24inch apple display review

[sourceninja]

So as some of you have read. I bought a new macbook pro (2.6ghz) and the new apple 24inch LED monitor.

I have been using it for a few days and thought I would post my review.

First, this thing is very attractive. It looks amazing in terms of style. Hookup to the new macbook pro is quick and easy with just 3 cables. It also takes the place of your macbook pro's power adapter, speakers, webcam, and microphone. The unit has 3 usb ports on the back that you can use for whatever you want. I really wish it would move firewire and have 2 more usb ports. But I'll take what I can get.

The display is very bright, I had to turn down the defaults. It is also VERY VERY shiny. Almost as shiny as my balding head. The color quality is noticeably better then my dell 2001fp and my old macbook pro (2008). I watched a few movies on it and they were crisp in the dark and looked great.

I haven't gotten the change to game on it yet. I'm still in the process of moving everything to the new mac. Hopefully I will get a chance to try out some games next weekend.

Now for the cons. There aren't many, but a few things that annoy me. First, the cables are VERY short. I have to put my macbook right next to the monitor. And eve then I have almost no slack to hookup the cables (I like my mac to the left of the monitor). I'd have more slack on the right because of the location of the ports on the monitor. My next gripe is the fact there are no controls on the monitor. Not a single one. This means you can't turn it off and leave your notebook on, you will have to use sleep or a screensaver. This also means all controls have to be done on your mac. This makes me wonder if I can use this monitor with windows or linux (even via bootcamp).

I am happy with my purchase however. It looks great and is very convenient when using osx. I even got 100.00 off with my education discount!

 

[sourceninja]

New problem found. The built in iSight will not work with photobooth unless you open photobooth and unplug then re-plug in the usb connector for the monitor.

 

[Kaido]

Oooh, I SO need one of these for my Hackintosh

<----- jealous!

 

[silverpig]

I'm hopefully getting a new unibody macbook in September, and would LOVE the 24" cinema display too.

My main gripe with it is that it only has the single input (right?). I've got a hackintosh tower I'd love to be able to hook up as well as the new macbook...

 

[sourceninja]

yea, it has a single input, mini display port, so no hope of a kvm either.

I noticed last night that my macbook pro screen is really shitty compared to this display. This display is bring and clear, the macbook pro display gives a green ting to everything I move there. If I adjust my viewing angle it improves somewhat, but it's still a lot more dirty then this display. I almost can't stand to have them side by side.

 

[boomhower]

$900 is insane for a 24" monitor.

 

[EGGO]

Originally posted by: boomhower
$900 is insane for a 24" monitor.

Shall I interest you in an Eizo monitor?

 

[sourceninja]

Originally posted by: boomhower
$900 is insane for a 24" monitor.

Education discount made it 799. But for me it's more then a monitor. It's a docking station device. Moves sound, webcam, and microphone, and power to a central location. Very useful for me.

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: sourceninja

Originally posted by: boomhower
$900 is insane for a 24" monitor.

Education discount made it 799. But for me it's more then a monitor. It's a docking station device. Moves sound, webcam, and microphone, and power to a central location. Very useful for me.

Plus it's LED-backlit, which contributes to the cost. LEDs, mmm...

 

[sjwaste]

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: sourceninja

Originally posted by: boomhower
$900 is insane for a 24" monitor.

Education discount made it 799. But for me it's more then a monitor. It's a docking station device. Moves sound, webcam, and microphone, and power to a central location. Very useful for me.

Plus it's LED-backlit, which contributes to the cost. LEDs, mmm...

Apple's margins contribute to the price more than anything!

But seriously, there's no competition for this on the market. It's a very high quality display housed in a very high quality and stylish package.

I don't think I have a spare $800 for one, but I would probably make it happen if they gave it a 2nd input and a one-touch control to switch between the two. That's my only gripe with this thing, otherwise it's as nice a product as you can find.

I should probably link to your Apple 99% rule post, but I can't find it

 

[boomhower]

I wasn't trying to hate, hell yeah I was that's crazy. But it does have functions that no other currently available monitor does. So if those fit your needs and is worth the added costs then I can see it being a decent buy, but man thats a tough pill to swallow.

 

[Kmax82]

Yea, I wouldn't throw it away if someone gave it to me, and if I could afford it, I would get one in a heartbeat... I love the look and they are simply gorgeous to stare at, but I don't have $800 to spend on a monitor. I'm saving up for the next gen Macbook Pro (hopefully Corei7) and depending on when that comes out, I might have saved enough to grab one of these with it. :drool:

 

[slugg]

I'd rather get two 24" Dell's...

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: sjwaste

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: sourceninja

Originally posted by: boomhower
$900 is insane for a 24" monitor.

Education discount made it 799. But for me it's more then a monitor. It's a docking station device. Moves sound, webcam, and microphone, and power to a central location. Very useful for me.

Plus it's LED-backlit, which contributes to the cost. LEDs, mmm...

Apple's margins contribute to the price more than anything!

But seriously, there's no competition for this on the market. It's a very high quality display housed in a very high quality and stylish package.

I don't think I have a spare $800 for one, but I would probably make it happen if they gave it a 2nd input and a one-touch control to switch between the two. That's my only gripe with this thing, otherwise it's as nice a product as you can find.

I should probably link to your Apple 99% rule post, but I can't find it

http://pcwizcomputer.com/weaksauce12/?p=957

 

[sourceninja]

Originally posted by: slugg
I'd rather get two 24" Dell's...

If my computer could push two monitors, I might of went that route. If dell supported mini display port, and had the speakers, webcam, LED backlight, usb hub, and supplied power to my macbook pro.

Other then that, I love dell monitors. We use their 24 inch monitors at work.

 

[TheStu]

Originally posted by: sourceninja

Originally posted by: slugg
I'd rather get two 24" Dell's...

If my computer could push two monitors, I might of went that route. If dell supported mini display port, and had the speakers, webcam, LED backlight, usb hub, and supplied power to my macbook pro.

Other then that, I love dell monitors. We use their 24 inch monitors at work.

They have the USB ports at least

I had seen a photo (actually a couple of photos) of a guy that with just 1 adapter, had 2 monitors hooked up to his macbook pro, and was running the laptop's display. It was a special adapter that he had gotten (ironically enough) from a dell computer. It would take a dual link DVI signal and make it work with 2 monitors. And not like the DualHead2Go, each one was independent. The first picture was of his setup, with a window stretched from Monitor 1 (external) to Monitor 2 (laptop) to Monitor 3 (external). The next 2 were zoomed in on the adapter, and the laptop's screen showing the Display Preference Pane.

I have been searching for that little device ever since.

 

[Luba Cox]

I think the Apple display is a marriage in heaven with the MacBooks! Very convenient like you say, docking station . . . charges it etc. No need to pull out your charging cord. Otherwise you would have to buy another set of cords and it would be messy on your desk . . . a charging cord, then another cable for your display but here it's all coordinated and integrated.

Originally posted by: sourceninja

Originally posted by: boomhower
$900 is insane for a 24" monitor.

Education discount made it 799. But for me it's more then a monitor. It's a docking station device. Moves sound, webcam, and microphone, and power to a central location. Very useful for me.

 

[fatpat268]

I'd consider buying the monitor if it was versatile in the fact that I could plug multiple things into it.

I'll stick with my Samsung T240HD for the near future. TV Tuner, 2 HDMI, 1 Component, DVI, VGA. Sure, it's a TN panel and not an IPS, but I don't do anything where color accuracy is super important.

 

[randomlinh]

i cannot get over the shine. it's cool looking and all, but I just can't do it. I used a newer 24" imac and it was ok, but overtime, I'd go crazy. especially because you have nearly 0 adjustments vs the 2408wfp. tho, not sure how much this solo display has, it's still bright as hell.

i seriously don't understand why apple did it. though, people absorbed by the RDF are overlooking it some because they just have to have an apple. I also wish it had side usb ports.. moreso on the imac because the keyboard is not convenient and hates usb 2.0.

 

[WalkingDead]

Nice review but I will take 4x 22" IPS panel Dell UltraSharp for the same price.

Most Apple LCD monitors have better factory color calibration most likely due to better QC. However, I owns a GretagMacBeth Eye-One Photo color calibrator. Once calibrated, the UltraSharp or the HP 24" that I am using now is just as good as any Apple's overprice monitor.

 

[secretanchitman]

while i love the looks, isight, and screen quality of the 24" cinema display, i would rather use my dell 2407WFP for a few reasons.

1: ports. i love using it as an all-in-one screen (hook basically anything up to it, via any connection), not just displayport only like the cinema display. not to mention it has a built in card reader which i use extensively. the previous cinema displays had vga and dvi, and while i can understand why vga is gone, dvi should at least be there. that way, everyone can buy it and not be severely limited in what products they can use it with (aka mostly apple products only).

2: price. i got my 2407 for $450 a few years ago, with an unlimited warranty from costco (that was before they reduced the warranty for all electronic stuff), while the cinema display is almost 2x more (back then they only had the 23" to compare it against), and the only thing it had over the 2407 was 2 firewire ports and the looks, quite honestly.

3: the glossy panel. enough said. why can there not be two versions of it?

 

[randomlinh]

Originally posted by: WalkingDead
Nice review but I will take 4x 22" IPS panel Dell UltraSharp for the same price.

Most Apple LCD monitors have better factory color calibration most likely due to better QC. However, I owns a GretagMacBeth Eye-One Photo color calibrator. Once calibrated, the UltraSharp or the HP 24" that I am using now is just as good as any Apple's overprice monitor.

heh, i'd opt for 2x24"ers for a bit more, the 1680x1050 res isn't enough for me per screen. but man, would I love to just have the space for 4x22"ers, heh