I'd like to get a 27" iMac but the display issues have me concerned. I was thinking of adding an external monitor to my early 2008 15" MBP. It looks like there's a connectivity issue with the new Apple 24" LED Cinema Display - it uses Mini DisplayPort, and my MBP has a DVI port. The Gefen adapter does not get good reviews.
Any recommendations for a quality, 24" monitor that will work with MBP and DVI?
Apple makes fine adapters that will let any of the laptops work with essentially any of their monitors - just get one of those.
As one who has used and uses both a large-screen iMac and a Macbook for doing photographic work:
- an iMac with a large screen and plenty of RAM and hard drive space makes a fine Photoshop machine. The newest 27-inch machine has a much faster processor that, in this case, apparently produces significant effects. (Some tests say it performs in the range of the more expensive "tower" systems.)
- the Macbooks can do Photoshop and can produce good image quality on external monitors, but there are concerns: you will be limited in the amount of internal hard drive space you can add, the processors will not be as fast as those in the best iMac machines, etc.
Unless you must do a lot of photo post-processing on the road and therefore on the laptop, the desktop system is going to provide a much more satisfying experience. In other words, go with the laptop plus external monitor (and other stuff) if you really need a laptop and can afford only one computer, but go with a desktop if you don't fall into that category.
I ordered an Eizo CG243W last week. Yes, it's expensive, but yes, it's also scaringly accurate, wide-gamut and: connect it with displayport, and you get 10 bits worth' of color, instead of the usual 8 bit!
Thanks for the input guys. The HP display shows some promise, the Eizo sure is expensive (!), and I've also heard some good things about the Dell Ultrasharp.
The search continues and I'll make do with the MBP screen until I either settle on a monitor, or the new iMac gets a clean bill of health.
