Forums | MacLife

Are you at all worried about the part that says "To optimize this monitor's performance, your system must be able to support WSXGA+ resolution (1680 x 1050)" I don't know if that's a problem but I don't see it listed in my  list of display resolutions.

My friend has a real nice dell monitor... Enjoy!

Those things are on par with the Apple displays.

Dell is height-adjustable, pivots, can hold optional speakers and has more inputs - for less money for the same LCD.  Apple's does look nicer and has a FireWire hub - and is only $50 more at list price.

robco wrote:

and is only $50 more at list price.

Anyone who pays list price at Dell is an idiot. They have a constantly rotating number of deep discounts going an.
All you need to do is keep an eye on their site and wont be long till what you want gets discounted.

Pariah wrote:

robco wrote:

and is only $50 more at list price.

Anyone who pays list price at Dell is an idiot. They have a constantly rotating number of deep discounts going an.
All you need to do is keep an eye on their site and wont be long till what you want gets discounted.

Please please PLEASE don't mention the above well known fact in this forum ever again!

You are killing a select few here (name withheld) who like to price-performance match Dell vs Mac with spec and "FULL" non discount Dell price every chance they get! consider Apple always sell their product at full retail, it is only fair to purchase DELL at full retail too!

lets keep this well known secret to yourself!

I like the Apple because it is prettier, and for me, that is enough to justify the price differnece, even with the Dell sales.

The adjustability is what would make me choose Dell over Apple.  The only thing I don't like about the current iMac is that it only adjusts the angle.  Being able to adjust the height would be nice.

Pariah wrote:

Czachorski wrote:

I like the Apple because it is prettier, and for me, that is enough to justify the price differnece, even with the Dell sales.

Apple's displayes look nicer, but not $400 to $700 nicer.

Not by a long shot. Id pay maybe $12 more.

Student discount from Apple is $699.  I think it is fair to compare discount to discount, even if one is intermittent and the other is students.  With shipping, the dell is about $250 cheaper.  I would pay double that just to maintain my pristine, Dell-free household.

How, exactly are you going to save $700?

robco wrote:

I'm not sure why there's so much animosity toward Dell.  Their low-end systems are crap, but their mid-range and high-end systems (especially the Precision workstations) are pretty good.  They also make nice displays.  Sure, they're plastic - so are the iMac and iBooks, but they do offer the exact same LCD (different backlight), with a few more features at a lower price.  Both are likely made in China.

I like Apple's industrial design, and the OS.  But I'll be the first to admit that the PowerBooks are way overpriced (hopefully that will be remedied at tomorrow's shindig) and their displays are also a bit pricey compared to the competition.

Expensive Displays are relative.  If I recall correctly, not long ago, the 20" was $999, but for just a few month since before it was $1299, but only for a year or so before, when they cut the prices by about half that one big day, before which it was something like $2200.  All relative.  We can squabble now over $250, but I have been watching this thing drop in price for years.  I would not go to jump on that ugly Dell now, just to save $250.

There are also some differences in the displays.  The durable Apple case is clearly better, and Apple uses a different backlight.  The Dell has more features like more tilt options and more inputs, by my own opinion on extra options that I don't really need is that they just represent one more thing that cause the device to fail.  I am one of those weird consumers that actually think that too much choice and too many options are a bad thing.

I love my 20" Apple Cinema Display.  A portion of the way I feel about it is because it has the Apple look and design.  That may not be important to everyone, but for me it makes me more comfortable and confident in it.  Although displays are not the best example, there are times when having everything from one vendor, one company is a big advantage.

pcguy wrote:

Will I offend u if I tell u that quite a few think that el cheapo Dell 20in actually have better color/image then Apple of same size?

By the way, my friend bought a Dell 20in about 3mts ago for $316 give or take a few buck! that's quite a few buck saving over 699/799

No offense at all.  Some people like the looks of things that I don't.  No bother to me.

My friend bought an Apple 23" cinema display for $259.  Quite a deal compared to that 20" Dell at $316.

Arn't anecdotes fun!

robco wrote:

Well, to some of us, $250 is a fair chunk of change.  It's an iPod nano, or a digital camera or extra RAM.  More inputs makes it possible to share with another computer, or devices.  I do wish that Apple could find a way to add height adjustment to their displays and the iMac.  It's a feature that really should be in any $800 monitor.  It might not be a bad idea for them to knock a bit off the price for those who purchase an Apple display with a new Mac.  As for durability, I think the Dell can handle standing on a desktop.  Most folks tend not to move their monitors around too often.  It's a desktop display, not a laptop.

To you, it may be worth the extra price for that, others will choose differently.  The beauty of a free-market economy.

Yup.

There is an old ubiquitous addage that you get what you pay for.  There are always exceptions to every rule, but they are rare for this rule.  Sure, the 2 monitors have the same LCD, but there are other components that are different.  Same specs does not mean same quality.  It is possible that the Dell is cheaper because they operate on a lower margin than Apple.  It is also possible that they went with a low-bid, low-quality chinese assembler and Apple did not.  It is also possible that the Apple backlight and other components are actually higher quality than the Dell.  That $250 for the Apple buys me the confidence that I have a quality product that will last and have a low chance of issues.  This has been my experience with Apple products.  With Dell, I have just the opposite experience, I have used their cheap products and they feel cheap and work cheap and you got what you paid for.  Following the get-what-you-pay-for rule has usually worked well for me and I have gotten burnt when I have disobeyed it.  This is not a blind-hatred towards Dell or a fanboy attitude for Apple.  This is real world experience with many purchases and several by these actual 2 companies.

I am not spending $250 extra because I like flushing money down the toilet.  I am spending it because I genuinely like the Apple display better and it gives me more comfort and confidence that I got a quality product.  Over the years, I have done the same many times with cars, motorcycles, electronics, etc, and it has worked well.  I have also seen some of my biggest frustrations and disappointments come from the el-cheapo.  It is a trend that I am sure many have observed, and is too signficant to ignore.

Then again, it may just be a placebo that makes me feel better.  Either way, the end result to my comfort and confidence is the same.