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Apple diehard: I bought the apple display for my father and it's spectacular (and gorgeous). But, it did cost some bucks and I haven't compared it to Dell because...well, I'm an apple diehard.

But, I'm referring not to the 30 inch which is referred to in the CNET link, which is $1,799.00 on apple's website, but to one of the smaller models. Since neither of the prices looked like what I paid earlier this year (it was in between), I'm not sure which one it was. It was probably the smallest one (if so, my how the price has dropped-about $100.) My dad loves it, but I'm sure wouldn't have cared if it was a Dell.

i think it would just about kill me to have a non-apple display hooked up to my g5.

design all the way.

I have a dell screen and considered buying an Apple but I honestly couldn't get past some basic facts.

1. I spend all my time starring at the screen, not the border.
2. My eyes don't refresh faster than the refresh rate.
3. And I cant see spending extra $ for a better frame. I could afford it, I probably could spend that extra money on something more practical at 2modern.com like those amazing nooka watches or on wine. :)

I have the new 24-inch dell E248WFP, but I can't really recommend it due to its vertical viewing angle problems. I've never had a monitor that so obviously shifted color as you moved your head up and down. Neither the Dell 2001FP it replaced, the 2001FP sitting next to it nor the E70B I'm writing this on has this problem to this degree.

I faced this dilemma myself just a few months back. An Apple 23" Cinema Display (clear plastic model) went pear shaped after a few years of hard use, with a vertical blue line that ran the height of the monitor. So I was left with the choice of getting a new Apple 23" or checking out the Dell. Well, thanks to eBay, I ended up getting a pair of Dell 24" LCD screens for about the same price as an Apple monitor, and I've been loving it. They're set up in a vertical setup, side by side, and have been absolutely a joy to use.

If money wasn't an issue, I'd have a single 30" Apple Cinema Display. But of course, money is an issue, so this time Dell wins.

Weirdly, i'm dealing with this question right now. Here's what might be the real deal-breaker for me on the infinitely cheaper Dell--the USB ports are ON THE SIDE, smack middle of the frame. So crazy dangling wires, right? Does anyone have one who can tell me it's not as awful as I think it is? Because it pains me to pay for the Apple. But cords so out in the open may pain me more....

Valerie, I've got a dell at work with the USB ports on the side and its pretty obnoxious. The cables just hang there, you can't hide or ignore them, unless you pair it up with another monitor to the left of it.

You all know that I'm a rabid macophile. So no surprise that I prefer the Apple display and am currently "eyeing" a 30" display. yikes!

Living in an efficiency, I wanted the Apple for the aesthetic factor. I got the 20-inch at a financial sacrifice, and had some buyer's remorse after I completed the order.

But once I got it home, there were no regrets! I love it; it is a huge quality-of-life improvement.

And I like that I can tuck my MBP underneath the screen on the monitor stand. (Although I'm not sure that I should, with the heat and the scratch potential.)

I love how the cut-out in the stand in back of the screen enables you to thread USB and firewire cords through it to the ports on the back.

I had this dilemma last year. I never looked at the Dell's (I just couldn't do it) but instead ended up with a Samsung 225BW to use with my MacBook Pro. It is just an inch shy of the 23" Apple display, but at $300.00, I couldn't say no. The design is nice, simple, black (which works well because my regular TV is only a few feet away) and has the close to the same specs as the Apple display (it is admittedly only 1680x1050) for a third of the price.

See pic here:
http://common.ziffdavisinternet.com/util_get_image/15/0,1425,i=152708,00.jpg

There are no USB ports, and it isn't fancy, but simple unadorned clean lines go a long way.

I went through this not long ago and ended up with a Dell 24" to compliment the 23" ACD I was using at work. At first I was quite happy with it, though I've recently started noticing a few little things that bug me about it to the point that I'm considering getting rid of the Dell for an ACD. The only thing holding me up at this point is that the ACD's are in dire need of an update. There's nothing wrong with them, but they haven't been updated in years which makes me wonder if something is in the works.

I bought a 20" Dell Widescreen a few years ago when getting one for $425 was a good deal. The 20" ACD cost $800 at the time. They used the exact same LCD panel, manufactured by the same company. Same model number and all.

For me the Dell was a no-brainer because the Dell offered VGA, DVI, S-video, and composite inputs with picture in picture along with USB ports! (though they are in a dumb place) The ACD? DVI. That's it.

So if you're hooking up multiple systems or need some flexibility a Dell is a good choice.

Thanks for continuing the conversation with YOUR readers! I am still confused. Ha!

I'm ready to replace the aging clear case 17" apple display I have today. But my question is not Dell vs Apple. Is just, should I go for the 30" ACD or 2 x 23" ACD? Pricewise is the same at my end... yes, I'm an applewhore... (and eameswhore, nelsonwhore, bertoiawhore, saarinenwhore, noguchiwhore, etc!!!) ; P

joel

For those considering a 30in display, Apple or otherwise, I strongly recommend that you try one out for a while. Whether that means "renting" one - buying with the intent to return, or borrowing, or repeated visits to a store, please do it.

These monitors are difficult to work with and really should not be used as "regular" displays. By that I mean with you sitting 2 -3 feet from the monitor. Your eyes will dry out and your neck will break. Two 23in ACDs (or Dells) are better/easier than one 30in.

Or how about Iphone vs Dell. Looks like Dell is getting into the mobile phone business Read More Dial Dell.

Wonder if the Dell will be a competing against the gphone or the iphone?

For processing digital photos, Apple is considered better. My old 23" ACD is a photo viewer in the living room. The 30" ACD I'm now using will become one in the new study.

Best of all is the new EIZO 30" display (confirmed by B&H), which will be my new photoprocessing powerhouse.

I bought a Dell monitor last year and it occasionally has little lines running through my work. I can turn the monitor on and off to make them go away, but it's annoying. It's a glitch I should have had them solve, but I can't give up my monitor to make it happen. If I were to do it again, I'd probably go with the Apple. It's far prettier and I don't use the extra ports on the side of my monitor. Plus, I've been pestering Dell for six months and I'm still not off their mailing list...

Apple. Apple. Apple. I saved my money and splurged. I have never regretted this purchase.

I feel like I can honestly comment on this as I was also a die-hard MAC freak, I'm a designer and use my mac all day long for everything and anything. Recently I bought a mac mini and was horrified to realize that my old 17inch mac monitor wouldnt plug directly into it without purchasing a mac adapter which was just as big as the mac mini. After doing a tonne of research, I was curious about reviews I read on Apple's site regarding their displays, there were a number of comments complaining about Apple's pricing and a number of comments referring people to buy Dell. I thought those comments MUST have been posted by Dell employees - and there was no way I would ever fathom buying a Dell! but then out of curiosity I looked at the Dell site [for the first time ever], and I was and am still shocked at the prices! I could get a comparable display for less than $250! in the end I bought the Dell 20" widescreen for $289 and I sold my 17" on ebay for $100. I am so thrilled with my Dell screen, it looks aesthetically great, it has a beautiful slim design, I really love it and I especially love that I spent hardly anything on it and it comes with an amazing warranty that Apple never offers their customers for FREE. for all those other die-hard Mac fans out there, I challenge you to look at the dell.com site and think seriously about the prices for the displays, it's the same technology as Mac so the price difference is just for the branding, Mac needs to come down on their display prices and offer better warranties. How many of you mac fanatics can honestly say you sit at your mac and smile at the BARGAIN you scored? as that is how I feel looking at my shiny new slim beautiful DELL display!!

I use the Dell at work and the Apple at home (both 30"). Apple win's hands down, and not just for looks. Performance, contrast, refresh. , etc. After staring at the Dell all day, one look at teh Apple brings me relief.

At the end of the day, the Dell is an adequate monitor for the young and price conscious, but in this case you really do get what you pay for. The Apple monitor is just plain easier on your eyes, whether it is one OR off.