External Displays...help

[Charlotte_RG]

Hi
I'm a design tudent and I bought a 15" macbook pro (17" was out of the question, as I like a notebook to be portable, and 17" is just too big for me). However, I sometimes need a bit more space on my desktop, and I love the apple monitors, I'm absolutely in love with them.
Still, they are so so so expensive My question is why spend 900 dollars on an apple display, when I can buy an acer or asus one for 200 or 300? Is it really worth it buying an apple one? and if so, why?

Thanks

 

[jonnyd]

Hi
I'm a design tudent and I bought a 15" macbook pro (17" was out of the question, as I like a notebook to be portable, and 17" is just too big for me). However, I sometimes need a bit more space on my desktop, and I love the apple monitors, I'm absolutely in love with them.
Still, they are so so so expensive My question is why spend 900 dollars on an apple display, when I can buy an acer or asus one for 200 or 300? Is it really worth it buying an apple one? and if so, why?

Thanks

They're better quality.

OTOH, I wouldn't buy one either. That's way too expensive for a screen for me.

 

[EDIT-XTREEM]

Its the difference between buying a Honda Civic and a Porsche Carrera. Sleek curves vs. right angles. DVI vs. VGA.

For example, the 20" Cinema Display is $599 USD. And these are the the specs: 1680 x 1050 optimal resolution
16.7 million colors
DVI Display Connector
2 port USB 2.0 Hub
2 FireWire 400 ports

And I found a 20" Acer on Amazon for $209.05 (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000F8XABI/?tag=macforums0e4-20)

Specs:

8ms response time
DVI-D and VGA signal connectors
Two integrated 2.0-watt speakers
600:1 contrast ratio
1400 x 1050 native resolution

Comparing Apples (lol) to oranges...

 

[djames42]

I think you're paying a premium for the look of the Apple displays. Dell regularly has their 24" monitor on sale for around $600 or less (if you check sites like this deal from hotdealsclub.com) and the specs are actually better (on paper anyway) than Apple's. You drop the firewire hub (both have usb hubs), but gain a built-in card reader. The brightness+contrast controls are also software-based on Apple's monitor, and hardware based on the Dell.

I really don't know why Apple keeps the prices of their monitors so high. I see this discussion all the time, and it seems like most people who have an external monitor on their Mac do not have one from Apple.

 

[Sandwichman]

I have a 17" Core Duo iMac, and I recently decided I was interested in a second (larger) display. I looked at Dells, but I decided that I honestly didn't want a Dell next to my Mac. I understand I will pay a premium for the Apple Display, but I will gladly pay $549 (with educational discount) for a high quality, gorgeous Cinema Display. I understand why people wouldn't want to pay, but I am willing, and I find it worth it.

 

[Aptmunich]

Apple does use the better display panel technology than a lot of cheaper displays, but it's the same type of panel as used in dell's higher-end range (which is still cheaper).

If you're not looking for perfect color accuracy and don't need the Jon Ives design, get a cheaper display. If you're looking for a no-hassle display that has great color accuracy out of the box and just works™ - go with a cinema display.

I didn't, but the 300€'s I saved came in handy - and I don't mind the fact that my colors might be slightly off.