Danny Novo
Okay folks, WWDC is come and gone, and it is time to take the next step in the Home Computing Master Plan. First up, the Mac mini, external storage, external monitor package. The first two are easy, but the last is proving a bit of a headache, so I thought I’d post about it.
I am deliberating between three (well, two) 24″ lcd monitors.
23-inch Apple Cinema HD Display — $799.00
My favorite because it is Apple, and the screen is supposed to be delightful. But it is expensive, and tech specs-wise it seems to suffer by comparison. Also, no height adjustment. Now, if it had a built-in iSight camera, I’d be sold. But Apple is clearly not listening to me.
Specs: 14ms response; 700:1 contrast; 400 cd/m2; 178° view; 0.258 mm pixel pitch; DVI. Bonus: USB hub, FW 400
BenQ FP241W — $669.00
This monitor has gotten some favorable reviews lately (as have the others) and comes with a couple of interesting features, too, like the rotating screen and the picture-in-picture (for more than one input). Of note, one review said if one input is digital, the other must be analog (boo!).
Specs: 6ms response; 1000:1 contrast; 500 cd/m2; 178° view; 0.270 mm pixel pitch; HDMI, DVI, etc. Bonus: Pivot (to portrait), swivel, Picture-in-Picture
Dell UltraSharp 2408 WFP — $619.00
A CNET Editor’s Choice. Dell actually has a good history with lcd screens, and this is supposed to continue that. Cheap (and that makes me nervous, but when is anything not on sale at Dell?) and new. But there are a ton of reviews out there, and even on Dell’s site (incl. some not-so-favorable ones), which is more than can be said for the BenQ.
Specs: 6ms response; 1300:1 contrast; 400 cd/m2; 178° view; 0.250 mm pixel pitch, HDMI, DVI, etc. Bonus: USB hub, card reader, Pivot, Swivel, PiP, the Kitchen Sink
One thing to keep in mind while you’re looking at lcds is the relative quality of the panel part. One indicator of that is whether the panel is 6-bit, or 8-bit, and one way to tell that, is by the viewing angle. If the viewing angle is 160°, then you have a 6-bit panel. If it is more like 178°, it’s an 8-bit. I think.
In any case, looking at the specs above, it is easy to dismiss the Apple screen, however high the quality might be. Between the BenQ and the Dell, well… the sheer number of reviews, the price, and my own personal history with Dell monitors (I bought a lot of them when I was running a computer lab, many moons ago) makes me lean that way.
I think I’ll be getting the Dell. Dude.
Your thoughts?
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It is done. The Dell is on its way to me, as we speak. As is the rest of it, a Mac mini and the Newer miniStack v3. For the love of all that is good, this is my first new computer since we bought the iBook four years ago, and the iMac I bought, uh… in the Fall of 2002. Ow.
Cool! Congrats. I was just going to say that my wonderful brother-in-law Kevin has given me a couple Dell flat panels over the years, and they’ve been perfectly serviceable. I only use one for a head for my server, but it does that just fine. I doubt my needs are as rigorous as yours.
I love those Minis. Great little machines. I haven’t looked at the Ministack in a while. I should go take a look to see what’s new.
So what’s the verdict? Has it arrived?
Meanwhile, here I sit listening to the incessant tick-tick, tick-tick, tick-tick of my CrapBook G4. Oh my how I’ve grown to loathe this thing.…