Apple cuts Cinema Display prices

Not sure it's quite enough to sway us from Dell's coupon-ridden dirt-cheap 20-inch 2005fpw and 24-inch 2405fpw counterparts, but to go along with those fresh spec updates on their Power Mac G5s today, Apple's also slashed prices on their 20 and 23-inch Cinema Displays to $800 and $1,500, respectively. Can't hurt!

[Jeff @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

The 20" is getting close to reasonable at that price. We just got a 23" at my office and it's beautiful. That said, it's not as if Apple makes their own panels and from what I understand the panels in Dell's monitors are exactly the same.

Of course, Dell monitors are ugly, but is it worth a $250 premium for an aluminum bezel? Maybe to some people... I'm not sure I could justify that, though.

[vmardian @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

Yes, it is!

[Lars @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

What were the old prices?

and the Dell 20" is $550?

[kyle @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

jeff:
the same company may make the panel but they are by no means exactly thes same monitor. resolutions and dimesnions are different, and the panel is not the only thing that matters in an lcd. i've heard horror stories of backlight leakage on the dells, and never heard of a problem with this on the apple monitors. build quality, ergonomics, brightness, warranty all affect the quality of the monitor, nad the price i would pay for it.

[Steven @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

The 20" was $1000 and the 23" was $1800

[Sebhelyesfarku @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

Maczealots pay the extra hundreds dollars happily, they would buy even a turd with the Apple logo on it.

[classic009 @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

The Dell uses the same "panel" as Apple does on the 20" widescreens but after that all the specs are different. Apple uses a better more even backlight and a far superior plastic film panel - the part you look through to see the panel (be it, the "glass") Thus the Apple screens are far smoother and dont exhibit any pixelation. I have a 20" Apple Cinema Display and a Dell 2005FPW side by side. The Apple is much more pleasant to use and far better colour accuracy. I wish the Dell was the same specs as the Apple. I had intended to sell the Apple and buy another Dell.

[gene @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

http://www.anandtech.com/displays/showdoc.aspx?i=2400

a nice comparison of the 20" apple cinema and dell 2005fpw

[Ike @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

Can't speak for the Apple display, but at $418 shipped to my door from Dell, my new 2005FPW is SO much more reasonable on the cost:benefit scale.

I also enjoy the picture-in-picture and side-by-side modes that let me watch TV while still waiting for an important email, and the pivot function. I've already tested it on a PC, Mac, DVD player, and VCR. Sure, the Apple may have a prettier chrome finish, but not all of us can afford spending twice as much for "pretty."

Besides, if I *had* the extra $400+ to blow on the Cinema display, maybe I'd just spend it on butt OR HAIR implants, then *I* could look pretty.

[Ike @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

Can't speak for the Apple display, but at $418 shipped to my door from Dell, my new 2005FPW is SO much more reasonable on the cost:benefit scale.

I also enjoy the picture-in-picture and side-by-side modes that let me watch TV while still waiting for an important email, and the pivot function. I've already tested it on a PC, Mac, DVD player, and VCR. Sure, the Apple may have a prettier chrome finish, but not all of us can afford spending twice as much for "pretty."

Besides, if I *had* the extra $400+ to blow on the Cinema display, maybe I'd just spend it on butt OR HAIR implants, then *I* could look pretty.

[bruce m @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

Yes Sebhelyesfarku, you finally figured out the reason for Apple's success ... we will literally buy anything with an Apple logo on it, even if it's a "turd" as you say. At first we buy Apple products because their design and function is years ahead of the competition, but Apple laces it's products with something that makes us crave ... turd. Not just any turd, mind you, but only steaming hot turd with a white Apple logo in the middle. Right now I'm surrounded by about ten pieces of Apple-logo turds, and boy does it smell good! Every once in a while the turd gets too dry, and I either eat it or throw it out. But no worries, I just go right down to the Apple Store where they've got literally hundreds and hundreds of fresh pieces of turd ready for us Apple fans to buy every day.

I hope Steve Jobs never dies, as he is really the only one in the tech industry that understands what consumers really want -- fresh piles of steaming hot turd.

[Jeff @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

"the same company may make the panel but they are by no means exactly thes same monitor. resolutions and dimesnions are different,"

No, they are the *exact same panel*. Read that Anand comparo. They are the same monitor, with the only major difference being that Dell uses a different backlight and includes analog inputs as well as digital (which may be responsible for some people having differing image quality on the Dell).

Anand got basically the same results from both monitors, with the Dell actually having better color accuracy out of the box. This is probably due to the backlight.

Again, worth an extra $250 or more for the Apple? Currently the Dell is $486. The Apple's $800. Same exact panel, same performance. The Dell has a longer, better warranty, though, which is worth something these days.

Apple people will try to convince themselves of anything to justify overpaying, I guess. I would rather have the Cinema Display for looks but there is no real difference in performance so I just can't see paying $314 extra at this moment. I might pay $100 extra, though.

[Arvind @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

Will the LCD panel price cuts trickle down to iMac G5 price cuts? Now, that would be something!

[Todd Dominey @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

The part that gets me about the Dells is that they offer S-Video and component cable inputs, so they can easily double as a television or a gaming display. You can't do that with an Apple. And I own the Apple 20".

[japroach @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

hahah #7 you goddamn mac zealot

The mac monitor is inferior in all aspects EXCEPT appearance.

Go pay a premium for you stupid apple logo and your designer clothes.

[Joshua Ochs @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

Damn, after reading that AnandTech review, I even I want the Dell, and I'm a lifelong Mac user.

[phil ucerian @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

i found a great site today for high resolution wallpapers!
they have ones specficially for the 20-inch, 23-inch, and 30-inch (!) Apple Cinema Displays.

http://interfacelift.com/wallpaper/resolutions.php?w=1680
http://interfacelift.com/wallpaper/resolutions.php?w=1920
http://interfacelift.com/wallpaper/resolutions.php?w=2560

please post any other good sites. i am a junkie :) :)