5 reasons why Apple displays suck, and some alternatives
5. Response time
The first thing that comes to mind with response time is gaming. Wait, Macs don’t play games, do they? Well, the answer is yes, they do play games, just that Windows has a larger variety of games to play on the platform. However, response time is not only for gamers. Having a bad response time, which Apple Cinema Displays have, will result in “smudging” from simple mouse movements to watching a movie. So your “Cinema Display” isn’t really that great for watching high-def content
4. Reliability
Obviously, being an Apple product, you’d expect their displays to be equally as reliable as the Macs (which sometimes aren’t so reliable). But Apple Cinema Displays, compared with their competition, actually have the most disappointing customer reviews and ratings. Just read one of many customer reviews of an Apple Cinema Display:
“I have purchased numerous equipment from Apple, ranging from G5s to Powerbooks, to Airports, Isights, etc. and this is the WORST product Apple has ever put on the market. I am on my 4th one and still unhappy!!! The problems have ranged from Dead Pixels, to clusters of Dead Pixels, to Ghosting (leaving previous images embedded in the screen), to Ghosting and Dead Pixels.”
3. Age
Apple are using LG.Phillips for the LCD panels behind their screens, but the panels being used are outdated and extremely old for the price. They are also not “Green” at all, as they contain a lot of mercury within them.
2. Price
Sure, if it’s a high quality product, then that is acceptable for it to have a high price tag. But with all the problems Apple’s displays have, they are terrible value for money - as you can get so much more, that performs so much better, for a lot less money. Most of Apple’s products are becoming more reasonably priced. The MacBook is now a great value mid-range consumer notebook, and great value considering you get a 2.0GHz Core 2 Duo processor.
1. There’s no benefit
You’d think with all these problems, there would be a few benefits exclusively for Apple displays. Well - there are none. No built-in iSight camera, no extra functionality what so ever, apart from a USB hub (which is on most of its competitors). The only positive thing to say about these displays is that they look beautiful - but even now they are starting to show age in design. The Cinema Displays are thicker than the newest iMac, a screen + a high-spec computer in one box. I hope Apple is working on a new one, because the current displays just aren’t up to the standard anyone should expect from Apple.
Alternatives
“What should I buy instead?”, you ask. Here’s a list of what we think are the best displays to go with your Mac - whether it’s a Mac Mini, MacBook or Mac Pro. Of course, you could wait until MacWorld in January 2008, when hopefully some new displays will be unveiled.
20 inch alternative: Samsung SM-2032BW (approx. $300)
24 inch alternative: Dell 2407WFP (approx. $699)
30 inch alternative: Dell 3007WFP (approx. $1,189)
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It is 100% obvious you are not a professional.
There are so many more important points you’ve completely overlooked.
You should ensure you are FULLY informed and know what you are talking about before writing about any product.
on April 14, 2008 at 08:45 PM - LINKDave is absolutely correct. The author doesn’t really know what he’s talking about.
I urge readers to do more research before drawing any conclusions.
on July 23, 2008 at 01:29 PM - LINKI have been working with iTunes Store Support for a week, but have not been able to resolve the infamous “Authorisation Loop” error, so thought I would share and vent my frustrations here. :)
I upgraded to 7.7.1.11 recently and since the upgrade none of the $1,000 worth of songs videos and TV Shows purchased and downloaded will play in iTunes or our Apple TV.
When I click on a song, movie or show, we receive the message “This computer is not authorized…”.
I than put in the password and receive the hopeful message: “Machine Authorization was Successful”, but the songs, videos and shows still don’t play. When you click on the title again it again re-asks for “authorization”.
I have tried all of the suggested fixes and set of instructions received from iTunes Store support and the support website, including:
* De-authorising, re-authorising
* Re-installing iTunes
* Removing the SC folder
* Re-building the iTunes Library
* Re-building iTunes Preferences
* Creating a new user acount and installing iTunes
* Installing iTunes on a different computer with a different operating system
* Re-installed songs from a backup
* Updating iTunes Store Account Information
* Scanned for viruses
* Updated Windows
* Consulted a psychic
* Had my laptop exorcised
* and many more
.. of course every time you do most of these things the Apple TV is wiped and spends hours re-syncing with iTunes over my wireless network which adds to the frustration.
I have been a loyal shareholder and customer to Apple and iTunes and was even in the process of purchasing iPhones for the family, but this most recent set of issues (this is the second time by the way for us to go through this exact problem) is becoming very aggravating - beyond what I can put up with.
Having invested well over $1,000 in Apple, and having also upgraded my internet connection to cater for more download limits, we have decided to ditch our Apple love affair, and move to a much more reliable and robust on-demand entertainment delivery system - like the new Foxtel Cable HD On Demand.
Apple - you have absolutely received the very last dollar from me.
on August 11, 2008 at 12:04 PM - LINK