[Le Flaneur]

The price difference is minimal: the refurbished display is $750 (shame on Apple for not reducing the price more!), and the new 24" LED-backlit Cinema Display is $800 with the edu discount. The 24" has some great advantages: LED backlighting (no dimming over time!), speakers, power for a MacBook Pro, a built-in iSight camera. The big advantage of the 23" display: the matte display (and two 400 mb/s FireWire ports).

I'm not a graphics professional, but I find the reflections annoying on the 24" (I frequently use my new MBP with a 20" Cinema Display).

So is there a consensus about which is better?

[msuper69]

I bought the 24" LED for use with my MBA. It's a nice setup. I personally like the glossy display. I'd go with the latest technology given a choice. The price differential is minimal imo.

Just be aware that the 24" LED only works with the latest unibody MBA, MB and MBP.

[Le Flaneur]

Originally Posted by msuper69 

I bought the 24" LED for use with my MBA. It's a nice setup. I personally like the glossy display. I'd go with the latest technology given a choice. The price differential is minimal imo.

Just be aware that the 24" LED only works with the latest unibody MBA, MB and MBP.

I checked the specs, and the older display is actually brighter!

[msuper69]

Originally Posted by Le Flaneur 

I checked the specs, and the older display is actually brighter!

Perhaps, but the new display is bright enough. I don't see a problem.

[Koralatov]

Originally Posted by msuper69 

Perhaps, but the new display is bright enough. I don't see a problem.

Me neither. Also, be aware that the old display has a CCFL backlight, and the new one uses LED. As a result, the old one might start out brighter, but will dim with age; the new one won’t suffer from that.

That said, I do still hanker after one of the 23″ displays, as it matches my MBP better. A stupid reason, I know.

[Spheric Harlot]

Originally Posted by Le Flaneur 

The 24" has some great advantages: LED backlighting (no dimming over time!), speakers, power for a MacBook Pro, a built-in iSight camera (and two 400 mb/s FireWire ports).

There are NO Firewire ports on the 24" LED display, only USB!

The old 23" model DOES have Firewire ports.

[Le Flaneur]

Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot 

There are NO Firewire ports on the 24" LED display, only USB!

The old 23" model DOES have Firewire ports.

Right. I mixed things up. I have corrected my original post.

[Le Flaneur]

Originally Posted by msuper69 

I personally like the glossy display.

So you're not bothered by the reflections (which appear in all but the most perfect lighting situations) or perhaps you don't notice them?

I guess the workaround is to apply an anti-glare film. Has anyone tried that?

[Le Flaneur]

Originally Posted by Koralatov 

That said, I do still hanker after one of the 23″ displays, as it matches my MBP better.

How about the greatly-reduced reflections?

[Veltliner]

Originally Posted by Le Flaneur 

I checked the specs, and the older display is actually brighter!

brighter is not necessarily better. For serious editing you actually have to tone down brightness to about 120 cd/2.

But I like the old cinema displays for their image quality. I was not impressed by the new 24"LED.

[Le Flaneur]

Originally Posted by Veltliner 

I was not impressed by the new 24"LED.

Can you be more specific?

[Veltliner]

Originally Posted by Le Flaneur 

Can you be more specific?

It's my personal preference.

I don't like that glass between me and the image (it's a bit like paintings behind glass, and paintings just in a frame).

That glass, and its reflections, gives me the impression of diluted colors. It puts something in between me and the image.

[Le Flaneur]

Follow-up. I bought the 23" Cinema Display from someone on Craig's List. It's OK, but it has two annoyances: first of all, in an Austin, Texas summer, I find that it's a perceptible source of heat. The second annoyance is superficial: the display is thicker (or deeper) than I would like (thicker than the 20" CD.

But I have a window directly behind me and my office isn't really reconfigurable.

Am I really better off with the 23" CD?

[Spheric Harlot]

Originally Posted by Veltliner 

That glass, and its reflections, gives me the impression of diluted colors. It puts something in between me and the image.

That's in fact what the matte coating does.

Perception is odd, isn't it?

[Simon]

Perception is all that matters. If he doesn't like glossy, he should buy a matte display. End of story.