[BeerPowered]

I want a 27" and am trying to decide between the two. My choices are between the Apple Thunderbolt display or the Dell Ultrasharp U2711. I will eventually buy 3 of them for triple monitor gaming, but am going for 1 for right now.

Anybody have experience with these monitors? I will be buying them brand new.

 

[faded1004]

never tried the thunderbolt, but i have 3 x u2711, and i love it! bought them new from dell 1 at a time. so hard to buy all 3 at the same time!

anyways, i can't look at regular monitors any more. viewing angle and just color reproduction is just amazing. well worth the cost i paid. when you stack coupons you should be able to get them for like in the sub 800 range each.

with any large item purchases, i recommend buying from manufacturer so you can get the warranty.

*edit, after looking at the monitor spec, i wasn't able to easily find the dot pitch of the monitor. i would look into it. see which one has the better one. other then that, the led back light sounds interesting. i guess the only other thing would be the total cost. i am sure you would need to get apple care just to compare to the dell warrenty?

http://www.overclock.net/monitors-displays/950124-dell-monitor-thread-4.html#post12624040

just a pic of my setup. no my glass table hasn't broken yet...

 

[BeerPowered]

Quote:

Originally Posted by faded1004;14961842
the led back light sounds interesting.

My 3 LG monitors have LED lighting, and I don't really like it. Main reason is it's edge lighting, which when the screen is dark/black and the lights are off you can easily see lights coming from the edges of the monitor. Very distracting, and doesn't bode well for Diablo 3, which I plan to play lots of.

 

[Ovlazek]

What connections does the Apple display use?? I thought it was just thunderbolt...

 

[BeerPowered]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ovlazek;14962419
What connections does the Apple display use?? I thought it was just thunderbolt...

It has USB, and Mini DP as well. Which with various adapters mini DP becomes DVI, HDMI, DP, VGA.

 

[Ovlazek]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeerPowered;14962461
It has USB, and Mini DP as well. Which with various adapters mini DP becomes DVI, HDMI, DP, VGA.

I'm looking at it now. I see three usb ports, firewire, thunderbolt, and ethernet only?

 

[BeerPowered]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ovlazek;14962506
I'm looking at it now. I see three usb ports, firewire, thunderbolt, and ethernet only?

Mini Display port.

 

[Ovlazek]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeerPowered;14962529
Mini Display port.

Where is this? Sorry I don't mean to badger. I just don't want you to spend $3k on monitors that won't work for you. Plus I am curious as I was looking at the Dell as well.

Edit:
I can't find any info regarding video in on apple's website. Only the thunderbolt in.
Also, according to Wikipedia, the only in is thunderbolt.

 

[BeerPowered]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ovlazek;14962535
Where is this? Sorry I don't mean to badger. I just don't want you to spend $3k on monitors that won't work for you. Plus I am curious as I was looking at the Dell as well.

Thunderbolt and Mini DP are the same connectors. Thunderbolt is based off Displayport.

 

[Ovlazek]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeerPowered;14962557
Thunderbolt and Mini DP are the same connectors. Thunderbolt is based off Displayport.

If you check that wiki, it states that mac's without a thunderbolt port can't use the thunderbolt display though. Lots of mac's have had mini-dp ports. My old iMac from 2006 had one. There is conflicting info here. I can't find anything that confirms that thunderbolt and mini-dp use the same ports, just that it is based off of dp.

 

[BeerPowered]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ovlazek;14962585
If you check that wiki, it states that mac's without a thunderbolt port can't use the thunderbolt display though. Lots of mac's have had mini-dp ports. My old iMac from 2006 had one. There is conflicting info here. I can't find anything that confirms that thunderbolt and mini-dp use the same ports, just that it is based off of dp.

Apples website will tell you what I posted above.

 

[Ovlazek]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeerPowered;14962610
Apples website will tell you what I posted above.

The way I read it is that a Display port display can hook up to a thunderbolt out. Not a thunderbolt display connecting to a mini display port. Listen I'm done here. But I just think that it won't work. Prove me wrong. Go buy these displays please.

 

[Altstadt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeerPowered;14961798
I want a 27" and am trying to decide between the two. My choices are between the Apple Thunderbolt display or the Dell Ultrasharp U2711. I will eventually buy 3 of them for triple monitor gaming, but am going for 1 for right now.

Anybody have experience with these monitors? I will be buying them brand new.

BeerPowered,

Maintenance Badge? Where are you, Kadena, Misawa? I did a short TDY from Kunsan to Kadena in 91.

~Altstadt

 

[Draygonn]

The biggest difference between these displays is Glossy vs Matte. Apple is glossy, Dell has a heavy anti-glare coating.

 

[BeerPowered]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Altstadt;14962689
BeerPowered,

Maintenance Badge? Where are you, Kadena, Misawa? I did a short TDY from Kunsan to Kadena in 91.

~Altstadt

Kadena

@Ovlazek I talked to the Apple Store rep. You can plug in a mini DP, but for display only.

 

[becandl]

While I must say, the Apple displays are sooo sexy, I don't think you should get them because then you are wasting a lot of features since you aren't using thunderbolt. Also, I have Dell monitors, and they are always solid. Had them for years. I vote Dell.

 

[kevinsbane]

edited

 

[faded1004]

i went to the apple store last night! omg... the screen is nice... but yes...

i don't like the glossy screen! very distracting! i can see who is behind me and stuff. but! i can see how most people with mac get used to it. but since my u2711 are all matte... it is hard to get used to. my friend is a heavy mac person and it doesn't bother him.

i think if the lighting was lower (you know those mac stores are crazy bright) i think you wouldn't notice it as much? not sure. but the whole glossy thing does put me off the thunderbolt version. just something you should look at in person.

 

[Lyno]

Trust me if you have ANY light in the room get the dell. The glossy mac screens drive me crazy when watching any dark media because there's nothing more distracting than your face popping up in the background.

Unrelated, I've never seen the mac displays run in eyefinity. Might be because they're so expensive, but the bezels are also really thick so that would spoil the image imo.

 

[BeerPowered]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lyno;14968528
Unrelated, I've never seen the mac displays run in eyefinity. Might be because they're so expensive, but the bezels are also really thick so that would spoil the image imo.

A nice $200+ monitor stand can hold 3 monitors and angle them so most of the bezel disappears. I have seen a couple eyefinity Apple Cinema displays around here.

I am going to get 3 of the U2711. Thx for everyones input.