GigaOM » cinema display

Where is Apple’s 30″ LED Cinema Display?

Adam Jackson — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 18:00:07 +0000

Today, Apple sells just one monitor and in September, it’ll be selling two. But is it too little, too late when competitors already have an edge on a yet-to-be released, smaller upgrade?

The history of Apple’s flat panel monitor offerings is pretty dry, but as we’ll see, shows a pattern. Apple’s first LCD was a 15″ monitor that came in July 2000 and had a max resolution of 1024×768. It was a beautiful, very expensive display that weighed 12 pounds and had a viewing angle of 120 degrees. Soon, similar models in 17- and 22-inch configurations arrived. Finally, in 2002, we long-time Apple fans were caught drooling over the 23″ Apple Cinema HD display that pushed a 1920×1200 pixel resolution and was available directly from Apple for $3499.

Design-wise, updates have also been rare. Even after Apple went all aluminum with its PowerMac G5, and more recently, its Mac Pro, the plastic and translucent Cinema Displays remained unchanged. It wasn’t until June 2004 that Apple updated the design and went aluminum with displays bearing the same Cinema Display name in 20-, 23- and 30-inch configurations costing $1,299, $1,999 and $3,299 respectively. You were paying about the same as you did back in 2002, but for slightly larger monitors in sleeker packages with a viewing angle of 170 degrees and a much higher brightness (400 cd /m² versus 200 cd /m² in the old models). These monitors were pretty good, but still insanely expensive compared to comparable monitors from Viewsonic and Dell.

In October 2008 (nearly two years ago), Apple released the 24″ LED Cinema Display with a 178-degree viewing angle, IPS display and a 100:1 contrast ratio besting the previous model that only offered 700:1. The 20″ and 30″ Cinema Displays with old specs are still readily available, but only from eBay and a few resellers, so Apple is technically selling one monitor to replace a previous offering that included three: a 20″, 23″ and 30″ model. What gives?

Yesterday, that changed when Apple announced that a 27″ LED Cinema Display will go on sale in September for $999.

Where is the 30″ Model?

We don’t cover non-Apple news very much, but yesterday, HP released a new 30″ display that leverages IPS technology and has a 7-millisecond respond time, which is two times faster than Apple’s current 24″ display for $1399. The HP offering is only $400 more than Apple’s 27″ display that isn’t even shipping yet. What’s the holdup, Apple?

I covered the past Apple offerings because it’s obvious that Apple takes its sweet time with display releases, but there’s absolutely no need. I understand its withholding of cool features like FaceTime and bluetooth multitouch trackpads to fuel demand and excite Mac users every few weeks with a new toy, but display technologies universally offer exactly the same function.

Apple’s CRT, LCD and now LED monitors are exactly the same as monitors from every other manufacturer aside from the pretty aluminum-and-glass casing and nice additions like MagSafe ports or a built-in webcam, but Apple somehow charges a premium on identical technology (something we’re all used to as Mac users). Apple gains nothing by holding back on larger monitor releases. The fact that Apple released a 24″ model in October 2008 and in September 2010 is finally getting around to releasing a 27″ display gives me the impression that we’ll see a 30″ LED Cinema Display with a $1999 price tag sometime in July 2012. Of course, I’m doubtful of that, but the Adam of 2008 would have laughed when you told him he’d be waiting two years for a 27″ LED Cinema Display.

My point is that Apple’s withholding of larger monitors only makes power users like me buy a monitor from another manufacturer. My 30″ Dell 3008WFP that I bought two years ago has a higher contrast ratio, response time and brightness than Apple’s unreleased 27″ LED Cinema Display with a similar viewing angle. It also uses IPS technology which Apple acts as if it invented or as if using it is, somehow, cutting edge. The truth is, the 30″ Dell monitor released three years ago that costs only $1599 has the exact same specs as HP’s $1399 30″ that came out yesterday and will probably have the same specs as Apple’s $1999 30″ LED Cinema Display that may come out sometime in the next 24 months.

What Apple is doing is making pros buy monitors elsewhere. I wish the 30″ display sitting next to my iMac was an Apple-branded one and not a Dell, but I need the screen real estate and Apple has left me hanging.

Apple Unveils Gorgeous New 27-inch Cinema Display

Alex Layne — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 13:43:39 +0000

The Apple Store went down early this morning. When it came back up, what should we find but a new 27-inch Cinema Display?

The last time Apple refreshed the Cinema Display was in 2008 when it unveiled the 24-inch LED model, so it’s been a long time coming. The new one has a 16:9 aspect ratio, which should make it perfect for watching movies. The resolution is 2560×1440, meaning a whopping 60 percent more pixels than its 24-inch predecessor (which had a max resolution of 1920×1200). The new display is IPS-based, giving users a much wider viewing angle, up to 178° horizontal and vertical. This follows Apple’s trend with the iPad and iPhone 4 towards IPS technology.

The rest of the features are standard fare: three USB 2.0 ports (sadly, no 3.0), built-in iSight and microphone, and a Kensington security slot.

The new Cinema Display will set you back $999. ~~No word on when it’ll be available to purchase.~~ It should be available sometime in September. In the meantime, the 24-inch model is still available for $799.

Apple’s HD Cinema Display: Or, How I Overcame Monitor Envy

Liam Cassidy — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 17:30:22 +0000

In 1999 I was building websites with UltraDev and Drumbeat. I was playing with DHTML and a cool new thing called CSS. I was dropping the word “recordset” into conversations with other geek friends via the just-released MSN Messenger Service. I considered myself pretty technologically accomplished. But then one day a friend visited and used my computer to check his email. As he took his seat before my beige plastic 15 inch CRT he mumbled “Ugh! It’s so small.”

I was crushed. My monitor was smaller than his monitor. How embarrassing!

Since that day I have always strived to use the largest monitor possible, and usually two of ‘em side by side. And while dual monitor setups are not so common in most homes, at least we’ve come a long way since the primitive days of 15 inch CRTs. The first flat panels ordinary people could afford were tiny, low resolution, low color saturation, low-light things. The contrast (pun intended) to today’s cheap, bright and capable LCD screens is remarkable, but it has been a very short journey from one to the other.

I always knew that Apple made amazing displays. Perhaps they haven’t always been the first choice of graphics professionals, but at least they’ve been consistently better than the cheap monitors offered by PC manufacturers. So early this year, as I switched completely from PC to Mac, I made sure I bought the biggest and best displays Apple could offer. And that meant the gargantuan, beautiful, breathtaking 30 inch Cinema HD Widescreen Displays. Two of them, as it happens.

And they are amazing. Positioned side by side before me, I practically swim in Cinema Display goodness. To clarify; when I work on my 15 inch Macbook Pro, despite the beauty of that glossy screen, I’m acutely aware that it provides a limited, narrow view of the digital world, a little like peering through the mail slot in my front door. With these enormous cinema displays, I don’t need to peer through the mail slot because the door has been thrown wide open. Sometimes, it feels like the door has been taken off its hinges. And sometimes, I feel a little silly having all this display. In fact, unless I’m doing some graphics/video work, I don’t maximize windows. Doing so feels… I don’t know… over the top, somehow.

So why does anyone need more than one monitor? The answer falls conveniently down to a single word: productivity. Quite simply, people who (properly) use multiple monitors work more efficiently and productively. Don’t take my word for it — look at this report (PDF) from Pfeiffer, which goes into extraordinary depth examining the virtues of extensive screen-space.

There’s Always a Down Side

The Cinema HD Display isn’t perfect. Sure, Apple generously endowed it with two USB ports and two Firewire 400 ports within easy-reach, and if you’re using a Mac Pro, those ports are fantastically useful, saving you from making trips to the mysterious, cable-strewn world Beneath the Desk. But FW400 is old now, and since these displays were launched they haven’t been refreshed. Newer standards, such as HDMI, are unsupported. Even Apple’s own Mini-DV standard isn’t supported without an adapter.

But by far the biggest problem with the 30 incher is its price. At $1,799 it’s a fantastically expensive monitor. Our own James Dempsey compared Apple’s behemoth with Dell’s 30 inch UltraSharp Widescreen and concluded he preferred the Dell. Read the article to see his reasons why, but I’ll tell you now that price was an important factor.

But I have no regrets — and a good job, too, considering how expensive these things still are. Whether you buy from Apple or elsewhere, they’ll set you back a painful $1,799 each! Personally, however, these displays are by far the most impressive non-television panels I’ve had the pleasure of using. Call me insane, but I enjoy needing to slide my chair a little to the left to more comfortably see what’s going on on my other screen.

The Future

As with all things Apple, there’s the knowledge that what’s top-of-the-line today will be old-hat tomorrow. Buy a brand new MacBook Pro and enjoy the pleasure of being at the cutting-edge while it lasts — because new models will be out before you know it. Well, the 30 inch Cinema HD Displays have yet to be surpassed. But Apple does have some very nice new LED screens on the market. It makes me wonder what might be happening with the ageing 30 inch line.

A quick visit to both the American and UK versions of the Apple website revealed that, at some point since April this year, Apple quietly removed the dedicated microsite for the 30 inch display. The only link you’ll find now is to its product page in the online store. My old bookmarks no longer work. So — what’s happening? Is Apple discontinuing the 30 inch Cinema HD Display, perhaps planning to replace it with a refreshed new line based on their LED monitors? I emailed no fewer than four of my contacts at Apple who, two weeks later, have remained utterly silent on the matter.

But I’ve never quite gotten over that brief period of monitor envy in 1999. I’ve always hated it when I’ve walked into a room and discovered, to my silent horror, bigger and better monitors than my own. So I’m going to enjoy my beautiful cinema displays while I still can, because I know it’s only a matter of time before Apple makes them feel like that old, beige 15 incher that started it all.

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Sorry Apple Cinema Display, Your New Cousin Is a Cheaper Date

Darrell Etherington — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 16:00:49 +0000

I don’t think I’m alone in visiting the Apple Cinema Display official product page every now and again and saving carts for later filled with LED goodness, even though I never intend to cash out because I can’t afford to. Apple’s displays are sexy, functional, and of tremendous build quality, but that price tag is a little beyond my monitor budget, so I’ll usually end up opting for a Dell that’ll give me the same real estate for far less dough. Plus, I’ll often look for something smaller than 24 inches, since I rarely do graphics-intensive work that requires a larger screen.

Recently, I’ve been looking for a second monitor for my Mac mini since the Mini DisplayPort hook-up is just sitting there empty, and I’m often inclined to play video games and watch TV at the same time, despite the question of whether I can actually enjoy either activity while doing so. New company CinemaView looks to have come along at just the right time. They recently announced a new line of LCD displays designed just for Macs, at a price that won’t break the bank, and with a Mini DisplayPort connector cable out of the box.

That’s not all. It’s actually a combined 1.2-meter Mini DisplayPort/USB/3.5mm mini-stereo composite cable, so you can make use of the three powered USB ports on the rear of the display, and the built-in speakers. And with aluminum construction and Apple styling, you’re basically getting the closest thing to an Apple Cinema Display you can find without actually buying one.

According to the company, the displays were created because they were tired of using “plastic junk” from companies like Dell and Samsung but wanted a lower cost option to Apple. Modesty clearly isn’t the company’s strong suit, as you can tell from this quote from the site’s FAQ:

Q. Are these just copies of Apple’s displays?

A. No. Frankly, we think our design looks better than Apple’s. We think our component and materials selections are superior. And, we think our tilt mechanism (patent pending) and Aluminum base design are sexier than Apple’s.

Without seeing the thing in person, I can’t make any assertions regarding these displays and how they compare to Apple’s on the sexiness scale, but they do look better (and more functional) than the Samsung Touch-of-Color I recently picked up as a gift for my girlfriend, which is a fairly good-looking monitor. Three models are available: a 19-inch for $299, a 21-inch for $399, and a $24-inch for $499. The ship date is currently listed as some time before Sept. 1, but you can reserve one now at their web site, with no obligation to buy.

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Goodbye, 20″ Cinema Display. No Hello, 20″ LED Cinema Display?

Darrell Etherington — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 21:03:35 +0000

Another one bites the dust. Another in Apple’s line of Cinema Displays, that is.

Apple pulled the 20″ entry-level model of their popular professional caliber display line Thursday, leaving behind only the legacy 30″ model and the 24″ newly updated LED Cinema Display with DisplayPort that was introduced alongside the new unibody MacBooks and MacBook Pros at the notebook event late last year.

Last time a model was pulled, its replacement was already available, since it was the mid-range 23″ display and the 24″ had already been announced and was available via the Apple Store. The discontinuation of the 20″ leaves a significant hole in the existing line-up, since the mid-range 24″ display is a full $200 more expensive than its smaller sibling. Curiously, AppleInsider is also reporting that all backlogs are to be cancelled and that no replacement is to be offered to fill those orders already existing.

It seems an odd move for Apple to leave such a gap in their offerings, and most retailers suspect that a refreshed model will be made available soon. If we look at the 24″ for cues, it’s reasonably safe to say that the new model would use MiniDisplay Port for video connectivity, and might offer power supply and USB hub functions as well. Suddenly those $400-range used 20″ Cinema Displays I found on craigslist the other day are looking mighty appealing, since all of my existing Apple computers still use the mini-DVI standard. Yes, I’m living in the past.

As of yet, there is no way for Apple users with Mini-DVI connected hardware to hook up with the new 24″ display, and presumably with any other forthcoming devices that will use DisplayPort tech. I think I’m gonna go inquire to that craigslist poster after all, before he realizes what he’s got his hands on and the price gouging starts.

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24-inch LED Cinema Display Gets a Little More Touchy-Feely

Darrell Etherington — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 20:00:32 +0000

Leopard may not have quite the level of touchscreen integration as Windows 7 appears to be packing, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t those out there who would appreciate having one for their Mac. We can probably cry out for a tablet till the cows come home, and not be rewarded any time soon, unless you’re willing to go third-party. Today we receive yet another third party option, for those who want to get their desktop touch on.

I’m talking about Troll Touch‘s integrated touchscreen for the Apple 24-inch LED Cinema Display. The 24-inch display, you’ll recall, came to us via the same October Apple event that introduced the new line of unibody aluminum notebooks, and uses the new Mini DisplayPort video connection standard that Apple will be adopting across their entire line of computers. It can also power and act as a USB hub for your Apple notebook.

Troll Touch’s touchscreen system uses USB power to drive the analog resistive touchscreen, which can be used with fingertips, gloves, or a stylus (as opposed to, say, the capacitive touchscreen of the iPhone, which requires fingertip interaction). The screen is an overlay, and does not significantly alter the look of your hardware. If you want the total package, it retails for $2299, but if you have your own 24-inch display already, a mere $1399 will have you fondling your monitor in no time.

Not one to discriminate, Troll Touch also offers similar solutions for your iMac, MacBook (13″), or any of the other existing Apple Cinema displays. Prices are all sort of expensive, but if you’re the type that really needs this sort of thing, then you’re probably willing to pay.

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Is a 24″ Cinema Display For Your MacBook Worth the Money?

Charles Moore — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 22:00:47 +0000

Apple’s new notebook-oriented 24-inch LED Cinema Display is certainly a glorious piece of equipment. If you’re not up to speed, this 24-inch LED-backlit 1920 x 1200 pixel resolution glossy-finish widescreen unit includes a built-in iSight video camera, mic and speakers in an elegant, thin aluminum and glass enclosure stylistically consonant with the new unibody MacBooks and the aluminum iMac. Designed specifically for use with the unibodies, the LED Cinema Display also includes an integrated MagSafe AC power adapter and battery charger, plus three self-powered USB 2.0 ports and the new Mini DisplayPort allowing unibody MacBook users to quickly connect and power their notebooks and favorite peripherals.

The 24″ Cinema Display is mounted on an aluminum stand with an adjustable hinge that makes tilting the display easy and convenient. The downside? This puppy has a suggested retail price of $899. Ouch! If you can afford that comfortably, more power to you, but I think most of us will swallow hard before coughing up 900 bucks for a monitor — even a super-monitor like the 24″ Cinema Display.

JkOnTheRun’s James Kendrick announced last week he’s going to sell his 17″ MacBook Pro and switch to a new aluminum MacBook as his primary computer, so he wants to buy a big external monitor to use for for desktop mode duty. I’ve been musing about a somewhat similar strategy for my own next system upgrade. I’d love to have a 17″ MacBook Pro to replace my wonderful old 1.33 GHz 17″ PowerBook G4, but I find 17-incher prices, even for Apple Certified Refurbished units, too hard to justify rationally for what I do with computers.

David Wegener at Mac laptop specialist reseller Wegener Media suggested that a more sensible solution might be to buy a smaller screen Apple laptop and connect it to an external monitor — such as a 15″ MacBook Pro paired with a refurbished DVI 22″ panel, which David says is his personal preference. Wegeners can currently supply refurbished 22″ HP DVI displays with tilt option for $219, and this setup offers more portability with the 15″ machine but serious Desktop real estate with a 22″ panel at your workstation. For more information on the refurb displays, send a query at Wegeners’ contact page.

James Kendrick says he ordered one of the new Apple 24″ Cinema Displays, primarily because he knew it would work well with the unibody Mac, but it turned out to be back-ordered, which elicited some sober second thought, and he canceled that order, explaining “The more I thought about the high cost of that Apple display the harder it was for me to justify paying it. There are many third party monitors available today that sell for less than $400 and it’s just lunacy to pay $900 for an Apple-branded monitor. So I canceled the order and now I’m looking for a good alternative…”

I completely agree with that reasoning. A unibody MacBook with the 24″ Cinema Display would be a nice rig (still no FireWire, though), but money has to be an object.

Kendrick says he’s leaning toward a sub-$400 Samsung 24″ display that he’d like to confirm will work well with the new MacBook and is soliciting user reports and recommendations from readers, feedback from which I will be following with interest with a nod to my own system upgrade deliberations.

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Apple Taking Orders for the 24″ Cinema Display

David Appleyard — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 17:00:12 +0000

Apple has today started to take orders for their new 24″ LED Cinema Display. Shipping is stated to start sometime in November, and the screen is priced at $899. We have previously covered the announcement of the new displays and detailed their features.

This new device is the first display designed to make use of the new Mini DisplayPort currently only present in Apple’s notebook line. It sports Mini DisplayPort, USB and MagSafe connectors to really expand the experience of using a notebook. There’s also a built-in iSight camera, microphone, and speaker system that provide a “true desktop experience” — something not present on previous cinema displays. The addition of a notebook charging cable has been well received, and in-built DisplayPort may go some way to alleviate the problem with a shortage of converters.

Apple have been keen to promote the environmental aspects of the new displays (as heralded on the features page). Like many recent products, the display features mercury-free LED backlight technology and arsenic-free glass. The glass and aluminum construction make the display highly recyclable, so its raw materials can be used in other types of products. It receives a Gold rating from the EPEAT, and is Energy Star certified.

Many Apple users are hoping that the company has plans to introduce a 30″ counterpart to the new style display, but we’ll have to wait and see if this is announced in the future. It’s very unlikely to be before Christmas, as Apple has said publicly there will be no new hardware announcements until the New Year.

The new Cinema Display is selling for $899 and requires a MacBook, MacBook Air, or MacBook Pro with a new Mini DisplayPort. Orders will presumably be shipped, as usual, on a first-come first-served basis.

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