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Apple LED Cinema Display (24" flat panel)

Ambiguously Specialized Yet ...

Written by IC from Washington

Feb 14, 2009

The name of this product, Apple LED Cinema Display, offers no indication that it's specialized for laptops with a Mini DisplayPort. We purchased it with a Mac Pro, assuming that it was the newest rev of a product that's historically been compatible with standard DVI ports.

There is no adapter available to port Mini DiplayPort to DVI.
There is no Mini DisplayPort expansion card for the Mac Pro through this vendor. (I dunno bout the others.)

We will be sending it back, and wondering why the 23" is no longer available for our new Mac Pro, and other DVI-ported machines, and annoyed about the resulting downtime for our enduser.

1241 of 1628 people found this useful

Apple LED Cinema Display (24" flat panel)

Very nice but hard to see the value

Written by MS from Brooklyn

Feb 14, 2009

I think this is an awesome display as far as styling and quality go but I see a few flaws.

- Mac Mini-DP does not play sound (was hoping to convert to HDMI and watch on TV, cant)
- Not high resolution (17" MBP runs same res as 24" cinema)
- Almost $1000 after tax
- Not much noticeable color improvement over Mac's current LED displays.
- Speakers do not compensate for the price

This will probably get much improvement in the next refresh.

1081 of 1346 people found this useful

Apple LED Cinema Display (24" flat panel)

Apple's big misstep

Written by DS from North Hollywood

Apr 4, 2009

I've owned nothing but Apple products since the early 80's. I was hoping to purchase 6 new 24" monitors for my creative agency, but was stunned to find that Apple only makes these monitors with glossy screens. These are impossible to use at a design studio for reasons mentioned numerous times below. The only option they've left designers is to pay $1800 for the 30", which is too expensive and overkill, size-wise.

Apple has really dropped the ball on this one by ignoring what has been its core demographic for a very long time. For the first time, I'm left with no choice but to purchase monitors from a third party, and Apple drove me right to their doorstep. What in the world are they thinking?

347 of 381 people found this useful

Apple LED Cinema Display (24" flat panel)

Superb product

Written by FM from London

Mar 3, 2009

I own a new unibody 15' MacBook Pro and was looking for a monitor to allow myself to work more precisely with applications such as Apperture or iMovie. I shopped around (HP made interesting ones as well with integrated mic and webcam for half the price) but in due fairness the LED cinema display was the best choice (although the priciest) for several reasons:
- no cables and wires dangling everywhere
- plug and play
- for the price to have a 24' LED (and not LCD!) is a bargain (and yes I am going to have to eat pasta for the whole of March after spending that much in one go!).

I had a scary moment when once plugged I found the definition a bit grainy and gross but when using it with the MacBook monitor off (allowing you to be able still to use the keyboard) the resolution is just amazing, especially comes to pictures. The glossiness of the display has not been a problem as far as I am concerned, and given the room where it sits.

It is important to note that this display is usable only with the new unibody MacBook and MacBook Pro family as it needs to minidisplay port to function. However, it seems that Apple has allowed 3rd-party manufacturers to produce adaptors so people with the older generation shoud be able to use it anytime soon.

The reason why I give it 4 instead of 5 stars, is because it is not a very nice move from Apple to forget people who are loyal to the brand and could feel left out, especially if they bought a less recent MacBook brand new from them just before the unibody family was released. On top of that this display is not usable with game consoles as there is no hdmi or any other kind of ports. But comes to the product as such it is remarkable, and a nice piece of design too).

310 of 340 people found this useful

Apple LED Cinema Display (24" flat panel)

Connectivity

Written by AS from Grapevine

Mar 13, 2009

I rated this product a 2 star because I want people to read carefully before buying this product.
I bought this expensive monitor so that I could use my current MBP with it. That being said, this monitor is nothing short of spectacular!
BUT-
IF I take my MBP on business and my wife wants to use the monitor to hook into her company supplied PC(laptop) or a desktop Mac(older version ) there is no solution.
A thousand dollar paper weight is what it turns into until I return and hook my NEW computer into it.

I should have read the forums first; there are thousands of people asking for some solution/adapter to this same problem. I hope this helps you make your decision wisely.

301 of 347 people found this useful

Apple LED Cinema Display (24" flat panel)

Great monitor, but check compatibility first!

Written by CR from London

Apr 6, 2009

This is a superb monitor (as long as you like the glossy finish). However...

This monitor only comes with a mini-DisplayPort adapter. Unless you have a brand new Mac laptop or desktop, you will not be able to connect the monitor.

Optimists hoping to be able to find a mini-DisplayPort to DVI adapter of the right gender (opposite to those sold in the Apple Store) will be doomed to a long search.

255 of 279 people found this useful

Apple LED Cinema Display (24" flat panel)

Too glossy for professional use

Written by MG from STUDIO CITY

Feb 20, 2009

I use this monitor at a video production company and I have much more eye strain at the end of the day than with the matte screen.

287 of 352 people found this useful

Apple LED Cinema Display (24" flat panel)

Glossy screen is very distracting.

Written by AN from San Francisco

Apr 2, 2009

I didn't purchase this monitor for the sole reason that the screen is so glossy that I found it to be very distracting. I actually purchased one of the older models of Apple 23" monitors (which I love) because it is so important to me to not have the glossy sheen. When you are designing on a monitor all day long, the last thing you want to be able to see is your own reflection staring back at you from your monitor. I am a long time user of apple products, and this is the first time I can remember that Apple did not offer users a matte screen option. I really hope that Apple re-thinks the glossy screens on both laptops and displays as soon as possible.

242 of 271 people found this useful

Apple LED Cinema Display (24" flat panel)

Nice looks, but Very Short Cord! MacPro owners beware....

Written by CL from los angeles

Mar 18, 2009

This revision of Apple's 24" display is slick, but not entirely functional. The cord that attaches to the Mini DisplayPort is very, very short. As they advertise it is the first display designed for laptops and they are correct. The very short length of the display cable is great if your mac mini or laptop is sitting right next to the monitor. HOWEVER, if you buy this for a new MacPro you machine will most likely be on the floor or away from your table top surface. Currently, there are NO adapters or extenders to remedy this. Hopefully apple will release another version that will cut us some slack....literally.

231 of 257 people found this useful

Apple LED Cinema Display (24" flat panel)

short cable - ugh! bad apple

Written by CN from Brooklyn

Apr 13, 2009

Just bought a LED CInema display and Mac Pro.
The display looks beautiful and works like a dream ... BUT only with my MAC BOOK PRO. !?#%^&?

I can't use it with my Mac Pro because the cable for the display is too short and there are no extenders available. The add says the display will work with Mac Pro but does not say they have to next to each other.

I'm very disappointed. I have two friends that that will delay their purchase of this same set up until the problem is resolved. The LED display should come with an extension cable for use with MAC PRO. They should offer free extensions to all that purchased the display.

I'm all for clean desktop with connecting MBP to LED CD but this short cable is such an obvious oversight.

HENCE, 1 star.

207 of 225 people found this useful

Apple LED Cinema Display (24" flat panel)

Big, Beautiful Display with Short, Ugly Cables

Written by SC from STAFFORD

Apr 14, 2009

I just purchased the 24" LED display to go along with my new Mac Pro.

Little did I know that the customer target for the display was MacBook Pro users (I have one of those as well).

My choice was either a 30" Cinema Display (non-LED) or this one. I'm not sure why Apple is doing such a poor job in this arena.

The screen is incredible. I have a back-lit Cinema Display next to it for a second monitor and the differences are stark. The LED display is bright and extremely crisp.

The major flaw in the monitor is, -- as other reviewers have posted -- the cables. You cannot connect the monitor to a Mac Pro unless you design a custom desk setup or place the giant Mac Pro on the top of your desk, next to the display.

I had to place my Mac Pro on a pedestal behind my desk. I have to walk around my desk to insert a CD, or access the Mac Pro.

VERY, VERY, annoying.

Hopefully Apple will resolve this issue shortly.

If the cables had just been 12 to 18 inches longer, this would have been a five star review.

184 of 189 people found this useful

Apple LED Cinema Display (24" flat panel)

24 inch Cinema Display

Written by AP from LONDON

Jun 1, 2009

I agree with all the positive comments about this display. The quality is very good. But I also want to emphasise what at least one reviewer has already said. This is really only suitable for use with a laptop. I made the mistake of buying one to go with my desktop, or rather, desk under, MacPro (itself a great bit of kit) and the mini display port lead is nothing like long enough to reach (its less than three feet) to be able to position the two items comfortably. A search for a longer lead, or a way of extending the existing one including creative use of connectors, failed miserably (and I was looking in the UK and the US). So this is a potential show-stopper unless Apple, or a third party supplier, fix this problem.

I strongly urge, therefore, a google search for a longer lead before buying the screen, so that you can be sure that a stupid minor glitch like this doesn't render your expensive purchase unusable.

180 of 192 people found this useful

Apple LED Cinema Display (24" flat panel)

Bad Design .... What is apple thinking?

Written by TJ from North Yorkshire

May 21, 2009

Do not get me wrong, it looks fantastic and has good quality. But what was apple thinking when they fitted it with a "fixed" 1 meter cable that has a mini-DV plug at the end of the cable which does not even reach my PC case. How are you gonna design a new format plug that you do not bother to put accessories I.E extension cables etc. on the market. Have you ever thought that if you put 2 x 24 cinema displays on your desk .... that one of your displays cables will not reach to plug into your Mac Pro? The 24" cinema display has a "Male mini-DV" plug on it, the only device that you have made with a "Female mini-DV" socket is the video card ... So how do you "Brainiacs" suggest your clients bridge the gap to get the second display connected other than placing your Mac Pro directly behind the displays which is about as stupid as this design.

200 of 239 people found this useful

Apple LED Cinema Display (24" flat panel)

24" GLOSSY screen

Written by JM from ORMOND BEACH

Mar 31, 2009

This would't be a bad display if it had two options.Matte screen and additional input connections. As it's currently offered its unusable in professional applications due to the glossy only screen. GLoss screens unnaturally boost contrast which of course does not display on finished printed materials.

181 of 209 people found this useful

Apple LED Cinema Display (24" flat panel)

Cord Length a very serious issue...

Written by JR from Victoria

Jul 5, 2009

Apple boasts that you can connect up to eight Apple Displays to the Mac Pro, but what they don't tell you is that you can't position them in any decent viewing place as the cables on these monitors are tooo bloody short, and non extendable (save for hacking off the end and making your own extensions...) how non-apple of a thing to do.
Terribly disappointed, terribly.

162 of 188 people found this useful

Apple LED Cinema Display (24" flat panel)

Beautiful Monitor with a Very Short Cord

Written by ML from Santa Monica

Jun 30, 2009

I mean c'mon! Do you think you could have made the cord any shorter? All this money and you give it just a 2" cord to plug into the computer?
It doesn't even reach the floor when sitting on a normal size desk. Do you expect everybody to set their new Mac Pros directly next to the monitor on top of their desks?

Really disappointed in this tiny but important detail that you seemed to have overlooked.
Is there an extension available? Does it cost another $99.00?

Good grief!

147 of 159 people found this useful

Apple LED Cinema Display (24" flat panel)

Needs Longer Cord

Written by EB from Franklin

Apr 15, 2009

Works great on my Laptop. I would love to attach this to a new Mac Pro, but alas, the cables is way too short and there is no extension available. Apple needs to fix this pronto...

139 of 147 people found this useful

Apple LED Cinema Display (24" flat panel)

Glossy Screen is Distracting

Written by DF from Oak Park

Apr 7, 2009

Beautiful monitor as far as resolution and crispness, but the glossy screen is very distracting. It's like staring into an aquarium all day.

As a graphic designer and Photoshop retoucher/color corrector, this makes it difficult to do my work. There wasn't an alternative choice for my new Mac purchase, other than buying a third party monitor, or an older (used) 23' Cinema Display. But, I would rather stick with Apple in the long run, having been a long-time customer and supporter.

Last note: You don't get much of a stereo feeling with the built-in speakers, as they are fairly close together. If you want a true stereo "spread", and deeper bass response, I would recommend purchasing external speakers with a subwoofer.

136 of 142 people found this useful