MacRumors.com Apple LCD Displays Rumors Summary

Does anyone else sometimes forget what site there on when reading this roundups? For a second there, I thought this was a Real News site reporting on Real News. Spooky....



Truth Hertz...

i really want one of the apple displays but am unsure about a few things.

does anyone know what the lifespan on the backlight of one of these things is? i'd hate to have to replace such an expensive item.

if apple is going to produce a 19" with the same specs and look of the current models i'd rather just buy the 22". the display rebate ended yesterday and there still is no word from apple about new displays or whether they will extend the rebate.

oh well, whats a mac user to do...

I posted this in the 17" and 19" iMac thread (just what I'd like to see):

People here have talked about duel monitoring the iMacs and have also talked about stand alone 19" screens.

I'd like to see a 17 or 19 inch screen on an imac base that is just the screen on top of a base that just holds the screen and arm, and connects to the iMac (with computer) with a base to base connector.

I'd buy a 19" iMac and a second 19" iScreen. Connect the two and you'd then have two floating screens on your desk. Put the iPod dock between the two, and you've got a system I'd buy in a heartbeat.

Apple will need to get on the ball with the 19" wideformat soon, Formac is putting out a 20.1" LCD that looks damn good and has the same native res as the 23" - but at half the cost. So you could buy 2 20.1" for the same price as a single 23".

I'm thinking this is the way I'll be going when I get a new computer.

http://www.formac.com/

D

While I agree that the Formac looks nice, I've got to wonder why you wouldn't just buy 2 Apple 17" monitors? For the same price (using the recently passed rebate, or the anticipated price drop) you'd get a hell of a lot more screen real estate.

The ability to double the smaller and less expensive monitors leaves me wondering why anyone would buy the larger and more expensive monitors. But, I guess I've just grown used to running dual monitors. I actually like the break between the two.

Originally posted by dukestreet
Apple will need to get on the ball with the 19" wideformat soon, Formac is putting out a 20.1" LCD that looks damn good and has the same native res as the 23" - but at half the cost. So you could buy 2 20.1" for the same price as a single 23".

I'm thinking this is the way I'll be going when I get a new computer.

http://www.formac.com/

D

Actually, the Formac is a standard 4:3@1600x1200.
The 23" Cinema is 16:10@1920x1200.
:)

Been watching over the Apple fence for quite a few years now. Still waiting for the right time. We're getting really close - I can tell. I'm beginning to like where Apple is going with their hardware offerings and I *really* like where they're taking the OS.

What am I waiting for? The hardware is just not quite "there" for me yet. Faster (hyper) bus speeds would help. The supposedly impending decision on which processor is going to power their future machines really needs to be addressed - and soon! If Apple is staying with Motorolla or moving to IBM... I'm going to need to know this BEFORE I switch over.

You see, for a PC user, looks *do* count for something (does the term "case-mod" sound familiar?) but what's under that shell counts more. I (we) need to know that we're buying the absolute best that the manufacturer we're staking our hard-earned cash on can make. We'd also like to be fairly comfortable with the knowledge that there won't be any major architectural changes that would put our new purchase in an obsolete class by itself (as would happen should Apple one day announce that next year's model will be built on IBM's CPU running at twice today's speed and 5 times the bus traffic).

For now, I'm still straining my neck as I look over the fence at Apple's latest offerings - and still waiting for that last feature set (internal hardware bandwidths) to sway me. Here's hoping!

Sorry, but you gotta be nuts to even consider formac. They have the worst customer service and tech support in the mac industry. They lied to me repeatedly, failed to return my calls and emails, and sold me a CDRW which fried my firewire, necessitating a logic board replacement. That company ought to be shut down. I can't tell you how many threads I've come across on various forums about people and their Formac horror stories.

as for the main topic. Apple is overdue for refreshing the monitor line. They still have stupid pinstripes in them. They cost about 50% more than comparable LCDs from other companies. Their contrast ratio's aren't great, and there is still a problem with poor viewing angle which really needs improvement if they're asking such high prices. A 19" should be $999. A 17" should be $599, and a 15" should be $349. They'd still make a hefty profit on them and would likely sell many, many more. Their LCD prices haven't dropped in 18 months (minus the Cinema displays), and no other LCDs can say that.

Originally posted by robguz
Apple is overdue for refreshing the monitor line. They still have stupid pinstripes in them. They cost about 50% more than comparable LCDs from other companies. Their contrast ratio's aren't great, and there is still a problem with poor viewing angle which really needs improvement if they're asking such high prices. A 19" should be $999. A 17" should be $599, and a 15" should be $349. They'd still make a hefty profit on them and would likely sell many, many more. Their LCD prices haven't dropped in 18 months (minus the Cinema displays), and no other LCDs can say that.

Apple's monitors have one thing that necessitates them costing more: the ADC. While ADC is a fantastically simple and elegant solution to video/power/USB cabling, it does make the monitors cost more. Also, the fact that they have ADC means that they sell primarily to Apple computer customers, meaning that they do not sell in the same sort of volume as, say, a DVI/VGA based LCD designed for the PC standards. This, sadly, means that revenue must come from high prices instead of high volume. You are completely right to say that the prices should have come down on the smaller monitors, given the time frame; the only thing keeping me with my 17" Apple Studio CRT with ADC is the steep price structure on Apple LCDs. The only reason I haven't gotten another brand of LCD is that it would feel like a cobbled together substitute compared to the ADC connector.

As far as the pinstripes are concerned, they will probably stay as long as the pinstripe motif remains a part of Aqua. It can be a nice touch for the monitor and OS to look like they go together.

RL

Originally posted by robguz
Sorry, but you gotta be nuts to even consider formac. They have the worst customer service and tech support in the mac industry. They lied to me repeatedly, failed to return my calls and emails, and sold me a CDRW which fried my firewire, necessitating a logic board replacement. That company ought to be shut down. I can't tell you how many threads I've come across on various forums about people and their Formac horror stories.

OK thats your own issue with their CDRWs. The topic here is LCDs and Formacs monitors are as good as LCDs come, especially the new 2010. I haven't heard any complaints about thier monitors and they seem to have great reviews. check out cnet.com. Although Apple LCD are visually pleasing (even with their pinstripes) they lack in modern LCD technology. Does anyone know when the 15', 17' and 22' came out. I know the 23' came out in april 2002 but im guess the other ones are over 2 years old. They need to really hurry up with a model makeover.

Personanly I bought the 2010 and have had no issues with thier customer service. I wanted a monitor with an ADC connection and a similar look to my Powermac. Formac is the only other company that does this. And i wanted a monitor that is between 17-22 inches for video editing. I dont have room on my desk for two 15s or 17s so Formac's 20.1 inch one is a great deal. Ohh yeah now their contrast radio is 100% better then the 22' Apple LCD. 600:1, now you can't be that with any LCD.

tyler