Apple LED Cinema Display v Hazro HZ26wi

veearrsix

veearrsix

veearrsix

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5 Jan 2009
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Could someone plaese try and help me make up my mind about my next display purchase.

I use a macbook pro as my main computer, and want to add a nice big display.

I've whittled my choices down to the led ACD and the 26" hazro.

Both I understand use S-IPS panels, both have same resolution, then from there on each has its plus and negative points.

I'll be using the display mainly for professional work (web and graphics work), but would also use to play movies on (and ideally my ps3 - which currently there is no workaround for the apple display, so i'm not using this as a deciding factor). Out and out image quality is more important.

Can anyone help me decide?
 
Absolutely zero flexibility with the current Apple LED. Get something else or wait for them to release some proper cinema displays that can be used professionally.
 
I have got one of the new 'unibody' macbook pro's with the mini displayport, as for the flexibility issue, I don't plan on getting rid of the mbp for quite a while, and if I did it would be for a newer mbp in the future. The only flexibility i'd like (and its not essential) is the ability to plug in a ps3, which I know the acd currently wont support.

I do like the idea of not having to mess about with displayport to whatever adapters, but again I don't want to just get the cinema display because the wires are neater
 
Problem the the Hazro is that it doesn't have a dimmable backlight so contrast ratio and black level is currently poor (this wasn't the case on the first gen models, the 24" I had was fantastic, this will also hopefully be fixed with the next release).

Maybe look at something else like the HP 2475W - that's got lots of inputs including a DisplayPort for your MBP (seeing as it doesn't have any other outputs), 2xDVI an HDMI, composite and component.
 
If i'm not going for the apple, then I would ideally like a 26"+ monitor, not really sure I want to stump up the £65ish for a mini dp - dual link dvi so 30" is out for now too.

Any recommendations? My budget is around the same as the hazro, before nec's or eizo's get mention :)
 
The Hazro is about the only 26" IPS in your price range, so you either have to live with its flaws or widen your parameters.

Why a 26" specifically (unless it's an apple), is it the dot pitch or just liking the size/form factor?
 
I'd like as large a screen as possible, i'd love a 30" but just out of my price range at the moment.

I feel that if i'm going to get a 24", then it will be the apple, for the nice neat connections and the LED backlighting, plus its an ips panel. It seems like a good price for those specs compared to the likes os a samsung xl24, even if it isn't as good.

But like I said I really want as big a screen as possible, I don't intend on having to buy another for a few years, so don't want to get one only wishing i'd gone for a larger one. Maybe i'm being greedy, I don't know.
 
Dell 2408wfp has all the ports you need. It's VA type and has Displayport, albeit not mini. (similar to the HP 2475W really)
http://www.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/monitor_2408wfp?c=us&l=en&s=dfo

I couldn't buy the Apple because you can't do anything other than plug a Mac laptop into it. Maybe that's OK for you, your choice.
It's very hard to buy a Monitor as they all fail in certain areas. I wouldn't buy any mentioned in this thread. Harsh times. :D
 
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Problem with the dell is that it's got high input lag and a raft of other problems. I sent mine back after less than a week it was so bad.

Additionally the horizontal gamma shift (problem with *VA panels) really did my head in.
 
veearrsix said:
would the backlight issue be fixable with a firmware update - or by next release do you mean new version of the monitor?
Click to expand...

next version of the monitor - the firmware upgrade simply fixes some banding issues. You can optionally have the backlight set to 50%, but that's no real fix unfortunately.
 
Does anyone have an idea when to expect the updated hazro 26" monitor. I've just read macworld's review on the LED ACD, and apparently its virtually impossible to calibrate due to the glossy display. Even though i'm not using the screen for print work, i'd like to get a screen the attempts to get the colour accuracy right!
 
philjohn said:
next version of the monitor - the firmware upgrade simply fixes some banding issues. You can optionally have the backlight set to 50%, but that's no real fix unfortunately.
Click to expand...

I would not be so sure to be honest. . .

TerminatorUK said:
I'm actually quite liking the pixel pitch!

It makes things quite large in FPS games for example and easy to do headshots.

The more I've tweaked and used this screen, the more I like it. I played Unreal Tournament 3 tonight and it looked absoutely incredible! The image is so solid and the lack of input lag really helps playing this sort of game.

I'm still getting used to moving my head around a lot when web browsing...I still find that a bit much at the moment.

The black depth certainly seems fine....I can see the 2nd black square on the lagom LCD tests at http://www.lagom.nl/lcd-test/black.php#blacktest.png for example.

The colours still look "not quite right" somehow on the desktop (greens and reds appear a bit 'punchy') but look very nice in game.

The screen is quite bright but no where near the "excessively bright" that other people have claimed.

Gonna test the component inputs with my Wii tomorrow and see what that looks like on this screen :)
Click to expand...

With regards to the black depth on TFT central they said:

HZ26W's original reading of 0.56 cd/m2. Subjectively, it was impossible to detect the first 8 shades of grey on the scale from 0 - 255 (255 being pure white). I followed the useful tests here, where the first square you could distinguish on the HZ26Wi was number 9.

But if you can see the 2nd square then the screen/firmware panel must have been updated surely as that is quite a difference?
 
Having read up on the hazro screens in a bit more depth, i'm actually tempted to go for the 30" monitor instead, however as i'm using a macbook pro with the mini display port, I was wondering if anyone had tried this setup before using the mini display port to dual link dvi adapter. I've read a few blog posts saying users are having trouble connecting to 30" screens other than apple ones!
 
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