iMac screen and design work?

[photomel]

I am planning on purchasing a 20" 2.4 iMac with 3gb of RAM, but I have serious concerns about the monitor. I will be using it for general web applications, plus InDesign and Photoshop work. While I am not a professional, I would want to have a quality monitor and not have issues with color. (I am a teacher and am in charge of producing the school's yearbook).

I currently an using the schools MacBook, but it just isn't beefy enough for the work I am doing.......plus I would like a Mac of my own! Is there a better choice for me in terms of a screen? Am I making a bad decision?

Thanks for your insights!

 

[lofight]

ACD are better screens normally and they exist in larger formats.. maybe a 2nd hand Mac pro with a good ACD?

 

[spawn135]

ACD are better screens normally and they exist in larger formats.. maybe a 2nd hand Mac pro with a good ACD?

Is the iMac screen bad? A lot of companies, and even magazine publishers have iMacs.

 

[JasonElise1983]

well, the iMac screen is better than the MacBook screen, so if that is what you are used to, then you are getting a bettter monitor. I personally hate glossy screens, but if you are using a MacBook, then you must not mind.

-JE

 

[lofight]

Is the iMac screen bad? A lot of companies, and even magazine publishers have iMacs.

True, but many complaints about the screens here at macrumors, and i think, ACD should be better IMO

 

[spawn135]

I work with a glossy screen, and I must admit afternoon sun glare makes it really difficult to look at the screen. It actually gives me eye strains.

However, the colors are nicer and more saturated-looking than on a matte screen.

 

[JasonElise1983]

However, the colors are nicer and more saturated-looking than on a matte screen.

Yeah, the glare is obnoxious, but that is not the reason i won't buy a monitor with a glossy screen. As a print designer...."nicer and more saturated" is not what i'm going for. I'm going for correct and natural. But like i said before, the iMac doesn't have a bad monitor...i'm just a loser who wants to buy a Eizo.

-jason

 

[Kwill]

I am a designer and I have the new glossy screen 2.4GHz 24" iMac. When the screen is black, you are basically looking at a reflection of yourself. But when it's on the reflections are not noticeable. I didn't purchase the prior iMac because of the 3GB memory limit. If you purchase a new one, get 4GB of RAM like I did. The iMac has a cheap 19' ViewSonic connected for expanded desktop. Side by side there is no comparison; at slight angles the ViewSonic is washed out while the iMac is vibrant.

I also have a 23" Cinema Display -- the older ADC plastic version. It is getting dim after all these years but still accurate.

Like most designers, accuracy takes precedence over pretty when it comes to color. So regardless of which monitor you choose, get a calibrator. I use the i1 with special software that also calibrates my printer. However, the Pantone Huey Pro is, from what I read, a respectable alternative.

A dark screen reveals uneven lighting on the iMac that is not noticeable when fully lit. Though I think a calibrated iMac is acceptable, I am waiting for the new LED Cinema Displays. They should be cooler, require less energy and provide more even light distribution. SJ promised in an open letter that the entire line would move to LED before the end of the year or when economically feasible. There is still a long way to go. Maybe January Macworld will reveal some LED fruits? I'm itching for a new Mac Pro and 30" (+) Cinema Display.

With an ADC-to-mini-DVI adaptor I have used my 23" Cinema Display with a 12" G4 1GHz PowerBook. For your current needs, you can connect an external display, Apple or otherwise, to the Mac Book. And if you like, connect a keyboard and mouse.