Apple cinema 23" display?

babowc · March 9, 2013

So there's a local guy selling his 23" Apple cinema display for what seems to be a great deal, but without the power "brick"... I don't know much about apple computers and monitors.

I did some research, and the power adapter is ~$100..

Are the cinema displays worth their price?

ziggy53 · March 10, 2013

A rather scary thing about the display you are looking at is how do you know if it works? You will need a power supply to know how well it works. Does it have any/many dead pixels or color tint problems? Will it even start up?

Assuming that you find a power supply for testing, and assuming that it works with your computer, you're buying a fairly old display. These sell through a dealer for $399USD. This means that you should be able to find one through private sale for around $299-$350, but since this copy lacks a $100 necessity, that brings the actual value down to $199-$250-ish.

http://www.dccomputerwarehouse.com/23-cinema
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B0002ILKNQ/ref=dp_olp_used_mbc?ie=UTF8&condition=used

Assuming that's the asking price, will it work with your computer? Best to check for compatibility first:

http://support.apple.com/kb/SP77

On to suitability for your use. It appears that the Apple Cinema 23-inch HD Flat-Panel Display is a TFT technology. I suggest that an IPS display is more suited to photographic use. The Cinema 23-inch also lacks the ability to rotate to portrait orientation, and the stand will not extend vertically, which could be important to your use.

Overall, I think that an NEC MultiSync EA232WMi 23-inch, for $260 brand new, represents a much better value. It has an IPS display, with a portrait orientation option and vertical rise/fall for more comfortable viewing. The 3 - year warranty is a comfort too.

While the NEC has DisplayPort, DVI-D, and VGA 15-pin D-sub connectors, you'll want to check for compatibility with your computer.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824002578
http://www.amazon.com/NEC-MultiSync-EA232WMi-23-inch-widescreen/dp/B004HH1MR2

Newsy · March 10, 2013

How old is it and what is the price?

The 23" Apple Cinema displays has always used a S-IPS type panel.

This panel dates back far enough that compared to modern LCD monitors it will lack in certain areas, notably the blacks. The older S-IPS LCD panels were only capable of a bottom end black point somewhere around 0.40 cd/m2. Compare that to a 0.15 cd/m2 black point found even on $170 e-IPS monitors today. Blacks are black on the new IPS monitors where units from 6 years ago are more of a gray black.

Then look to gamut coverage... they used a CCFL back light I believe so gamut coverage is likely about 96 to 98% of sRGB. The newer LCD's with LED back lights run about 94 to 95% of sRGB unless you look to one of the recent monitors introduced in the last two months that are using a new version of a white LED - these go about 98-99% of sRGB. Examples are the new Dell U2713HM or HP ~~ZR2440w~~ ZR2740w v2.

The clincher may be the power converter in the monitor that energizes the CCFL tubes. They are a common point of failure.

Edit 2013-03-11 corrected HP part number.

ziggy53 · March 10, 2013

Newsy wrote: »

... The 23" Apple Cinema displays has always used a S-IPS type panel.

This panel dates back far enough that compared to modern LCD monitors it will lack in certain areas, notably the blacks. The older S-IPS LCD panels were only capable of a bottom end black point somewhere around 0.40 cd/m2. Compare that to a 0.15 cd/m2 black point found even on $170 e-IPS monitors today. Blacks are black on the new IPS monitors where units from 6 years ago are more of a gray black.

Then look to gamut coverage... they used a CCFL back light I believe so gamut coverage is likely about 96 to 98% of sRGB. The newer LCD's with LED back lights run about 94 to 95% of sRGB unless you look to one of the recent monitors introduced in the last two months that are using a new version of a white LED - these go about 98-99% of sRGB. Examples are the new Dell U2713HM or HP ZR2440w v2.

The clincher may be the power converter in the monitor that energizes the CCFL tubes. They are a common point of failure.

Excellent information and thanks for the correction.

I could not find any formal Apple mention of an IPS display used in an Apple Cinema display line until the 27" and, later, the Thunderbolt display (which appears to be positioned to ultimately replace the Cinema displays.)

That's an encouraging development regarding the improved LED backlight of the Dell U2713HM and HP ZR2440w v2.

babowc · March 10, 2013

Gotcha.. thanks for the information guys!
I will pass on this monitor and save up for a new, more recent monitor with warranty!

Apple cinema 23" display?

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