Reviews for Apple LED Cinema Display (27" flat panel)

I know a lot of people want to complain about the fact that it only works with Mini Display ports and the glossy screen is very reflective, but the bottom line is they say the monitor has a glossy screen so if you do not like that then do not buy it. Do not buy the glossy screen then bash the product because you do not like that because you knew very well what it was! The Mini Display Port is a somewhat annoying problem but i bought a nvidia GT 120 i believe and it has DVI and Mini Display so i was fine. It once again clearly says to you works with every NEW Mac not every 1 Year old Mac or every 2 Year old Mac so stop acting like they are tricking you because they give you all of the information right here and expect you to actually read it.

The quality of the monitor is unbelievable its dark blacks are great and even at full brightness it looks fantastic. At night with my lamp on i turn off the backlight because it doesn't even need it. The clarity is also just perfect and the speakers surprised me. I normally use Bose computer speakers and so i am used to great sound so i thought trying the built in ones would disappoint but they do not. They still sound great and are very usable as well as the Isight camera it is very good quality and its all built in to the monitor so you cant lose. I also enjoy that there is no buttons on the monitor because then you just turn off the computer and it is off as well and same thing for when it goes to sleep.

I recommend this monitor without question and the money is not that big of an issue when you know you are getting quality like this.

I connected the 27" Cinema display to a 2 week old 27" iMac. Fantastic combo! The 27" cinema display looks identical to the 27" iMacs screen. Both have the same glossy finish. The form factor of the monitor is slightly shorter than the iMac by 1-1/4" but the screen dimensions and resolution are identical. I created a simple spacer to elevate the display to align the top of the monitor with the top of the iMac.

I don't understand all of the complaints about the glossy finish. I own several Dell 24" flat screen displays that have the non-reflective finish and I can tell you that this new 27" cinema display is considerably sharper and clearer compared to the Dell 24" WFP displays and I have no issue with reflection.

Setting this up with the 27" iMac couldn't be easier. The iMac automatically detected the new display, dialed in the max resolution at the first boot up. I simply had to choose which side logically I wanted the display to be on in system settings. It also gives you the cool option of deciding which monitor the menu bar/dock is located. You don't need to buy a separate cable as it comes with an all-in-one cable for mini-display port, USB, mag power connector for MacBooks.

Overall I highly recommend the new 27" display...you won't be disappointed!

The first one had a small dust at the middle of the screen behind the glossy screen.

I exchanged it,

The second one had dead pixel(s) just at the middle of the screen.

I returned it, because, after 15 days I cannot return it anymore and then I assumed they would have giving me a harder time to exchange it.

The good news is that the support was pretty good, you just need to watch-out for the 15 days cutoff date.

I looked at the Dell UltraSharpTM U3011, but it seems that it does not work with the latest MacBook pro (at least with mini-displayport/displayport connector, not sure about the dual-dvi-port connector).

I might give another try at the Apple 27''. It is a very nice screen if it did not have these little defects.

(and yes, Glossy can be annoying depending of your lightning, so, make sure to have any strong light source behind you).

This display is extremely clear and vivid. The only time I notice the glossy screen is when my computer is asleep and the screen is black. Once it wakes, the glossiness becomes a non issue. I could just be used to the glossy screen of my kids iMac though. I agree the cords could be longer, but I was able to adjust my computer location to make it work. I really like the space with which the 27" screen gives me to arrange my work. If you are not used to a glossy screen, this may take just a little for some people to get used to. But, I think this monitor is fantastic and well worth the investment.

If you haven't invested in blockout blinds, dark purple Ralph Lauren wall paint and track lighting, I can't help you. But I have and this monitor is the greatest ever. The cord could be longer.

I'm a pro photographer and having this screen is great asset.
Yes, there is a problem with reflection, but with any screen you should good lighting condition. The colors are really nice and my photos looks great and sharp. It's really nice to have only one cable on my table that also charging my MacBook Pro.
I returned my new Dell U2711 27' HD UltraSharp 2 month age just because it was hard to see if the image is sharp or not.
Apple display is one more great product that you mast to have for photography business.

I love the glossy screen and much prefer it over the matte screen it is replacing (a 30" LG). My Macbook Pro from two years ago came with the matte screen and it was not nearly as crisp or vibrant as the new Macbook Pro or the iMac with the glossy screen. I guess if you live in a world of unfiltered fluorescents you should look elsewhere, but in my very bright, south facing office it has never been an issue.

This is a good monitor. The colors are amazing provided the light source is controlled. The glossy screen requires a low light situation, or the glare is distracting. Apple should also include a matte option for users in higher light situations. The cords while functional, are much too short. I suspect most people not using a notebook will need an extension cable. I mounted mine on the wall and the first monitor had a defective stand that couldn't be removed. The second monitor after exchange worked fine for mounting on my office wall. The monitor is very sturdy feeling and visually was without defects. The iSight camera works well and the speakers are of reasonable quality for a monitor. My only other complaint is that Apple does not offer a PC standalone driver for brightness except through bootcamp. When not using my macbook pro, I hook it to my pc with an ATI 5970. While it works, the only way to control the brightness properly is to first adjust the brightness on my macbook pro. The monitor then remembers the setting on the pc. I cannot recommend this monitor for PC only users with no macs to hook it to given the lack of drivers for brightness control. (NOTE: Installing bootcamp on a pure non-Apple Windows PC does not properly control brightness in my experience.)

Beautiful monitor but its going back for refund tomorrow. Cannot deal with all the reflections from glossy finish. What in the world was Apple thinking selling this to professional graphics/photo guys? Beautiful, but unusable. Only item I've ever bought from Apple that was bad enough to return.

I have to agree with the comments about the Glare on these Apple Cinema Displays. I know it produces higher contrast, but the reflective nature of this choice is too high of a price to pay. Apple should offer an option for those of us who don't want to work in a dark room in order to use these with out distracting glare for 10+ hours a day.

Apple offer an option as these are Pro Display purchased by professionals who have other options on the market from other major Display brands