Simply Beautiful
Written: Sep 12 '04 (Updated Sep 12 '04)
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Pros: Beautiful. Simple, clean, elegant.
Cons: Expensive, unless you can find an open-box return or other "really good" deal for discount.
The Bottom Line: Simply the most beautiful, clean, and elegant monitor I've ever owned.
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| caradoc's Full Review: Apple M9177LLA (Silver) 20" LCD Monitor |
I've been using LCD monitors for a few years, now, mostly because they run much cooler than CRT monitors - and in Arizona, anything that runs cooler will save money in the long run.
Several months ago, Apple released a new line of monitors, in 20", 23", and 30" sizes. They've eliminated the somewhat-cheesy transparent "easel" frames in favor of ultraslim aluminum frames, with actual stands that allow the monitor to be tilted to a useful angle (instead of having a very slight adjustment from vertical to "tipped back" due to that "easel" style.)
While getting her iMac worked on, we found an open-box returned 20" Aluminum LCD on the clearance table at the local Apple store. Given the discount, and the fact that I really didn't need the monitor's manual since I had access to Apple's on-line help files, we decided it was a good buy with the discount.
Ten minutes after I had it out of the box, I had it working with my Dual G5, but discovered something - the new monitors do not use the Apple "ADC"-type connector. They use the regular DVI connector, like any other high-end LCD monitor made to work with either Macs or PCs. So, my other LCD monitor (the Samsung 172N) wouldn't work any more without an additional adapter.
You see, most of the G5 series of Apple Macintoshes have an ADC output and a DVI output, both of which are usable at any given time. With the new 20" plugged into the DVI output, I needed to get the DVI-to-VGA adapter that I'd been using replaced with an ADC-to-VGA adapter (Thank you, Dr. Bott!) so I could use both monitors at the same time.
From the 20" screen, a single cable comes out and forks at the other end into USB, FireWire, DVI, and power. A small power brick plugs into the wall and accepts the connector for power. The other connectors get plugged into the back of the computer, so the monitor can function as a 2-port USB 2.0 hub and 2-port FireWire 400 hub as well as a very clean and bright display.
Externally, there are only three controls for the Apple Aluminum Displays - brightness up, brightness down, and power. The power control will also control the Macintosh, making it easier to keep the CPU under the desk or in a cabinet and still have the ability to turn it on and off easily.
With the standard bent-aluminum stand attached to the monitor, the bottom edge of the screen's bezel is about 4" higher than the desk (or wherever the base of the stand is placed.)
If needed, $29 gets you a plate to replace the regular stand with a VESA-compliant mounting plate that allows you to connect the screen to any of a number of "arms" that can be used to position the monitor just about anywhere: wall, desk, pole-mounts to hang it from a ceiling, et cetera. The Ergotron Neo-Flex very closely matches the aluminum that Apple uses.
With an on-screen resolution of 1680 x 1050, the new screen offers considerably more "real estate" than my old 1280 x 1024 Samsung 172N but doesn't take up as much room on my desk as the Apple 23" would. Splitting my work between the two screens lets me put tool palettes and the like on one screen, while I'm doing the real work on the other. Apple's built-in-to-the-operating-system capability to manage and use multiple screens comes in very handy.
The Apple screen is much brighter, with better color rendering, and considerably better viewing angles than my old Samsung. Occasionally, I'll leave the room as a process is running, and when I came back into the room with the Samsung, I'd have to get somewhere in front of the screen before it became legible due to the LCD viewing angle. The wider angle on the Apple screen means that I can see what's going on without having to get directly in front of the screen.
If I had the need for a larger screen, and more room on my desk for it, I'd be sorely tempted to go for a 23", or even a 30", but for the time being that's far more screen than I need - and with a 20" and a 17", I can arrange things to "fit" here in my office, including a KVM switch to push data from other computers through the 17" Samsung without having to move things around.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): $1100
Operating System: Macintosh
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Epinions.com ID:
caradoc
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Member: John Groseclose
Location: Scottsdale, AZ
Reviews written: 182
Trusted by: 133 members
About Me:
System admin, technology addict, knife thrower, and dog "caregiver."
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