quality of panel.
Whether the manufacturers SW result of accuracy is "technically" right may be a debate and I obviously can't answer this for you as I don't work for any of these companies. But looking (with same limited tools) at a PVA that can get down to "alleged" 0.4 and a Dell IPS at .29 and then run it on the company Eizo and get .32, would you not conclude that in at least one area of the display (where the puck was) the Dell is more accurate? Whether this holds up in a lab is not my concern as all the other manufacturers have the same tools at their disposal. And I am just looking at possible display capabilities.
Either way a puck will get you better results than the factory profile every time. My point was you can save some money and get great results much cheaper. If you have a problem with colorimeters that is fine but it is the extent of cash I was willing to throw at color accuracy. They are a standard. Not sure how that makes me "uneducated". We are talking 300.00 for Dell vs. 3000.00 for Eizo.

Ahh perhaps I worded that in kind of a dick manner there. Your comparison there actually means nothing. The reason for this is that the measurement device has a margin of error that is far greater than the level of accuracy it is claiming. If I'm using a cheap plastic ruler that's accurate to 1/10th of an inch but trying to determine something in terms of hundredths of an inch, I have no way of knowing in which direction it is off without comparing to a reference grade device. You must understand that manufacturers lie to you on these things. With a good puck and sometimes some manual adjustment, you can get close enough, but not all pucks perform well with all displays.

I need to mention here the only Eizo that's around 3000 is the 27" self calibrating one. The closest thing Dell makes is one I recall being around $1100. The only reason the difference is even that much is because for some reason the Eizo is priced extremely high in the US relative to Europe and the UK. While the difference between low end and high end has been mitigated immensely in the past few years, the Dell is still not on the same level as Eizo in quality control or stability. The difference isn't as huge now. Around 2007 the CG211 made the Apple cinema displays look like absolute trash if placed side by side. They do still have a tighter level of tolerance in manufacturing. You won't see the full advantages of such a line if you only own one display. They're really designed for their ability to match up a number of equivalent models which is great for a company that needs to purchase a number of color critical displays.

Chances are the OP may not be best served by spending that much, but this doesn't lend credence to the silly theoretical numbers output by profiling software. In the end if you're not attempting to match prints viewed under controlled lighting, you're probably fine with the Dell as long as you can at least get a neutral greyscale at D65. To the OP's statements, what do you mean "shimmering"? LG's anti glare coatings do give kind of a residual sparkle which can be annoying. It's not too bad in low light though. I've read about plenty of issues and bugs. I'm just not 100% sure I know the ones you're referring to.

 

[ronjohnson88]

I think that I have just the place for you. This place is all about Apple and will help you see what you need and what to look for. You will love it.
Check it out and let me know what you think.

 

[vitzr]

Just picked up an Apple LED Cinema Display (27" flat panel) and it's drop dead gorgeous.

Priced One whole dollar under $1,000.00

 

[Macrovertigo]

I am very pleased with my refurbished/new Cinema Display

I am very pleased with my refurbished/new 27in. Apple Cinema Display, I made the unboxing video of course - http://youtu.be/tygIOaeOWSg - I do not have stiff requirements but I do need the screen real estate, and this monitor makes my Mac Pro feel far more complete now. Thanks for all the comments here, this forum has been instrumental once more for me in making a smart decision.

 

[Kimmo]

NEC PA241W.

Really nice wide-gamut matte screen and an ergonomic dream. If you need to raise, lower or change the orientation of your display between horizontal and vertical (which I do for photography) it does the job exceptionally well.

With a little shopping, it can be had for under $1,000 with calibration sensor included.

 

[steveOooo]

HP LP2475w Display

24" matte, ips, wide colour gamut

- i found it cheapest on amazon uk - http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...=B001EI8TH8&ref_=sr_1_1&qid=1320428993&sr=8-1

 

[strausd]

So it looks like Dell has discontinued the U2311H on their website.

It is still on Amazon and listed at $325.

It looks like Dell has added a new monitor, which is the Dell U2412M and is $313 on Amazon.

Right now I have a U2311H and a 24" ACD. I will be getting a new monitor for Christmas and don't know if I should go for uniformity with the U2311H or the larger and cheaper U2412M.

Does anybody know how the quality compares between these two? It looks like they are both IPS panels with the same response time and contrast ratio...

 

[Nostromo]

So it looks like Dell has discontinued the U2311H on their website.

It is still on Amazon and listed at $325.

It looks like Dell has added a new monitor, which is the Dell U2412M and is $313 on Amazon.

Right now I have a U2311H and a 24" ACD. I will be getting a new monitor for Christmas and don't know if I should go for uniformity with the U2311H or the larger and cheaper U2412M.

Does anybody know how the quality compares between these two? It looks like they are both IPS panels with the same response time and contrast ratio...

You don't get a good monitor for this little money.

Go after NEC's regular gamut 24" monitors, still on sale at B&H. But it will cost you $650. That's pretty much the minimum you will have to spend for a good monitor.

 

[strausd]

You don't get a good monitor for this little money.

Go after NEC's regular gamut 24" monitors, still on sale at B&H. But it will cost you $650. That's pretty much the minimum you will have to spend for a good monitor.

I am satisfied with my U2311H. You always get what you pay for. But I am perfectly fine with the bang for the buck the U2311H offers, which I think is incredible for under $350. That is why I am curious as to how the quality compares between the U2311H and the U2412M.

And I disagree with you for the minimum amount you have to spend for a "good" monitor. That word is way too subjective. Also, I have only heard good things about the Dell U2410 and that is less than $500. I even remember people praising the monitor for its quality on this thread.

People suggested that to me over the U2311H but I decided on the U2311H because it was half the price at the time and still offered an IPS panel while only being slightly smaller.