Buying a new monitor for Mac Pro, dual screens or 27"? Which brand?

[SamWavy]

Hey Mac Rumour users,

I've found this site really helpful and I'm back with another dilemma.
I recently purchased a Mac Pro Desktop, and it's time to buy a new LED monitor(s) for this beast and I would like your recommendations.

I'm mainly using the desktop/monitor for music and video production.
Is it better for me to go with dual screens or a 27"? I have tried dual, and yes, it does give me more workspace.

If I go with the dual screen, what size for the monitors do you guys recommend?
(2) of the 22" or 23", or 24"? I do have enough deskspace.
Any brands I should stay away from?

My budget is $500-600. The Apple Cinema display is out of the question if I get dual because their costly.
"If" I do get an Apple Cinema Display, it would have be the use anti-glare ones.

As of right now, I am leaning towards (2) Asus VH238H, 23" LED Full 1080P HD Monitor 50,000,000:1(SCR).
However, this can change anytime.

Any suggestions, recommendations will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!

 

[aramosc]

I have 1 24" ACD and saving for the second cinema display.. if you dont mind the anti glare you can find the 24s in the 500 range i bought mine foor 400

 

[parapup]

I am waiting on this puppy x2.

 

[SamWavy]

I have 1 24" ACD and saving for the second cinema display.. if you dont mind the anti glare you can find the 24s in the 500 range i bought mine foor 400

I would actually prefer the anti-glare if I get an apple cinema display.
Unfortunately, everyones selling the newer 24" ACD models in my city (ranging from $500-600 each), which are glossy. I'll keep searching ...

I am waiting on this puppy x2.

That monitor looks pretty cool! How much are they retailing for?

 

[parapup]

That monitor looks pretty cool! How much are they retailing for?

Not known yet however it is listed under "value" monitors so I hope it will be reasonably priced! It is a MVA Panel btw - should be on par with IPS or very close.

 

[nanofrog]

If you need color accuracy, then you'd want to stay away from TN panels. Ideally, some form of IPS panel would be the best way to go, and they're not all that cheap (i.e. NEC, Eizo Nanao, and a few others use them, including Apple). For a nice balance of screen real estate and cost, you'd probably be looking at a 24", such as the NEC LCD2490WUXi2-BK (bhphotovideo sells it for $659). Vastly better monitor than the TN panel you're looking at.

 

[toxic]

I'd prefer dual ~23's to one 27 or 30. assuming you don't hate 16:9, there's the Dell U2211H and U2311H, HP ZR22w, and NEC EA231WMi. all are 1920x1080. getting two new ones is at the high end of your budget, but you should be able to find discounts or refurbs.

they're all CCFL, but the IPS panels they use are worth much more than an LED backlight.

 

[Rics]

Got a Dell 2211H since one week, i find it really good...a nice compromise between price and quality.
Bought directly from the Dell online shop page.
I'm using it now connected to my macbook pro 13" and waiting june to buy a macpro i'm considering also to buy a second one to have a dual monitor setup with these nice panels.

 

[SamWavy]

If I go with an dual IPS LED Monitors,
Would I be okay with this ASUS model?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236122&Tpk=ASUS ML239H

 

[DeeEss]

I have dual NEC 2690's and swear by them. Internal LUT's and hardware calibration makes them super colour accurate. You can find them at a decent price these days or try the 2490 from NEC too.

 

[Transporteur]

Don't fixate too much on the LED backlight. LED does nothing to the picture itself, in fact CCFL is better for colour accuracy.

The only advantage of LED is that you get 100% brightness from the first second and they consume a little less power.

Lay your focus on the panel type. Either type of IPS or VA is fine. Avoid TN at any cost, they are just not worth it.

 

[nanofrog]

I have dual NEC 2690's and swear by them. Internal LUT's and hardware calibration makes them super colour accurate. You can find them at a decent price these days or try the 2490 from NEC too.

I have the 2490, and wouldn't trade it for the world.

 

[tamvly]

Personally, I've been thinking about the NEC 27" for color photography work. It gets great reviews and can be had for about $1100 mail order.

 

[SamWavy]

I don't think the IPS Monitor will benefit me,
even if it's color correction because I'm using it for mainly production, also video here and there.
I'm not a graphic designer, sending in stuff for print.

 

[Transporteur]

I don't think the IPS Monitor will benefit me,
even if it's color correction because I'm using it for mainly production and video, here and there.
I'm not a graphic designer, sending in stuff for print.

You don't have to be a graphics designer to benefit from IPS. I'm not either and would never ever buy a TN again. I did that mistake once.

The thing with TN is that the colours shift depending on your viewing angle. Turn your head even slightly from the centre of the screen and you'll see massive colour shifts. The larger the display, the more severe this issue gets as you don't even have to move your head.
This issue gets even worse when you try to use portrait mode.

There are some really cheap eIPS panels out there (NEC, the Asus you listed, Dell), so there really is no need to buy a TN any more.

 

[nanofrog]

I don't think the IPS Monitor will benefit me,
even if it's color correction because I'm using it for mainly production, also video here and there.
I'm not a graphic designer, sending in stuff for print.

You don't have to match up the screen image to the print image in terms of color space?

I'm under the impression that this is highly important to the print industry, and would mean you'd need a better monitor than one using a TN panel, as well as color calibration software and colorimeters (i.e. products by companies such as X-Rite and Datacolor).

Given your described usage, IPS would absolutely be the way to go. Anything else is a waste of time, additional aggravation, and end up costing you more money (i.e. having to send a TN panel monitor back, and eat shipping, possibly restocking fees, then buy what you really need - extra time and money consumed for things like this = big headache to me, so I prefer to do the research first, and make the right choice the first time ).