[JonoMarshall]

So I'm looking to spend £250 on an external display for a MacBook (that I plan to buy this week).

The general concensus in other threads seems to be Dell or Apple, but does anyone have any experience of the Samsung SyncMaster 971P or any other alternatives to both Dell and Apple?

Or should I stump up some more funds for the Dell 2407wfp and be done with it (seems a nice way to match the maximise the MacBook's output res. after all?)

If I get a Dell.. I'll be modding it, I can't deal with their styling one bit, I know it shouldn't matter, be it really does, tsk.

[richwig83]

Id save up and get a 24"... you'll get the small one and then realize 20" isnt big enough.

[JonoMarshall]

Well I've just sold my D1.8 G5 and 17" Studio Display to buy a portable and external for at home. (I was going to wait till Leopard/new revisions before buying, but I have the urge to consume!)

The only benefit for me in terms of screen real-estate by going for the 24" would be when watching films, although maybe my productivity in FCP/Flash and the like will increase with the larger screen? (but maybe I'll just get more fatigue!)

Now I'm in a quandry again, heh. Say I spend £350-500 then and go for a 1920 x 1200 24" or similar, is there anything apart from the Apple/Dell range that would be worth considering?

I feel the Apple displays are overpriced and unimaginative now, but the Dells are fugly (IMHO), the Samsung in my orig post was mentioned beause I love the way you physically interact with it, but if there's nothing that has comparable specs then I guess I'll be modding a Dell.

[Andhee]

My 2007WFP is coming tommorow, I can take a few pictures if you like, but I think itd be more than big enough for watching films on also. It was supposed to come yesterday, but they sent me the wrong screen which was a 19" flat panel (not widescreen) and that looked pretty big, so I'm sure 20" will be fine. It really depends on if you want to spend alot of money, £400-£500 on a monitor seems a bit bizarre tbh, unless you are on hardcore computer user who needs all the space. Better spending your money on the 20" dell, a set of nice speakers, and perhaps some add-ons for your mac/pc.

[JonoMarshall]

Hmm, you're probably right, 20" would be more than enough (considering I'm going from an acrylic 17"), I already have a nice Yamaha amp and an array of bizarre accessories... I'd prob just take a weekend away instead!

(But still, any thoughts on great monitors other than the 2007wfp and Apple's own would be much appreciated?)

BTW: Bizarre accessory number one... heh.

[ginoledesma]

I got myself 2 Samsung 225BW monitors (one of which I'm using with my MacBook) and I'm pretty pleased with it. I got it for a good price at OfficeMax when they had a sale some weeks ago. Had it not been for the sale price, I would have chosen the Dell 2407WFP. While the 1600x1050 resolution of the 22" is nice, I'm yearning for the 1900x1200 resolution that the 24" and Macbook can drive. I do mostly monitoring/coding/scripting work, so being able to see multiple terminals and windows is very important.