should I buy an apple cinema display?

[NoodleTech]

I'm in love with the aesthetics and sleek aluminum sexiness of the apple cinema display.

I'm in the market for a new monitor too and I'm looking for a higher end S-IPS panel.

I will be driving this with an ATI HD4870 and using the panel primarily for gaming (counter-strike), photoshop, and work.

My concern is color profile issues... I heard there are issues with the color profile or something when using this Apple monitor with a PC? is this true?

Are there any disadvantages to using an Apple cinema display with a PC?

How good does this panel perform? and how is it compared to other S-IPS panels in the same or lower price range? should I be considering other monitors as well?

Thanks

 

[phisrow]

Generally, what defines the quality of a screen is the type of panel it is based on, rather than the manufacturer of the stuff around the panel(this might be less true for the really cheap seats; but those don't use S-IPS panels). There is a website(that I can't find at the moment, hopefully somebody will dig it up) that lists the types of panels used in various models of LCDs. Generally, LCDs from other manufacturers that use exactly the same panel are cheaper than equivalent cinema displays and tend to feature more types of inputs(there is a reason that a lot of apple computers are connected to dell monitors). If you don't need a wide selection of input options and like the apple aesthetics, then the premium might be worth it; but displays are one of the few places where the "apple premium" concept is still very true.

As for using the cinema display on a PC: my understanding is that the cinema display has very, very limited onboard configuration(brightness only). It is designed to be used with Apple's software color configuration software. If you are planning on using it on a PC without color configuration software, that might be an issue. I think, though, that you can get ICC profiles for it, and that any color calibration tools that work on windows(spyder or similar) will calibrate the cinema display as easily as anything else. Monitors with onboard color tweaking options are arguably an inferior solution, in the technical sense(since sensor driven software calibration is the name of the game for real accuracy), but they are very, very convenient in situations where the monitor "just looks too green/blue/red/whatever" and you want to do something about it now.

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

Have you looked at the Dell Ultrasharps?

 

[NoodleTech]

Thanks for the reply everyone.

I'm not interested in multiple inputs. I only need DVI.

Are there panels that outperform the cinema display in terms of color accuracy, response time, and contrast ratio for a similar or cheaper price?

I have not looked into ultrasharps.

 

[aigomorla]

Originally posted by: NoodleTech
Thanks for the reply everyone.

I'm not interested in multiple inputs. I only need DVI.

Are there panels that outperform the cinema display in terms of color accuracy, response time, and contrast ratio for a similar or cheaper price?

I have not looked into ultrasharps.

i would look at samsung, or LG monitors as well.