[Spliff]

Neowin.net's LCD Buyer's Guide

I was reading the above buyer's guide and the technical stats to look for when buying. What are the technical specifications of the LCDs on all current Apple products (Powerbooks, iBooks, iMacs, Cinema displays)? I'm looking for info on pixel response time, luminance, contrast ratio, etc.

2. Contrast Ratio

This is a rating on how well your monitor can display variations in colour and greyscale shades. For example, a TFT with a 300:1 contrast ratio will display a duller image compared to one that has a 500:1 contrast ratio.
As the contrast ratio increases, the image becomes more vivid.

For most situations I would recommend looking for a monitor that has a contrast ratio of at least 400:1 or higher.

3. Response Time

Describes how fast each pixel on the panel will react to changes in colour and brightness. Screens with higher pixel response times generally suffer more from ghosting compared to screens with a lower pixel response time. The main benefit of a lower pixel response time is that your eye's will suffer less strain when watching DVDs and playing games. In a business environment, where the user looks at static windows, this is not as important.

For business, a 35ms or lower response time is acceptable. For gaming and multimedia use, buy nothing over 20ms, although I highly recommend a pixel response time of 16ms or lower.

4. Luminance / Brightness

As the name suggests this is the general brightness of the monitor. This is measured in candelas per square meter (cd/m2), and the higher the rating the better. A monitor with a high rating will be much more viewable in extreme lighting conditions such as being in a room filled with sunlight. A higher luminance rating also means a brighter image with whiter whites.

Look for something with at a rating of 300cd/m2 or higher.

[d4nth3m4n]

i bet its all in here.

http://www.apple.com/hardware/

i know it is for the cinemas. just checked.

[Spliff]

Originally posted by d4nth3m4n:
i bet its all in here.

http://www.apple.com/hardware/

i know it is for the cinemas. just checked.

23" Cinema Display

Brightness (typical)
200 cd/m2

Contrast ratio (typical)
350:1

Yikes. The Cinema display have poor stats. That sucks. No info on pixel response time, though. And no detailed info about the screen on Powerbooks or iMacs, but they can't be very good considering the poor showing by the cinema displays.

[d4nth3m4n]

i bet if you drop in on the peripherals forums, youll know more than you ever wanted to about this stuff by the end of the work day.

[daimoni]

.

[Link]

the apple displays almost always lose. Sometimes hands down.

[Spliff]

Originally posted by daimoni:
Besides this thread being posted in the wrong forum....

Yeah, I know. But the LCDs that are attached to iMacs and Powerbooks aren't really peripherals. So, I posted here. There have been other Mac hardware questions posted here.

Oh well, the admins can always move this thread or just lock it.

[Dimitri]

Specs don't always tell the whole story. I had a Dell LCD with a 35ms response time but it had much less ghosting in games and DVD's than a 25ms Planar panel I tried. It's best to test them out. I haven't really tested out the apple displays in my iBook and iMac since I haven't really played fast action games on them. Yet.

[CatOne]

Originally posted by Link:
the apple displays almost always lose. Sometimes hands down.

Lose what? In specifications or in actual performance?

They're beautiful. And the most color-accurate you're going to find.

[Zoom]

Yeah, let's get some discussion going on this - I'm in the market for a flat screen monitor, and I was kinda waiting for these new Apple monitors. I've heard both things:

(a) Apple monitors are way overpriced for their specs
(b) Apple monitors are gorgeous and are way better than any other

Can these both be correct? Do the specs not tell the real story? If not, why not?

How can anyone practically compare these monitors side by side without buying them all? Even then you have to somehow put them through some serious simultaneous video tests. I, for one, couldn't possibly expect to go to each store and watch different images (usually still images) and figure out which one looks best. Therefore, I'm more likely to compare based on specs and then go look at the finalists and make sure they appear good enough in person.

Who makes Apple's LCD monitors? It probably changes with each rev, but do we know?

What monitors are good for home use (some gaming, but mostly just mundane stuff)? Formac? Mitsubishi? Toshiba? NEC? Personally, I want something with a DVI input, no dead pixels, refresh rate high enough that I don't notice it, and colors true enough for an untrained eye. And I want 19-20" and I'd prefer a wide aspect ratio. At least I think so. Aren't their problems with LCDs if they're forced to go to any dimensions other than their true dimensions (ie, setting a 1600x1200 monitor to any other size)?

And as long as I'm typing, let me just gripe about the fact that LCD prices haven't budged in at least a year. Haven't they cranked up production? Or is the supply/demand curve still just way out of whack?

[wuzup101]

If you are in the market for a new LCD you might check out Dell's 20 inch pannel. They run about $999 but dell has a 25% off thing very often lately. You can pick one up for $750 and return it for any reason (specifically dead pix) if don't like it. It's a standard 5:4 (1600x1200) with 16ms response. IMHO you won't find anything nicer for the price.

Also for what it's worth. One of the guys that works at the computer store here at Penn State has a 23" Apple Cin Display running dual w/ a 23" Samsung LCD (SyncMaster 231T I believe is the correct model). The Apple does look great, and I would love to have one. That being said, sitting next to the Samsung doesn't put the Apple in it's best light. The Samsung picture just looks better hands down. However the overall Apple package kicks much arse...

[velodev]

Isn't the 23" a high-definition screen? I have a high def DLP and man, that has to be the most jaw dropping picture during sporting events.

So if it is high def for the 23", do other manufacturer's make high def's? Are they of comparible quality?

[wuzup101]

Well HD 1080 is technically 1920 x 1080 and the 23" cin is 1920 x 1200.

Note:

I was wrong in my above post. I happened to go past the computer store today and decided I would stop in to look at the ibooks they had in stock and to take a closer look at the screans. It was not a 23" it was a 20" cin display with a samsung 213T wich is a 21.3" display.

[mindwaves]

Apple displays look very nice, but are not worth the extra price. Besides, with a skimpy 1 yr warranty and the inability to buy AppleCare just for the display (to connect to an older mac) is just stupid. My advice after my 17'' Studio display went out after 1.5 years is to look for any brand with a 3 yr warranty.

[Xerxes]

Originally posted by Spliff:
Neowin.net's LCD Buyer's Guide

I was reading the above buyer's guide and the technical stats to look for when buying. What are the technical specifications of the LCDs on all current Apple products (Powerbooks, iBooks, iMacs, Cinema displays)? I'm looking for info on pixel response time, luminance, contrast ratio, etc.

Don't get your knickers in a twist over figures on paper quoted by the manufacturer. I have used many 'higher spec' LCD's than my 23' Cinema, but NONE of the match the colour, clarity and quality of the Apple one.

Apple LCD's are a perfect replacement for someone looking for perfect colour.

X

[velodev]

Originally posted by mindwaves:
Apple displays look very nice, but are not worth the extra price. Besides, with a skimpy 1 yr warranty and the inability to buy AppleCare just for the display (to connect to an older mac) is just stupid. My advice after my 17'' Studio display went out after 1.5 years is to look for any brand with a 3 yr warranty.

My Viewsonic just blew out. I freaked because I don't have the moolah right now. It was built in Oct 2001. So I called so for the possibility of it being a simple reset.

It was picked up today and supposedly back next week - for free.

Seriously, there is no AppleCare for a 23" separately?

[OreoCookie]

My experience is that Apple Displays are -- when the line-up is updated -- often technologically superior to competitors, see the 22" and 23" Cinema Display. The prices are often on-par with high-quality competitors such as Eizo.

But Apple doesn't lower the prices with time as its competitors do. So after some time Apple's prices are too high and the quality becomes average.

But all Apple Displays do their job quite well. LCDs are usually second choice for gamers anyway (all of them). The bigger the display, the lower the contrast ratio, the lower the overall brightness and the slower the response time.

[mindwaves]

Originally posted by OreoCookie:
My experience is that Apple Displays are -- when the line-up is updated -- often technologically superior to competitors, see the 22" and 23" Cinema Display. The prices are often on-par with high-quality competitors such as Eizo.

But Apple doesn't lower the prices with time as its competitors do. So after some time Apple's prices are too high and the quality becomes average.

Very true, but if I am supposed to spend a few hundred or a couple thousand dollars on a display, then it had better last me more than 1.5 years!

[Casper Crane]

the Apple specs are definitely low for the price. but they look great, even 3 years later.

for better specs and almost as nice design, you might consider the ForMac 20":

ForMac 2010

[Spliff]

Originally posted by Casper Crane:
for better specs and almost as nice design, you might consider the ForMac 20":

ForMac 2010

Wow, those formac displays look great. But I've never heard of the brand. Are they reliable?

[motti]

Originally posted by Spliff:
Wow, those formac displays look great. But I've never heard of the brand. Are they reliable?

They're the same company that build the formac dv boxes, so it's a quite well-known company.
I've been looking at their displays since last summer, but I'd like to see the next-generation displays from Apple before buying one. They have a 3 yr warranty, cost a little less and look way better to me!

[milhouse]

My 20" cinema display is nearly 2 yrs old, is on nearly 24/7 and looks as perfect as the day I bought it.

I picked mine up at CUSA and was able to buy their version of an Apple Care protection plan.


I had a Radius FP prior to this one and the Apple wins hands down, at least IMHO.

[RayX]

Apple LCD panels appear to be manufactured by LG.Phillips.

The resolutions match up with the Apple Cinema Displays, and have a variety of wide screen models. Notability, they make a 17" 1440x900 panel, used by the 17" iMac and Powerbook 17".

I'd say that's it.

http://www.lgphilips-lcd.com/en/product/monitor.html
http://www.lgphilips-lcd.com/en/product/notebook.html