Thread: Which external screen?

I thought all my Christmases had come at once when I saw a bunch of people discussing the Yamakasi Catleap screen, coming out of Korea, for very few dollars. It uses the same panel (more or less, they are Apple rejects due to possible bright or dark pixels) as the Apple 27" screen (apparently made by LG, though you can't yet seem to get an LG branded screen of the same resolution) and costs only between $300-400 depending on whether its UK pounds, US dollars or AU dollars (I've discovered the cheapest is to buy in US dollars, our AUD is above parity again)... So Windows computer users, you might want to take a look BUT make sure you have one of the recommended graphics cards.

Here's one link:
New YAMAKASI CATLEAP Q270 SE 27" LED 2560X1440 Computer Monitor + Tempered glass | eBay

And another from a different seller (this one gets a good rap from au buyers).
New Yamakasi Catleap Q270 27" LED 2560x1440 WQHD S-IPS Widescreen Monitor | eBay

However... even though this is the same panel as the apple screen, which my MBP would happily work with, apparently NO mac or macbook/pro will work, because our gfx cards are wrong. I wrote to greensum to find out why, he was less than helpful in that way, but suggested that the GPU might burn out if I tried, and not to buy. I'm not going to risk it. So sad :(

So all of that is leading to my real question (I just thought some would like to know about that catleap) which is... which screen to pair with my early 2011 13" macbook pro. Editing on this screen is just as fraught as it is on a netbook screen, so I'm looking looking.

Currently on my horizon is the Dell U2410 (I've decided if I cant have the catleap I actually dont want 27", I'll be overwhelmed!) but also the Dell U2412M and the U2312HM. These last two dont cover 100% of the colour gamut but... oh well...

Does anyone have other experiences, bearing in mind that my budget is strictly limited to around $300-400 (waiting for a sale price like that on the 2410 might see me in my grave first). I'm prepared to accept any brand screen, I'm not brand loyal, I dont care if its glossy or matte, because glossy is all I have had in recent years, so dark curtains all round in computer areas. It would be nice to have a 1920x1200 screen (2410 and 2412M) but I also accept I may have to have something like a 1080, like it or not.

Suggestions? (yes, I know Eizo is the go, its well outside my capacity to pay for it!)

Bump. Anybody? Or is everyone just too excited about new gear to think about it?

I realize this is somewhat over your budget, but from what I have read, this should be a very good choice:

NEC MultiSync P221W-BK 22" Widescreen LCD P221W-BK-SV B&H

And, the same monitor minus the calibrator:

NEC MultiSync P221W-BK 22" Widescreen LCD Computer P221W-BK

This is what I was going to get if I had gone with a Mac Mini instead of the iMac I ended up purchasing.

Good luck!

Cheers,

Antonio

Hi
My experience with this is personal and professional: my own stuff on the best I can afford, and a pro creative shop with a much larger budget.

I use anNEC, and would agree with the ones recommended by Antonio. Dell has some good ones too, but beware: they source actual screens from different suppliers according to availability and price, so quality varies.

Buy the best you can, and reserve some cash for a calibration kit. It will make a real difference, especially when you print.

Originally Posted by ajramirez

I realize this is somewhat over your budget, but from what I have read, this should be a very good choice:

NEC MultiSync P221W-BK 22" Widescreen LCD P221W-BK-SV B&H

And, the same monitor minus the calibrator:

NEC MultiSync P221W-BK 22" Widescreen LCD Computer P221W-BK

This is what I was going to get if I had gone with a Mac Mini instead of the iMac I ended up purchasing.

Good luck!

Cheers,

Antonio

Thanks for the suggestions, Antonio. Yes, a bit outside budget, and I was also hoping to get a higher resolution screen, 1920x1080 or 1200 (22" is fine)... But perhaps I will look more closely at the other NEC options. I remember paying an absolute fortune for a second hand NEC Multisync back in 1994 or so, around $650 AUD for 14" of nice CRT screen. Gawd, how times change.

Originally Posted by Pelao

Hi
My experience with this is personal and professional: my own stuff on the best I can afford, and a pro creative shop with a much larger budget.

I use anNEC, and would agree with the ones recommended by Antonio. Dell has some good ones too, but beware: they source actual screens from different suppliers according to availability and price, so quality varies.

Buy the best you can, and reserve some cash for a calibration kit. It will make a real difference, especially when you print.

Thanks for that info about Dell. I know Apple does the same thing, the current crop come from LG apparently. So I will look more closely at NEC, but TBH am still likely to end up with a Dell. I went to some stores this morning, and got very disappointed at the crop of screens on sale at the moment. They all looked quite crappy. Perhaps I want too much. Even computer stores that do nothing but build computers to order don't have much on offer.

I'd really like to be able to see one of these things before buying but it seems that will be out of the question. Its online or its nothing, at least where I live.

Followup... Just been looking at prices for NEC in Australia. OUCH. Back to Dell.

I too am searching for a monitor. Dell appears to be the only realistically priced option in Australia. If you look around the 2410 is available for about $570 while the Dell website continues to charge $799! I am torn between the 2410 (wide gamut) and 2412 (sRGB only). I only edit in RAW and have no experience of ips monitors so any suggestions or tips would be very welcome.

Kyteflyer, keep us posted on how you get on and I will do the same.

Originally Posted by Xuereb

I too am searching for a monitor. Dell appears to be the only realistically priced option in Australia. If you look around the 2410 is available for about $570 while the Dell website continues to charge $799! I am torn between the 2410 (wide gamut) and 2412 (sRGB only). I only edit in RAW and have no experience of ips monitors so any suggestions or tips would be very welcome.

Kyteflyer, keep us posted on how you get on and I will do the same.

Where on earth did you see the U2410 for $570? I've been looking and looking and searching and not finding much at all except their lesser screens. I'd be in like Flynn if I could get it for that. The U2412M also tempts me (in fact these are the two I am most attracted to) because its LED and thus a bit of power saving, whereas the U2410 is not LED.

Next sale day switch is Thursday, I'm waiting to see what turns up then. The U2412M wont be on again for a while, it was on last week for $279. The U2312HM is on right now for $244, but its 1920x1080 and I want the extra screen height from the two 24s.

The main difference between the two, from what I can immediately see is the LED issue, the U2412 doesn't have as many connection options, and the 2410 covers 100% of the sRGB colour gamut and 98% of the Adobe colour, whereas the 2412 only does 82%. Other than that, much of a muchness.

[edit] just did a google search and where nothing turned up the other day, today, Harris Tech has it for $562. I'll keep looking but right now am thinking that is going to be the one I get unless I find some for much much less. HT has 35 in stock in NSW as I type.

[edit #2] arghhhh. A friend has just warned me that the HT stock might be really really old, HT are almost always more expensive than anywhere else... holding off.

will wait for the next price switch on the 2412 and see how much the price drops. I must have just missed the last one. A sixth sense warns me off the cheap price 2410 which in WA can be had from one source for $540 approx. If it is old stock it will need a firmware update but I also suspect the 2410 is being sold off because the model is soon due to be replaced.

I currently have a Viewsonic 22 inch and certainly need the extra height a 24 inch monitor gives. I don't know if the difference in the Adobe colour rendering is justified by the greater price of the 2410.

Originally Posted by Xuereb

will wait for the next price switch on the 2412 and see how much the price drops. I must have just missed the last one. A sixth sense warns me off the cheap price 2410 which in WA can be had from one source for $540 approx. If it is old stock it will need a firmware update but I also suspect the 2410 is being sold off because the model is soon due to be replaced.

I currently have a Viewsonic 22 inch and certainly need the extra height a 24 inch monitor gives. I don't know if the difference in the Adobe colour rendering is justified by the greater price of the 2410.

I'm inclined to agree after thinking about it for a while, but still, only 82% of sRGB, thats not so good, either :( Just did some reading on OCAU and the 2412 has got a generally good response there. HT has it for $330 at the moment. I dunno, maybe it will be good enough for me. god knows I have been putting up with this 13" screen, anything is going to be better than that. Fingers crossed for a discount on Thursday.

Interesting stuff on wide gamut displays: http://forums.overclockers.com.au/sh...d.php?t=723315