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#1 2008-01-18 8:50 am
- Former Windork
- Member
- From: Alabama
- Registered: 2002-06-13
- Posts: 1006
20” Aluminum iMac screens
I had heard back when the new aluminum iMac came out that many people felt the screens on the 20” were inferior to the 24” ones, not in size which is obvious, but in quality. People complained of discoloration at certain angles or brightness issues and perhaps some other things.
My question is: did they get this fixed? Was it actually a problem of using inferior LCDs or was it a defect in manufacturing or firmware or something that they corrected and now if you buy the 20” you’re getting just as good a screen as the 24” ones?
Microsoft Security Patch No. Infinitum arriving soon
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#3 2008-01-18 9:18 am
- DukeofNuke
- Free Radical
- From: Hazard
- Registered: 2003-05-02
- Posts: 2563
Re: 20” Aluminum iMac screens
Alien wrote:
The 20" is the budget model and uses a cheaper and lesser quality LCD panel.
,xtG
.tsooJ
Sorry, I find that unacceptable in an Apple product.
That might be a good enough excuse for a Dell
But Apples are supposed to be built to a higher standard
"If you want to kick a tiger in the ass, you better have a plan for dealing with his teeth."
- Tom Clancy
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#4 2008-01-18 10:12 am
- mrreet2001
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Re: 20” Aluminum iMac screens
Alien wrote:
The 20" is the budget model and uses a cheaper and lesser quality LCD panel.
,xtG
.tsooJ
I would hardly consider a $1200 computer "budget" 
2.66Ghz QuadCore-Nehalem w/24"LED CD ---2.2Ghz BlackMB---15" 2.4Ghz MBP(work)
Dual 2.3Ghz G5 (4G Ram, 2x 250G HD)(10.5 server)--- 400Mhz G4 PM (10.4 Server)
1.5GHz Powerbook---1.6Ghz G5 iMac
"So he fels down in a poisoning gas."
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#5 2008-01-18 10:19 am
- Former Windork
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- From: Alabama
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Re: 20” Aluminum iMac screens
Was this the case on the previous models? Was the white 20" Core 2 Duo iMac an obviously inferior screen compared to the 24" model?
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#7 2008-01-18 11:15 am
- Former Windork
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- From: Alabama
- Registered: 2002-06-13
- Posts: 1006
Re: 20” Aluminum iMac screens
So, did they downgrade in quality from the white 20" to the aluminum 20" or is this a function of the glossy screen making it more obvious?
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#8 2008-01-18 11:18 am
- mrreet2001
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- From: NW Ohio
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Re: 20” Aluminum iMac screens
Alien wrote:
No, but the 17" was.
,xtG
.tsooJ
the 17" also cost 200$ less than the 20" iMac
2.66Ghz QuadCore-Nehalem w/24"LED CD ---2.2Ghz BlackMB---15" 2.4Ghz MBP(work)
Dual 2.3Ghz G5 (4G Ram, 2x 250G HD)(10.5 server)--- 400Mhz G4 PM (10.4 Server)
1.5GHz Powerbook---1.6Ghz G5 iMac
"So he fels down in a poisoning gas."
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#9 2008-01-18 12:17 pm
- dv
- Negusa Negest
- Moderator
- From: Minneapolis, MN
- Registered: 1999-08-30
- Posts: 18092
Re: 20” Aluminum iMac screens
Former Windork wrote:
So, did they downgrade in quality from the white 20" to the aluminum 20"
iirc, yes. But I could be talking out of my ass on that point.
or is this a function of the glossy screen making it more obvious?
Well, that too - there's also contrast ratio, refresh rate, brightness, and bit depth of the LEDs. (6-bit vs. 8-bit)
And so on.
"Now commences the process of cutting off the head, which generally takes from an hour to an hour and a half by an expert workman with a sharp blade." -Reuben Delano, Wanderings and Adventures
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#10 2008-01-18 12:51 pm
- Former Windork
- Member
- From: Alabama
- Registered: 2002-06-13
- Posts: 1006
Re: 20” Aluminum iMac screens
So then, what are the advantages of a new 20" iMac over the model it replaced? Slightly faster processor and memory and max RAM of 4GB instead of 3GB?
Geez. If that's the case, no thanks. I'll find an 20" white iMac on eBay.
Microsoft Security Patch No. Infinitum arriving soon
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#11 2008-01-18 2:02 pm
- Donkey Butter
- jerk face
- From: over yonder
- Registered: 2005-12-14
- Posts: 2444
Re: 20” Aluminum iMac screens
you don't need to go to ebay there are white 20" iMacs for sale on apple's website (in the refurbished section.)
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#12 2008-01-21 7:42 pm
- Former Windork
- Member
- From: Alabama
- Registered: 2002-06-13
- Posts: 1006
Re: 20” Aluminum iMac screens
Well, if I get it from eBay or some other reseller, I can usually avoid sales tax. Which in my area would by over $100.
Microsoft Security Patch No. Infinitum arriving soon
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#13 2008-01-21 10:29 pm
- FutureDreamz
- 1.1.2.3.5.8.13.21.34.55
- From: カナダ
- Registered: 2007-01-07
- Posts: 4511
Re: 20” Aluminum iMac screens
Former Windork wrote:
Well, if I get it from eBay or some other reseller, I can usually avoid sales tax. Which in my area would by over $100.
::notes the location::
::thinks of Houston::
::remembers that joke from Jeff Foxworthy::
::ROFL::
Thanks for clicking.
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#14 2008-01-21 11:03 pm
- Former Windork
- Member
- From: Alabama
- Registered: 2002-06-13
- Posts: 1006
Re: 20” Aluminum iMac screens
::notes the hackneyed Southern stereotype::
::realizes in true Southern tradition, a damn is not given::
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#15 2008-01-21 11:49 pm
- FutureDreamz
- 1.1.2.3.5.8.13.21.34.55
- From: カナダ
- Registered: 2007-01-07
- Posts: 4511
Re: 20” Aluminum iMac screens
::is taking unusually long to process that last sentence::
Thanks for clicking.
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#16 2008-01-22 12:23 am
- dv
- Negusa Negest
- Moderator
- From: Minneapolis, MN
- Registered: 1999-08-30
- Posts: 18092
Re: 20” Aluminum iMac screens
FutureDreamz wrote:
::is taking unusually long to process that last sentence::
Because, in true southern tradition, it is missing some words and the tenses don't really agree.
"Now commences the process of cutting off the head, which generally takes from an hour to an hour and a half by an expert workman with a sharp blade." -Reuben Delano, Wanderings and Adventures
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#17 2008-01-22 12:53 am
- knobtwirler
- Anthropocentric Temporal Chauvinist
- From: NYC
- Registered: 2003-07-28
- Posts: 3242
Re: 20” Aluminum iMac screens
What I'm unclear about is whether anybody at an Apple Store could have told me that the 20" iMac I could have been ready to purchase had an inferior screen, and how so. Also, if the 24" model was just bigger than what I wanted but they were using better screens, I should have the option to have a 20" with a better screen, unless all of this was being done on the down low until people's screens began showing signs of obvious inferiority.
If you look around the table and can't tell who the sucker is, it's you.
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#18 2008-01-22 3:20 am
- reece_james
- TheLAD
- From: Wollongong, Australia.
- Registered: 2001-12-01
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Re: 20” Aluminum iMac screens
Alien wrote:
No, but the 17" was.
,xtG
.tsooJ
I call BS on this one. My original CD 17" is a fantastic screen. Yes it isn't anywhere near as good as the high end panels, but I certainly haven't seen patchy colour, nor stepping in gradients.
Reece [/IMHO]
"All posts on the internet are postfixed by an invisible 'IMHO'", tito
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#19 2008-01-22 7:03 am
- Former Windork
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Re: 20” Aluminum iMac screens
dvpierce wrote:
FutureDreamz wrote:
::is taking unusually long to process that last sentence::
Because, in true southern tradition, it is missing some words and the tenses don't really agree.
Actually, the tenses are in agreement. "Realizes" agrees with "is."
I just used passive voice in the latter part.
Don't try to play grammar cop with me. 
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#20 2008-01-22 10:36 am
- macrule413
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- From: western, MA
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Re: 20” Aluminum iMac screens
Same thing with the MacBooks, the MacBook Pro's have a high quality screen while the MacBooks (non-pro) have inferior quality screens. The MacBooks (non-pro's) screen as in my 2.2Ghz Black MacBook is pretty terrible quality in terms of viewing angles, etc compared to my MacBook Pro 2Ghz CD.
Early 2009 Mac Mini, 2.0Ghz Snow Leopard C2D/4GB/320GB/Dual 20"+22" LCD Displays
Power Mac G5 2Ghz, 3GB, 10.5 Leopard, internal 20X DVD/RW, BT, 23"LCD
2.2Ghz Black MacBook (Late 2007) 2GB/160GB/GMA X3100/Snow Leopard
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#21 2008-01-22 7:06 pm
- Former Windork
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- From: Alabama
- Registered: 2002-06-13
- Posts: 1006
Re: 20” Aluminum iMac screens
Now that's interesting. I've seen plenty of MacBooks and never thought the screen looked bad or had funny colors at various viewing angles. If the iMac screens are as good as the MacBooks, I doubt I'd notice.
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#22 2008-01-22 10:38 pm
- Aqua OS X
- Shark Sandwich
- From: Oakland, CA
- Registered: 2000-06-05
- Posts: 12669
Re: 20” Aluminum iMac screens
I have a new 20in iMac at work, and the display is nice, but it looks quite yellow if you view it from the side.
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#23 2008-01-22 11:10 pm
Re: 20” Aluminum iMac screens
Aqua OS X wrote:
I have a new 20in iMac at work, and the display is nice, but it looks quite yellow if you view it from the side.
Stop smoking near your Mac. 
Get it
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#24 2008-01-23 7:50 am
- Cynic
- I've got my propaganda
- From: A cold city by a big lake
- Registered: 2001-10-19
- Posts: 2622
Re: 20” Aluminum iMac screens
I have one of the new 20" iMacs, and I haven't had any problems with the display. The only thing I've noticed is that the viewing angle is slightly less than some displays, but it's not bad. As far as contrast, refresh rate, etc, I haven't noticed any problems at all. And, as far as brightness, this screen is brighter than almost any monitor I've ever used. In fact, I keep the brightness setting down at about 60-75% most of the time.
Basically, unless you're some sort of graphics or video professional, I doubt you'll have any problems with this display. And if you are a pro, I wonder why you'd buy an iMac.
Long story short, I'm very satisfied with mine.
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#25 2008-01-23 9:14 am
- dv
- Negusa Negest
- Moderator
- From: Minneapolis, MN
- Registered: 1999-08-30
- Posts: 18092
Re: 20” Aluminum iMac screens
Former Windork wrote:
dvpierce wrote:
FutureDreamz wrote:
::is taking unusually long to process that last sentence::
Because, in true southern tradition, it is missing some words and the tenses don't really agree.
Actually, the tenses are in agreement. "Realizes" agrees with "is."
I just used passive voice in the latter part.
Don't try to play grammar cop with me.
You're still missing a "that."
"Now commences the process of cutting off the head, which generally takes from an hour to an hour and a half by an expert workman with a sharp blade." -Reuben Delano, Wanderings and Adventures
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