[X4U] 27" LED iMac (was: Re: Display Port Without the Apple Tax?)

[Joe Sporleder]

On Aug 2, 2010, at 2:46 PM, Joe Sporleder wrote:

> I've been reading the tech specs at http://www.apple.com/macpro/specs.html on the new Mac Pros coming out soon. One of the selling points on the video card is that it can drive 3 screens. 
> 
> A footnote says that "There is a maximum of two DVI-based displays per graphics card." So, one would have to hook up at least one monitor via some other connection - i.e., displayport.
> 
> I've only come across one LCD outside of Apple that uses the mini displayport connector, CinemaView, which looks a lot like Apple's, but uses a cheaper screen technology (TN) versus Apple's LED technology. Searching on the web, I have found screens by HP, Dell and NEC that use the full sized displayport connector (I'm sure an mini display port to displayport adaptor would take care of this). 
> 
> Is the new $999 27" LED from Apple worth the price (or the 24" at a clearance price of $799)? Anyone on this list use a displayport capable LCD screen besides Apple's offerings? I have a project where the new MacPro would be perfect to run with 3 screens - two screens for layout and the 3rd screen for a Filemaker ad tracking database.
> 
> Joe

I have noticed that Apple's online store refurbished section has a 2.66Ghz Quad-Core i5 27" iMac for $1529US. That looks like a very tempting direction to go for my desire for screen real estate. With a 2nd monitor (perhaps splurging for the 27" Apple LED standalone when it comes out), and upgrading to 16GB of RAM would make a nice pagination system, Photoshop machine and a little bit of audio editing and Youtube and Blip.tv video processing machine. My boss has not always been a fan of all-in-one desktops (higher failure rate from some iMacs we had in the iMacs earlier history). He was always worried about a dead computer and a big screen paperweight. I've seen the new LED screens on some iMacs at my local dealer, and I think in this situation, we need to reconsider the iMac in our stable of workstations. I wonder how iMacs and Mac minis from recent generations fair in failure rates.

Joe