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

If you don't want to use plastics for environmental reasons Apple, there are glare-free glass options out there too. This is a giant mirror unless you have the perfect lighting conditions. Really fatiguing over the course of a day to continually have to force your focus from all the reflections.

And no HDMI either? This thing is the size of a TV, and I would like it to serve as one when I am not using it as a computer monitor. Would love to be able to plug in a blu-ray or my HD Receiver into this thing too. Would be acceptable if Apple supported blu-ray in its Mac line. Unfortunately, the Dell Ultra-Sharp has to complement my Mac this time around. A travesty. But it is matt, with tons of inputs.

Apple, Have you forgotten that professional designers were the only group of customers that were by your side when no-one else was? It seems that you have become ungrateful with the success of you ipod line that you are now only interested in being flashy even at the expense of functionality. Surely, someone at Apple must realize that a glossy display may look nice in the store, but it not practical to use for any length of time. The glare that comes off your new monitors is truly painful to the eyes after only a short period of use. I have used you products for years, but fail to understand how you can overlook something so obvious, and the top complaint by all designers. Please take a moment to read your own reviews. Read some of the negative ones and not just the compliments. We are not the only ones complaining about this issue. Yes, your products are beautiful, and I am not complaining at all about any other feature, however, a Matte finish screen option is a must if you expect to retain your loyal customers. I would have purchased several of these new displays, but instead are not keeping a single 1.
PLEASE, PLEASE give this matter some serious attention. ASAP.
While you are at it, an updated 30" or larger version with a MATTE finish would also be a welcome update. Again, I understand that the HD screen proportions are what is hot, but as designers those 160 extra vertical pixels are significant. Why follow other companies' trends, when you have the power to lead ?

I just gave this monitor a 2-week try to see if I could get used to a shiny display. I tried angling it so it wouldn't catch any direct light (hard with a 27" surface), I tried moving around. And especially, I tried to just get used to it.

Sadly, at the end of most working days, my eyes were hurting.

Many Pro-level modern apps are very dark - that works really badly combined with the glossy reflections from this monitor.

Probably a nice consumer piece of tech, but doesn't cut it for 8-hours/day viewing during daytime hours.

To be completely up front, there is way too much glare off the monitor to be useful as a professional tool. Owners of the monitor should not be required to perfectly situate the monitor to reduce glare. Also, the colors appear way too vivid, which though great for watching a movie, is a big problem for doing photo work. And lets face it, watching a movie on a Cinema Display, though certainly not a bad option, is nothing compared to a good HDTV. There is no doubt that the monitor is stylish and since it is an Apple, it is undoubtedly with technical peer. However, the glare problem, and the over amped colors, seem to be a direct result of the monitor glass. Apple needs to offer an OPTION to go MATTE like they did with the Mac Book Pros. It is amazing how one design component (the glossy glass) can severely compromise the attractiveness of owning the Cinema Display.

The design and performance of the display are second to none. However, I have to spend a lot of time in front of the monitor and eye strain from glare is a major problem. I am not sure whether a matte display is in fact better than a glossy display when it comes to color calibration. That, I suppose, is debatable. However, indisputably, glare off a glossy display is far more intense than off a matte display. Otherwise a really excellent monitor, the glare problem renders it far less usable, or at least bleeds the desire to use it. Glare as a function of intermittent use is perhaps not a big deal. But glare times hours of use each day is a big deal. The decision to go glossy only is a bit baffling and disappointing.

Apple, where is antiglare / matte option? Please please please, we as a professional photographer, need antiglare/matte option. Can't bear the glare anymore.

I went to the Apple store today to buy a completely fitted out Mac Pro. Loaded. This is not a cheap investment, but since my original G5 has lasted about 10 years I felt it was a good investment. When I get to the store, prepared to also buy two 27" monitors I find out they no longer offer a matte monitor, only glossy.

Between the Final Cut X fiasco and this, I can only assume that Apple no longer cares about their professional users. I am so disgusted right now I can't even sleep. I haven't been this upset with a company, ever. Surely, the folks at Apple must know that those of us doing color critical, detail oriented imaging work need a matte screen, so I can only assume that they really don't want our business.

So now i have to find another brand of monitor. I can't believe that Apple did this, I really can't...

Apple! Honestly, you must start listening to us. Once again I must go to the Dell Ultrasharps because your glossy screens create too much glare. I am a radiologist and this is truly the only thing preventing me from buying one. You must at least offer a matte screen option in the future if you hope to ever reach the market of photographers and medical professionals.

This is a high quality screen with great picture quality, good contrast, brightness and color balance. However, all of that becomes irrelevant in most work places, as the reflections will distract and make it impossible to do any kind of critical graphics work.
To overpower the reflections, the screen has to be viewed at high brightness settings settings, causing fatigue and headaches.

Still, in some environments, such as bright office spaces with uncovered windows and sun light, it may be impossible to use the screen without third party glare reducing screen covers. This is is not acceptable for a high end workstation display, and will generally not give as good a result as if the screen itself had the correct finish. Therefore, I cannot recommend this product.